Keith Gets 5 Games

[Wickabee]

You argue that Sedin getting 15g for that headshot on Keith would be the end of the NHL.
I argue that if Sedin KNOWS he's going to get 15g for doing it, he (1)doesn't raise his arm and shoulder into that hit, and (2) probably never makes that hit that was not going to accomplish anything anyway.

There are too many of these hits over the years that GMs have defended as players "finishing their checks." Finishing your check is a cop out, and is almost uniformly used as a polite way of saying "late hit." When the player is clearly removed from the play (as Keith was) there is NO reason for Sedin to even make contact there. Hell there was another Canuck on the play who was in a better position to "finish his check" but he pulled up to turn to where the puck was going!

That's why Sedin needs to be given a hearing and suspension for this, regardless of how many game he'll miss due to injury. Keith's was flagrant and retaliatory, but Sedin's was no more "necessary" or "accidental" than Keith's.

If you're really upset for those reasons and not just because it's a Sedin/Canuck, you should really be mad at the refs for not calling it in the first place instead of using it to deflect from Keith's idiocy.

[centrehice]

flopfish:

You are dead wrong on the suspension part. When you suspend them, it's without pay. That hits them in the pocketbook, the not playing part, hurts their team as a result of the players action.

Are you going to start then implementing fines in the ballpark of 100K, 200K and up, yet leave the player on the ice?

You have said suspensions are not the way to do things, yet you did not elaborate what would take their place.

What do you do once the foul has been committed?

[Wickabee]

Does it really "hit him in the pocketbook"?
I'm sure he can find 5 games' pay in his couch cushions.

[centrehice]

Proper suspensions.

What Keith did warranted 10 games and a 250K fine, plus No Pay. You know exactly what I mean.

[Wickabee]

Proper suspensions.

What Keith did warranted 10 games and a 259K fine, plus No Pay. Yo know exactly what I mean.

Yes.

I also think that in situation like this, where a minor or no penalty is called but a suspension is handed out after the fact, that the on-ice officials should be subject to possible fines or suspensions.
Obviously, there are cases where things happen to fast to be properly seen until after and the wrong call is made and that's where "possible" comes in.

This one, though, was blatantly obvious from the outset. The biggest crime here is that Keith was allowed to stay in the game. I think both referees should be fined and suspended as well for gross incompetence in not calling that a major.

[egghead529]

Keith got the 5 he deserved compared to other suspensions that have been handed out this year. Now here's to hoping these 2 teams meet in the playoffs

[centrehice]

I agree with the Referees having to Pony-Up. They are allowed to mess-up at will and control the outcome of games.

What Dan O'Halloran did to the Red Wings the Year that they had to beat the Pens, and O'Halloran was shocking.

He called 9 minor penalties against them in one game, and 8 in another, In a Stanley Cup Final???. He should never have been allowed to referee another NHL game.

Same with Major Penalties, you miss one Major Penalty call per regular season, you don't get to referee in the playoffs, plus you take a pay-cut.

You miss two calls that are minors, yet cause a per game lost player due to injury, the referee should be deducted every game in pay that a player sits out due to a missed penalty.

[Wickabee]

I don't know if I'd go quite that far, but it's become quite obvious that the "trust the referee's discretion" isn't working anymore. It's too often you see officials who blatantly don't like one team or another and call their games like that. Case in point, the ref who gave Keith a minor is the same ref who sat back and watched while Marchand used Daniel's head as a punching bag in the finals. You can say he should have stood up for himself but whether he did or not, it should have been a roughing penalty. I'm not even going to get into Burrows/Auger. I use Vancouver examples because that's who I watch, I'm absolutely certain every team (except maybe Boston) has at least one ref who flat out doesn't like them and let's it be known.

I think that if a minor or no penalty is called and a suspension occurs on that play, the referee should have to answer for his non-call. If it's a fast play and his vision is blocked by another player or whatever, then no fine. If it's a blatant attempt to injure, such as Keith's hit, the ref should be fined and/or suspended. This protecting them at all costs is crap. I don't want to be second-guessing each and every call. I'm not one of the "let's have cameras all over and let Toronto make the calls" people, that's just stupid.

I am, however, sick to death of referees deciding games and series and sending out the message that this sort of hit is okay.

[howethegreat]

oh well he'll rest up for the playoffs and the hawks will find a way to still win.

[RGM81]

I don't know if I'd go quite that far, but it's become quite obvious that the "trust the referee's discretion" isn't working anymore. It's too often you see officials who blatantly don't like one team or another and call their games like that. Case in point, the ref who gave Keith a minor is the same ref who sat back and watched while Marchand used Daniel's head as a punching bag in the finals. You can say he should have stood up for himself but whether he did or not, it should have been a roughing penalty. I'm not even going to get into Burrows/Auger. I use Vancouver examples because that's who I watch, I'm absolutely certain every team (except maybe Boston) has at least one ref who flat out doesn't like them and let's it be known.

I think that if a minor or no penalty is called and a suspension occurs on that play, the referee should have to answer for his non-call. If it's a fast play and his vision is blocked by another player or whatever, then no fine. If it's a blatant attempt to injure, such as Keith's hit, the ref should be fined and/or suspended. This protecting them at all costs is crap. I don't want to be second-guessing each and every call. I'm not one of the "let's have cameras all over and let Toronto make the calls" people, that's just stupid.

I am, however, sick to death of referees deciding games and series and sending out the message that this sort of hit is okay.

I'm sure that the name Chris Lee is too familiar for fans of teams around the NHL but he always manages to really elevate his performance against the Habs.