Pointless and Dangerous

So this is the value you get for a fifth round pick and $525,000 US in salary.

Ryan Hollweg. A serial hitter-from-behind.

There's no point blasting Cliff Fletcher now for picking up this player in the summer, for it was clear Fletcher was looking at his roster and figured any player with a bit of muscle would help the Leafs.

Apparently not. Hollweg is about to receive his second suspension in a matter of weeks, a three-gamer this time for checking from behind, his favourite hockey play.

Let's be clear. This oaf on skates doesn't score goals, or set up plays, or generate a forecheck or even protect his teammates. Ever since he's been in the league, he has been known as a player who does one of three things every time he's on the ice:

1) Takes about 25 strides and charges an opponent.
2) Leaves his feet to hit an opponent.
3) Hits opponents from behind.

He's a dangerous, dangerous hockey player, and for all the wrong reasons. Everybody knew it before he got here after his years of playing for the Rangers. You might remember him as the player who helped Chris Simon snap last season. Well, snap the first time.

The smartest thing the Leafs could do now with Hollweg is waive him without sending him to the Marlies where he'd then endanger the hockey careers of unsuspecting AHLers. The only Leaf who could possibly be pleased with Hollweg's cheap hit is Matt Stajan, for the incident deflected potential questions on why it was Stajan, brutal in the first two games, who was sent to the press box to make room for No. 44.

The NHL, meanwhile, should tack on 40 games to the three games Hollweg is supposed to get. He clearly doesn't get the message, and he has consistently demonstrated utter disdain for the health of other hockey players.

He just doesn't care.

Actually, what would be most useful would be if the Leafs were to suspend Hollweg themselves after his idiotic and pointless hit on St. Louis defenceman Alex Pietrangelo on Monday that, to a significant degree, cost the Leafs the hockey game in a 5-4 defeat.

You know, like the Argos did with Robert Baker a few years back. It would be a way of Cliff Fletcher, Ron Wilson and Co. making it clear they don't condone the way this guy plays.

That, folks, would show class as an organization.

Look, this is not a hockey club that has an awful lot to be proud about from recent decades.

But that said, Hollweg doesn't deserve to wear this team's jersey. That Fletcher would call the hit "marginal" is just a GM trying to defend a bad trade, and having Wilson say the hit was "debatable" goes contrary to everything he's said so far about making his players accountable, about a no-nonsense approach and tough love to make these players learn to play the right way. The comments of both the GM and the coach make you think they like have a unguided missile around.

The Leafs might need toughness - we can debate that another day - but they don't need this guy. He adds nothing.

Dump him. Now.

Comments

[Pat - Vaughan]

Hard to disagree with anything in this article. Holweg has got to go. This is the first real test for this new regime tandem of Cliffie and Ronnie. Ronnie said he would not put up with nonsense and he would staple players to the pines or show them the press box if they did not buy into the team philosophy and system. Let's see if Cliffie has the same flaw the previous Leaf GM had. That being not being able to swallow your pride, admit you made a mistake and unload a player who is a stiff and a detriment to the team winning hockey games. I can't believe Mark Bell lost his job to this stiff Holweg. Was Mark really that bad a player in camp ? I'll take Bell on a 4th line any day over Holweg.

[Spinner]

I can't agree more. This guy Hollweg is a liability to the Leafs (and to hockey for that matter), certainly not an asset. GET RID OF HIM!!

[scott]

Thank you for saying everything I was thinking after the way he embarrassed the team and lost the game today. The fact that anyone would pay him hundreds of thousands of dollars to play hockey is bewildering to me. Even Wade Belak wasn't this actively harmful to the team.

[Billy]

I agree 120%.

Ryan Hollweg, Gary Roberts and Ville Nieminen (now playing in Europe)are the worst from behind hitters. Sick puppy.

[Down Goes Brown]

Amen.

He's going to cripple someone, don't let it happen when he's wearing a Leaf jersey.

[Roger Wright]

Damien, you are right on the mark with this. The Leafs need to waive him right out of the organization. Roger Wright, Tokyo

[Jason]

I hate to agree with you.......but I have to.

It appears that you are completely correct. That being said though, I do believe they need that tough guy from somewhere...

[Rob]

Agreed. Guys like him, Colton Orr, and even Sean Avery (third line production aside) don't deserve to play in the NHL.

[Aaron Campbell]

I just have to say that the guy saw him coming and turned towards the boards. It shouldn't even been a hit from behind.

Not that he isn't a dangerous player, but look at the hit again, he made eye contact and then turned.

