Zac Rinaldo Suspended for 6 games

[Jamieh]

Left point makes the route he took even circuitous than if it were the right point - he's going out of his way big time if he was heading for the left point.

Avs left point, Jesus watch the replay. You are arguing stuff that just isn't up for debate.

 

[hbk]

I do, and I see that. But we don't let it go because of what he thought. I thought I scored doesn't give me a goal.

So ignore the history of what happens throughout the history of hockey because Rinaldo is supposed to know its Girard and that he's bluff tough only? I get Rinaldo actions are going to earn him multiple games but I get why he interpreted Girard intentions as aggressive.

 

[hbk]

Oh well in that case all 4 Avs players were playing it wrong? I guess you play a different system than they do. Two forwards are chasing the puck and both D are heading for the points.

Girard's path is clear. It's direct to Rinaldo. Given what just occurred it is easy to see why it was interpreted as aggressive.

 

[Jamieh]

So ignore the history of what happens throughout the history of hockey because Rinaldo is supposed to know its Girard and that he's bluff tough only? I get Rinaldo actions are going to earn him multiple games but I get why he interpreted Girard intentions as aggressive.

I think I have agreed to that a few times in this thread. People engage after a big hit, but you actually need someone to engage before you start throwing punches.

 

[Dirty Old Man]

I'm just sitting here at my sister's house waiting for her to get the cinnamon rolls ready, laughing at you guys having this conversation on Xmas morning. And at myself for sitting here reading it...

 

[Jamieh]

I'm just sitting here at my sister's house waiting for her to get the cinnamon rolls ready, laughing at you guys having this conversation on Xmas morning. And at myself for sitting here reading it...

I'm just here celebrating Festivus and going through the Airing if Grievences phase? Merry Christmas and enjoy your time with Family. And that's for all Coyote's fans. just a slight disagreement here.

 

[hbk]

I think I have agreed to that a few times in this thread. People engage after a big hit, but you actually need someone to engage before you start throwing punches.

Yes. Which is why he's getting suspended.

 

[Kaizen]

Avs left point, Jesus watch the replay. You are arguing stuff that just isn't up for debate.

Fair enough so having looked at the replay a few more times you're suggesting Girard leaves the left point to take a stroll around McKinnon only to circle around and return to where he was when Rinaldo hit McKinnon? If he had no intention of engaging Rinaldo why not stay substantially where he was to start with?

 

[Lilhoody]

The more I watch that video the more I think Rinaldo"s suspension should be even more than the 10 games I predicted. You simply cannot allow a player to attack another player based on what he thought might be happening. It's very apparent watching the video that Girard had zero intention of engaging Rinaldo to fight.

There's a difference between attack and defend; justification for either aside.

 

[ck26]

Upon arrival there was zero indication that Girard wanted to fight ...

A white jersey skated 30 feet to (casually?) cross-check Rinaldo. After I throw a big hit on Colorado's best player and a white shirt skates up behind me away from the play like that, I know what time it is.

Even if Rinaldo overreacted, it wasn't totally out of the blue he was in fight-mode.

Important mitigating factor to me. Girard led with his stick after that hit, so I'm having a tough time really getting surprised about how Rinaldo reacted. You can't come jump somebody then not be ready for them to swing at you. Girard's walking a weird aggressive-but-passive line there and you're prone to get punched in the face if you do that.

Unrelated: why was Johnson trying to dunk Rinaldo into the Avs bench?

 

[Jamieh]

Fair enough so having looked at the replay a few more times you're suggesting Girard leaves the left point to take a stroll around McKinnon only to circle around and return to where he was when Rinaldo hit McKinnon? If he had no intention of engaging Rinaldo why not stay substantially where he was to start with?

He was just behind the center line, the puck was heading behind Coyote's net, he skated towards boards at left point of Coyote's zone. That is exactly where he should be headed in that play if Rinaldo isn't present. He had to go left around McKinnon as that gives he quickest route to boards to stop puck if it is cleared around boards. Are you sure you watched the video?

 

[TheLegend]

Puck was behind Coyotes net. Girard was left D heading for his position at the point.

Girard skated around McKinnon to come up on Rinaldo. How's that heading to the point??

One could try claiming he went up to cover Rinaldo but he's in the Avs O-zone now. He should be making space for himself then.

I'm not defending Rinaldo... it's pointing out one dumb mistake that led to a bigger one.

 

[TheLegend]

I'm just sitting here at my sister's house waiting for her to get the cinnamon rolls ready, laughing at you guys having this conversation on Xmas morning. And at myself for sitting here reading it...

Same here..... this is taking on main board characteristics.

 

[Jamieh]

Girard skated around McKinnon to come up on Rinaldo. How's that heading to the point??

One could try claiming he went up to cover Rinaldo but he's in the Avs O-zone now. He should be making space for himself then.

I'm not defending Rinaldo... it's pointing out one dumb mistake that led to a bigger one.

Can you suggest any scenario where Girard could get to the point in the Avs offensive zone without skating around McKinnon. Now explain to me why he would go the right when the goal is to get to the boards on the left?

 

[TheLegend]

Can you suggest any scenario where Girard could get to the point in the Avs offensive zone without skating around McKinnon. Now explain to me why he would go the right when the goal is to get to the boards on the left?

Rinaldo wasn't near the boards. He was several feet away from them. If Girard was truly going to the point as you suggest he doesn't come close to Rinaldo. He goes to the offensive corner at the blue line. You were claiming he wasn't skating up on Rinaldo and was going to play the point. He didn't do that.

In other words... he put himself in the wrong place at the wrong time and got clocked for it.

Doesn't excuse Rinaldo's response. But Girard's not entirely innocent either.

