I don’t want to hear about any conspiracy.
I don’t want to listen to any talks about referee bias, or how the NHL has an agenda towards any team or player.
None of that factored into this situation. In fact, I think the big issue here is that the referee’s actually got the call right, something that we’re not used to seeing lately.
Alex Ovechkin committed a careless transgression, pushing Brian Campbell from behind and head-first into the boards. It wasn’t dirty, it wasn’t intentional but according to the rule book the NHL currently has in place it warranted a major penalty. And when it comes to the rule book, a major when it comes to boarding is an automatic game misconduct. According to Rule 42:
42.3 Major Penalty - The Referee, at his discretion, may assess a major penalty, based on the degree of violence of the impact with the boards, to a player or goalkeeper guilty of boarding an opponent (see 42.5).
42.4 Match Penalty - The Referee, at his discretion, may assess a match penalty if, in his judgment, the player or goalkeeper attempted to or deliberately injured his opponent by boarding.
42.5 Game Misconduct Penalty - When a major penalty is imposed under this rule for a foul resulting in an injury to the face or head of an opponent, a game misconduct shall be imposed.
There is no debate here. None.
Ovechkin will also be suspended for this hit. He faces an automatic one-game suspension since this is his third game misconduct of the season, and he most likely will get more. Maxim Lapierre was suspended four games but his hit was worse -- his arms were extended and it was a much more violent push. So you have the automatic one-game suspension and perhaps more, but considering the hit wasn’t necessarily violent -- or clearly intentional -- then perhaps the NHL just leaves it at that.
[Update] Puck Daddy points us to a loophole in the rule books, in which after 41 games have passes without a boarding penalty since the last misconduct, then the previous misconduct shall be wiped from the record. This past game was No. 42.
I also don’t want to hear an argument about how it was a hit (or push) from the side. Here’s the evidence that it clearly was a push from behind.[End Update]
Now, there’s some other issues to cover in regards to this hit. Here’s video of NBC’s Mike Milbury and Pierre McGuire debating whether the NHL is “becoming soft”.
I don’t see how making stricter rules to protect the safety of the players on the ice means the NHL is becoming soft. We’ve gone over this numerous times before, but the game of hockey is constantly evolving. The rules that were in place and worked for so long are not as applicable as the once were, and there needs to be better legislation in place that standardizes hits and subsequent punishment.
I understand the sentiment that we don’t want hockey to become any less physical, but for anyone that watched the Olympics it’s obvious that hockey can be entertaining and physical when ALL head shots are illegal.
What I don’t get is how this hit had absolutely nothing to do with head shots, and is a clear cut case of boarding. Was it a dirty play? Not at all, it was just careless.
Ovechkin will be punished according the rules that are in place. Do we need better rules in place for the number of other dangerous hits that are sidelining players around the league? Of course we do, and at least the NHL is trying to do something about it. It may be too little, too late but there’s change on the way.
But all that has no bearing on this hit. No conspiracy, no controversial rules. Just a boarding penalty that resulted in an injury, a game misconduct and what should be a suspension.
Now if the NHL doesn’t hand down an appropriate suspension? Then we can start talking about that conspiracy...