[mcs d'ailleurs]

Aaron Campbell- did you fall on your head? Next time we play I'll take you into the boards like that-cool?

[Scott]

I am all for the 3 strike policy. He had one in the pre-season and now this one. One more and get rid of him. This team from most accounts will have difficulty winning, that being said we don't need some clown screwing up chances on a potential win. (Of course we will ignore the pitiful powerplay chance the Leafs had).

[Jerry]

Agreed with all of the above....but what gets me is how a player like Kostytsen of the Habs can make the same hit last Saturday and get away with it. Different rules for different players.

[Gw]

yea - no brainer here... he has been a dangerous player well before landing in TO ... he ruined a good effort and completely deflated the team... leaf fans in NJ vote AYE - get out there and vote people!

Gerry in Jersey

[Matt]

Rob is correct, eye contact was made and for some reason Alex Pietrangelo decided to turn his back for the hit.

Still though, Hollweg started taking big strides from his own blue line and entered the offensive zone with a clear intent to hit someone, regardless of consequences.

He's a tool and I'm saddened that ANY Canadian team is saddled with him.

[Andrew Barrie]

Damien,

You are not a Leafs Fan,

You don't care when you alienate players (even if you have no idea how you did it) like Darcy Tucker.

You have nothing to lose if you antagonize the Coach and GM.

So why aren't you asking them the tough questions? Get in their faces in a media scrum, and ask them why they choose to play a goon like Hollweg who further amplifies the joke the Leafs have become in recent seasons. Embarass them, with the televion news cameras rolling, infront of a group of your peers, which might actually encourage them to start asking these questions too.

Its great you can give your view points, often valid, and share them with us Hockey Fans who can't get enough news/opinions on the subject, but it would be greater still if you took the tough questions to the people who make the decisions, or in many cases, make no decisions.

[Shaun]

Agreed. It would be really nice for a team or the NHL to actually send a message that they care about the quality of their product, play and the safety of the players. All players.

[Brew's Crew]

Good point by Jerry above. How come no discipline, not even a penalty on the play, for Kostitsen when he hit Stajan from behind Saturday night?

[Carla]

It doesn't happen very often, but here I find myself agreeing with Cox. As a lifelong Leafs fan, this kind of behaviour on the ice is embarrassing to me, and I ask the Leafs brass to suspend him from the team (with the team suspension to run consecutive to the league suspension) and warn him that if he does it again, he'll be let go by the team immediately. No more benching, no Marlies, no ifs, ands, or buts--just "Here's your hat; what's your hurry?"

[Enzo Mobilio]

We might not agree on a lot of things Damian but I am so behind you on this one that I hope he is dropped from the line up asap...I feel he was picked up by Fletcher because he knew that anytime this player is on the ice it would put the Leafs in a penelty killing position and thus increase their chances of finishing dead last, I thought that when they picked him up and I think that now...but he hurts people and for that he should be thrown out of the game...and when someone is finally really hurt or worse from this guy I hope the league is held responsible by a major law suit for letting this goon stay in the game...this is the kind of player that makes me not nearly as passianate about the game as I used to be.

[s1ms2n]

Agreed ,accept you did not go far enough . A jerk like this is not only dangerous in his own right but insights retaliation in kind-- then all hell breaks loose.

[Brad Mitchell]

Mr. Cox is on a roll ! I completely agree with him. And I am extremely disappointed that Ron Wilson would spout off about "accountability" from his players and then actually DEFEND Hollweg by calling the hit debatable. Even if he's right and the hit was debatable, USE YOUR HEAD HOLLWEG - the refs are watching every stride you take. So even a marginal hit from behind is going to be punished severely. Hollweg and Wilson both should have known pre-game not to give the refs any ammunition. So what does he do? Gives them ammunition and a smoking gun. Ridiculous. Get rid of him. He has no class and doesn't deserve to wear the uniform.

[bluejay]

First time I've agreed with Cox on just about anything. I'm all for having a scrappy tough team - but not a dirty one. This guy is a dirty player and an embarrassment to the organization and fans alike. He's gotta go.

[Sanj]

Mark my words, Ryan Hollweg will become a fan favorite after his first fight in a Leaf uniform. Remember, Leaf fans love their tough guys like Tie Dummy and dump on their skilled players like Sundin.

All hail Hollweg, the new hero of the Leafs!!

[brian turner]

You are not a Leaf fan and all you do is write bad stuff about them, I wish you would move to a different city and grow some hair baldy

[Brian]

I agree with you 100 % this guy is a idiot waive him we do not need morons like this.