Alfie's Shot at Niedermeyer

[Hawerchuk10]

Alfie is as cheap as his countryman Sundin. I lost alot of respect for him when he shot the puck at Neidamayer.

 

[SouthernHockey]

Oh my God, spare me the man to man talk. This is getting to be rediculous. It's funny how most of the fans complaining about this are fans of teams that missed the playoffs.

.........................

Sir, you and your fellow "diehard" Sens fans are correct. There is no sense discussing the issue any further. I'll sit back and wait for the next discussion on how the Sens let another chance at the Cup slip away. In fact, I'm debating writing a book.

Chapter 1 Ducks outplay Sens in games 1 and 2
Chapter 2 Sens win the "big" one in game 3. Get momentum
Chapter 3 Sens try to make it two in a row and tie the series
Chapter 4 Oh no, stupid decision changes momentum
Chapter 5 Back to Anaheim and last change match ups to Ducks
Chapter 6 Ducks win Stanley Cup on home ice
Chapter 7 Sens fans turn on Alf again
Chapter 8 Canada fans turn on Sens again
Chapter 9 Lord Stanley Cup stays in the US
Chapter 10 We all can't wait until next October

 

[canadagal]

There's only one thing I have to add...

If it was really intentional, why didn't he aim at his head?

This entire thing has gotten seriously blown out of proportion. Would anyone care if he'd hit Huskins or Jackman? Would anyone have noticed?

Neidermeyer was moving...one could even argue that he skated into the shot.

The Ducks scored the winning goal because of a defensive breakdown, not because they thought Alfredsson tried to neuter their captain.

And any Ducks fan who complains about cheap shots should be horse-whipped. For the last two years I've witness nothing but interference, boarding, charging, cross checking, elbows and clutching and grabbing. They take advantage of the fact the refs are too scared or too stupid to call it consistently. The refs are too busy calling the lame stick fouls that the league instructs them to.

 

[hockeyscribe22*]

There's a difference between grit and cowardice!

murph - Your column was funny. Was that your intent?

To basically say that you thought the Sens had the grit and determination to be a great playoff team, but that was all erased when Alfie hit Niedermayer with a puck... is ridiculous.

First of all, it was unintentional. Whether or not you believe Alfie's explanation matters not.

Secondly, how does one play like that erase all that they've accomplished this season and playoffs? They've already demolished three 100+ point teams, (two of which were ranked higher than them) including the the mighty Sabres.

The Sens have shown great heart and determination all playoffs and Alfie has been their leader in every sense of the word. The Ducks look like the better team right now and many Sens are struggling (Alfie included), but it's not over yet.

We don't need people like you on the bandwagon anyways. Later.

He displayed the latter. Throughout the playoffs, he displayed the former but his true colors came out when it mattered most, just as everyone said they did in the past. This was a selfish act, plain and simple! He fueled the Ducks intensity and while he gave you a chance, he took it right away!

I really meant no offense to you or the fans here. Trust me, I don't want the Cup paraded around a parking lot with Snoop Dog and Bob Cole sipping 40's!

 

[pt_mck]

He displayed the latter. Throughout the playoffs, he displayed the former but his true colors came out when it mattered most, just as everyone said they did in the past. This was a selfish act, plain and simple! He fueled the Ducks intensity and while he gave you a chance, he took it right away!

I really meant no offense to you or the fans here. Trust me, I don't want the Cup paraded around a parking lot with Snoop Dog and Bob Cole sipping 40's!

Then you never had any respect for alfie ever. Afterwards he said he never inteded to hit Neidermeyer. Are you calling him a liar? what are you basing your presumption of his intent on?

 

[le_sean]

How can anyone say it wasn't intentional? There was like 2 seconds on the clock and no one was around him, he didn't even have to shoot the puck. Not only that but sensible players with half a brain shoot the puck towards the net to try and get a lucky bounce, yet Alfie shot it to the side where Niedermayer was. To say it wasn't intentional is Pejorative Slured.

He tried to rally the troops so to say but it was a classless act. I'm glad he won't be the first European captain to win a Cup because he doesn't deserve it with his stupid little antics. Niedermayer deserves it and he has a million times more class than Alfie.

 

[Charge_Seven]

Ah come on...Neidermayer is one of the dirtiest little ****'* in the league...too bad Alfie didn't put it off his teeth.

