GDT: Preseason – Sabres at Leafs – Sun Sep 22 – 7:00PM ET – TV: LeafsTV – Radio: 1520-AM

[CreeksideStrangler]

I would say any player, regardless of reputation, has a right to defend themselves, and a right to fight when challenged.

But if you do that, you can't act like the fight was one-sided or involuntary. Kessel had a right to skate away and that's not what he chose to do. When Kessel gets his arms up first, it's totally reasonable for Scott to take the fight that's being offered.

Scott told him he would jump him. Thats not offering a fight

 

[PlamsUnlimited]

Except two grown men are being discussed here

 

[CreeksideStrangler]

If you're a professional hockey player, you're not a child, and you don't have to do anything more to "save yourself" than skate away.

Scott is a 6'8" mutant in the nhl for 1 reason only... kessel is the opposite of that. The analogy is fair. Try skating away when someone like that comes after you... probably ends up in the hospital

 

[StlSwedes]

Leave the children out of it

 

[CreeksideStrangler]

Except two grown men are being discussed here

Steve moore skated away from bertuzzi when he wanted to fight... remember what happened then? And bertuzzi is 100x more legitimate than scott

 

[BuzzKillington90]

If i tell a child that i will fight him... he does what he can to try and save himself whatever way possible... then it is not 1 sided?

You really aren't helping your case. Comparing kessel running from John Scott, to child beating is rather over the top.

Fact is sabres did nothing illegal and the leafs did. Blame your coach for lining kessel up with an obvious enforcer. Then remember 3-4 players on your roster fit the enforcer role. Then go away.

 

[vcv]

Steve moore skated away from bertuzzi when he wanted to fight... remember what happened then? And bertuzzi is 100x more legitimate than scott

Scott is a 6'8" mutant in the nhl for 1 reason only... kessel is the opposite of that. The analogy is fair. Try skating away when someone like that comes after you... probably ends up in the hospital

That's all fine and good, but you're still making an assumption on what Scott would have done.

Scott said he wasn't going to hurt Kessel, so take that for what it's worth.

Further, your argument is weakened by what Kessel did following the initial "defensive" action. That is a second slash and a spear waaaaay after the fact (doesn't matter how weak it was, it's illegal regardless and a total dick move to put your stick in someones mid section).

 

[haseoke39]

Scott told him he would jump him. Thats not offering a fight

That's not congruent with any of the reports about what was said. It would be exceedingly rare for a player not to have the option of skating away - borderline psychotic by his opponent. There's no evidence that Scott spoke such heinous words as to make Kessel fear he could not skate away.

 

[Jacob582]

Steve moore skated away from bertuzzi when he wanted to fight... remember what happened then? And bertuzzi is 100x more legitimate than scott

Yes, but Scott has never recklessly ended a players career like Bertuzzi and he likely never will. Kessel and his stick have a greater likelihood of ending someone's career than John Scott.

Watch Scott, he has let up a lot at the end of fights, when the player is done or hurt. Devane should learn from Scott.

 

[haseoke39]

Scott is a 6'8" mutant in the nhl for 1 reason only... kessel is the opposite of that. The analogy is fair. Try skating away when someone like that comes after you... probably ends up in the hospital

Really? You take the most heinous assault in NHL history as Phil Kessel's fair expectation of what would happen if he tried skating away?

 

[Jacob582]

Do you think Kessel was pissed that Carlyle put him in that situation or do you think Kessel was looking to escalate the mess?

 

[struckbyaparkedcar]

Both. And mad at Scott for not caring that he was a foot shorter and 80 points better.

Also, Foligno's on the ice with Vanek/Hodgson, so that rules.

 

[FearTheBeard]

Both. And mad at Scott for not caring that he was a foot shorter and 80 points better.

Also, Foligno's on the ice with Vanek/Hodgson, so that rules.

seriously? WOOO, thanks for breaking the news to me I had to read that twice I was so excited

 

[FearTheBeard]

wait are you sure? I cant find it on twitter anywhere?

 

[AirBriere48]

seriously? WOOO, thanks for breaking the news to me I had to read that twice I was so excited

Pretty sure what he is referencing is John Vogl's tweet earlier today listing his projected opening night lineup. I misread it at first, thinking it was listing the Sabres' lines from today's practice. They didn't even practice today, I'm pretty sure.

 

[Woodhouse]

Pretty sure what he is referencing is John Vogl's tweet earlier today listing his projected opening night lineup. I misread it at first, thinking it was listing the Sabres' lines from today's practice. They didn't even practice today, I'm pretty sure.

Today was an off day.

 

[struckbyaparkedcar]

Dammit, sorry guys.

 

[haseoke39]

This was great, Down Goes Brown's transcript of the Kessel suspension hearings. Some of their best work.

http://www.downgoesbrown.com/2013/09/phil-kessel-suspension.html

 

[Ralonzo]

Toronto Fans, you have your own forum to vent. Thanks.

If you don't get it, read the site rules.

And of course this is the next post

Seriously?? If i'm Kessel, (1 fight in my whole pro carreer) and a stonehanded meathead likes Scott tells me he's coming at me....

This was great, Down Goes Brown's transcript of the Kessel suspension hearings. Some of their best work.

http://www.downgoesbrown.com/2013/09/phil-kessel-suspension.html

That was great! Thanks for the link.

 

[vcv]

And of course this is the next post







That was great! Thanks for the link.

What, that wasn't a compliment to John Scott? Obviously talking about his large and active brain (he does have a degree in Mechanical Engineering) and his beautifully chiseled hands of fury.

 

[Paxon]

Scott is a 6'8" mutant in the nhl for 1 reason only... kessel is the opposite of that. The analogy is fair. Try skating away when someone like that comes after you... probably ends up in the hospital

He literally did skate away from him, successfully. In case you didn't notice yet, John Scott is a little bit less spry on his skates than Phil Kessel. He threw in the slash just because, and then another one to the ankle in an obvious act of self-defense whilst Scott was tangled up with two players. Then he speared him while Scott was tangled up with a man who came off the bench... in self-defense.

Kessel could have fought (terrible idea) or he could have removed himself from the situation. Instead he did neither. He used his stick as a weapon, albeit not wildly or in the most egregious fashion one can find.

 

[1point21Gigawatts]

I have to laugh at all of the Leafs fans coming in here arguing about big mean ol' John John. Wrong forum fellas. I think there is a leafs page for that

Regardless of "who's at fault" or "who broke the code" or "which coach is a ****** for what reason" I am glad to see the sabres beat the leafs in the goon category. I'd rather the team steps up and acts instead of reacting, or worse yet...not reacting at all. If nothing else, this team will be exciting this year.

I hope Tropp and Foligno recover quickly.

 

[Butt Ox]

The QEW must be a ***** to traverse, given the substantial amount of high horses moseying back and forth.

Scott is a 6'8" mutant in the nhl for 1 reason only...

Is it his innate ability to spread sheer joy throughout the Queen City (and all points north, south, east, and west) via photobombing teammate's interviews? Perhaps there are two or more reasons. Testing the tensile strength and resilience of graphite products springs to mind.

 

[NotABadPeriod]

John Scott for captain.

Kaleta, Ott gets A's.

 

[TheWook]

John Scott for captain.

Kaleta, Ott gets A's.

Sounds good to me