Bartkowski hit on Gionta (No Supplemental Discipline)

[stokes84]

Agree with this.

Doesn't seem to be malicious in anyway. Just terribly timed and he deserved the 5 major. No further discipline needed. Hockey needs hits like this.

Not at all. In fact, in time they are going to regret not doing more to stop hits like this. When they are getting sued the way the NFL did. Hits like this are illegal in football, but not hockey. Idiotic of the league.

 

[Esq]

Not at all. In fact, in time they are going to regret not doing more to stop hits like this. When they are getting sued the way the NFL did. Hits like this are illegal in football, but not hockey. Idiotic of the league.

The only way you stop hits like this is to prohibit hitting altogether. Perhaps you should take up another sport?

 

[OldFESeides]

Not at all. In fact, in time they are going to regret not doing more to stop hits like this. When they are getting sued the way the NFL did. Hits like this are illegal in football, but not hockey. Idiotic of the league.

Just be thankful the league actually does look at these sorts of things, unlike the NFL. You want to talk about a joke of a league in terms of player safety look directly at the NFL and not the NHL. If they NFL wanted to keep players safe and not be sued they would implement a wide rule set from the Rugby Union.

The NHL on the other hand looks at every major given out to make sure they understand what is going on in the league, and make the appropriate calls. With the explanation they released via their twitter I believe they made the right call. It's incidental contact with the head on an otherwise hockey hit.

 

[stokes84]

The only way you stop hits like this is to prohibit hitting altogether. Perhaps you should take up another sport?

No, you can't eliminate them. But stronger penalties would serve as a deterrent. Maybe if Bartkowski had known that predatory blindside hits to a defenseless player might get him a 20 game suspension, he would have held up and Gionta wouldn't be concussed.

 

[RedeyeRocketeer]

Good solid hit, these kinds still belong in hockey.

 

[HydroF]

No, you can't eliminate them. But stronger penalties would serve as a deterrent. Maybe if Bartkowski had known that predatory blindside hits to a defenseless player might get him a 20 game suspension, he would have held up and Gionta wouldn't be concussed.

Perhaps players should give a verbal warning that they intend to make a hit, and wait until they have a verbal confirmation that the other guy is fully ready to receive it. Then the hitting player can apologize, they hug, and skate hand in hand back into the action.

 

[Jimson Hogarth*]

Good solid hit, these kinds still belong in hockey.

We still need blatantly mistimed interference hits in hockey? I've got to disagree. I think we need big hits in hockey where the player in possession of the puck is hit hard.

 

[When is the Parade]

Great hit!!! Gionta got caught watching the puck. No foul at all. I don't know why a penalty was called.

 

[Tim Vezina Thomas]

This was the worst hit ever omgz

 

[kingpest19]

Not at all. In fact, in time they are going to regret not doing more to stop hits like this. When they are getting sued the way the NFL did. Hits like this are illegal in football, but not hockey. Idiotic of the league.

Shoulder to shoulder hits should be illegal?

 

[Patrice37]

It seems to me the only justifiable solution is to just ban the entire Boston Bruins organization from the league since they can do nothing right.

 

[Pepper]

We still need blatantly mistimed interference hits in hockey? I've got to disagree. I think we need big hits in hockey where the player in possession of the puck is hit hard.

Blatanty mistimed? Gionta was like few inches from touching the puck which would have made the hit 100% legal.

 

[lifeisruff]

It's very similar in my mind to the Campbell/Umberger hit. You can't call that clean and call this one dirty. Maybe it shouldn't be in the game, but it strikes me as legal.

 

[BowieSabresFan]

Great hit!!! Gionta got caught watching the puck. No foul at all. I don't know why a penalty was called.

Because he hit a player without the puck, hence the interference penalty? You can argue some things about this play, but not that.

 

[FanHabtic*]

Definitely a 2 minute penalty, but nothing more. Gionta needs to keep his head up and be aware of his surroundings. Foligno needs to take a elbow to the head (from Gionta) for that suicide pass. Bartkowski should never fight - he sucks at it.

 

[jacks*]

Bruin hater here.League got this one right.No suspension deserved.I don't believe the 5 minutes was deserved.

 

[Dreakon13]

Tell Gionta to get taller then.

My favorite post in the thread so far, mostly because you can tell the poster was completely serious. It's amazing how players are absolved of all accountability in some fans eyes because the player they hit "should've been taller". It's not their responsibility in any way, shape or form to judge the vulnerability of a player and adjust their hit/position accordingly... like a reasonable person would with ANY OTHER PLAYER. Like this is some ridiculous concept. Absolutely amazing.

For the record, I don't think it was a particularly malicious hit, albeit a bit of interference. Some posters though... good god...

 

[Kitchener Boy]

One of the clearest head shots in recent memory. Giontas face was bleeding

Lol
Not even close no suspension

 

[Hobby Bull]

Elbow follow-throughs always generate a reaction. The hit itself appeared (from a pretty quick single angle gif) to be shoulder-to-shoulder and clean.

I think "elbow follow-throughs" are a simple matter of physics in some cases.

Sometimes there will be ill intent and effort behind them, but often, they're the arm rebounding off it's own body.

 

[SenatorArmy*]

He seems deadly serious.

I was so totally not serious man

 

[PatriceBergeronFan]

One of the clearest head shots in recent memory. Giontas face was bleeding

Just... wow.

 

[tsujimoto74]

Blatanty mistimed? Gionta was like few inches from touching the puck which would have made the hit 100% legal.

But he didn't touch the puck, so it wasn't. In fact, if Bartkowski had been paying any attention to the puck whatsoever, he was in a better position to make a play on it than Gionta was.

 

[Tyler Biggs*]

Jack Edwards is an embarrassment!!! His comments at times are ridiculous!!!

 

[wunderpanda]

Refs gave Bartkowski a penalty for an illegal play, so it wasn't a clean hit. Its not much different from John Scott nudging Loui last year, head down and late contact.

 

[nbwingsfan]

No, you can't eliminate them. But stronger penalties would serve as a deterrent. Maybe if Bartkowski had known that predatory blindside hits to a defenseless player might get him a 20 game suspension, he would have held up and Gionta wouldn't be concussed.

You want to give a 20 game suspensionfor a shoulder to shoulder hit? This was a simple interference penalty, so you want to give all interference penalties suspensions now too?

It's not like Bartowski came out of no where and laid out Gionta when he was no where close to the puck.

Gionta was making a play for the puck and Bartowski was making a play to remove him from the puck as well. This talk of a "poorly timed hit" is completely wrong as Bart hits him JUST after the puck passed Gionta, Gionta simply whiffed on the pass. Had Gionta reached his stick 2 inches further he gets a hold of this passand its the hit of the year.

Bart deserved 2minutes for interference because Gionta missed the puck, its as simple as that.

Here's a fact for you: Predatory hits are what make 99% of big hits in the NHL, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with them.Look back on the biggest and cleanest hits in NHL history and they are made entirely of players not knowing the hit is coming. Players need to keep their head up when making a play on this ice.Going your rules, the safest a player could be is skating full speed at centre ice with their head down since they know no one can hit them without a 20 game suspension.

You need a new sport to cheer for if you think hits like this need out of the game.