NHL: Keep those hits coming
If players aren't troubled, why should we be?
Fall must be pushing into winter.
I can tell. Not because the leaves have turned and are ready to dive-bomb onto my lawn or because there are zombies and goblins appearing up and down my street.
No, the best sign that we're on the cusp of November is that there have been a handful of questionable hits in the NHL -- some by star players, others by guys who double as tomato cans -- that have resulted in concussions and other assorted injuries. And, oh yeah, there's moral outrage from the national media, the media in the cities of the victimized players and those players' teams. The personnel from the culprits' clubs and the media in those towns, of course, are indifferent about the whole thing.
Mike Richards in Philadelphia sent Florida's David Booth to the hospital with a concussion. Some say Richards could have gone easy on Booth, while others say Booth should keep his head up. Some think Carolina's Tuomo Ruutu crossed a line with his hit from behind on Darcy Tucker; others say Tucker put himself in a vulnerable position.
This debate is getting old. And that's why I say that until the players start policing themselves and clamoring for rules to legislate out hits to the head and severely punish hits from behind, the media should just accept that these physically damaging plays are part of the game and be done with it.
Here in Boston, I was fooled back in October 2007, when Philadelphia's Randy Jones sent Bruins forward Patrice Bergeron to the sideline with a hit from behind. Some actually blamed Bergeron. I was among those calling for Jones' head. When the league gave Jones what amounted to a week's vacation, I might have even spewed some spittle in anger. The hit and Grade 3 concussion left Bergeron inactive for one full season and struggling to get back to full strength for a second season. When he was able to address the media, he talked about his forgiveness of Jones and called for players around the NHL to start showing more respect for each other.
What happened? Nothing. Nothing has changed, and I'm starting to believe it never will. Last fall, there were more questionable hits followed by measly suspensions and fines.
The same thing this year. Richards' hit cost him nothing. Alexander Ovechkin turned over the equivalent of nickels and dimes (when you compare his income with those of us common folk) for his slew-foot of Rich Peverley.
In the grand scheme of things, it's not in the league's interest to come down hard on these players. The hitting is what makes hockey different from the other major sports in North America. Until they hire some psychics, there's no way for the NHL powers that be to determine intent or a predatory mentality when a hit results in something as serious as a concussion. If players have to think twice before throwing a big hit, the NHL might have to dig deeper before making those "Black and Blue Hockey" videos they show in every arena, every night.
And just how easy is it for a player to think twice about hitting a player who might be in a vulnerable position by the time the bodies meet? I never played the game and can't even skate (yet). To me, it seems as though it should be as easy as changing direction or letting up to avoid an arena-blasting collision.
The players will tell you it's a lot harder than that, though. Bruins forward Steve Begin plays the game as hard and fast and physical as anyone. Throughout his decade in the NHL, he has suffered two concussions and has avoided being suspended. He explained the difficulty this way:
"When you play and you say, 'OK, I've got to be careful not to get hurt,' bang, you get hurt. That's for sure. But if you think about it, that's when you put yourself in trouble. You have to stick to your game and just not think about those things.
"There, too, there's a fine line there because sometimes a guy's going to make a move. It's tough. You've got to keep your head up. It's a tough game, and it's always been like this."
Begin said that when intent is clear and there's a hit to the head, punishments should be doled out by the league. But he also cautioned against any changes that could hinder the physical nature of the game. As Mark Recchi told me, 95 percent of the time, no one wants to hurt anyone.
If that's the way the players feel, and it's their lives and well-beings that are on the line, then we should just leave it up to them to decide when they want to nip things in the bud. I'm done with the outrage. I'm done with the insults. I'm going to sit back like a Roman plebeian and enjoy watching the gladiators do what they do. That's a much better way to pass the cold-weather seasons in New England.
