whats the record of guys getting the instigator or the aggressor getting suspended in the NHL for a fight ?
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I mean I think using past precedent isn't really relevant now because the NHL is trying to argue that player safety is evolving.
In 2002 I'm probably not making this argument because it is a different league and the messaging around it is different. But if we're going to be consistent and say shennanigans like Wilson's need to be booted from the game, I don't really get why this is allowed.
Like for as bad as some of the Wilson hits are, they are still in the context of hockey plays. The sport is fast so a fraction of a second and inch is literally the difference between a clean hard hit and a dirty one. So if we're rightfully holding guys who make those hits accountable because the argument is player safety and respect, how the hell is a thing like this not a slam dunk?
We see an unwilling combatant jumped and we see several direct blows to his head. In the Wilson hit you had people saying that Sundqvist put himself in that position by skating with his head down, but the consensus seemed to be that even if that's the case the onus is still on Wilson to have respect and protect his fellow players. In this case people are saying saying Eller deserved it for celebrating, again I ask even if that's true why is the onus not on Marchand to respect and protect his fellow players if he doesn't want to fight?
The issue is there is a glaring double standard regarding player health in fights vs player health in actual game hits. And let me be clear this is not me making an argument against the Wilson ruling, to the contrary this is me saying the idea is valid, it's just shoddy execution because it's literally only being applied to situations where it's part of the game and not deliberate assault.