Player Discussion Paul Byron

[Belial]

 

[peate]

Seems a bit harsh for a first offense, but it was a head shot. After all, he might need a break, he was tired after the first 10 games.

 

[Natey]

I hate that injuries are part of the equation. That makes things so stupid.

 

[Runner77]

I agree with this. But at the end of the day, this hit deserves 3 games, no doubt about it to me. Disappointed in Byron, he doesn't usually make stupid plays like this.

I don't have an issue with the suspension.

I'd just like to see how the league is going to react when a similar hit is made by a Sydney Crosby instead of a Paul Byron.

 

[Harry Kakalovich]

3 games for Byron. I expected 1 or 2.

Bummer

 

[Habs Halifax]

I hate that injuries are part of the equation. That makes things so stupid.

Agreed. You can high stick someone in the face, almost take their eye out but if there is no blood, it's a minor penalty. It is stupid.

Same goes for the Byron type hit. No elbow and he jumped into him making contact to the head. If he got him in the chest solely, there might of been a penalty (maybe) but no suspension. We are talking about a very minuscule margin of difference here on a game that is played at a fast tempo.

One of these days, a Superstar is going to end another Superstar's career and then what? Hitting is part of the game. Sometimes you can see the malicious attempt (sticking your elbow or knee out) and a lot of times you see the Byron type hit where he tried to hit him in the front face of the body but got his head.

The key here is this... Is there a malicious attempt at trying to injure someone?

 

[LarryO]

Agreed. You can high stick someone in the face, almost take their eye out but if there is no blood, it's a minor penalty. It is stupid.

Same goes for the Byron type hit. No elbow and he jumped into him making contact to the head. If he got him in the chest solely, there might of been a penalty (maybe) but no suspension. We are talking about a very minuscule margin of difference here on a game that is played at a fast tempo.

One of these days, a Superstar is going to end another Superstar's career and then what? Hitting is part of the game. Sometimes you can see the malicious attempt (sticking your elbow or knee out) and a lot of times you see the Byron type hit where he tried to hit him in the front face of the body but got his head.

The key here is this... Is there a malicious attempt at trying to injure someone?

I think that carelessness has to be dealt with as well as maliciousness, which is why I believe he deserves a suspension, but I think 1 game would have sufficed.

 

[Habs Halifax]

I think that carelessness has to be dealt with as well as maliciousness, which is why I believe he deserves a suspension, but I think 1 game would have sufficed.

Agreed. I think I'd be OK with 1 game. But Byron did let up slightly and did not hit him from behind where he could of easily have. He's guilty of leaving his feet (so many players do it) and hitting him real hard catching his part of his head.

He was a bit careless but it was not malicious. If he raised his shoulder or elbow, then that would of been different. He clearly tried to lay a hard hit to the front of his body and it ended up badly. He deserves to be held accountable for being careless to some degree but it was not malicious. He was trying to finish his check into the front of the body.

What are we going to do... consider every hard hit malicious? It's not easy to manage these situations in the game of hockey. The speed and tempo the game is played at is the best in the world.

 

[Apoplectic Habs Fan]

I have zero problem if this was the NHL actually taking headshots seriously.

However we all know by next week there will likely be half a dozen more plays that they wont even look at

 

[MXD]

No problem with the suspension, but that's very atypical for the NHL/DopS to hand out punishment that's on the "relatively severe" side of the Spectrum in January.

 

[Nashy]

I don't have a problem with the decision. It's the fact that much worse hits will not be suspended. This should have been 1 game at most.....but it's who you are, who you hit and were they injured? That's the NHL equation to determine suspension length.

Intent is a distant fourth in consideration.

 

[SirClintonPortis]

Nhl doesn't want the Habs to be a hitting team. Pacioretty cleanly hits Letang and they brought down the hammer on him too.

 

[BehindTheTimes]

Nhl doesn't want the Habs to be a hitting team. Pacioretty cleanly hits Letang and they brought down the hammer on him too.

That hit was a complete blindside, much worse than this imo.

 

[HabsWhiteKnightLOL]

Byron deserved 3 games.

 

[LarryO]

Agreed. I think I'd be OK with 1 game. But Byron did let up slightly and did not hit him from behind where he could of easily have. He's guilty of leaving his feet (so many players do it) and hitting him real hard catching his part of his head.

He was a bit careless but it was not malicious. If he raised his shoulder or elbow, then that would of been different. He clearly tried to lay a hard hit to the front of his body and it ended up badly. He deserves to be held accountable for being careless to some degree but it was not malicious. He was trying to finish his check into the front of the body.

What are we going to do... consider every hard hit malicious? It's not easy to manage these situations in the game of hockey. The speed and tempo the game is played at is the best in the world.

Whether the infraction is committed out of maliciousness or carelessness makes no difference. It's the action that should be penalized regardless of intentions or results. Whether you trip someone intentionally or accidentally, it's a 2-minute penalty because you're responsible for your stick. You can't prove a person's intentions. Just the facts, ma'am.

 

[Runner77]

Whether the infraction is committed out of maliciousness or carelessness makes no difference. It's the action that should be penalized regardless of intentions or results. Whether you trip someone intentionally or accidentally, it's a 2-minute penalty because you're responsible for your stick. You can't prove a person's intentions. Just the facts, ma'am.

Exactly what I've been arguing. Penalize the act, not the results of the act.

 

[Habs Halifax]

Whether the infraction is committed out of maliciousness or carelessness makes no difference. It's the action that should be penalized regardless of intentions or results. Whether you trip someone intentionally or accidentally, it's a 2-minute penalty because you're responsible for your stick. You can't prove a person's intentions. Just the facts, ma'am.

The maliciousness attempt factors into the suspension. Not denying he should of got 1 game.

 

[sergejean]

The good news is that it will give Byron sufficient time to heal up any small injuries he might have been carrying over and allow for another player (Peca or Hudon) to contribute.

 

[Habs]

Lets see if the NHL is consistent. Johanson swung his stick across a Jets player's head last night. If he doesn't get a 3 game for that, we know the fix is on. But you know, there wasn't an injury so.. you only suspend by the outcome of a dirty play, not the intent.....

 

[Tuggy]

Lets see if the NHL is consistent. Johanson swung his stick across a Jets player's head last night. If he doesn't get a 3 game for that, we know the fix is on. But you know, there wasn't an injury so.. you only suspend by the outcome of a dirty play, not the intent.....

Preds are NHL sweethearts, so we'll see.

 

[googlymoogly]

Hope Habs boycott the all star break and no players go.

 

[Adam Michaels]

Marty St. Louis praising Byron and encouraging young kids to own their mistakes.

 

[Habs]

Preds are NHL sweethearts, so we'll see.

Oh, odd.. no suspension for the preds player who swung his stick at another players face? lol. Nice.

 

[Adam Michaels]

Lets see if the NHL is consistent. Johanson swung his stick across a Jets player's head last night. If he doesn't get a 3 game for that, we know the fix is on. But you know, there wasn't an injury so.. you only suspend by the outcome of a dirty play, not the intent.....

Preds are NHL sweethearts, so we'll see.

Oh, odd.. no suspension for the preds player who swung his stick at another players face? lol. Nice.

He's suspended for two games.

 

[cphabs]

Lets see if the NHL is consistent. Johanson swung his stick across a Jets player's head last night. If he doesn't get a 3 game for that, we know the fix is on. But you know, there wasn't an injury so.. you only suspend by the outcome of a dirty play, not the intent.....

LMAO watch that in slow motion. Brutal. The stick hit him in the left side of the face and temple while Johansson had eye contact.