Go watch him play live and see the stick work he does as the play moves away or up the ice. He was notorious in when he played for the Devils...always whacking guys in the back of the knee's and gouging ribs...I'm surprised someone hasn't knocked him cold for all the crap he pulls.
I also remember his brother Rob getting his clock cleaned and having concussion problems when he first came into the league and he whined to the press about guys hitting too hard....call the whambulance Robbie....

I guess you've never heard of Tie Domi eh? A mild elbow to the head in retaliation to a stick to the head in a previous game.

 

[le_sean]

Then you never had any respect for alfie ever. Afterwards he said he never inteded to hit Neidermeyer. Are you calling him a liar? what are you basing your presumption of his intent on?

Like he's going to admit doing it on purpose to guarantee himself a suspension. You didn't hear Chris Pronger say "Yeah, I hit McAmmond on purpose, I was tyring to hurt him bad". That would just get him more games. Come on, use your brain.

 

[NyQuil]

He displayed the latter. Throughout the playoffs, he displayed the former but his true colors came out when it mattered most, just as everyone said they did in the past. This was a selfish act, plain and simple! He fueled the Ducks intensity and while he gave you a chance, he took it right away!

Give me a break.

He plays fantastically well, shows an incredible work ethic, talent, skill, grit and leadership over a period of, what 18 games, and then he shows his "true colors" in one 5 second span of time?

To me, that looks like someone who was just looking for a reason to leap off the bandwagon before he got caught rooting for the wrong team.

You win as a team and you lose as a team.

It's pathetic to see people trying to hang Alfredsson when there have been so many other passengers (re: Spezza and Heatley) who don't warrant any mention at all.

 

[hockeyscribe22*]

Yes I am!

Then you never had any respect for alfie ever. Afterwards he said he never inteded to hit Neidermeyer. Are you calling him a liar? what are you basing your presumption of his intent on?

I'm basing it on the fact athletes, politicians, people in the spotlight ALWAYS lie. We all lie. But the evidence is on the tape!

 

[pt_mck]

I'm basing it on the fact athletes, politicians, people in the spotlight ALWAYS lie. We all lie. But the evidence is on the tape!

What evidence? The puck made content with Neidermeyer. Yes, players get hit with the puck all the time. Everthing else is your own speculation!!!!!

 

[discostu]

Give me a break.

He plays fantastically well, shows an incredible work ethic, talent, skill, grit and leadership over a period of, what 18 games, and then he shows his "true colors" in one 5 second span of time?

To me, that looks like someone who was just looking for a reason to leap off the bandwagon before he got caught rooting for the wrong team.

You win as a team and you lose as a team.

It's pathetic to see people trying to hang Alfredsson when there have been so many other passengers (re: Spezza and Heatley) who don't warrant any mention at all.

Yup.

Not his finest moments, but, anyone willing to let one such incident sour them on a player is likely looking for an excuse.

It would be the equivalent of hating Mats Sundin because he threw a stick into the crowd once. That was a stupid move, where Mats puts his frustration as a bigger priority of the safey of the fans in the crowd. A dumb move, but, certainly doesn't taint the career of a great player, possible hall of fame player.

Anyone who would try and claim that they were a big Mats fan up until that point, but could never forgive him, would rightly be ridiculed.

 

[hockeyscribe22*]

Not trying to hang him..

Give me a break.

He plays fantastically well, shows an incredible work ethic, talent, skill, grit and leadership over a period of, what 18 games, and then he shows his "true colors" in one 5 second span of time?

To me, that looks like someone who was just looking for a reason to leap off the bandwagon before he got caught rooting for the wrong team.

You win as a team and you lose as a team.

It's pathetic to see people trying to hang Alfredsson when there have been so many other passengers (re: Spezza and Heatley) who don't warrant any mention at all.

He's already taken care of that!

Again, I'm not off the bandwagon. I picked the Senators to win and hope they do. Hopefully Alfie can redeem himself.

Let me ask you this: What was your reaction to Pronger's elbow? He carried the Ducks all season, but I can tell you this. If the Ducks lost last night and the Sens went on to win the series, can you honestly say, people wouldn't point to that moment as a turning point?

 

[hockeyscribe22*]

Did I say I'd never forgive him?

Yup.

Not his finest moments, but, anyone willing to let one such incident sour them on a player is likely looking for an excuse.

It would be the equivalent of hating Mats Sundin because he threw a stick into the crowd once. That was a stupid move, where Mats puts his frustration as a bigger priority of the safey of the fans in the crowd. A dumb move, but, certainly doesn't taint the career of a great player, possible hall of fame player.

Anyone who would try and claim that they were a big Mats fan up until that point, but could never forgive him, would rightly be ridiculed.

