McKinnon back on the ice after going thru concussion protocol.

Shaw ain't sniveling. He's just asking if the league is protecting players or are they gonna say Khaira, and now McKinnon, put themselves in that position like they told him numerous times........

And I guess I see Shaw differently than you. Oh yea he'd stick you but never saw him try to cripple unless my memory is poor. Difference between a spear/slash and a hit that lands you in a hospital bed with a halo.
- Mr Ricochet

Sort of ironic how this one ends…

I played in the same era. Remember the running the gauntlet to teach us how to take a hit? never once did we ever target anyone's head. That would get your arse kicked pretty quick in my Saskatchewan neighbourhood.
- SaskHawkFan

We had to run the gauntlet for getting caught with our head down as well.

Yep the two things you didn’t target were the head or the knees.

Trouba just did it again. This time to MacKinnon. It was clean but better watch out when he's on the ice. He used to be a wussy I guess having Reaves around made him play tougher.
- GPHawksfan

it was a solid hit, not sure if clean. initial contact to the head is not clean. It is such a fine line. if trouba is a 1/2 second slower, mckinnon might be more upright and the shoulder lands in mckinnon's chest. Then that is a great check. And i really don't understand it with the inconsistencies of getting called and not getting called. just like when a player turns his back right before he gets hit by the boards, if the player stays down, there is a penalty most of the time. But that is how games get out of hand. Case in point, the leafs - jets game the other day and the Ranger-Caps game last year. What a joke.

it was a solid hit, not sure if clean. initial contact to the head is not clean. It is such a fine line. if trouba is a 1/2 second slower, mckinnon might be more upright and the shoulder lands in mckinnon's chest. Then that is a great check. And i really don't understand it with the inconsistencies of getting called and not getting called. just like when a player turns his back right before he gets hit by the boards, if the player stays down, there is a penalty most of the time. But that is how games get out of hand. Case in point, the leafs - jets game the other day and the Ranger-Caps game last year. What a joke.
- Topshelf2010

Here is a good link to the hit to the head, about the 55 second mark where you see Macs head pops back before the body hit
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQG-uA6Bsp8

All this analysis on the principal point of contact is moot, that is for supplemental discipline. Want to take those hits out of the game?, the rule is already in the rule book, just need to interpret it more narrowly, like they are supposedly doing with cross-checking in front of the net.

The NHL's official rulebook states a major penalty is determined at the referee's discretion "based on the degree of violence of the check, to a player guilty of charging an opponent." Doesn’t say anything about the check has to hit the head first.

All this analysis on the principal point of contact is moot, that is for supplemental discipline. Want to take those hits out of the game?, the rule is already in the rule book, just need to interpret it more narrowly, like they are supposedly doing with cross-checking in front of the net.

The NHL's official rulebook states a major penalty is determined at the referee's discretion "based on the degree of violence of the check, to a player guilty of charging an opponent." Doesn’t say anything about the check has to hit the head first.
- LAHawk

Agreed. Unfortunately charging calls have gone the way of the dodo bird.

No doubt Seabrook buried Backass. But I was at all the games back then and every single time Toews had come back from a concussion Backes went out of his way early in the game to give Toews a shot in the head. Multiple times, same thing every time. So if anyone had one coming it was Backes. Just watching one play doesn't usually tell the whole story.

I know I'm a dinosaur but growing up I played D. Forwards would dump the puck in the corner and come flying down to run me while another one would go for the puck. I kept track of the guys who gave me a rough ride and the ones who didn't and dealt with them accordingly in similar fashion. I never used a stick and I never left my feet in the process. But I did take care of business. That's why I understand what Keith and Seabrook did in those instances.
- 6628

I think this is where the rub is. It's seemingly OK to clock a guy if he's a Richard. Every single team has guys that play on the edge and do their absolute best to get after the opponents best players.

If Khaira gave Trouba the business earlier in the game, does it make the hit (or more to the point, the result of the hit) any better? If the league wants to clean up the game, it needs to be across all players and not just guys with a reputation.

I'm apologize if that is not what you were alluding to, but I just don't like that there are caveats to all these situations. Either it needs to be banned under all circumstances, or it doesn't.

I think this is where the rub is. It's seemingly OK to clock a guy if he's a Richard. Every single team has guys that play on the edge and do their absolute best to get after the opponents best players.

If Khaira gave Trouba the business earlier in the game, does it make the hit (or more to the point, the result of the hit) any better? If the league wants to clean up the game, it needs to be across all players and not just guys with a reputation.

I'm apologize if that is not what you were alluding to, but I just don't like that there are caveats to all these situations. Either it needs to be banned under all circumstances, or it doesn't.
- Chunk

Se brook was penalized and suspended. As he should have been. Still worth it.

The NFL has made it very simple and they aren't playing with flags. "Touch somebody's head doesn't matter how or why no excuses and it's a penalty, fine and potential suspension depending on the offending players' past history."

The NFL has made it very simple and they aren't playing with flags. "Touch somebody's head doesn't matter how or why no excuses and it's a penalty, fine and potential suspension depending on the offending players' past history."
- rpeters01

Yes, and it’s a horrible game to watch now too.

New blog! An update on Khaira's health status and breakdown of Mitchell's defensive play from Tuesday's Rangers game.

Blackhawks vs Canadiens tonight.

Plus, a summary of the IceHogs shootout victory over the Wild.

https://bit.ly/3oCq86D