Lucic will have likely have hearing for hit on Joseph (upd: fined $10,000)

[PatriceBergeronFan]

Let me just blind side hit you on the floor, punch you in the head, and then lay on top of you so you can’t get up.

Even if this is “minor” like some think it is, what the hell was that?

Uh... sending a message, warranting a penalty, as it has for the entire history of the league?

 

[the4thlinegrinder]

And with a little bit of bad luck, it would've been.

Same could be said about the Joseph hit from behind on Russell. Ultimately, nobody got injured last night.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

This one?

That's the one.

 

[llamateizer]

I don’t either. What Lucic did last night was not even in the same stratosphere as either of those incidents. Lucic hit Jospeh in the chest and gave him a shot on the ice. If he wanted to actually hurt him he could’ve.

you're right. Imagine a player losing control and hitting a little bit stronger than he would wanted. Lucic did ok. I wouldn't mind a 1 game suspension.

 

[Quarter]

Next shift they were out together I believe.

I understand why there's a hearing then.

If Lucic goes after him immediately after the hit, or at the end of play when everyone's milling around the net or whatever, there's less issue. Him chasing Joseph down the ice while play is going on isn't a good look.

 

[CraigsList]

Uh... sending a message, warranting a penalty, as it has for the entire history of the league?

Surely you could have sent a message a different way. Like, for instance, not blatantly attacking a player?

That was a Lucic pounce.

 

[CaptainCrunch67]

At the end of the day, the Oilers have to be concerned with a suspension, with only 187k left in cap space, having to bring in a player to step in for Lucic isn't good news.

 

[ChaoticOrange]

And those players will have hearings. It should have been a penalty on Joseph. Turning around and excusing what Lucic did is so tone deaf from a group of fans screaming about a boarding going uncalled. It's incredible.

Joseph doesn’t have a hearing. He didn’t even get a penalty. The officials failing to properly manage the game is what led to this.

Actions have consequences. If the league isn’t going to properly protect a player in a vulnerable position like Russell, then his teammates are going to have something to say about it. Mark my words, Russell is taking Lucic out for steaks this week as a thank you for having his back.

People don’t seem to realize that the league has gone through this shift to speed and skill before, in the early 70’s. It led to an increase of cheap shots and stickwork, and guys refusing to answer the bell. Enforcers became a thing because the league wasn’t doing a good enough job protecting its players from the kinds of incidents that ACTUALLY cause injuries, like Joseph’s hits.

 

[God King Fudge]

Same could be said about the Joseph hit from behind on Russell. Ultimately, nobody got injured last night.

Same could be said about literally every play in hockey. It's a high speed, physical game. What Joseph did was in the run of play, though. I don't see why this piece is so difficult to understand.

It was a rough hit, should have been a penalty, but it was in the run of play. Things can happen, things can go bad.

Lucic hit Joseph away from the play and away from the puck.

That's why one is a bad missed call from the refs, and the other is a hearing.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

Same could be said about the Joseph hit from behind on Russell. Ultimately, nobody got injured last night.

True. But that hit can still be at least roughly construed as a "hockey play". That's the difference between that and what Lucic did. Or some of the dirtbag stuff in the past.

And I wouldn't suspend Lucic for it. Probably hit him with a fine, but not a suspension. I'm just saying that if the result had been different, then the incident gets looked upon in a completely different light.

 

[ChaoticOrange]

At the end of the day, the Oilers have to be concerned with a suspension, with only 187k left in cap space, having to bring in a player to step in for Lucic isn't good news.

Sekera’s on LTIR and we have 14 forwards up right now including Lucic. We both have the cap space and don’t need to call anyone up.

 

[CupsOverCash]

Look Im fine with somebody sticking up for their teammate. But you dont blindside somebody like he did. Honestly is that how people think this should be done? Because that is what Oiler fans are defending here. What happened to getting in the other guys faces and dropping the gloves?? So you have to blindside guys to teach the other guy a lesson? Got it!!

 

[ChaoticOrange]

I agree that the refs lost control of the game.

In NYR/MTL matchup, the rangers had a few penalties in the 2nd and were mad. Staal threw Gallagher after a whistle. The refs called penalties on Montreal. in a few minutes habs went 5v3 to 3v5. After those events, players calmed down and started playing hockey.

The calls at the end disadvantaged the Canadiens but I'm happy that the refs took back the control of the game

Agreed. The Oilers were mad that Joseph wasn’t penalized for his hit and that the officials decided to hand the Lightning a 5 on 3 for a pair of ticky tack calls.

 

[ChaoticOrange]

Look Im fine with somebody sticking up for their teammate. But you dont blindside somebody like he did. Honestly is that how people think this should be done? Because that is what Oiler fans are defending here. What happened to getting in the other guys faces and dropping the gloves?? So you have to blindside guys to teach the other guy a lesson? Got it!!

Watch the whole clip. Lucic was screaming at him the entire shift and gave him a whack when he first got on the ice. Joseph didn’t want to answer the bell.

It was a shoulder to shoulder hit. It happens 50 times a game. Joseph didn’t have the puck, so he took an interference call. The glove on swat got him a roughing call, and giving him a face wash while sitting on him got him a 10 minute misconduct.