If he apologizes, all is forgotten!

 

[hockeyscribe22*]

You must have a great replay..

What evidence? The puck made content with Neidermeyer. Yes, players get hit with the puck all the time. Everthing else is your own speculation!!!!!

Can you send it to me? I'd appreciate it, because 99% of the hockey world is claiming the replays they saw, show he changed the angle of his stick and directed it right at Niedermayer. I'm looking forward to your unseen evidence. Was their a second shooter? Do we have another JFK-like shooting here?

 

[NyQuil]

Again, I'm not off the bandwagon. I picked the Senators to win and hope they do. Hopefully Alfie can redeem himself.

You really could have fooled me.

Now, I regret cheering for and enjoying what I now see as (with the exception of a few players), a team of underachieving players... and at times, one that is capable of very cowardly acts, exemplified by their captain, Daniel Alfredsson.

That doesn't sound like someone who is still on the bandwagon.

Let me ask you this: What was your reaction to Pronger's elbow? He carried the Ducks all season, but I can tell you this. If the Ducks lost last night and the Sens went on to win the series, can you honestly say, people wouldn't point to that moment as a turning point?

If that were the case, I'd state that the turning point was Alfredsson's "kicked" in goal.

They had come back 3 times in that game and then ended up winning.

People try to sensationalize and also simplify a hockey series when they are comprised of many events which in concert produce a winner.

What If's in Game 3?

-What if they'd scored more than 1 in the 1st period?
-What if Emery hadn't been beaten so cleanly on the first two goals in particular?
-What if they managed to produce on either of their 4 on 3 opportunities?
-What if Phillips' skate blade hadn't broken, leading to his skate problems which in turn led to the change which put Redden in bad position on the game winning goal?
-What if Volchenkov hadn't played the shooter?

There are far too many factors in my mind to consider to simply pin the blame on an incident which certainly didn't CAUSE anything to happen directly. It's implied because it makes for a good story.

Anaheim could have won 6-2 for all we know if the incident hadn't happened. Maybe they were so riled up about it that they didn't play as well as they could have.

It's this assumed causality which I really have a problem with.

Was it stupid? Absolutely. Did it cause them to lose the game? Absolutely not.

The way the incident is being covered, it's like the broken 2 on 1 play never happened. If there's a turning point in the game, THAT is it.

 

[SENSational]

It hit Neids in the pads. This is a non issue.

 

[discostu]

If he apologizes, all is forgotten!

Okay,

If you're going to hold onto this standard, we may as well carry it all the way.

If Alfie says that he didn't mean to hit Niedermayer, and that it wasn't what he was intending, and apologizes for accidentally hitting Niedermayer, would that appease you?

Because that is precisely what Sundin on his play, who denied that he did it intentionally. He apologized, but, apologized for it accidentally happening.

 

[hockeyscribe22*]

Exactly what does Sundin have to do with this argument?

Okay,

If you're going to hold onto this standard, we may as well carry it all the way.

If Alfie says that he didn't mean to hit Niedermayer, and that it wasn't what he was intending, and apologizes for accidentally hitting Niedermayer, would that appease you?

Because that is precisely what Sundin on his play, who denied that he did it intentionally. He apologized, but, apologized for it accidentally happening.

I never brought him up and never saw that play. If it happened as you said it did and also Sundin followed up that way, then he too is a coward for not admitting fault!

 

[SouthernHockey]

It hit Neids in the pads. This is a non issue.

Thanks for clearing that matter up for us. I'm sure we all were just sitting here waiting for your timely words of wisdom. I guess if I surf over to the Ducks Boards I'll see someone say, "It was only a Class I Concussion on McAmmond. This is a non issue."

 

[discostu]

I never brought him up and never saw that play. If it happened as you said it did and also Sundin followed up that way, then he too is a coward for not admitting fault!

Well, at least you're willing to hold onto that standard.

Personally, I think it's foolish. Both guys are class acts, and great hockey players, and great leaders. If you take any person, and examine the details of their life, you'll likely find at least one instance where they did something foolish, that they never apologized for, or have owned up to it.

 

[hockeyscribe22*]

Yes and no..

Well, at least you're willing to hold onto that standard.

Personally, I think it's foolish. Both guys are class acts, and great hockey players, and great leaders. If you take any person, and examine the details of their life, you'll likely find at least one instance where they did something foolish, that they never apologized for, or have owned up to it.

Look, God knows I shouldn't comment on the matter, but I'm not in the spotlight. These guys are and it's about time more of them act like it and accept responsibility in that spotlight, setting an example for younger players and fans.

