Head Shot Debate

It's uncanny how often an NHL issue that percolates all season long suddenly appears at critical times in the post-season.

It was that way with Brett Hull's toe in the crease in the 1999 Stanley Cup final. It was that way when Brian Campbell shot the puck over the glass in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference final. And it's happening again this year with Chris Pronger being suspended twice for head shots, including one on Dean McAmmond Game 3 of the Stanley Cup final.

McAmmond spoke to the media this morning, and you could tell that while he wants to play in Game 4, he's worried over the long-term effects of being hit by Pronger's elbow and kept referring to his former Calgary teammate, Matthew Lombardi, and the lengthy battle he had with concussion issues after being hit by a Derian Hatcher elbow in the post-season several years ago.

So much of the coverage of the incident has been about Pronger, with much less devoted to McAmmond, who was knocked cold on the play. Somehow a one-game suspension doesn't seem quite adequate when an honest, journeyman player has been injured in a way that could affect his long-term health.

At least McAmmond kept his sense of humour. As he was explained the symptoms he was still feeling in his head and in his neck, he quipped: "Believe it or not they're kind of connected, even on me."

Ducks coach Randy Carlyle wasn't laughing, and seemed to question the depth of McAmmond's actual injury.

"People make huge strides in their recovery after suspensions. It's amazing," he said.

Joe DiPenta will sub for Pronger and, if McAmmond can't play, Patrick Eaves will enter the Ottawa lineup. Ex-Leaf Ric Jackman, meanwhile, will likely have to suck up a big chunk of the minutes for the missing Pronger and absorb a little bit more power play time.

When Pronger was suspended for Game 4 of the Western Conference final after an illegal hit on Tomas Holmstrom, the Ducks won 5-3 but surrendered 39 shots. Scott Niedermayer (34 minutes) and Francois Beauchemin (34:29) absorbed most of the minutes, with Sean O'Donnell (24:06), Kent Huskins (12:38), Jackman (6:37) and DiPenta (8:47) splitting up the rest of the workload.

But the bigger news today could come out of the GM meetings down the road from the arena at the Brookstreet Hotel when head shots, like that by Pronger on McAmmond, will surely be up for discussion.

What should the NHL do? Sens coach Bryan Murray didn't have an easy answer - although he suggested five and a game for the most obvious fouls - and neither did McAmmond.

"On the ice there are some grey areas," he said. "It's a matter of how they govern those grey areas."

Comments

[Bob Dumond]

I still question if the NHL really is serious about this head shot issue. Have they reviewed these incidents over with their Officials? Doesn't appear so. They have to delvelop a standard and pass it down to the Officials to call. Thus, when hits go unpenalized there is a reprecussion on the Officials part as well.

[Julian Morey]

Why is everyone making such a big deal over this and less so over the non-suspension of Neil for his questionable hit on McDonald. While the point has been made that McDonald escaped unscathed, should that now be the benchmark? If the NHL was serious about getting rid of these hits, Neil should be sitting too.

[Sanj]

The NHL should make suspensions cumulative. So Pronger would have to sit for 2 games. One for the Holmstrom hit and one for the hit to McAmmond. And the next time Pronger finds himself up for a suspension, then he should get 2 games + the number of games for the next infraction.
This one game for this hit and another game for this hit isn't going to stop Pronger or others with their flying elbows.

[Jamie]

If they (the NHL) were all that concerned, then Neil would also have been disciplined. I do not agree with the argument that you can't punish intent, of course you can... If you raise your arms, stick, and or elbows, inetnet does not ammter, it is clear. Good on MacDonald to move.

There have been many instances of inconsistent officiating (NHL offices included) in these playoffs: Alfredsson's hit from behind, two head shots in the Rangers-Thrashers series, and many more. The NHL is not interested in officiating, they are merely looking to cover their butts. Or even worse, they have no idea what they are doing. I tend to lean to the latter in my belief.

[Max Zakrzewski]

Looked like a clean hit to me. I thought the Ottawa player was trying to headbutt and hurt Pronger's elbow...he just happened to hit it too hard and got hurt. Or it could have been that Pronger was just stretching his shoulder and arm and the Senator player was skating by at that exact moment and walked into it. Either way, shouldn't have been a suspension for Pronger. In fact, McAmmond should be suspended for getting hurt so easily and delaying the game.

[Jim Boyd]

I hope McAmmond isn't back on the ice tonight - it's not the gray area he should be concerned about, it should be the gray matter.

But don't start critisizing the league for letting these head shots continue, if a player who looks like he was killed ends up dressing the next game. No broken neck - no foul.

[Dan]

So my question for you again, Mr. Cox, is while I've read you lambasting Chris Pronger in column after column, where is the blasting of Chris Neil for clearly jumping towards the head of the Anaheim player? Where's the criticism you gave Coaches Corner for "defending" the Pronger hit on Holmstrom for Pierre Maguire for praising the Neil hit? I'm starting to think maybe Pronger was right about the Canadian media conspiracy.

If you doubt that the Neil hit was a vicious and deliberate intent to injure, take a look at You Tube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZG99kRovlZI

Compare that to Pronger's hit on McAmmond: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4bJXgDCbICM where it was a quick play and Pronger looked like he was just trying to get a piece of McAmmond (no defense of it though, he deserved more than a one game suspension).

How about some fairness here though, eh?

[Adam C]

Dan: from Cox's June 4 column:

"Burke also wanted action taken against Ottawa's Chris Neil for a dangerously high hit on Anaheim centre Andy McDonald earlier in the game, a blow Burke deemed 'reprehensible.'"

And you know what? He's not wrong."

[Stephen]

Well said, folks. I have no problem with suspending Pronger (though the elbow pads are insane and need to be seriously cracked-down on), but if Pronger gets one game then Neil needs to get two and Alfredsson should have gotten three. Pronger's too easy a target to pick on.

[Adam C]

I think Pronger's hit was actually much more dangerous than Neil's - take a look at the side view. Pronger makes himself easy to pick on - evidently he's one of the slowest learners in the NHL. He basically dared the league to give him two games (and won).

That said, I agree that Neil should have been suspended too. Anyone notice how Neil is always quick to offer a quote in support of other people getting suspended?

At least they got one of them. I'd rather have one player get away with it than two, even if it isn't consistent.

[Ami]

We charge ppl with attempted assault, attempted rape and attempted murder don't we?

So what's wrong with punishing intent? Simply b/c the result wasn't what you expected, doesn't mean what you tried to do was any less wrong.

That's like saying if you tried to kill somebody, but you only managed to stab them but they're still alive, everything is great and you shouldn't be punished b/c it's either murder or nothing. >.>;;