Why are Spearing and Slashing treated so differently?

[Jyrki]

You seem very eager to respond to every single person in this thread except for me (thanks a lot).

Care to?

Per incident, where's the evidence that slashing leads to more injuries?

I wonder why the OP isn't interested in a nuanced discussion

 

[sandysan]

You are taking his argument and applying some really ridiculous circumstances to prove your point. If spearing was such a deliberate attempt to injure, and the fact that it does get called many times throughout each season, then certainly you could show me a few examples when somebody was injured from a spear.

spearing a guy IS a ridiculous circumstance. and how often do they get called in a season ? Its WAY WAY less than slashing.

so based on your logic, if a guy decided to try and happy gilmour an opponent and stab him with his skate, you would be fine with that because no one has yet been injured in this manner ?

Spearing a guy means you want to injure him. period. whether the consequences are grave or mild doesnt give you cover you are still trying to injure another player on the ice which is why players who DO frequently spear other players ARE considered POS by everyone in their right minds.

Should the extent of the injury factor in ? Sure. but because no one gets hurt based on irresponsible or represensible play doesnt excuse or reduce the level scorn that is earned. if you ever played and though that someone tried to spear you, even if they missed and turned the other cheek you are a better man than I.

 

[Kale Hulls]

spearing a guy IS a ridiculous circumstance. and how often do they get called in a season ? Its WAY WAY less than slashing.

so based on your logic, if a guy decided to try and happy gilmour an opponent and stab him with his skate, you would be fine with that because no one has yet been injured in this manner ?

Spearing a guy means you want to injure him. period. whether the consequences are grave or mild doesnt give you cover you are still trying to injure another player on the ice which is why players who DO frequently spear other players ARE considered POS by everyone in their right minds.

Should the extent of the injury factor in ? Sure. but because no one gets hurt based on irresponsible or represensible play doesnt excuse or reduce the level scorn that is earned. if you ever played and though that someone tried to spear you, even if they missed and turned the other cheek you are a better man than I.

All I'm saying is please use realistic situations to prove your point not some hypothetical nonsense.

 

[Golden_Jet]

Well it looks like that spearing is way worse than slashing by probably a vote of 50-1.

 

[Flukeshot]

I think slashing, when bad, is much worse than Spearing on average.

Intentional slashing usually targets the least protected part of a player. Wrists and Face. Arms and legs secondarily.

Spearing is typically to the gut or chest which nowadays is pretty well protected area for a player. Much less likely to cause a long term injury.

Now if you saw more spearing to the face... then things would get really ugly.

 

[Golden_Jet]

I think slashing, when bad, is much worse than Spearing on average.

Intentional slashing usually targets the least protected part of a player. Wrists and Face. Arms and legs secondarily.

Spearing is typically to the gut or chest which nowadays is pretty well protected area for a player. Much less likely to cause a long term injury.

Now if you saw more spearing to the face... then things would get really ugly.

Zero protection on my gear covering my gut.

 

[txpd]

All I'm saying is please use realistic situations to prove your point not some hypothetical nonsense.

Its simple. On a breakaway a chasing player hacks at the attacking player to try and distract him. He does this often when not close enough to hook him. Stick to stick contact is legal.

There is no spear that is similar to the above.

In short the NHL wanted spearing out of the game and now you don't see it. Maybe twice a year.

 

[Doctor No]

I think slashing, when bad, is much worse than Spearing on average.

So "bad slashing" is much worse than "average spearing"?

What does that prove?

 

[Kale Hulls]

Its simple. On a breakaway a chasing player hacks at the attacking player to try and distract him. He does this often when not close enough to hook him. Stick to stick contact is legal.

There is no spear that is similar to the above.

In short the NHL wanted spearing out of the game and now you don't see it. Maybe twice a year.

But slashes also have been responsible for some of the most vicious attacks in the NHL.

I do understand your point about there being a larger spectrum of malice with slashing. What I would like to point out is that routine slashing (not McSorley or Simon type incidents) is the greater cause for injury than spearing.

 

[sandysan]

All I'm saying is please use realistic situations to prove your point not some hypothetical nonsense.

until yesterday, the notion that you could respond to a nothing crosscheck in the lower back by spearing the guy in the face WAS a non realistic situation. I guess now its not.

Guys take offense at getting speared WAY more than a run of the mill slash ( if you go crazy like perzhogin, how many years ago was that ? guys will respond)

Hockey in an inherantly dangerous game played by big men at speed with clubs in their hands and knives on their feet. If you wanted to go out there and injure someone, you could do so with ease, provided you are willing to pay the piper after.
the costs for transgressions that are designed to injure HAVE to be tougher.

and you want a non ridiculous example. find any teenager level player who plays in a bird cage who plays loosey goosey with his stick and when told to " watch yyour ****** stick" says " why ? i dont have to worry about losing teeth" . Its not the kids fault ( although some of them are Aholes) because their entire hockey careers not being mindful of your stick ended up being largely consequence free.

That's not the way it is in the NHL. the league and the players have said clearly, you want to cross check a guy as hard as you can in the lower back in fron of the net, be my guest. You want to shish kabob players, or cross check guys in the throat or even slash a guy in the face as you are falling, then there WILL be consequences for that.

