What Is Happening To My Game?

[Boudrias]

The beauty of hockey has always been the battle between physical and finesse play. Both have their role within a hockey game. In today's NHL that is being changed as legitimate hockey hits are being removed from the game.

Our former Canuck Raffi Torres was being roasted on TSN last night for a brutal hit on Marion Hossa. As we all might remember from last year's hit on Brent Seabrook the NHL allows 0.5 seconds after the puck leaves a player's possession for him to be eligible for physical contact. Torres apparently and blatantly exceeded that time frame by 0.3 seconds as proven by the number of frames captured on the TV monitors. Seriously fans and extended 0.3 seconds! Verbally say 1 second to yourself and you have an idea how short that time is. The Hawk coach was absolutely beside himself because the late hit was so obvious. Many on this site wanted to roast Brown for his hit on Hank Sedin which was a clear hockey hit. The fact that these players are hurt should have no bearing on the decision as to whether the hit was legit or not.

I have come to the conclusion that this change in hockey is a misguided attempt to protect players but the cynic within also notes other motives. When hockey clubs invest tens of millions into player contracts then a motive exists to protect that asset. Media love the subjective aspect as they can hold 'trials' between periods to judge the incidents after protracted discussions. Coaches and players can use the calls to deter opposing game strategy. These people are changing our game fundementally. Does anyone care?

Don Cherry, not popular here, made an excellent point not that many years ago. Reduce the armour these players have on so that both players involved have as much chance at injury. Penalize those who get the sticks up or elbows and make the penalty harsh enough to deter the cheap shots. Sorry but the Hosa and Sedin hits were not of that ilk. The Keith hit on Daniel was of the cheap shot variety. Elbow to the head with the intent to injure. He continues his NHL career after a 5 game suspension while Sedin will be lucky to play again this year or could have a similiar experience to Sidney Crosby and be out for 2 years, or for a career.

In the instance of the LA - Vancouver series the physical vs finesse question faces how Van will approach game #4. IMHO Van has missed the winning strategy of playing a physical game after Game #1. Van is deeper than LA but LA's goalie is wining the series for them. A physical game in front of the LA net is the only answer to Van success. Puck possession plays out of the corner or half boards setting up point shots is not working. The LA defenders are allowed to play high in their d-zone resulting in blocked shots and in cases quick breakouts. A physical game in front of Quick would drop the defenders in tighter to the net and allow better puck movement by Van attackers. My point with this scenario is whether this option will be available to NHL teams with the way the culture is being changed.

Years ago I was in Russia and watched Team Canada play the Russians. Many of us were disgusted with the dirty play by Russian players who used their sticks and dove at every opportunity. It was soccer on ice. Sleazy to say the least. Cherry talks about the 'Code' and it used to exist. It doesn't anymore.

[autyone]

The Dustin Brown hit on Hank was a beauty of a hockey hit. Never like to see our best players get hit like that, but you can't call it dirty just because you're a Canucks fan, it was a great hit.

Torres's I haven't watched that close only saw highlights, but first glance it looked like a great hit as well. His feet come up just the slightest but to me that is more of a natural extention of the motion of driving your shoulder into the hit than it is "jumping" at a player. Again, you don't like to see a player hurt, but it looked like a great hockey hit to me at the quick glance. Player's need to keep their head up and can't get busy day dreaming watching a pass or hits like this happen, and they should happen.

That being said, I am going to guess Torres' gets the book thrown at him when he really shouldn't.

**Edit was I had Torre's and fixed it to Torres'

[GoodBadUgly]

The Dustin Brown hit on Hank was a beauty of a hockey hit. Never like to see our best players get hit like that, but you can't call it dirty just because you're a Canucks fan, it was a great hit.

[nuckin_futz]

The problem with the Torres hit is not that it was a fraction of a second late. The problem is that he leapt towards the player. You cannot leave your feet while attempting to hit a player. Would you rather someone bump into you or launch himself into you through the air?

[peanutflower]

I basically agree with this. I'm just wondering how on earth a player or a ref can judge in milliseconds. If it takes a digital frame by frame view to see if a hit is late how can a human in real time make that judgment as to whether the hit will be late in the case of a player, and was or was not late in the case of a ref? I think the whole high tech aspect to this should be avoided. A hit that results in an injury that is debatable by the human eye should result in a penalty and/or suspension. A hit that is debatable by the human eye that injures someone should result in a suspension and the suspension should be a minimum number of games or until the injured player returns to the ice, whichever is longer. If player leaves his feet to make a hit no matter what direction they're moving in (I'm looking at you, Kronwall) it should be a game misconduct and a possible suspension depending on injury to the other player.

I've been watching hockey since the day the Canucks became a team, and it seems to me there are way more borderline dangerous hits that result in more injuries than there ever used to be. Players always seem to have "intent to injure" these days, and when you factor in the padding and armour they wear injuries almost always result.

I like the way the Canucks play. I like that they don't go head hunting in retribution. I like that their game is focused on skill and passing and speed. If this means they aren't going to win the Stanley Cup (but I have my fingers crossed that they will prevail) then fine. I don't want my team to win if they have to play like goons and Flyers and Bruins to do so.

