I know this is a little off topic, but I made my first Panther home game when Detroit came to Florida last Thurs. Sat right by the entry way for the Panthers. The thing I noticed more than anything was the class of the Panther vets. EVERY single kid had his hand slapped by every vet EVERY time. Jagr signed EVERY autograph asked for, even between periods. If you saw the smiles on these kids..... Jagr, Lou, Mac, Campbell, and Jokinen. I live in Chicago and you don't see this kind of reach out ever. Nothing knocking the Hawks, but these players made themselves available at every opportunity. I was really impressed and that will lead to more young fans in Florida. First class players and org.

I'll say it once more:

You suspend someone on that hit (regardless of prior history...we are judging the action, not the reputation) and you're one step closer to completely taking open ice hitting out of the game.

Not that it means a whole lot, but Pierre McGuire said the same thing this morning. This is coming from a guy who wants everyone suspended for everything, it seems.

If there is a suspension, other players will take notice and they will be weary to touch a guy in the future.

They already make it extremely difficult to make an open ice hit, this could be the nail in the coffin.

As a fan of the Senators, I can honestly say, Chris Neil makes that same hit at least 5 to 10 times a season and he's never been suspended.

Wow that hit on Ekblad was brutal!

The Abdelkader hit was clean though. This is why players are still taught to play with their head up. Abdelkader wasn't charging, he didn't jump into the hit, leaving the ice after contact is normal given physics, he kept his elbow in during the hit. With "history" maybe he gets a game, but he doesn't deserve it for that one.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ux9rZzn53D0

Barkov needs to keep his head up. Nothing wrong with that hit one bit.

To be fair, he just got the puck and turned into the guy.
- annoyed

True.
I just don't see how Abdelkader did anything illegal under the current NHL definition of a legal hit.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ux9rZzn53D0
- mlindsay

Yup, that Karlsson hit actually had the head as the principal point of contact..

But again, how do you avoid it and still make an open ice hit? If someone is leaning forward with their head, it would take some awfully crazy body contortion to hit a guy chest-first.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ux9rZzn53D0
- mlindsay

Contact to the head first

Did leave his feet.
Did hit Barkov's head first.
Definite intent to injure.
Prior history.

Left his feet, after contact, which is legal.

Hit Barkov's head BECAUSE Barkov bent over, keep your head up next time and that poop won't happen.

Intent to injure? Suck it Reindeer games.

Prior history? whateverrrrrrrrrrrr

Left his feet, after contact, which is legal.

Hit Barkov's head BECAUSE Barkov bent over, keep your head up next time and that poop won't happen.

Intent to injure? Suck it Reindeer games.

Prior history? whateverrrrrrrrrrrr
- j.boyd919

+9000

True.
I just don't see how Abdelkader did anything illegal under the current NHL definition of a legal hit.
- Wildschwein

For sure, I just meant there wasn't much Barkov could do....at some point you have to look down for the puck...not like he's skating down the ice like a peewee house leaguer with his head down. It's closer to a blind side than anything else IMO

Hendricks hit was definitely a dirty hit. He deserves suspension.

Abdelkader's hit was clean. Arms down, skates on the ice. Barkov had his head down. Sucks that he got hurt, but cmon man this is homer-ism. I dislike the Wings, being a Hawks fan and I still think it's clean.

Too many people trying to water down physical sports it's getting ridiculous. Pretty soon we'll have "flag hockey" where you can't hit and you have to give up the puck if someone gets your flag...

Yup, that Karlsson hit actually had the head as the principal point of contact..

But again, how do you avoid it and still make an open ice hit? If someone is leaning forward with their head, it would take some awfully crazy body contortion to hit a guy chest-first.


- Charliebox

No suspension (as it was clean)
Don't see how this clean hit by Ablekader is anywhere near suspension worthy

+9000
- Codes1087

X2

Lol you couldn't be more wrong. Feet were on ice and chest was point of contact.

quotes not working. I never said he should be suspended. He did make contact with his jaw and his feet did come up. Can't deny that but, I see who posted this and its hard for children to understand.

