Injury Report: Vol. 6 (Updates in 1st Post) | Game Day vs. Sens

[Sidney the Kidney]

You can turn it off until the NHL becomes a respectable league.

The problem is you're just depriving yourself. The league won't change how they handle these things as long as it's run by the "old boys network" and keeps giving jobs to former thugs and cheap shot artists in their DoPS department.

I can 100% guarantee that I decided to never watch another NHL game, the NHL will still survive, headshots will be deemed "good hockey plays", and idiots will continue to run the player safety department.

 

[CanadianPensFan1]

Dreams for sure. He did not look good after the hit. Dazed and confused to say the least. For hm to return this series would be a miracle.

Sadly I know you're right. I'm just trying to be a wee bit optimistic.

 

[Terrapin]

Oh come on be reasonable. These things rarely escalate to that level. The Bertuzzi incident is the type where police could reasonably be involved.

Anywhere outside of a hockey rink it's assault with a deadly weapon

 

[Shady Machine]

Anywhere outside of a hockey rink it's assault with a deadly weapon

Does everywhere outside of a hockey rink involve players skating really fast, checking people as hard as they can, and playing a highly intense and physical sport?

Look, I'm certainly not condoning what Ovi or Niskanen did, but let's not overreact here because the results were really unfortunate. This is not criminal activity. It's illegal sports activity and should be punished through the sport.

 

[DesertPenguin]

I'd imagine he'd be out at least a week just to be safe

A week seems to be about the minimum timetable. That would put him back in the lineup for game 6. Let's hope we win one of the next two to so we are sitting there with a 3-2 lead going into that game.

This is all wild speculation though. Who knows?

 

[Giskard]

OK, now we're out the #1D #1G #1C. And I'm still confident that we will beat the Caps in 6.

 

[Randy Butternubs]

Hypothetically speaking, if I saw Crosby at a bar and hit him in the face with some stool, I would be arrested. However, bars have different rules than an NHL game. I can't go and check someone into the wall and then be placed in timeout. Different rules for different circumstances.

By stool, I meant the furniture.

 

[Terrapin]

Does everywhere outside of a hockey rink involve players skating really fast, checking people as hard as they can, and playing a highly intense and physical sport?

Look, I'm certainly not condoning what Ovi or Niskanen did, but let's not overreact here because the results were really unfortunate. This is not criminal activity. It's illegal sports activity and should be punished through the sport.

I agree. I can't pummel someone unconscious like an MMA fighter or boxer can. But that's the sport. This is similar to a baseball player hitting another player over the head with a bat. I don't think it's ever happened, but I'm sure that player (in addition to very long suspension) would be charged

Hey, it is what it is, and doesn't surprise me in the least. Go back through my posts. It's well established that I've been saying this **** has gone on for years, and will continue to go on until the Pens ice at least one player at least capable of messing up another teams stars. We took the pacifist approach, and it won us a Cup. Can't complain about that. But we also shouldn't complain when this **** happens again and again and again

 

[Konig96]

Look at the bright side, Ovies behavior and actions over the years have me thinking that he may very well be the missing link that scientists have been searching for in the history of human evolution.

 

[Terrapin]

Hypothetically speaking, if I saw Crosby at a bar and hit him in the face with some stool, I would be arrested. However, bars have different rules than an NHL game. I can't go and check someone into the wall and then be placed in timeout. Different rules for different circumstances.

By stool, I meant the furniture.

You're right, but where's the line drawn though. I mean, can a player take his skate off and slice someones jugular?

 

[Hockeyholic]

I think he's out till next year. Coming back to try and win a cup isn't worth potentially ruining the rest of your life. We all want him to come back but it isn't worth it. I think he's out for the remainder of the playoffs.

 

[Terrapin]

Anyway, it's weird that Sully would announce those guys being out already. That doesn't make sense. But I still don't think Sid's too serious

 

[Speaking Moistly]

Does everywhere outside of a hockey rink involve players skating really fast, checking people as hard as they can, and playing a highly intense and physical sport?

Look, I'm certainly not condoning what Ovi or Niskanen did, but let's not overreact here because the results were really unfortunate. This is not criminal activity. It's illegal sports activity and should be punished through the sport.

Ehhhh. Hits and accidents involving skates are reasonable expectations. A stick being used as a weapon isn't, and the league has limited interest in punishing it. At some point it stops being contained as a sports activity.

 

[Shady Machine]

I agree. I can't pummel someone unconscious like an MMA fighter or boxer can. But that's the sport. This is similar to a baseball player hitting another player over the head with a bat. I don't think it's ever happened, but I'm sure that player (in addition to very long suspension) would be charged

Hey, it is what it is, and doesn't surprise me in the least. Go back through my posts. It's well established that I've been saying this **** has gone on for years, and will continue to go on until the Pens ice at least one player at least capable of messing up another teams stars. We took the pacifist approach, and it won us a Cup. Can't complain about that. But we also shouldn't complain when this **** happens again and again and again

Yeah I know your viewpoint and I get it. I tend to think going the eye for an eye route doesn't work when your roster and identity is small, fast, and skilled. I also prefer watching the Pens style of hockey over the LA Kings, Bruins of a few years ago, or Blue Jackets.