Was I harsh on Alfie here? Yes I was. But hey that's my job. I can't just give you a lukewarm assessment and expect to be read. Honestly, a lot of this was pure emotion. I've gone to bat for him on my show and other shows I'm on and been lambasted! He proved me wrong here. That's all I was saying.

 

[PeterSidorkiewicz]

I just find it funny everyone just waiting for a moment to attack Alfredsson because there is such hatred there. Im assuming if he was canadian and not on the Sens it would be something like "He's just sending a message, and is a player who knows where to shoot the puck and not injure someone" or some BS in those regards in the media.

There's a lot of Alfredsson haters, and let them hate, I couldn't give a rats ass, like im sure most Ducks fans couldn't give a rats ass about our hate and fans of other teams hate towards Pronger.

Remember, this is also the same coach who claimed the Wild hit Selanne from full ice with a headshot during the pregame skate, then everyone was claiming it was Boogaard with his pinpoint shooting accuracy.

I just think the most annoying thing is the fans of other teams coming on here and throwing their 2 cents at us, I mean most other "team boards" would ban them from posting because its so heated (Im sure you all know who im referring to), but we can actually sack up and discuss it with them.

And if I were a Ducks fan, I would be pissed at it, and I would curse Alfredsson and I would want to see him lose the cup because you guys are PLAYING us, you hate Alfredsson like we hate Pronger, and both are legit reasons for doing so.

 

[discostu]

Look, God knows I shouldn't comment on the matter, but I'm not in the spotlight. These guys are and it's about time more of them act like it and accept responsibility in that spotlight, setting an example for younger players and fans.

Was I harsh on Alfie here? Yes I was. But hey that's my job. I can't just give you a lukewarm assessment and expect to be read. Honestly, a lot of this was pure emotion. I've gone to bat for him on my show and other shows I'm on and been lambasted! He proved me wrong here. That's all I was saying.

Well, I prefer honesty, over sensationalism, but, I understand that's what drives interest. I now have a tough time taking you seriously when you're admitting that your opinion on the matter is being driven by your desire to have it heard.

I also think it's unfair to hold unreasonable, black-and-white standards for players. If you're willing to throw a player under the bus when they show one flaw, in one instant, then, you're not being fair to the player.

Besides, despite their respective incidents, Sundin and Alfie are two of the better public figures. They've always been honest, personable players, who give back to their communities, what type of message does it send to young people. That if you do good your whole life, but, make one mistake, the people that claim to support you will turn their back on you in a second.

That's not much of a positive message.

My take on the Alfie issue, I think he did it intentionally. I don't think it was the most honourable thing to do, nor can I know for certain, but, his tenure here as captain speaks for itself. I'm not going to sit here and defend it, but, I'm not going to ignore everything else he's done. I don't like the act, but, I'm willing to move on.

I don't write for a blog or a media outlet, and don't really care how many people read my opinion, but, I don't believe in sensationalizing my opinion for any reason. If we're talking about honourable actions, I start first and foremost with my own, and, being honest about my opinion seems like a logical place to start.

 

[hockeyscribe22*]

Did anyone mention sensationalism?

Well, I prefer honesty, over sensationalism, but, I understand that's what drives interest. I now have a tough time taking you seriously when you're admitting that your opinion on the matter is being driven by your desire to have it heard.

I also think it's unfair to hold unreasonable, black-and-white standards for players. If you're willing to throw a player under the bus when they show one flaw, in one instant, then, you're not being fair to the player.

Besides, despite their respective incidents, Sundin and Alfie are two of the better public figures. They've always been honest, personable players, who give back to their communities, what type of message does it send to young people. That if you do good your whole life, but, make one mistake, the people that claim to support you will turn their back on you in a second.

That's not much of a positive message.

My take on the Alfie issue, I think he did it intentionally. I don't think it was the most honourable thing to do, nor can I know for certain, but, his tenure here as captain speaks for itself. I'm not going to sit here and defend it, but, I'm not going to ignore everything else he's done. I don't like the act, but, I'm willing to move on.

I don't write for a blog or a media outlet, and don't really care how many people read my opinion, but, I don't believe in sensationalizing my opinion for any reason. If we're talking about honourable actions, I start first and foremost with my own, and, being honest about my opinion seems like a logical place to start.

I said I write with passion, not a lukewarm assessment! Do you prefer passionless writing? Also, you question my honesty. Well I'm being honest, I feel Alfredsson acted like a coward here!