Michael Pachla: The Sabres should have appealed Ristolainen's suspension. NHL's Department of Player Safety went too far. Especially in light of Brandon Manning hit on Guentzel

First....this league discipline is trash.


Oh....and Crosby can do no wrong

White devils

so appeal the suspension, even though you truly don't think it will be overturned, just to "stick it" to the NHL on how bad the player safety department is on their suspensions?

Guendros

so appeal the suspension, even though you truly don't think it will be overturned, just to "stick it" to the NHL on how bad the player safety department is on their suspensions?
- Codes1087

VS sitting back and just letting them dictate...yes.

so appeal the suspension, even though you truly don't think it will be overturned, just to "stick it" to the NHL on how bad the player safety department is on their suspensions?
- Codes1087

why not?...and I never said truly anything...put those two videos involving the same victim side by side an you can clearly see that manning's should have been longer, meaning Ristolainen should've gotten one game at most

100% agree with this blog

just saw the "teaser" trailers for The Justice League movie



The Fanboy in me right now


When Barry Allen was about to run Goosebumps lol

I prefer the ninja turtles
- homiedclown

Not a fan

Being as objective as I can. I think Risto probably should have got 1 game.(Don't know if he has a history, if he doesn't should have been a fine)

There was no targeting of the head. No intent to injure. He literally used his ass to check him in the stomach. The only thing he did wrong was continue through with the hit when the puck wasn't there. If the puck was there, everyone would be talking about what a great hit it was.

Sabres fans might not agree with Risto's suspension, but in he end, doesn't it really help with the tank?

Being as objective as I can. I think Risto probably should have got 1 game.(Don't know if he has a history, if he doesn't should have been a fine)

There was no targeting of the head. No intent to injure. He literally used his ass to check him in the stomach. The only thing he did wrong was continue through with the hit when the puck wasn't there. If the puck was there, everyone would be talking about what a great hit it was.
- mdw7413

this...and when you see the risto/guentzel hit right next to the manning/guentzel hit, there's no comparison...in that light, risto shouldn't have gotten suspended at all

Sabres fans might not agree with Risto's suspension, but in he end, doesn't it really help with the tank?
- As_I_See_It

you rolled snake eyes on that...

looking forward to Saturday's game...leafs are playing great hockey, a real chance or Buffalo to play spoiler, which is about all we've got right now

this...and when you see the risto/guentzel hit right next to the manning/guentzel hit, there's no comparison...in that light, risto shouldn't have gotten suspended at all
- Michael Pachla

Yeah, the Manning one was a direct shot to the head.

I don't think anyone will ever figure out the way suspensions are handed out. Its really a crap shoot.

Agree 100% with the blog.... I called it crap when it was announced it's still crap.... How that got 3 games when there has been so many worse that got less is mind blowing.....

but I guess what do we expect when they continue to field the quality of refs they do... no consistency in either area's... NICE JOB NHL.....

In dedication to Guentzel and the rest of the Pittsburgh Penguins fans.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UtEDvsxu0oo

Agree 100% with the blog.... I called it crap when it was announced it's still crap.... How that got 3 games when there has been so many worse that got less is mind blowing.....

but I guess what do we expect when they continue to field the quality of refs they do... no consistency in either area's... NICE JOB NHL.....
- gordong

On the Risto hit the refs got it right 5 and a game.

The refs do not do supplemental discipline. The league handles that. I actually with the refs were in charge of that though.

Crosby nutted a dude then in the next game literally cuts a guy's finger off.

If the NHL doesn't want to discipline, that's fine. But then they wonder why Crosby gets head-hunted.

All in all, Crosby is by far the dirtiest star player I've ever known of. Claude Giroux said that every time he took a faceoff against him in the playoffs that one season, he (Crosby) would just slash him in the wrists and pull the puck back. Giroux had DOUBLE wrist surgery that off-season and hasn't been the same since.

Did anyone see the zoomed in picture of Methot's finger? It's nasty.

