Penguins Chad Ruhwedel completely destroyed by Bobby Ryan = concussed - legal hit?

[Dessloch]

So Ruhwedel gets high sticked by one Ottawa player and gets out of sync and fails to protect himself proplerly because of that.

Bobby Ryan takes the chance to destroy Ruhwedel with a hit that connects first ONLY with elbow into the head.

Legal hit or does it warrant a penalty?

Personally I think any hit that connects first with the head should be punished, to protect players from concussions and make players think twice before launching into people in reckless ways.

I think the hitter should be responsible if a crushing hit like that ends up in the head regardless of intent.

Video:
http://www.nbcsports.com/video/penguins-ian-cole-drops-bobby-ryan-after-huge-hit-chad-ruhwedel

Click to read more...

 

[Gil Gunderson]

His elbow is tucked. He got his entire upper body at once.

 

[tny760]

unfortunate result to a totally clean hit

 

[sethro109]

Elbow tucked, but what counts as a defenseless player? Hard to call imo.

 

[Habsfann]

Looked like a charge to me.

 

[Dessloch]

His elbow is tucked. He got his entire upper body at once.

No. He hits the head first and then the rest of the body. You can see that in replay 1. The head takes the first impact of the arm/elbow and then its body against body. I am not saying Ryan intented to hit the head, but he surely did.

 

[stampedingviking]

Clean hit, unfortunate result.

 

[Korpse]

No. He hits the head first and then the rest of the body. You can see that in replay 1. I am not saying Ryan intented to hit the head, but he surely did.

Theres some very important points to consider when determining whether a hit is an illegal check to the head.

48.1 Illegal Check to the Head – A hit resulting in contact with an opponent’s head where the head was the main point of contact and such contact to the head was avoidable is not permitted.
In determining whether contact with an opponent's head was avoidable, the circumstances of the hit including the following shall be considered:

(i) Whether the player attempted to hit squarely through the opponent’s body and the head was not"picked" as a result of poor timing, poor angle of approach, or unnecessary extension of the body upward or outward.

(ii) Whether the opponent put himself in a vulnerable position by assuming a posture that made head contact on an otherwise full body check unavoidable.

(iii) Whether the opponent materially changed the position of his body or head immediately prior to or simultaneously with the hit in a way that significantly contributed to the head contact.

 

[Karl Eriksson]

Clean, not even 2 min penalty worthy. penguin put himself in trouble there. League agrees. No discipline.

 

[Sidgeni Malkby]

I wouldn't mind hearing non Ottawa fan and non Pens fans opinions. Right now it's a Senator fan tirade :\.

 

[madinsomniac]

Meh i thought it was cheap not letting up when the guy was falling but its legal by the archaic nhl rules... literally what is or isn't suspendable is almost totally based on public perception and the rep of the guy giving the hit

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

Not dirty .

 

[BronzeSpruce]

I thought the hit was more reckless than dirty. He had plenty of time to pull up on that one. Main and first point of contact was the head. The league needs to start looking out for that kind of play. You see it time and time again guys having some respect for their fellow player and pull up a bit on a play like that.

At least the refs were consistent, later in the game Clark Mcarthur (Sp) was hit high as well with the head being the primary point of contact and there was no call. I think it was the same game?

 

[nhl fan]

I wouldn't mind hearing non Ottawa fan and non Pens fans opinions. Right now it's a Senator fan tirade :\.

So many fans have home team blinders what Ryan did was cheap and should have been called. Unfortunately the league has permitted head hunting during these playoffs.

 

[SEALBound]

Here's whats sad, the same Ottawa fans here saying it was a clean hit and unfortunate result are the same fans that were calling for jail time for Sidney Crosby when he hacked Methot's finger and were told the same thing.

Bottom line, Rudwedel was in a vulnerable position and Ryan took 100% full advantage of it. He didn't even both going for the puck, he was looking to hit an out of position Rudwedel.

On player suspension recaps by the league, they talk at times about guys being in a "vulnerable position". This is a very good example of that. Ryan could have easily eased up and avoided contact with the head, but he didn't.

Is this against anything in the rulebook? No, not exactly. Was there still contact straight to the head? Unless you're blind, 100% yes. Should hits like this be removed from the game? 100% yes.

If the situation were reversed, this board would be in meltdown mode.

 

[BHD]

Ruhwedel was about as unprepared, and therefore vulnerable, for the hit as a player could be, and Ryan made a point of finishing him off.

 

[TimbitsHockey877*]

Every questionable hit on the Pens is unfortunate good hockey plays.

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

Here's whats sad, the same Ottawa fans here saying it was a clean hit and unfortunate result are the same fans that were calling for jail time for Sidney Crosby when he hacked Methot's finger and were told the same thing.

Bottom line, Rudwedel was in a vulnerable position and Ryan took 100% full advantage of it. He didn't even both going for the puck, he was looking to hit an out of position Rudwedel.

On player suspension recaps by the league, they talk at times about guys being in a "vulnerable position". This is a very good example of that. Ryan could have easily eased up and avoided contact with the head, but he didn't.

Is this against anything in the rulebook? No, not exactly. Was there still contact straight to the head? Unless you're blind, 100% yes. Should hits like this be removed from the game? 100% yes.

If the situation were reversed, this board would be in meltdown mode.

I am trying to figure out which part of that is sad. Jail time for Sidney?

 

[SaintMorose]

I have no problem with the Ryan hit, Pens player was playing the puck and took the most awkward position possible which caused him to get hurt not anything done during the hit.

 

[LeafsLegendAkiBerg]

Legal or not, I think it's predatory.

 

[Hospy]

It's only a head hit because Ruhwedel bends over to reach for the puck right before Ryan levels him. I don't see any elbow extension to target the head since it's tucked the entire time.

I don't see charging since he's not skating into the hit.

Clean but unfortunate.

 

[Guardian17]

Good hit.

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

Legal or not, I think it's predatory.

Senatory? Too bad he was hurt .,., Its not a dirty play

 

[tny760]

I wouldn't mind hearing non Ottawa fan and non Pens fans opinions. Right now it's a Senator fan tirade :\.

i'm a sens fan? better throw away all my kings gear then

 

[Gil Gunderson]

Care to find those posts about Crosby and Methot?