Despres hit on Smid

[IcedCapp]

^^ Is it funny to make fun of the fact that Despres lept into the hit and injured a player with a reckless and dangerous hit?

Sounds like a unique Pittsburgh brand of humor. Guess that is how you stomached Cooke for so long

I don't think anyone is making fun of the hit or the injury, but the reaction to said hit.

 

[terex]

I don't agree that Smid only crouched close to the boards although he certainly was in a vulnerable position and turned making it even worse. Smid starts stopping and crouching before or at the goal line.

So where was Despres supposed to go?

Smid started stopping when he saw Despres turning to make the hit. Despres is already at the end boards. He even stops his momentum by landing on the board with his skate in order to prevent further follow through and damage.

 

[TT1]

good hit, smid was bent over.. the only thing he could literally hit was his face. is he supposed to push him instead of checking him or something?
if smid was smarter he wouldn't have put himself in a vulnerable position, the onus is on him to protect himself.

 

[drpepper]

So where was Despres supposed to go?

Smid started stopping when he saw Despres turning to make the hit. Despres is already at the end boards. He even stops his momentum by landing on the board with his skate in order to prevent further follow through and damage.

I don't agree with your sequence of events. Smid is already slowing down and crouching in preparation of playing the puck and getting closer to the boards before Despres turns. Despres hadn't started to do anything yet when Smid puts himself in a vulnerable position.

 

[terex]

I don't agree with your sequence of events. Smid is already slowing down and crouching in preparation of playing the puck and getting closer to the boards before Despres turns. Despres hadn't started to do anything yet when Smid puts himself in a vulnerable position.

So, for the third time, where was Despres supposed to go?

 

[armyjoe]

So where was Despres supposed to go?

Smid started stopping when he saw Despres turning to make the hit. Despres is already at the end boards. He even stops his momentum by landing on the board with his skate in order to prevent further follow through and damage.

Maybe just maybe he shouldn`t have jumped.

 

[drpepper]

So, for the third time, where was Despres supposed to go?

You do realize that Despres changes directions to go hit Smid, right?

Despres could've followed the puck. Or turned his back on Smid and boxed him out. Or led with his stick to attempt to disrupt the puck with stick on puck. Or Despres could have bailed on the hit. Despes could have not launched himself at Smid. Despres had numerous options and chose to hit a player that put himself in a vulnerable position.

I feel like you are asking a totally irrelevant question due to the sequence of events.

Despres turns and goes to hit a player that is already in a vulnerable position. Smid starts stopping and crouching at the goal line before Despres is close to him.

 

[armyjoe]

Hey look, another "Pittsburgh is the dirtiest team in the league and their fans and stinky pants poo poo faces!!!" YAWN...

Looks like we are headed for another "night on the Island" for the Pens because they are being "meanies" again....WAUGH!!!

is this real life

 

[Eisen]

Left his feet to make the hit, clear as day. That said it wasn't that bad a hit. At least he had him lined up cleanly and not into the boards. Dunno about a suspension but I would of liked to see a charging call.

My feelings exactly.

 

[Zen Arcade]

^^ Is it funny to make fun of the fact that Despres lept into the hit and injured a player with a reckless and dangerous hit?

Sounds like a unique Pittsburgh brand of humor. Guess that is how you stomached Cooke for so long

It's funny to make fun of people starting arguments about Crosby based on something he did 7 years ago because of hit in a game he didn't even play in.

 

[Flaming Satan]

Reminds me of a hit Ovechkin made a couple of years ago where he almost jumped into it and there was no intention of slowing down. 3 games.

 

[Jules Winnfield]

Lots of crying in this thread about a good hit. ****ing NHL is going soft if this is suspendible.

Smid put himself in a vulnerable position by crouching. He gave up his body to make the play.

 

[WayneSid9987]

Lots of crying in this thread about a good hit. ****ing NHL is going soft if this is suspendible.

Smid put himself in a vulnerable position by crouching. He gave up his body to make the play.

Yep.

 

[drpepper]

Lots of crying in this thread about a good hit. ****ing NHL is going soft if this is suspendible.

Smid put himself in a vulnerable position by crouching. He gave up his body to make the play.

So not specifically in this case, but in general, do you feel that the player doing the hitting has any responsibility to recognize and respond to a player in a vulnerable position? Is the onus entirely on the player that got hit?

 

[Duke749]

Why do players launch up so high into other players? Its just asking for bad things.

 

[The Macho King]

So not specifically in this case, but in general, do you feel that the player doing the hitting has any responsibility to recognize and respond to a player in a vulnerable position? Is the onus entirely on the player that got hit?

This is not that play. There's plenty of incidents where recognizing the other player is in a vulnerable position is key to not hitting - most clearly in boarding calls.