 

[Jamieh]

Rinaldo wasn't near the boards. He was several feet away from them. If Girard was truly going to the point as you suggest he doesn't come close to Rinaldo. He goes to the offensive corner at the blue line. You were claiming he wasn't skating up on Rinaldo and was going to play the point. He didn't do that.

In other words... he put himself in the wrong place at the wrong time and got clocked for it.

Doesn't excuse Rinaldo's response. But Girard's not entirely innocent either.

I'm not certain that a few on here have actually watched the play. We can argue whether Girard challenged Rinado, whether he cross checked Rinaldo, whether he should have just stayed behind play and so on. But there is no argument that the path Girard took had him skate around McKinnon and straight for the boards at the blue line of the Coyote's zone, that is absolutely not up for discussion. And that is the position he should have been trying to achieve on the play.

 

[rt]

Girard made a mistake. That doesn't make Rinaldo any less culpable. This was Rinaldo's fault. But it's wrong to think Girard didn't skate up to Rinaldo give him a bump. Which was obviously a mistake, given he got laid the f*** out. Don't enter the fray if you aren't prepared to protect yourself. He took his own safety for granted, which was stupid.

It's still not his fault that he got punched. It's Rinaldo's fault. Girard's actions don't excuse Rinaldo's. He still should have waited and least another tick before swinging on the guy. Too quick to the punch regardless of the shove.

 

[Sheet]

Girard made a mistake. That doesn't make Rinaldo any less culpable. This was Rinaldo's fault. But it's wrong to think Girard didn't skate up to Rinaldo give him a bump. Which was obviously a mistake, given he got laid the **** out. Don't enter the fray if you aren't prepared to protect yourself. He took his own safety for granted, which was stupid.

It's still not his fault that he got punched. It's Rinaldo's fault. Girard's actions don't excuse Rinaldo's. He still should have waited and least another tick before swinging on the guy. Too quick to the punch regardless of the shove.

He took his own safety for granted because he's playing hockey. He's not intervening in some domestic dispute in a bar. He's playing hockey. Its hard to anticipate getting sucker punched for a light tap by all standards. Normally when you someone lays a hit on a star player they get mauled. Not a light tap. Even if he's expecting a beatdown he's responsible for his hands and his actions, which is what he should be punished for. What could have happened, frankly, didn't. And what did happen, well, did.

The only way I can see him being stupid for assuming a reasonable amount of safety is because of who he was bumping into.

 

[rt]

Who he bumped is defijitley a huge part of the equation and why shouldn't it be? The most fervent fans in this, those with the sharpest pitch forks and brightest torches seem to think Girard was completely entitled to shove or bump or whatever Rinaldo with absolutely no reasonable concern for his being engaged in a physically escalating or violent manner. I find that to be ridiculous. Rinaldo went from zero to ten way, way too quickly and that's 100% his fault. But if you're Girard, you need to stay the best away from Rinaldo at that moment. Lesson learned, I hope. I hope both guys learn their lessons.

 

[awfulwaffle]

From the video, my perception is Girard made it clear he wanted to go towards Rinaldo. Was it just for a tap on the back to say "hey man watch it", or not, that's up for discussion. But in today's NHL, after a hit too often people jump on the player making the hit. I get RT's argument, and am leaning more towards that the more I think about it. But to defend Girard and his path towards the boards, but magically take the time to take a stick to the back of Rinaldo, I'm sorry, not much defense there. He'll think twice about that for sure unless he's willing to drop the gloves and throw some punches.

If Rinaldo didn't turn around and react so quickly, this wouldn't have been an issue. It sucks, because Rinaldo has been clean so far this year. He's stepped up when we needed it, and has been a fuel that we needed.

 

[Yandover]

I think he'll get double on what he likely deserves simply because of his history.

And because The coyotes are a nothing team. When it is a big-name team with big name managers, coaches and owners they tend to penalize the players less.

 

[cobra427]

We also don't know what Girard said, if anything, when he came up behind Rinaldo. Because of the rules, and Rinaldo's history, I expect a suspension. The rules don't take into account the circumstances but the length of the suspension does. This isn't a reckless play or guy being hit from behind or head first into the boards or hacked with a stick. The NHL will hopefully take into account how the games works. You run over their best player, you know somebody is going to come after you, seconds later a cross check comes from behind, you expect the player wants to go, you turn around swinging. In this situation discussing weather you are going to drop the gloves or not doesn't happen, both players intuitively know it.

 

[TheLegend]

We also don't know what Girard said, if anything, when he came up behind Rinaldo. Because of the rules, and Rinaldo's history, I expect a suspension. The rules don't take into account the circumstances but the length of the suspension does. This isn't a reckless play or guy being hit from behind or head first into the boards or hacked with a stick. The NHL will hopefully take into account how the games works. You run over their best player, you know somebody is going to come after you, seconds later a cross check comes from behind, you expect the player wants to go, you turn around swinging. In this situation discussing weather you are going to drop the gloves or not doesn't happen, both players intuitively know it.

Girard claimed in a post game interview he didn't say anything. But that would eventually evolve into a "he said, he said" thing anyway.

rt has really has the best explanation of the entire incident. Crap happens. League will figure out a penalty and life will go on.

 

[Neighborhood Coyote]

Rinaldo will get suspended because he's Rinaldo. Does it matter how long for the Coyotes? I would argue not really. Tocchet loses one of his sticky guys and learns what it's like when doves cry.

 

[Yandover]

Elliotte Friedman Retweeted

NHL Player Safety
@NHLPlayerSafety
Arizona’s Zac Rinaldo has waived his right to an in-person hearing. A phone hearing will be conducted tomorrow.
10:42 AM · Dec 26, 2017