We could say the same for Keith..
- pri$ey

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5XiTS8NjNao

Right.

A Canucks fan calling the Hawks blogger a homer? How original.
- Tanuki

I think you missed my point - that video shows that Sedin's hit on Keith was just a legal hockey hit.

I think I know those characters of whom you speak of. Again two wrongs don't make a right. Burrows definitely dove and the other player was given a major penalty .Auger did tell Burrows he would get him back and he did.Does that make the NHL better because they have a corupt Ref who delibertly threw a game. If you go on You Tube there are videos of Joe thorton diving, and Drew Doughty also. If the NHL seen the video and knew Burrows dove then suspend him ,don't corrupt a game in which 18 000 paying customers went to see their home play and hopefully win.

The winter classic this year , was another situation of the NHL stepping in to corrupt a game. Ask Torts what he thought of the NHL manipulating games.He told us and then retracted because of the hefty fine to follow if he didn't. This is not a one off. There are so many games where the NHL has phantom calls to give the home team a chance to tie it up. This is a corupt league and they are stealing our game from us.
- VANTEL

The officiating is getting worse by the week, IMO. The suspensions have been based on if the player is a repeat offender. Tyler Myers recieved three games for a hit on gomez which was dirty but not malicious, yet earlier in the year laid a hit on Zubrus and did not recieve a suspension because it was his first review -worthy hit, Keith has had quite a few elbowing incidents. I think IMO, the reason why kronwall never gets suspended is because his hits are deemed legal and cannot be suspension worthy, dirty hits...maybe but not suspendable

But in both cases, the action of the offending player is dangerous and reckless, regardless of the position of the puck. Would you feel any better, as a Canucks' fan (or a fan of hockey for that matter) if Daniel was out and injured and misses the playoffs because of a reckless hit that happened while he played the puck? I don't think so, and neither do I.

So my point is not that Keith doesn't deserve to be suspended -- I think he does. I just have a hard time understanding how in two similar actions, the crime of the repeat offender is less than that of the first-time offender. My verdict would have been thus:

Doan gets 3 games.
Keith gets 2, plus he would no longer have the coverage of being a first-time offender.
- Jam16sugar

I agree with you that Doan should have gotten more games, but I would say 5 for Doan and 3 for Kieth. Doan is a repeat offender who was also fined for boarding a week or so ago.

Nice article Al.

It would be quite refreshing if the NHL could bring themselves to admit that on ice officials do make mistakes and that discipline handed out has been inconsistent but they are working on improvements in that area.
But that isn't in the DNA of the Bettman NHL is it. Admitting problem areas would hurt sales of hats and jerseys, TV viewership and all of the carefully worded press announcements proclaiming the sport has never been better.

Much better to practice denial than admit some things just aren't right.
- RickJ

I think as long as Bettman continues his ostrich aproach to the problems facing the NHL it will never improve. I think it will be interesting to see how Bettman comes out of the CBA negotiations. I think Fehr will eat him alive and he will lose a lot of status with the owners.

The officiating is getting worse by the week, IMO. The suspensions have been based on if the player is a repeat offender. Tyler Myers recieved three games for a hit on gomez which was dirty but not malicious, yet earlier in the year laid a hit on Zubrus and did not recieve a suspension because it was his first review -worthy hit, Keith has had quite a few elbowing incidents. I think IMO, the reason why kronwall never gets suspended is because his hits are deemed legal and cannot be suspension worthy, dirty hits...maybe but not suspendable
- sbroads24

As much as every fan hates Burrows he will drop them and fight (no need for the hair pulling, biting ,or rioting comments ,we have heard them all) ,but Kronwall is a puke. Don't hit and run man, grow a pair . I would love to see someone rock his world and then maybe the gutless coward would not try to end people's career with that blind hit of his.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5XiTS8NjNao

Right.
- Mattjd123

In 2009 that kind of hit might not get you suspended. Matt Cooke should know that.

I agree with you that Doan should have gotten more games, but I would say 5 for Doan and 3 for Kieth. Doan is a repeat offender who was also fined for boarding a week or so ago.
- GSDIV

But the dart landed in 3

In 2009 that kind of hit might not get you suspended. Matt Cooke should know that.
- GSDIV

Oh i agree.

But that wasnt the point of posting that video.

But the dart landed in 3
- VANTEL

I wonder what will happen if/when another head shot occurs in the playoffs. Will the suspensions start at 5 games or will they have some convoluted formula like they used last year on Rome's hit that playoff games count for two. I guess it will depend on Shanny's suspension wheel of fortune.

As much as every fan hates Burrows he will drop them and fight (no need for the hair pulling, biting ,or rioting comments ,we have heard them all) ,but Kronwall is a puke. Don't hit and run man, grow a pair . I would love to see someone rock his world and then maybe the gutless coward would not try to end people's career with that blind hit of his.
- VANTEL

I agree..they are dirty and he does not fight..but the suspensions come on hits that are usually elbows, hits from behind, leaping or charging, Kronwalls hit's are technically legal thats why there are no suspensions

In 2009 that kind of hit might not get you suspended. Matt Cooke should know that.
- GSDIV

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v-SMjhK0YMU

Nice article Al.

It would be quite refreshing if the NHL could bring themselves to admit that on ice officials do make mistakes and that discipline handed out has been inconsistent but they are working on improvements in that area.
But that isn't in the DNA of the Bettman NHL is it. Admitting problem areas would hurt sales of hats and jerseys, TV viewership and all of the carefully worded press announcements proclaiming the sport has never been better.

