Mantha Poodoo
Playoff Beard
- Jun 5, 2008
- 4,109
- 0
I originally wrote this for another thread that was locked while I was writing, and didn't want it to go to waste. Let's avoid bringing up the incident that thread referenced due to the flame wars it inevitably starts, and instead have a historical discussion on brutality in the NHL.
Bobby Clarke nails a guy in the temple with the butt end of his stick away from the play in a friendly game:
Cooke blindside elbows Savard:
(As a result of the elbow, Savard has only managed a preseason game 7 months after the hit)
Domi elbows Niedermayer away from the play:
Not the first time a player has ever nearly killed another and ended their career either. One of the all-time greats, Eddie Shore, did so. No video, but I'll toss in a wikipedia paragraph:
"Bailey's career came to an abrupt end on December 12, 1933, when he was hit from behind by Eddie Shore of the Boston Bruins, apparently in retaliation for a hit he had received from King Clancy moments earlier, and hit his head on the ice, fracturing his skull. It was feared that Bailey would not survive after severely injuring his head. Bailey did recover, but never played hockey again."
While the Wikipedia article doesn't go into deep description of the hit, I've read brutal enough accounts. Should be easy to find. Of course, there's a big difference between this and today's litigious society:
"An all-star benefit game was held at Maple Leaf Gardens on February 14, 1934, which raised $20,909.40 for Bailey and his family. Bailey and Shore shook hands and embraced at centre ice before the game began."
Some very early incidents in North American hockey (wikipedia):
"1905 - Allan Loney is charged with manslaughter in the on-ice clubbing death of Alcide Laurin. Loney claimed self-defence, and was found not guilty.[4]
1907 - Ottawa Senators players Harry Smith, Alf Smith and Charles Spittal were charged with assault after beating Montreal Wanderers players, Hod Stuart, Ernie "Moose" Johnson and Cecil Blatchford with their sticks.
1907 - Ottawa Victorias player Charles Masson is charged with manslaughter after Cornwall player Owen McCourt dies of a head wound sustained in a brawl. Masson is found not guilty on the grounds that there was no way to know which blow had killed McCourt"
No animated video here, but Maki and Green brawled eachother with their sticks. Green suffered a fractured skull and brain damage. Both were suspended for a lesser time than Bertuzzi (though Green was out a whole season of hockey). Both were acquitted in court.
Jimmy Mann sucker punches Paul Gardner, breaking his jaw in two places:
(That was after Gardner cross-checked Doug Small, who was playing with a broken jaw, in the face)
Wouldn't be a cheapshot thread if we didn't have McSorley: McSorley 2-hands Brashear in the head, from behind, away from the puck:
Chris Simon 2-hands Hollweg in the face away from the play:
Anyhow, it'd be very easy to go on as brutality has been quite common in hockey. Unfortunately, these incidents will continue to happen as long as the NHL punishes result rather than action or intent, because the next Joe in line will always think he'll be the one that can get away with it, that he's only going to make the guy hurt. In some of the above incidents, players got hurt long term. In a couple early ones, players died. And all it would take for most of these to turn result in a career ending injury or death is an awkward fall or the weight of multiple hockey players in the often-subsequent brawl, or even just a stick hitting the guy in the right place or with the right force.
Bobby Clarke nails a guy in the temple with the butt end of his stick away from the play in a friendly game:
Cooke blindside elbows Savard:
(As a result of the elbow, Savard has only managed a preseason game 7 months after the hit)
Domi elbows Niedermayer away from the play:
Not the first time a player has ever nearly killed another and ended their career either. One of the all-time greats, Eddie Shore, did so. No video, but I'll toss in a wikipedia paragraph:
"Bailey's career came to an abrupt end on December 12, 1933, when he was hit from behind by Eddie Shore of the Boston Bruins, apparently in retaliation for a hit he had received from King Clancy moments earlier, and hit his head on the ice, fracturing his skull. It was feared that Bailey would not survive after severely injuring his head. Bailey did recover, but never played hockey again."
While the Wikipedia article doesn't go into deep description of the hit, I've read brutal enough accounts. Should be easy to find. Of course, there's a big difference between this and today's litigious society:
"An all-star benefit game was held at Maple Leaf Gardens on February 14, 1934, which raised $20,909.40 for Bailey and his family. Bailey and Shore shook hands and embraced at centre ice before the game began."
Some very early incidents in North American hockey (wikipedia):
"1905 - Allan Loney is charged with manslaughter in the on-ice clubbing death of Alcide Laurin. Loney claimed self-defence, and was found not guilty.[4]
1907 - Ottawa Senators players Harry Smith, Alf Smith and Charles Spittal were charged with assault after beating Montreal Wanderers players, Hod Stuart, Ernie "Moose" Johnson and Cecil Blatchford with their sticks.
1907 - Ottawa Victorias player Charles Masson is charged with manslaughter after Cornwall player Owen McCourt dies of a head wound sustained in a brawl. Masson is found not guilty on the grounds that there was no way to know which blow had killed McCourt"
No animated video here, but Maki and Green brawled eachother with their sticks. Green suffered a fractured skull and brain damage. Both were suspended for a lesser time than Bertuzzi (though Green was out a whole season of hockey). Both were acquitted in court.
Jimmy Mann sucker punches Paul Gardner, breaking his jaw in two places:
(That was after Gardner cross-checked Doug Small, who was playing with a broken jaw, in the face)
Wouldn't be a cheapshot thread if we didn't have McSorley: McSorley 2-hands Brashear in the head, from behind, away from the puck:
Chris Simon 2-hands Hollweg in the face away from the play:
Anyhow, it'd be very easy to go on as brutality has been quite common in hockey. Unfortunately, these incidents will continue to happen as long as the NHL punishes result rather than action or intent, because the next Joe in line will always think he'll be the one that can get away with it, that he's only going to make the guy hurt. In some of the above incidents, players got hurt long term. In a couple early ones, players died. And all it would take for most of these to turn result in a career ending injury or death is an awkward fall or the weight of multiple hockey players in the often-subsequent brawl, or even just a stick hitting the guy in the right place or with the right force.
