Throwing It all Away

It seems unthinkable that Brendan Shanahan would throw away the approval ratings he earned with the Raffi Torres decision on Saturday.

But apparently that's what the Shaky Sheriff has in mind.

After banning Torres for 25 games early in the day on Saturday, Shanahan was, just hours later, presented with another potential disciplinary decision regarding a high hit by Ottawa's Chris Neil on Brian Boyle of the New York Rangers.

No penalty was called on the play. Boyle was cutting from right to left high in the Ottawa zone when a backchecking Neil swooped in and caught Boyle with a crushing hit that a year ago, before changes in the NHL rulebook, would have been legal.

It was from the blindside, as Boyle didn't see the Neil train coming. The impact point was Neil's shoulder to Boyle's head, although Neil didn't leave his feet and kept his elbows down. The hit was also not late, although Boyle didn't have the puck.

Boyle was stunned, got to his feet, finished the game but now may have a concussion that will keep him out of Game 6 on Monday.

The hit was not comparable in any way, really, to Torres' dirty hit on Marian Hossa of the Chicago Blackhawks. But it did have one element the Torres hit did not, and that's the suggestion of premeditation.

In fact, the reaction of many initially was that Boyle was again getting his just desserts for mussing the hair of Ottawa star blueliner Erik Karlsson in Game 1 of the series. In Game 2, Boyle was attacked by Senators goon Matt Carkner early in the first period, with Carkner - abandoning the always mysterious "code" - continuing to rain punches on Boyle even though the Ranger forward didn't fight back and even after he had been knocked to the ice.

So was Saturday night's hit more retribution on Boyle?

Regardless, New York's Carl Hagelin was suspended in Game 2 for three games for a head shot on Daniel Alfredsson of the Senators, who has not yet returned to the series.

It seems unthinkable, given all the circumstances, that Shanahan would now, after laying down the law so heavily on Torres, permit Neil to walk away unpunished for his head shot on Boyle, a hit that certainly appeared to break Rule 48. Consistency is what hockey fans seem to want, and there can be no consistency when one player - a multiple offender - is getting 25 games for a head shot while another gets nothing for a head shot of his own. Yes, Neil would at least in theory be a first time offender; then again, so was Hagelin.

Any reasonable person would suggest Neil should at least get one game; reports that Boyle's head was not the principle point of contact are laughable.

Neil, however, seems to lead a charmed life on these matters. He walked when he walloped Chris Drury with a dirty head shot, and the law never seems to catch up with him.

Early reports are he'll get off on the Boyle hit as well, probably escaping even without the Shea Weber ($2,500) slap on the wrist treatment. Assuming that's the case, Shanahan's best work will have been undone in 24 hours.

Twenty-five games to no games in one day. Hard to believe. Hagelin, meanwhile, is now the beast that needs to be caged, Neil just a good old Canadian boy playing the game hard and Boyle needs to keep his head up.

"Not sure how we teach our players to look at the net, shoot the puck and then check out the danger at 45, 90 and 180 degrees in one motion," said one disgusted former NHLer this morning. "We cannot just say the game is hard and concussions happen. It's not right."

Such a shame. Briefly, it sure seemed like Shanahan was up to the task. One thing's for certain; if Torres chooses to appeal, his case just got a little stronger as darts-at-a-board NHL justice strikes again.

 

Comments

[Ian]

unsurprising view if you keep in mind Cox's usual anti-Ottawa bias. Did Damian comment on Phaneuf's hit on DaCosta in the first game of the year? what was the difference between the two?

[ottawarocks]

Neil's hit was clean therefore no suspension is warranted. This hit is of exactly the same variety that Jason Spezza received from Staal in game 3. Remember kids, keep your head up... and GO, SENS, GO!!!

[Jimmy James]

I'm not sure which part of this blog post I like the best...

- Cox saying he doesn't know the difference between a flying elbow to the head and a shoulder-to-shoulder hit

- Cox saying he doesn't know the difference between a late, leaping shoulder-to-head shot and a shoulder-to-shoulder hit

- the narrative of the cold, calculating Chris Neil pulling the wool over the eyes of a hapless, inept disciplinary administration...not just one, but several. Perhaps Chris Neil should grow a Snidely Whiplash mustache so he can twirl it every time he pulls off one of his evil machinations.

- the precious conceit that somehow Damien Cox knows better than Brendan Shanahan, the league office, and the overwhelming majority of media outlets and fans not associated with the Rangers organization

It's probably fortunate that this was presented as a blog post. If this were printed as a factual article, it would have to be one of the most shoddy, biased and irresponsible articles I've ever had the misfortune to read.

[Scott]

Everyone is correct in saying that it was "a good old fashion hockey hit". Unfortunately in today's game those types of hits are illegal. Neil deserves to be suspended it was a hit to the head and if he isn't suspended we just may see "old fashion hockey" from heavy weights like Scott or Rupp when they administer player justice next game. Then you will all be crying for them to be suspended. Where does it end? I love hitting in the game but read the rule book people ANY hit to the head in today's NHL is an illegal hit. Like it or not those are the rules.

[jack]

player suspnsions--coaches fined--what is the punishment for a group of on ice officals who are either missisng call or blowing them and are the most responsible for letting games get out of hand.

[Matt]

Did no one see the hit?! The head is absolutely the first point of contact - whether he left his feet or used his elbow or not isn't the issue. The rule says it is about hits where the first point of contact is the head - regardless of whether or not it's with an elbow or a shoulder. Definitely the Torres hit was more vicious but Neil's was still a headshot.

Sometimes I feel I shouldn't read message boards because I get depressed by how stupid people are... My own fault I guess.