Much better to practice denial than admit some things just aren't right.
- RickJ

Thanks..

Unfortunately it appears you are correct....

...Hopefully someday soon the NHL rule book and its enforcement will better resemble other major sports rather than the Roller Derby. The game’s popularity shouldn’t be held back due to dangerous behavior of players, subpar officiating and inconsistent rulings from the NHL.

Shanahan handing out fines/suspensions, is like asking Butch Cassidy to corral bank robbers. Some consistency, please!:http://bit.ly/GMUG5y

Today on My Fox Chicago....On Twitter @AlCimaglia

I wonder what will happen if/when another head shot occurs in the playoffs. Will the suspensions start at 5 games or will they have some convoluted formula like they used last year on Rome's hit that playoff games count for two. I guess it will depend on Shanny's suspension wheel of fortune.
- jhawk159

This has got to be removed from the game. Look at all the stars sitting in dark room. Soon we will be paying good money to see Kenny Vaughn and his league high 20 goals and 13 assists to lead the lead the Seattle Spirals to their 2 nd Stanley Cup .Every player is important but look at all the stars removed from the game over the last two years.

Please don't respond to this guy this way. It mitigates what he's done. This has nothing to do with school systems. The mods will deal with him.
- John Jaeckel

What is this anyone who disagrees with you gets banned?

I agree..they are dirty and he does not fight..but the suspensions come on hits that are usually elbows, hits from behind, leaping or charging, Kronwalls hit's are technically legal thats why there are no suspensions
- sbroads24

Intent to injure? I always see him leaving his feet to make contact!

This has got to be removed from the game. Look at all the stars sitting in dark room. Soon we will be paying good money to see Kenny Vaughn and his league high 20 goals and 13 assists to lead the lead the Seattle Spirals to their 2 nd Stanley Cup .Every player is important but look at all the stars removed from the game over the last two years.
- VANTEL

Exactly Sedin out Keith suspended for the cheap shot, Crosby out for almost two seasons, Backstrom out and Toews out going on 14 games probably due to getting slugged by Joe Thornton and Ryan Clowe. Oddly on Toews's concussion it supposedly occured in the San Jose game and there was not a significant hit on Toews in that game other than him getting slugged by those two.

Intent to injure? I always see him leaving his feet to make contact!
- VANTEL

Can you really say 100% it's an intent to injure. I have said this before, he is pinching in the offensive end that could result in a scoring chance for his team. Is that really taking a run at someone or intending to injure someone? If the wings score a goal as a result of a turnover because he pinches, it's an effective play. If you want him to stop, keep your head up, avoid the hit and create an odd man rush, that will stop him from doing that if someone makes him pay in the form of a goal or two

In thinking about it, I believe the hit like Keith put on Sedin SHOULD have gotten 10 games, however...given other hits just as egregious (or worse) for repeat offenders have warranted suspensions of 3 games (or fewer) suggests that you can't suspend Keith in a vacuum. The precedent suggested Keith should have gotten no more than 3.

The league has once again blown it with horribly inconsistent rulings. I can't figure out why? Are they coddling some players? Are they kowtowing to Vancouver, who has been whining about officials for years now?

Hard to say, but they need to start getting this right. I think Sedin should have gotten a game or two, and Keith 10 games. The hits like Keith delivered do need to be removed from the sport.
- kwolf68

He did.

His concussion.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v-SMjhK0YMU
- docmorgan

I don't understand your point. I'm not defending Kieth whatsoever, he absolutely deserved what he got. I'm just saying during that time some headshots didn't get suspensions, or even penalties. Maybe you think I'm trolling because I'm a Bruins fan responding to a Canuck post, but I'm not.

Oh i agree.

But that wasnt the point of posting that video.
- Mattjd123

Gotcha, my mistake.

Can you really say 100% it's an intent to injure. I have said this before, he is pinching in the offensive end that could result in a scoring chance for his team. Is that really taking a run at someone or intending to injure someone? If the wings score a goal as a result of a turnover because he pinches, it's an effective play. If you want him to stop, keep your head up, avoid the hit and create an odd man rush, that will stop him from doing that if someone makes him pay in the form of a goal or two
- sbroads24

100 % proof of what a person is thinking is impossible .Same could be said about Keith.He was just checking to see if his elbow pad was on properly and then out of nowhere Sedins head appeared.

Thanks..

Unfortunately it appears you are correct....

...Hopefully someday soon the NHL rule book and its enforcement will better resemble other major sports rather than the Roller Derby. The game’s popularity shouldn’t be held back due to dangerous behavior of players, subpar officiating and inconsistent rulings from the NHL.

Shanahan handing out fines/suspensions, is like asking Butch Cassidy to corral bank robbers. Some consistency, please!:http://bit.ly/GMUG5y

Today on My Fox Chicago....On Twitter @AlCimaglia
- Al

So how many games would Keith have received if it was Matt Cooke he clocked? If it is less than 5, then there is a real problem. And that problem we know exists.

I agree with you that Doan should have gotten more games, but I would say 5 for Doan and 3 for Kieth. Doan is a repeat offender who was also fined for boarding a week or so ago.
- GSDIV

Sure. Probably better. But once Doan got 3, Keith should not have received more.

100 % proof of what a person is thinking is impossible .Same could be said about Keith.He was just checking to see if his elbow pad was on properly and then out of nowhere Sedins head appeared.
- VANTEL

Right but an elbow is a penalty....... Suspending players for making body checks that are legal is nonsense. the rules need to change before they suspend Kronwall