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

[Rick Cottier]

So all you ladies can't handle a little near death collision eh? Fact is, you gotta be aware when you're in a place where you can get smoked. If the guy about to hit you can see your numbers, you deserve it. Try jumpin' into a punk rock mosh pit with me and I'll show you how to keep your head on a swivel and your elbows up. If the players wanted protection, the NHLPA could fine it's members to keep them in line. Clearly they feel that excessive and unrestrained danger is part of the thrill of hockey. Just like mosh pits. Enjoy the U2 show and your ballet lessons Damien

[Ryan Shaw]

Hollweg is a loser, a disgrace to any leaf fan.

[Simon Storey]

Not that I would ever condone something Chris Simon has done, but know you can see why he two handed Hollweg in the face a couple of seasons ago. Bringing him back into the line-up when this next suspension is over sends the wrong message to a team that might actually be on the right track with its young and impressionable players.

[joe]

i really hope the fans boo him back to the dressing room if he plays with the leafs again on home ice. this guy does not deserve to be on a leafs team that's already trying to salvage it's reputation

[jeanne]

Well said!

Too bad you're not running for public office-- your bottom line approach would do us all well.

[Alan Hartman]

For starters I have no admiration for Hollweg. I couldn’t believe that the Leafs traded a draft pick to get him.
I would like you Mr. Cox to tell me the difference between Hollwegs hit on Pietrangelo and the hit that Matt Stajan took in the Montreal game the other night. I believe it was Komisarek or Kostsitsyn. The only difference that I could see is that Stajan didn’t lay on the ice. Maybe if he did, than Montreal would have got a penalty. In fact that hit may have been worse than all 3 Hollweg hits against Stl this year. Reputation is everything in the NHL.

[mark]

Hey Damien, here's a question. What if one of the Blues decided to drop the gloves and beat the snot out of Hollweg? Would that be a fight you wouldn't mind seeing the NHL? Point is, I've been writing you for months telling you that fighting is not the real danger in the NHL...it's head shots, hits from behind and stick work. Hellweg proved my point. The league refuses to take serious action against guys like him, so the players have no choice but to police themselves. Someone should (and will) be taking him to task and it won't be the spineless suits in the NHL boardroom.

[Jeff Robinson]

I'm glad I'm not the only one wondering about the Canadiens game on Saturday night. I agree 100% that what Hollweg did was wrong and he deserves any penalty/fine/suspension that he gets...BUT why was there not even a penalty on the hit from behind on Stajan against Montreal on Saturday night???!!! That hit looked worse and the hitter (A. or S. Kostitsyn) also had a huge impact in that game. Had he been assessed a penalty or even a misconduct it totally could have changed the flow and possibly the result of that game. It is frustrating to see this kind of thing happen over and over again. Just because Hollweg has a reputation, he is penalized more harshly than a "star" player. How will dangers like hitting from behind ever be removed from the game if only certain players have consequences for their actions?

[Steve Alexander]

I have watched this play about 10 times now and there is no way that Peteirangelo saw him coming and turned. He saw him coming and kept his back to him to get rid of the puck, but thats because that was the direction he was going. In that play there is no reason to finish your check, he did the right thing and forced the defenceman to make a quick dump instead of a tape to tape pass and then he should have peeled off and got himself back in the play. By taking a run at the guy, Hollweg only took himself out of the play. There is no room for a guy like this in hockey. What a disgrace.

[Don K]

My 20-year-old son, a Rangers fan, was practically dancing when Sather foisted Hollweg off on the Leafs and actually got something. Hollweg burned his last bridge in NYC in Game 3 when he hit a Penguin from behind right after the Rangers had tied the score and the Garden was rocking. Pittsburgh scored on the subsequent power play, and the series basically was over.

He also took a boarding major in Edmonton in January, leading to a third-period go-ahead goal in a game the Rangers lost in a shootout.