I can never guess how DoPS goes on these, but I don't think this is a suspension. If Smid stays upright, this is a full body check. He doesn't, and gets hit in the head. That's on him. The only possible thing that might work against Despres is it looks like he kind of launches up through the hit - it could be a natural follow through of a normal hit (and in my opinion that's exactly what it is), but guessing how the wheel of justice lands is impossible.

 

[Jules Winnfield]

So not specifically in this case, but in general, do you feel that the player doing the hitting has any responsibility to recognize and respond to a player in a vulnerable position? Is the onus entirely on the player that got hit?

Yes, the player does have a responsibility but there are variables that happen with each hit.

This wasn't a text book hit in this scenario. Both players were going for the puck. Smid crouched at the last second to extend his stick to push the puck forward to continue the play in Pittsburgh's end for Calgary. By doing so he put himself in a vulnerable position while leaving Despres no other option. The speed Despres was coming in at and Smid crouching at the last second put Smid in a bad spot. He was hit. If anything Despres should be recognized for having his hands lower than the head. He really could've taken Smid's head off if he was looking to be dirty.

 

[Sarge58]

It looks like interference to me, Despres doesn't even go for the puck at all

 

[Tender Rip]

Loved the hit.... think this thread hilarious.... New wiki entry under "Soccer Mums" pending.

 

[The Macho King]

It looks like interference to me, Despres doesn't even go for the puck at all

How is it interference when Smid touched the puck almost simultaneous with impact?

And Despres doesn't have to go for the puck - you're allowed to separate someone from the puck physically, and you're allowed to finish your checks. I don't know if Smid got hurt, but if he did, that's unfortunate. At the same time, he probably shouldn't be skating so low when going into a high traffic/high likelihood of getting hit area.

 

[Zen Arcade]

It looks like interference to me, Despres doesn't even go for the puck at all

I thought that too, originally, but Smid swats the puck around the boards just as Despres is making contact.

 

[drpepper]

Yes, the player does have a responsibility but there are variables that happen with each hit.

This wasn't a text book hit in this scenario. Both players were going for the puck. Smid crouched at the last second to extend his stick to push the puck forward to continue the play in Pittsburgh's end for Calgary. By doing so he put himself in a vulnerable position while leaving Despres no other option. The speed Despres was coming in at and Smid crouching at the last second put Smid in a bad spot. He was hit. If anything Despres should be recognized for having his hands lower than the head. He really could've taken Smid's head off if he was looking to be dirty.

Fair enough.

I guess I just disagree about Smid crouching at the last second. He turns at the last second which is likely the reason Despres got that much head contact. But I think Smid starts stopping and crouching around the goal line putting himself in a vulnerable position before Despres changes his direction and pushes off for the hit.

Smid definitely did himself no favors in the hit. But I don't think Despres read the play or the player well. I don't think Despres really knew where Smid was and part of Despres jumping into the hit had to do with Despres misjudging and mistiming the hit.

 

[The Expert]

mixed emotions

Yeah don't like the way he leaves his feet. Smid put himself in a bad position but I wonder how this goes if he doesn't jump. I don't feel strongly about this one either way, really.

 

[Dylonus]

So not specifically in this case, but in general, do you feel that the player doing the hitting has any responsibility to recognize and respond to a player in a vulnerable position? Is the onus entirely on the player that got hit?

No one is disagreeing that Despres should've worried about playing the puck before the hit; but you can NOT deny Despres tries to bail on the hit the best he can.

He made a bad decision and tried to make the best of the bad situation. You can see him try to avoid Smid slightly. If he didn't, he wouldn't literally toppled on him when hitting him.

However, you have to blame Smid for the position he's in. He's crouched down. If he's not, that's easily a shoulder to the chest. No questions asked.

 

[drpepper]

No one is disagreeing that Despres should've worried about playing the puck before the hit; but you can NOT deny Despres tries to bail on the hit the best he can.

He made a bad decision and tried to make the best of the bad situation. You can see him try to avoid Smid slightly. If he didn't, he wouldn't literally toppled on him when hitting him.

However, you have to blame Smid for the position he's in. He's crouched down. If he's not, that's easily a shoulder to the chest. No questions asked.

I don't disagree. Smid put himself in a bad position (crouching) and then made it even worse (stopped and turned into it). Despres made a questionable read on the play (misjudged Smid's location) and a bad hit which he then tried to make better.

Smid's to blame for his position. However, I think that Despres had time to recognize that Smid put himself in trouble and that Despres should be able to make a safer play. I'd rather see that as a fan of the game. I also think that Despres left his feet before contact and that Despres would still have left his feet before contact even if Smid wasn't crouching. I want both players to make smarter and safer decisions.