Hit on Lars Eller may have greater impact

[doniceage]

It took until only the third night of the playoffs, with the Senators in Montreal Thursday for Game 1 of their series, for the ever-emotional “bad hit” controversy to move front and center into the Stanley Cup conversation.

Montreal forward Lars Eller, in the midst of collecting a pass from defenseman Raphael Diaz, was met near his blue line by a brutal smack from former Boston University defenseman Eric Gryba, a rookie Senator with, as we say here on the NHL Five-O beat, “no priors.”

Head down, looking to gather in the Diaz feed, Eller crumpled when smoked by Gryba’s right shoulder. Based on how he fell and the resultant damage (broken nose, facial fractures, lost teeth, concussion), it appeared Eller was knocked cold on his feet. He crashed face-down on the ice, where a sizable pool of blood quickly collected, and he ultimately was hauled out of the Bell Centre on a stretcher and ferried to a local hospital by ambulance.


http://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/20...5UO/story.html

[mooneyes]

Gryba for sure took advantage of the situation, which is simply separating a speedy forward from the puck with a hard check,but a Big hit with intent to injure, no. He is something like 6'4 245lb? Ellar, with head down and skating fast supplied at lot of the power in that hit by blindly running into a brick wall.

This kinda thing is only going to get worse. Seth Jones uncle is 7'...pretty soon most D-man will be the size of thick NBA power forwards.

[30ranfordfan]

I watched the hit live on TV, and have seen about 50 replays since it happened. The NHL has really got itself into a pickle this time....


When watching the replay, I actually have a hard time finding anything he (Gryba) did that broke any rules. As best I can tell, he didn't. The primary point of contact was not the head (at least it doesn't look like that to me) he didn't leave his feet, he didn't hit him from behind. Wasn't boarding or charging.

That being said, there is zero reason that a hit like this should be considered acceptable. The rules should be changed to ban it.

The unfortunate thing is, had Eller missed a couple of shifts (or even the rest of the game) but was otherwise fine - there would be no suspension.

The NHL, once again, continues down this asinine path of suspending players becuase of the result of their actions, rather than for the actions themselves.


It's really, really, really simple. New rule. "IF YOU MAKE CONTACT WITH THE OPENENTS HEAD, YOU WILL BE SUSPENDED." Make it clear cut, and enforce it to the max. Eject and suspend players who make contact with other players' heads. Didn't mean to do it? Don't care. Players are responsible for their sticks when they're on the ice, so why can't they be respondible for their shoulders & elbows?


Gryba should not have been suspended, but the rules should be changed so that future hits like this ALWAYS result in a suspension, regardless of an injury or not.

[centrehice]

That was an interference penalty like I am an Innuit Throat Singer. The NHL needs to shape-up. Referees need to stop controlling games, that is not their job.

[Wickabee]

That was an interference penalty like I am an Innuit Throat Singer. The NHL needs to shape-up. Referees need to stop controlling games, that is not their job.

Actually, the refs need to start controlling the games and stop deciding them.

[miscs75]

Actually, the refs need to start controlling the games and stop deciding them.

If the refs actually controlled the game I could see plenty of guys being suspended or tamed in the playoffs so far. It would actually make the games alot better in the end.

[phildo37]

That being said, there is zero reason that a hit like this should be considered acceptable. The rules should be changed to ban it.

If that hit was unacceptable, then we might as well remove body checking from the game completely. Shame that Eller got hurt, but this is part of the game. It's is a semi-violent sport.