[bb936]

It is obvious that it is the sens fans vs Cox. Sens fans now support the goon type of hockey from Neil corkhead and konopscotch and don't know clean hits anymore when years ago they complained of such play when it was every other team doing it to them.

[Bob Holden]

Shanahan and the NHL are reactive to criticism only. The penalties are to the outside world in disconnect. In my view, head contact should be a game misconduct. If you need to review a player's history after the game, so be it. If it is accidental, so what. I have seen several players this year clear the puck over the glass accidently but it is still a penalty and it is called consistently!! If you hit a player who does not have the puck it is a penalty, call it. If you physically engage a player after the whistle, it is a penalty call it.The real tough guys will find a way to play tough whistle to whistle, while the cheap shot artists and bullies might have to find another way to make a living.

The penalty to Torres was appropriate, but Shanahan fumbled the Weber and Dustin Brown hits as well as the hit in question by Chris Neil. They were all worth something.

[Gord]

Sorry Cox, you're dead wrong on this one. Chris Neil blindsided Boyle with a predatory hit to the head and caused a serious injury. All head injuries are serious. All head shots are the sole responsibility of the player laying the check. If Neil can't make the hit without contacting the head, he doesn't get to make the hit. Period. He deserves a heavy suspension. Somewhere in the 15 to 20 game range to keep it honest. Torres gets 25, should have been 40, because he has made the exact play before and warning him didn't stop him. That's the way Neil plays the game too, always doing something dirty. When I played we didn't call cowards like Neil goons, they were called goofs. He didn't leave his feet - whoop de doo. Technically he is a first time offender - again whoop de doo. If players are allowed one free one then there is the potential for over 700 concussions out there. New drivers don't get off with a warning if they drive on the left side of the road. I think everyone knows why.

PS - I have money on Ottawa winning this series but still want that nut job type of play completely banned.

[Steve Mann]

Mr. Cox. It may be your job to stir things up, but I for one am sick and tired of your less than accurate assessment of what goes on in the hockey universe! It was not a hit toi the head. It was a body check. You say it was premeditated, well "Duh"! Most hits are, especially when the player getting hit is an agitater. Neil was doing his job and he did it well and legal. Grow a pair!

[Brian Hamilton]

The real falacy in hockey is that when Callahan tried to 'enforce the code' (as we often hear is what players do - police the game.) Neil got in the way and tried to take over the fight. So 'the code' doesn't work, and the 'police' are not allowed to make things right. Fighting is goonery. period.

[zeddyp]

nothing wrong with the hit Boyle should take it as a free lesson to stop cutting through the high slot with your head so low you can be confused with a goat eating grass

[P J]

Please...if you're saying it wasn't late, then it wasn't dirty.
Is Neil supposed to crouch down just because Dumb-Dumb lowered his head?

[Billy66]

Neil's hit was clean. If Boyle couldn't deal with it, tough, he should take up another sport.

[Allan Doucett]

Really Damien? We both sit here knowing Neil would have laid that hit whether or not Boyle had his little rabbit punch run in with Karlssons face. That's pretty much his raison d'etre. The goals he scores and other useful things aside he get's paid a large sum of money yearly to hit people. To be the main portion of grit and sandpaper on the Senators. Boyle if you hadn't noticed amidst all his other extra curriculars also managed to score two game winners in this series already and despite not being named Gaborik or Richards has been a massive part of why the Rangers aren't already out. Considering Boyles flick over the shoulder of Anderson and Lundqvists domination in nets are the only reason the Senators didn't win game 3. Boyle is a "big" pardon the pun part of this Rangers team. I'm sure knowing Boyles love of punching smaller people in the face didn't inspire Neil to take it easy on him but he would have hit anybody else the same way. Hit the other teams best players all the time as often as you can. I'm not sure you could even make an argument for borderline but to say it's a slam dunk suspension and take Shanny to task over it is laughable given all the other truly blatant misses the commissioners chosen minister of justice has ruled over.

[Ron Duncan]

Well, by the comments here, it may be time to just let the dogs loose. Lets have a few broken necks, brain damage and maybe even a death then maybe at that point people will realize that this is not hockey. There have been some great hockey games played during the playoffs but there has been some very dangerous plays as well. Maybe if Crosby was removed from the game people will realize we cannot afford to loose players like him permanently. But until then we will loose just a few less skillful players!

[Avi]

Chris Neil - 6' 1", Brian Boyle 6' 7". I don't think even if he jumped he'd get to his head.

[David Katz]

Since when did the NHL stand for the No Hitting League? Wow.

[Mrs. Neil]

To you Buffoons that are drinking Ottawa toilet water: BLIND SIDE HIT. Whether a player has the puck OR not, it's not legal.

[Utah]

Two referees and Shanahan ( who reviewed it ), saw nothing wrong with the hit.

Only Cox, seems to find fault.

Here's the reason why Neil escapes punishment for his hard hits.....Mr. Cox.

They're legal hits.

[LJ Lafleur]

If this was a penalty or suspension, then the league might as well have abolished bodychecking. I've never liked Chris Neil (and likely never will), but there was nothing wrong with this hit. The blame lies with Boyle for admiring his pass.

[guy lafleur]

Save this article for a time when Neil takes a head shot. This time you are wrong.

[Stephen B]

nothing wrong with the hit ... EXCEPT it was to the head and therefore resulted in brain injury... NHL and many fans evidently don't get it.

[Rick Prashaw]

You are having a bad day, Damien. Not only are we talking night and day with Torres and Neil hits, we are talking the difference between illegal and a hockey hit. No suspension, no fine, unless Shanahan is playing the political correct card. He has already blown nhl and his credibility with Weber

[Peter]

Not late? how is a hit not late when the puck is half a mile away? and it was a blind side. not dirty? have anybody ever saw Neil delivering a clean hit? the guy is a dirty head hunting coward.