 

[Sojourn]

But slashes also have been responsible for some of the most vicious attacks in the NHL.

I do understand your point about there being a larger spectrum of malice with slashing. What I would like to point out is that routine slashing (not McSorley or Simon type incidents) is the greater cause for injury than spearing.

That's a numbers argument, and not a very good one. Checking can be said to cause more injuries than, say, clipping or kneeing. That doesn't mean checking is inherently more dangerous.

 

[Finnish your Czech]

Spearing has malicious intent almost 100% of the time while that is not the case for slashing.

 

[Bedards Dad]

Anyone who has been speared can tell you exactly why. I have taken some serious slashes in my day, but will take that over a spear without question.

 

[caymanmew]

But slashes also have been responsible for some of the most vicious attacks in the NHL.

I do understand your point about there being a larger spectrum of malice with slashing. What I would like to point out is that routine slashing (not McSorley or Simon type incidents) is the greater cause for injury than spearing.

This video is a great example. That was a slash. Yes we see that 100 times a game but it is still a slash that is in no way a hockey play. That should be a 2 minute penalty ever time. THAT IS NOT A HOCKEY PLAY!

if I am defending in the box with one hand on my stick and you move the puck laterally and by me trying to block the lanes and my stick hits you square in the shin pad that THAT should be called, then you must swoon when you see what happens EVERY SINGLE TIME in front of the net.

If your wildly swinging your stick then yes it should be a penalty. If your just in front of the net with one hand on your stick and it bumps a players shin pad that is not a slash. If there is no slashing motion then it is not a slash.

I was honestly not thinking about puck battles in front of the net as much as i was the slashing players in the shins on the rush or when chasing them on a breakaway. As well as any slashing away from the puck. (like the Boston vs Minnesota one posted)

Here is an example of a slash on a breakaway that is very normal to see and IMO should be a 2 minute penalty but for some reason is deemed ok.

 

[SladeWilson23]

So why has the league not been as strict on slashing. No reason to let up on spearing but slashing regularly see players hurt and has no place in the game.

Both are dangerous and both cause injuries and both are intentional. No reason to treat them differently IMO.

Because like I said, the worst a player would get from a slash is a broken bone. A spear can lead to ruptured organs and internal bleeding.

 

[SladeWilson23]

I don't buy that spearing is inherently more dangerous than slashing.

The intent argument makes some sense, but I haven't seen any evidence that spearing is any worse than slashing in terms of injuries.

Yes, I play hockey. Yes, I've been both slashed and speared.

Spearing can cause ruptured organs and internal bleeding. A slash can cause at worst a broken bone. One can potentially lead to death, and the other only leads to a cast.

You are taking his argument and applying some really ridiculous circumstances to prove your point. If spearing was such a deliberate attempt to injure, and the fact that it does get called many times throughout each season, then certainly you could show me a few examples when somebody was injured from a spear.

Red Sullivan. Look him up.

 

[Kale Hulls]

Because like I said, the worst a player would get from a slash is a broken bone. A spear can lead to ruptured organs and internal bleeding.

That is simply not true. Many concussions and other serious injuries have resulted from slashes. Even what you are saying is a serious injury. Some players break bones and never return the same.

 

[snipes]

Anyone who has been speared can tell you exactly why. I have taken some serious slashes in my day, but will take that over a spear without question.

Can confirm. I was speared in my abdomen once and it was one of the most painful things I've ever experienced.

I'll take a black eye from a punch any day over the pain I had from being speared.

 

[SladeWilson23]

That is simply not true. Many concussions and other serious injuries have resulted from slashes. Even what you are saying is a serious injury. Some players break bones and never return the same.

Except it is true. Slashes to the head get dealt with properly. How many slashes to the head do you see?

Spears can cause serious life threatening injury. It doesn't take an egregious spear to cause this kind of injury. It takes a very egregious slash to cause a significant injury.

Red Sullivan. Google him.

 

[Kale Hulls]

Except it is true. Slashes to the head get dealt with properly. How many slashes to the head do you see?

Spears can cause serious life threatening injury. It doesn't take an egregious spear to cause this kind of injury. It takes a very egregious slash to cause a significant injury.

Red Sullivan. Google him.

I just asked for a few injuries from spears this decade. I think we can all name a few injuries from slashes this decade.

 

[snipes]

I just asked for a few injuries from spears this decade. I think we can all name a few injuries from slashes this decade.

Generally hockey players understand that spearing is a thing you just don't do, ever. It's up there with kicking, there are certain things you don't do as a hockey player.

 

[FinRuutu]

Same reason police is taught to "slash" with the baton with full force but its not allowed to "spear" or "stab" with it.

Force concentrated to small area is way more dangerous. Thats why some kevlar vests can stop a 9mm but fail to stop a stab from a knife.

 

[Kale Hulls]

Generally hockey players understand that spearing is a thing you just don't do, ever. It's up there with kicking, there are certain things you don't do as a hockey player.

Then why do violent slashes to the head happen?

 

[SladeWilson23]

I just asked for a few injuries from spears this decade. I think we can all name a few injuries from slashes this decade.

Because players know not to spear, because they know spearing is more dangerous than slashes. Slashing injuries are not as serious as spearing injuries.

 

[SladeWilson23]

Then why do violent slashes to the head happen?

They don't happen very often.