Not sure what hit you were watching.
He never leaves his feet and it sure is debatable about where the initial contact is.
Clean hit. Same as the one on Beaulieu in last years playoffs that put him out for the rest of the postseason.
- mlindsay

Initial contact can be debated.

Principle or main point of hit can't be and that was the upper torso

Skates left the ice after contact


This blogger is a joke

Lol you couldn't be more wrong. Feet were on ice and chest was point of contact.

quotes not working. I never said he should be suspended. He did make contact with his jaw and his feet did come up. Can't deny that but, I see who posted this and its hard for children to understand.
- Mino42

Quotes are working. Feet left ice after hit. Any contact to jaw was due to barkov leaning forward with head down. Chest was main point of contact. Go (frank) yourself.

Dan Spiegel: Another Blatant Cheap Shot Missed, Another Panther Hurt
- spiegs13

Blatant cheap shot
maybe try bloging about basketball.. you obviously know nothing about hockey

Initial contact can be debated.

Principle or main point of hit can't be and that was the upper torso

Skates left the ice after contact


This blogger is a joke
- Just5

I only say it's debatable because the camera angles don't make it 100% in my mind.
The feet leaving the ice after contact is of no consequence.

As someone who has hated the red wings his entire life and applicator even more. This was text book hit. Just how you are taught. Barkov looks down for the puck. Chest is first point of contact. Only reason the head was involved is the position he put himself in. It's a 100% legal check.

Abdelkader hits him in the jaw, but honestly I think he could have really destroyed Barkov if he wanted to. Unfortunate that he got hurt but I can't agree that Abdelkader should get more than a minor penalty and even that is questionable. And I'm 100% on board for eliminating preventable cheap shots like Hendricks on Ekblad with severe punishments. I just don't believe this is preventable or malicious.

It was a really unfortunate hit, but there was nothing wrong here. It's not like he took his fist to his face or something. And lets not act like the NHL has it out for the Panthers. If anything, Bettman would be telling the refs to hand us wins, not try and "keep us down"...

Dan is such a terrible blogger. Ever article is so overly "homer-ish" its slightly embarrassing. He's the online version of the brutal Denis Potvin. Too bad someone else can't step up and provide quality content...

Oh well, at least the team is doing well. Need to bounce back hard tonight in Buffalo, can't give those two points away. Lets go Panthers!

It was a really unfortunate hit, but there was nothing wrong here. It's not like he took his fist to his face or something. And lets not act like the NHL has it out for the Panthers. If anything, Bettman would be telling the refs to hand us wins, not try and "keep us down"...

Dan is such a terrible blogger. Ever article is so overly "homer-ish" its slightly embarrassing. He's the online version of the brutal Denis Potvin. Too bad someone else can't step up and provide quality content...

Oh well, at least the team is doing well. Need to bounce back hard tonight in Buffalo, can't give those two points away. Lets go Panthers!
- phxcyots22

He's the worst

It was a really unfortunate hit, but there was nothing wrong here. It's not like he took his fist to his face or something. And lets not act like the NHL has it out for the Panthers. If anything, Bettman would be telling the refs to hand us wins, not try and "keep us down"...

Dan is such a terrible blogger. Ever article is so overly "homer-ish" its slightly embarrassing. He's the online version of the brutal Denis Potvin. Too bad someone else can't step up and provide quality content...

Oh well, at least the team is doing well. Need to bounce back hard tonight in Buffalo, can't give those two points away. Lets go Panthers!
- phxcyots22

Maybe you can give someone a run for Blogger or Color-Commentator? Any background in writing or media..?

I despise the Wings myself, but looking at it.. it was a clean hit. Abdelkader clearly left his feet AFTER the initial contact, and used his shoulder (not an elbow which I was looking for).. just a bad break for Barkov and the Cats...