Should Todd Bertuzzi been banned for life?

[saintunspecified]

If Berturzzi had been banned for life perhaps fewer similarly egregious things would have happened in the years that followed.

There have been two things that have made me want to stop being a hockey fan. The first was Rangers fans rocking Pat LaFontaine's ambulance back and forth after James Patrick knocked him out. The second was the Bertuzzi blood lust. I hope players like that AND fans like that go away and never come back.

 

[Shakey Rustie]

If Bertuzzi was banned he would never be able to pay any settlement or judgment owed to Moore.

 

[dukeofjive]

Sad fact is bertuzzi only got all that trouble because of the injuries, if moore does not fall face first on the ice there would have been a way smaller suspension, this is the league again not punishing the action, but the result.

 

[Henkka]

He should have been hanged and Steve Moore should get a statue about concussing Markus Näslund.

It's so great that star players get concussed, and careers regress after it.

 

[PB37]

Sad fact is bertuzzi only got all that trouble because of the injuries, if moore does not fall face first on the ice there would have been a way smaller suspension, this is the league again not punishing the action, but the result.

Ummm.... Steve Moore falls face first because he got knocked out cold by Bertuzzi. Nice try at victim blaming though.

 

[xbestboybandever]

Sad fact is bertuzzi only got all that trouble because of the injuries, if moore does not fall face first on the ice there would have been a way smaller suspension, this is the league again not punishing the action, but the result.

Steve Moore doesn't fall face first into the ice IF Todd Bertuzzi doesn't punch him in the back of the head. IF Steve Moore didn't break his neck, you are right, the punishment would not be as bad and we wouldn't be discussing it 15 years later.

The idea that people are annoyed with the league for punishing the result is comical. Let's say you intend to shoot someone in the leg, miss and hit them in the face and kill them. The charge would go from assault with a deadly weapon to murder based on the end result.

 

[Natey]

Ummm.... Steve Moore falls face first because he got knocked out cold by Bertuzzi. Nice try at victim blaming though.

While it's not a "sad fact" his point is pretty spot on. If the injury was less severe even with the same disgusting intent, Bertuzzi would have faced a much smaller punishment because he's right - the NHL punishes results, not actions. And to me that's a crime.

 

[Cursed Lemon]

Matt Johnson. Jeff Beukeboom.

 

[dukeofjive]

Ummm.... Steve Moore falls face first because he got knocked out cold by Bertuzzi. Nice try at victim blaming though.

Can you please point out where i said its moore fault?

 

[PB37]

While it's not a "sad fact" his point is pretty spot on. If the injury was less severe even with the same disgusting intent, Bertuzzi would have faced a much smaller punishment because he's right - the NHL punishes results, not actions. And to me that's a crime.

I think the line of thinking is: the action was heinous and deliberate AND it lead to horrendous injury.

You can't suspend someone for swinging their stick and not making contact with a player's head or leaving their feet to make a big hit and missing the player. There has to be an end result.

 

[dukeofjive]

Steve Moore doesn't fall face first into the ice IF Todd Bertuzzi doesn't punch him in the back of the head. IF Steve Moore didn't break his neck, you are right, the punishment would not be as bad and we wouldn't be discussing it 15 years later.

The idea that people are annoyed with the league for punishing the result is comical. Let's say you intend to shoot someone in the leg, miss and hit them in the face and kill them. The charge would go from assault with a deadly weapon to murder based on the end result.

Again could you please show me where i state its moores fault, all i said was the league has a bigger issue with punishing results not actions.

 

[xbestboybandever]

Again could you please show me where i state its moores fault, all i said was the league has a bigger issue with punishing results not actions.

I didn't say you did. My point to you is that the result will always be taken into account.

 

[ZeroPucksGiven]

How often do you see someone get stalked up the ice and sucker-punched in the side of the head for refusing to engage in a second fight in a game, after having a "bounty" put on his head in response to a clean hit (according to the NHL and the guy he hit)? I've been watching hockey for almost 40 years and have only seen it the one time.

Happened in 2013

 

[holy]

They should've banned him before he ever committed that act. He just looked like an idiot. It was only a matter of time before he acted accordingly.