 

[Rowlet]

premeditated, interference, retaliatory, kept shoving him when down, it'll be a few games

 

[PAZ]

I agree with what Lucic did, Joseph absolutely deserved what he got - a little roughed up after running around recklessly the entire game. Lucic did technically punch Joseph, but it was more of a warning than an intent to injure/hurt and he definitely restrained himself.

I also agree with the league giving Lucic a hearing. Regardless of how the game went and how poor the reffing was, the league can't pretend the hit didn't happen. I have no qualms with what Lucic did and I would respect him more if he was on my team as well.

Personally, I hope the league tells him something along the lines of - "we understand what you did, but you can't do it without any repercussion in today's NHL. Here's a fine of 5k to appease the media and show what you did was wrong". Basically a message that says we don't condone these actions, but we won't punish it (besides a fine) as long as it doesn't cross the line.

 

[ChaoticOrange]

I understand why there's a hearing then.

If Lucic goes after him immediately after the hit, or at the end of play when everyone's milling around the net or whatever, there's less issue. Him chasing Joseph down the ice while play is going on isn't a good look.

The first chance Lucic got to take him to task, he took it. Joseph boarded Russell and didn’t get a penalty then the officials handed the Lightning two power plays. Lucic doesn’t PK and I don’t think Joseph plays PP.

Milan took a number. It’s as old as hockey.

He’ll probably get a game or two, and that’s whatever. I think 2+2+10 was appropriate punishment.

 

[the4thlinegrinder]

True. But that hit can still be at least roughly construed as a "hockey play". That's the difference between that and what Lucic did. Or some of the dirtbag stuff in the past.

And I wouldn't suspend Lucic for it. Probably hit him with a fine, but not a suspension. I'm just saying that if the result had been different, then the incident gets looked upon in a completely different light.

Fair enough

 

[ThreeOfAPerfectPair]

Kind of silly, guys get harder knocks in the average after whistle scrum.

 

[razkaz]

Mike Matheson got 2 games for "roughing"

Welcome to the new NHL

Suspensions are a weird thing, I always thought it was better to base it off the actions vs the outcome and the status of the victim

 

[LeafLoyalist]

Honestly, a lot of the whining from Tampa fans about this event is because barely any of them have ever played hockey competitively themselves and they simply don't understand the game. They grew up in a tropical climate playing golf or something, not in the tundra playing hockey, if they did they would understand and appreciate what Lucic did for his teammates, regardless of which team they are a fan of.

I'd recommend you enjoy having a great team in a city that lacks hockey passion and doesn't deserve the riches they've been bestowed. Bow to the greatness of Stevie Y.

Is that a justification for Lucic's barbaric attack on a rookie? Fans don't know the game??? Remember Lucic is making $6 M a year, this rookie has his future ahead of him, I'm certain when Lucic was in his rookie year he made mistakes, i doubt any veteran blind sided him like a coward. It would be face to face to drop the gloves, instead Lucic decided to blind side him, and for darn luck Joseph didn't get injured, it could have gone real bad for all involved. This is the issue, the game has evolved, we know through recent history the damage that could be done. Yes Joseph should have been penalized, and if you look at the play he didn't fully drive Russel in the boards, he changed direction on impact after Joseph realized Russell was vulnerable,his intent was to 'finish his check' (you hockey genius should know this saying), obviously a boarding call, and i don't see intent to injure. What LUCIC did, a veteran in this league, INTENDED to HURT Joseph, and for damn luck Joseph still has a hockey future ahead of him. How would you argue this to Josephs' parents?? How do you justify Lucics' actions, YOU CAN'T, so stop trying to claim superiority in knowledge of hockey because you live in the cold tundra, for this shameless act, from a player who is realizing the game has passed him by. If you truly believe Lucic was in the right, then we should continue to see the players go after each other for any missed penalty. There is a right way to do it, THIS WAS NOT!!

 

[Hennessy]

That was so egregious that I feel anything less than the book being thrown at him is too little. That had zero to do with any of the play. It was just straight up assault.

Rejoice, Oilers fans. This might be enough to void his contract.

 

[VinikToWinIt]

Didn't McDavid board somebody in his rookie year with no penalty? I think maybe Daley?

I'm sure if the roles were reversed that day that Oilers fans would've been cool with it.

No, if someone hit McDavid away from the play and gave him a few shots after that I'm sure they would be ok with it. At least that's the vibe I'm getting here.

Something about "deserving it" and "sending a message".

 

[God King Fudge]

That was so egregious that I feel anything less than the book being thrown at him is too little. That had zero to do with any of the play. It was just straight up assault.

Rejoice, Oilers fans. This might be enough to void his contract.

BUT THE REFS MISSED A PENALTY ON TB! THAT MEANS IT'S THE WILD WEST. ANY AND ALL ACTIONS TAKEN BY PLAYERS AT THAT POINT ARE NBD BECAUSE HOCKEY!

LEARN THE GAME.

 

[J T Money]

If what Joseph was so bad (it should have been a penalty against him), why didn't any of the other 4 Oilers who were on the ice go after Joseph immediately to stick up for Russel?

What Lucic did would have been perfectly fine had he been on he ice during he boarding, instead, he had to wait a few minutes before targeting him.

The specific targeting and blindsiding away from play is the issue and why he is having a hearing - which should just be a fine because it wasn't that severe.

They both should have just dropped gloves and settled things that way and be done with it.