Not only can Hollweg not play at the NHL level, he is, as Damien Cox points out, a danger on the ice. He has no respect for anyone else, and it's only through good fortune that the only one who've been hurt by his play so far are his own teammates.

Hard, physical hockey is something we all can appreciate, Hollweg's style is dangerous to opponents and stupid for his own team. The league needs to crack down on him, and the Leafs should follow by parking his butt in a place where he can't hurt them.

[Chris]

Damien, please show me a comparable case to Hollweg where the NHL implemented a 40 game ban. I don't disagree with you that he clearly is a repeat offender that needs to be punished, but suggesting a 40 game ban for this takes away any legitimacy to your argument.

[John]

What makes me laugh is the hit was terrible BUT that being said - why is there no mention of the non call on Matt Stajan in the Montreal game when he was drilled from behind?

Its just funny the NHL seems to have two sets of rules in place.

[Steve-0]

Going into this year Ryan Hollweg was always going to have to go a long ways to reverse the way myself and many other Leaf fans felt about him. How does he go about doing this? He gets his face pounded in nearly every preseason game, until he was rightfully suspended, mercifully ending that misery. Upon his return, he goes out and blows the game for Toronto with a dastardly display of goonery. We’ve all seen enough. It’s time to dump this loser while there’s still time.

[Kyle]

Sanj, if you think Hollweg can win people over with a fight you clearly haven't seen him fight. He tends to try to damage people's hands with his face. I had to suffer through this clod on my team for three seasons and it was the deal of the offseason to get him off the Rangers. Nice to see most of you guys catch on to what a useless sack of garbage he is so quickly.

[nugentmania]

haha....baldy grow some hair. Brutal.

The Leafs should sign Chris Simon, who I believe is in Russia now. Not an obstacle with the new "Radulov" rule. He could come it, finish the job that he started on Hollweg, and the Leafs can win the Tavares Cup with a smidge more dignity.

[Meg]

Not only is Hollweg a disgrace to the Leaf organization, but the game of hockey. Get this joke out of a Leaf uniform now!

[BIG AL]

this our future star on defense, that this league needs and this rock head slams him into the glass face first!!! you will get yours ,that i promise, from BIG AL in the stl!!

[Scott]

I love the maple leafs, year in and year out I love the 22 guys we put on the ice, but I must say for the first time in a long time I am not proud to have this guy in the blue and white. I agree as well I think he has to go, he will have no trade value when the deadline comes around. I am rooting like all hell for matt stajan to find his game again and he has to sit in the press box while this dangerous idiot skates around out there.

[joe]

who ever was saying that people need to toughen up and that whomever is caught in that situation deserves the hit from behind: you do realize that human beings are the dominant species because of what's between the ears right? your cave man opinions should stay in the ice ages back when the human brain was the size of a tennis ball, which is just slightly larger than yours.

[stickles21]

Has anyone considered giving Hollweg an IQ test?
If Cliff has any brains he'll get rid of him. the guy is a disgrace. Tough guys are a dime a dozen. why hire a moron?
if you need further evidence, check out the YouTube of him dancing. It's clear he's got a screw loose.

[Tim]

Excellent article. It bashes Hollweg, who deserves to be bashed. It questions Fletcher and Wilson, who deserve to be questioned. Thanks for being honest!

[bob_mcgill_rules]

Nice comment brian turner -- very mature. Does Damien's mom wear army boots, too?

I agree Damien is not a leaf fan -- he's not paid to be one.

But calling him BALDY... Come on!

[Bill]

I'm not sure that you will ever post a story with such lopsided agreement as this one. I think we have exhausted the commentary on Hollweg, so I'm ready to move on to some positives such as Luke Schenn's and Kulemin's play so far.

[MIke]

Excellent article. In the wake of Simon delivering a two-hander to the chin, everyone overlooked the fact the Hollweg plastered him from behind into the boards.....a part of the story that never gets acknowledged.

[Oliver Nacinovic]

For once I agree with Damien"Negator" Cox.

This guy's gotta go NOW.