[peanutflower]

The Dustin Brown hit on Hank was a beauty of a hockey hit. Never like to see our best players get hit like that, but you can't call it dirty just because you're a Canucks fan, it was a great hit.

Torres's I haven't watched that close only saw highlights, but first glance it looked like a great hit as well. His feet come up just the slightest but to me that is more of a natural extention of the motion of driving your shoulder into the hit than it is "jumping" at a player. Again, you don't like to see a player hurt, but it looked like a great hockey hit to me at the quick glance. Player's need to keep their head up and can't get busy day dreaming watching a pass or hits like this happen, and they should happen.

That being said, I am going to guess Torre's gets the book thrown at him when he really shouldn't.

[FattieAcid]

The problem with the Torres hit is not that it was a fraction of a second late. The problem is that he leapt towards the player. You cannot leave your feet while attempting to hit a player. Would you rather someone bump into you or launch himself into you through the air?

[dorrcoq]

I think Rome's hit last year on Horton was judged to be 0.2 seconds late.

[dorrcoq]

Yeah getting your elbow up during a hit really makes it beautiful.

[crime911]

Yeah getting your elbow up during a hit really makes it beautiful.

[Geoff Peterson]

As for Hendrik saying it was a clean hit, I suspect due to no penalty call, he was protecting his team and himself from being called crybabies...and not place undue heat on the refs...

One thing the people have to remember about a hockey hit, is the player in a vulnerable position...looking away, position of body in regards to placement on the ice... etc the hit on Hendrik was not a clean hit,

1.he did not have the puck...

2. in a vulnerable position, looking away...head down

3. just on the edge of being late by .o5 of a second...

4. intent to injure was a factor...

To many factors to say it was not a clean hockey play...is the name of the game to take out players...leave that to the NFL...

I for one would rather see the stars of the teams battle it out with through skill and grit...and get rid of the body armour elbow pads..."CBS CARES"

[nuckin_futz]

Actually, there's picture all around now showing when he made contact with the body his feet were still on the ground and a second later he was in the air but thats what happens when you hit someone, the impact makes you jump back.

[VMR]

The Dustin Brown hit on Hank was a beauty of a hockey hit. Never like to see our best players get hit like that, but you can't call it dirty just because you're a Canucks fan, it was a great hit.

[Dogbyte]

It appears to be a dirty hit but I've been hit and hit a lot of people and I know body postion. One thing it looks like is that Torres took something off the hit as his body never moves past the 50% perpendicular between the two players. When you're really trying to knock someone silly you usually spill into his plane once the hit it completed. I know Hossa is one of the toughest guys around but it still appears to me Raffi realised he was going to clock hiim and definitiely did not follow through. Just my take although I still believe the hit is late and illegal.

[CowtownCanuck]

Dirty hockey wins cups... ask Boston

[D-Money]

Torres destroyed Hossa, and you can't help but think that Shaw hitting Smith helped motivate it.

I think the hit was nearly legal, but he jumped. Expect about 2-3 games, and even then only because he is a repeat offender.

[Tanev's Smirk]

Your game has become NHL Blitz.

[D-Money]

Yeah getting your elbow up during a hit really makes it beautiful.

[The Guy]

The Dustin Brown hit on Hank was a beauty of a hockey hit. Never like to see our best players get hit like that, but you can't call it dirty just because you're a Canucks fan, it was a great hit.

Torres's I haven't watched that close only saw highlights, but first glance it looked like a great hit as well. His feet come up just the slightest but to me that is more of a natural extention of the motion of driving your shoulder into the hit than it is "jumping" at a player. Again, you don't like to see a player hurt, but it looked like a great hockey hit to me at the quick glance. Player's need to keep their head up and can't get busy day dreaming watching a pass or hits like this happen, and they should happen.

That being said, I am going to guess Torre's gets the book thrown at him when he really shouldn't.

[Ace_of_Spades]

I basically agree with this. I'm just wondering how on earth a player or a ref can judge in milliseconds. If it takes a digital frame by frame view to see if a hit is late how can a human in real time make that judgment as to whether the hit will be late in the case of a player, and was or was not late in the case of a ref? I think the whole high tech aspect to this should be avoided. A hit that results in an injury that is debatable by the human eye should result in a penalty and/or suspension. A hit that is debatable by the human eye that injures someone should result in a suspension and the suspension should be a minimum number of games or until the injured player returns to the ice, whichever is longer. If player leaves his feet to make a hit no matter what direction they're moving in (I'm looking at you, Kronwall) it should be a game misconduct and a possible suspension depending on injury to the other player.

I've been watching hockey since the day the Canucks became a team, and it seems to me there are way more borderline dangerous hits that result in more injuries than there ever used to be. Players always seem to have "intent to injure" these days, and when you factor in the padding and armour they wear injuries almost always result.

I like the way the Canucks play. I like that they don't go head hunting in retribution. I like that their game is focused on skill and passing and speed. If this means they aren't going to win the Stanley Cup (but I have my fingers crossed that they will prevail) then fine. I don't want my team to win if they have to play like goons and Flyers and Bruins to do so.