 

[Hasbro]

Except it's the Avs fans whining about it.

You clearly haven't paid attention the conduct of the Canucks fanbase the last decade and a half.

The advice would have been good for the Canucks to take after their hissy fit after the league told him to stow before they decided to hold their little show trial in the second meeting after the hit and the last meeting of the season. It's nothing more than rank hypocrisy for anyone on Bertuzzi's side to say this should be forgiven ot forgotten.

 

[K Fleur]

There is nothing to say on this incident that hasn’t already been said.

Everything about this incident is why this sport, and league have always been niche entertainment.

 

[IWantSakicAsMyGM]

Happened in 2013

Another disgusting display of goonery, but I don't remember Thornton telling the media that there was a bounty on Orpik's head weeks before the game happened, nor did Thornton challenge him to a fight or stalk him up the ice before punching him. And, Thornton was suspended for more regular season games as a result of this than Bertuzzi got.

But, despite the differences, I think we can agree that neither of these incidents has any place in professional hockey.

 

[CherryToke]

No but the NHL should have suspended Steve Moore for head hunting Naslund.

 

[SotasicA]

No.

It's hockey. He tried to punch Moore, not kill him.

 

[ZeroPucksGiven]

Another disgusting display of goonery, but I don't remember Thornton telling the media that there was a bounty on Orpik's head weeks before the game happened, nor did Thornton challenge him to a fight or stalk him up the ice before punching him. And, Thornton was suspended for more regular season games as a result of this than Bertuzzi got.

But, despite the differences, I think we can agree that neither of these incidents has any place in professional hockey.

No bounty as it happened during the course of the game, but the entire Bruins' bench was telling Orpik they were going to get him prior to this incident.

 

[Dolemite]

Just watched a 15 year anniversary video of the Steve Moore incident and feel like I have stronger feelings on this than I ever have. Bertuzzi crossed the line, committed a violent and premeditated assault that cost Moore a potential career and a quality of life for his remaining years, and got a slap on the wrists. Bertuzzi should have been banned from the NHL for the rest of his life.

Do you agree?

Moore crossed a line too. Naslund was never the same player after Moore took him out. The NHL should have suspended him at the time then none of it would have happened. Everyone knew that Moore was a target the when they played in Vancouver. (Bettman was in the crowd the next time the two teams played in Denver).

 

[dukeofjive]

I didn't say you did. My point to you is that the result will always be taken into account.

Have a nice day, i need more coffee it seems.

 

[I am toxic]

Is this not a hot topic anymore?
I guess not.
There are probably people here who don't even know who Todd Bertuzzi was other than some guy that broke someone's neck.
That being said if you feel that he should have been given a lifetime ban then there are several hundred hockey players before him who should have been issued the same lifetime ban.

There's no point in talking about specific individuals if you want to promote positive change. Singling out a single individual is far too reactionary a response. All his suspension showed was that you won't get away with breaking a coward's neck via jumping them from behind after they've clearly stated that they have no interest in fighting. To be fair Todd was probably more than well equipped to fight 2 Moores simultaneously, but for better or for worse that was done in an age when you still had the remnants of "don't you dare take out our superstar and if you do we'll make you pay"

In the end Ray Crawford was just as responsible as he's admitted that he told the team that Moore has to pay the price. Those are very vague terms, but when you have a head coach promoting to the players exactly what the league doesn't want you to do, i don't think it's smart to think that it's going to make things any better.

Ray Crawford?

 

[thadd]

Ray Crawford?

LOL Sorry, Marc. Been a long time since I thought about the guy. Totally forgot his first name.

 

[IWantSakicAsMyGM]

No bounty as it happened during the course of the game, but the entire Bruins' bench was telling Orpik they were going to get him prior to this incident.

Right, it happened within the course of the game. That's a little different than Naslund getting hit on February 16, the two teams playing again on March 3rd (nothing happened) and then March 8th, Moore fights Cooke in the 1st period and Bertuzzi attacks in the 3rd period of a blowout. Later in the same game (like Thornton on Orpik) at least has some argument about it being in the heat of the moment within the game. Waiting 21 days adds a level of premeditation that's harder to explain away.