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What’s it like being suspended? Jody Shelley says it’s like prison

Jody Shelley

Philadelphia Flyers’ Jody Shelley skates off the ice and to the locker room after a brawl with Toronto Maple Leafs’ Jay Rosehill in the second period of a preseason NHL hockey game, Wednesday, Sept. 21, 2011, in Philadelphia. Both received a game misconduct penalty. (AP Photo/Tom Mihalek)

AP

If you thought you knew what it was like to be suspended from the NHL and found it to be like detention in high school or even house arrest in real life, Philly’s Jody Shelley has another comparison for you to chew on.

Shelley’s suspension for a hit from behind in preseason has come to an end and he’s talking about what it’s like to be forced off the ice thanks to his own misgivings. Shelley tells CSNPhilly.com’s Tim Panaccio that it’s like being sent to jail.

“It’s a lonely thing,” Shelley said. “You’re here, but you’re not playing. … You try and stay in shape. Today was a different day than yesterday knowing it was done.”

Loneliness and exercising, eh? I can assume there’s three square meals and a warden (wife? roommate? dog?) that keeps you in line on top of all that as well.

Shelley went on to say that getting used to Shanahan’s way of ruling the NHL is taking time to adjust to. Forgive us here for thinking so, but blasting a guy from behind when he’s not looking and totally defenseless shouldn’t take time to adjust to. Shelley’s been guilty of doing that enough in his career to know better. With how the Flyers have played without him in the lineup, if he doesn’t stop with the bad hits he’s going to be a fixture in the press box.

We’re guessing that the press box is more like a country club prison with all the soft pretzels, candy, and soda you can handle.