What's worse is that all Crosby had to do was take 1 more stride and check the guy or lift his stick. Instead, like 99% of the league, he lazily slashed a guy and took a finger-tip off.

His finger was LITERALLY chopped off at the tip, a good half-inch. That's 1.27 CM, Canada.

why not?...and I never said truly anything...put those two videos involving the same victim side by side an you can clearly see that manning's should have been longer, meaning Ristolainen should've gotten one game at most
- Michael Pachla

I don't see how you can compare the two separate incidents and base a suspension length on the other. We all know the DOPS is a joke, but I don't see how appealing a suspension based on the length of another is doing anything to wake them up.

VS sitting back and just letting them dictate...yes.
- RhinoFan

It's their job to dictate the length of suspension.... That is their purpose...

No quotes today HB? Okay....i guess.

While the Crosby antics and this suspension have nothing to do with each other, this is a great time to mention that this is one of the reasons that when non fans show casual interest in the game, they have no idea whats going on and dont become permanent fans.
Someone curious about hockey turns on a penguins game to see the "Best player in the NHL" play and then proceeds to see 2 pretty nasty, uncalled intent to injure penalties 2 days in a row with no disciplinary action.
Auto racing is still ranked as more popular than the NHL.
And its because the league is a joke.

this...and when you see the risto/guentzel hit right next to the manning/guentzel hit, there's no comparison...in that light, risto shouldn't have gotten suspended at all
- Michael Pachla

Ristolainen's hit was clean, his feet were on the ice, he didn't drive upwards, he didn't target the head, he didn't use an elbow, it was shoulder to the sternum as principle point of contact with secondary point of contact the head (still legal). The problem was, THERE WAS NO PUCK. How do you deem that based on a different scenario, that he shouldn't be suspended. The Manning Hit was essentially the same as Reilly's hit on Hansen (except Manning leaped in the air, targeted the head). Please see below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k5PU64wkras

All in all. If Guentzal touched the puck and the pass was never interfered with, the hit would be one of the best hits of the season, clean, hard, old time hockey, but to defend him and say he shouldn't face suspension based on the fact that Manning didn't for a separate hit doesn't make sense.

Ristolainen's hit was clean, his feet were on the ice, he didn't drive upwards, he didn't target the head, he didn't use an elbow, it was shoulder to the sternum as principle point of contact with secondary point of contact the head (still legal). The problem was, THERE WAS NO PUCK. How do you deem that based on a different scenario, that he shouldn't be suspended. The Manning Hit was essentially the same as Reilly's hit on Hansen (except Manning leaped in the air, targeted the head). Please see below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k5PU64wkras

All in all. If Guentzal touched the puck and the pass was never interfered with, the hit would be one of the best hits of the season, clean, hard, old time hockey, but to defend him and say he shouldn't face suspension based on the fact that Manning didn't for a separate hit doesn't make sense.
- Codes1087

So manning got two for that, correct?
As you said, targeted the head, left his skates....basically "intent to injure."
Risto didnt do any of those things and we all generally agree it was a last minute mistake. Because as you said, if he touched the puck, it would have been a highlight reel hit vs. a penalty.
So with all that said, how is it 3 games for a mistake and 2 games for intent to injure?
Im personally just questioning the NHL's logic.
..which of course i know that there is none.

So manning got two for that, correct?
As you said, targeted the head, left his skates....basically "intent to injure."
Risto didnt do any of those things and we all generally agree it was a last minute mistake. Because as you said, if he touched the puck, it would have been a highlight reel hit vs. a penalty.
So with all that said, how is it 3 games for a mistake and 2 games for intent to injure?
Im personally just questioning the NHL's logic.
..which of course i know that there is none.
- seedy

What I am saying, is if you're going to compare hits, do the Reilly+Hansen and Manning+Guentzel hits. Risto's and Mannings hits on Guentzel shouldn't be compared, they are completely different hits?

As for NHL DOPS logic, I can't answer that, because I think they are completely out to lunch with 99% of all suspension lengths/lack of suspensions on things IMO deemed worthy of suspension.