The league needs to handle this stuff, but they don't, so what do you do? The most successful approach for the Pens I think is to "just play", but that doesn't come without it's downsides.

 

[bambamcam4ever]

Ehhhh. Hits and accidents involving skates are reasonable expectations. A stick being used as a weapon isn't, and the league has limited interest in punishing it. At some point it stops being contained as a sports activity.

Yep. Even a spear has no place in the game, as there should be no reasonable expectation to be stabbed in the groin in the course of a hockey game, and should be criminally punishable.

 

[Shady Machine]

Ehhhh. Hits and accidents involving skates are reasonable expectations. A stick being used as a weapon isn't, and the league has limited interest in punishing it. At some point it stops being contained as a sports activity.

So should the police arrest Niskanen? I mean what are we really saying here?

The NHL should punish this activity. They don't do it nearly enough, which I've said in previous posts in the thread.

 

[Sideline]

Based on Sid's reaction it was obviously bad. I hope Geno just beasts the next two games. Even if this ends the Cup chase getting eliminated by a Penguins team with no Crosby, Letang, or Murray would psychologically destroy Washington.

 

[WBSPens99]

I need the hard stuff after reading these updates.

 

[Pantokrator]

Truth be told there is a very glaring trend with the craps. First off there was the concussion resulting from Steckel, the knee on knee hit by the caveman on Gonchar in 09', Orpiks hit on Maata last year, the blatant knee on knee hit by Wilson on Rust next to the bench last year (with the Caps assistant coach grinning about it right after it happened) and now another concussion for Sid resulting from, drum roll please, you guessed it, a craps player. Coincidence? I don't think so at this point. The craps organization is garbage from top to bottom but I guess I really don't expect anything with any sort of integrity to come out of our nations capitol.

Look, it's easy to understand. The Caps are the best team in the league regular season but can't win. So they have to resort to cheap shots to injure players in order to try to win. I have never seen a team with so much talent be so bad at winning as these Caps. they can't beat the Pens even in their injured state, so they have to injure them more.

 

[Terrapin]

Yeah I know your viewpoint and I get it. I tend to think going the eye for an eye route doesn't work when your roster and identity is small, fast, and skilled. I also prefer watching the Pens style of hockey over the LA Kings, Bruins of a few years ago, or Blue Jackets.

The league needs to handle this stuff, but they don't, so what do you do? The most successful approach for the Pens I think is to "just play", but that doesn't come without it's downsides.

The most successful approach in the playoffs is to just play. Sure I'd love to have some bigger physical guys, but we don't. But we also don't have a guy that's willing to inflict some damage on them. Kunitz tries I guess. Like I said, we won a Cup. My bigger problem is taking these shots during the regular season, and on the occasions that games due turn a bit ugly, our only 'muscle' is Evgeni Malkin. That's sad

 

[Speaking Moistly]

So should the police arrest Niskanen? I mean what are we really saying here?

The NHL should punish this activity. They don't do it nearly enough, which I've said in previous posts in the thread.

Honestly? Maybe. The players are out of control and the league is pathetic, it's ****ing dangerous. It's beyond what players should reasonably expect and it's someone using a weapon to hit someone in the ****ing head. I wouldn't say that the police would have no business getting involved.

Something has to give and police involvement would be better than a quadriplegic player.

 

[Shady Machine]

Honestly? Maybe. The players are out of control and the league is pathetic, it's ****ing dangerous. It's beyond what players should reasonably expect and it's someone using a weapon to hit someone in the ****ing head. I wouldn't say that the police would have no business getting involved.

Something has to give and police involvement would be better than a quadriplegic player.

Okay. I think that's completely unreasonable for this particular incident.

 

[Speaking Moistly]

Okay. I think that's completely unreasonable for this particular incident.

When does it become reasonable for you?

 

[Shady Machine]

When does it become reasonable for you?

Duncan Keith's Coyle incident is a good example. It happened quickly, but there was obvious intent. He was pissed he got knocked down and while lying on the ice swung his stick right in Coyle's face in a deliberate and intentional manner. Niskanen meant to cross check Crosby for sure and was reckless with his stick, but I don't believe he intentionally hit Crosby in the head/face.

I still believe this is a league discipline issue and not a legal matter though except in the rarest of incidents (Bertuzzi, Graves, maybe a few others). Let's apply this standard to other sports. Should a helmet on helmet hit that results in a concussion be subject to a criminal arrest? How about a pitcher intentionally beaning a dude or Dramon Green kicking a player in the nuts?

 

[Terrapin]

Duncan Keith's Coyle incident is a good example. It happened quickly, but there was obvious intent. Niskanen meant to cross check Crosby for sure and was reckless with his stick, but I don't believe he intentionally hit Crosby in the head/face.

I still believe this is a league discipline issue and not a legal matter though. Let's apply this standard to other sports. Should a helmet on helmet hit that results in a concussion be subject to a criminal arrest? How about a pitcher intentionally beaning a dude or Dramon Green kicking a player in the nuts?

Who cares what his intent was? I'm sure drunk drivers don't intend to get in wrecks and kill people.

I'm not necessarily saying it's a legal matter. But you're comparing apples to oranges with those other sports. A more apt comparison would be a batter breaking his bat over the pitchers head, or a football player beating down another player with a helmet