Wondering About the Finesse

There was a lot of controversy this season about punishments that were or weren’t doled out for concussions.* It’s been a topic of conversation among officials, the league, fans, and now online for as long as the game’s been played, because hockey is a high-risk sport that allows tough physical contact. It’s partially why the quality of equipment continues to get better and why helmets have evolved as much as they have.

Making decisions on suspensions is a thankless job because somebody is always upset by the decision. [...] Right now, there is no rhyme or reason to decisions and they just seem arbitrary. Just ask Aaron Rome or Max Pacioretty… —Brad Kurtzberg

As far as I’m concerned, the NHL needs to do two things. One, the league needs to figure exactly how to handle hits that occur to players in vulnerable situations. The major penalty for interference and game misconduct that Bruin defenseman–and captain–Zdeno Chara was given after slamming Canadien left winger Max Pacioretty into a padded stanchion was far too casual. Especially when Duck Bobby Ryan received a two-game suspension for trying to knock a puck loose from between the boards and Predator Jonathon Blum’s skates. Please. Suspension? Intent aside, Bobby’s actions were a far cry from breaking a guy’s neck and giving him a concussion.

In addition to the automatic fines and suspensions imposed under these rules, the Commissioner may, at his discretion, investigate any incident that occurs in connection with any Pre-season, Exhibition, League or Playoff game and may assess additional fines and/or suspensions for any offense committed during the course of a game or any aftermath thereof by a player, goalkeeper, Trainer, Manager, Coach or non-playing Club personnel or Club executive, whether or not such offense has been penalized by the Referee. —NHL rulebook

The second thing Gary Bettman and his team need to address is the silly notion of supplementary discipline, an actual rule in the NHL handbook. Bobby’s suspension was announced hours after the playoff game between the Ducks and Preds ended. Like Yahoo blogger Sean Leahy writes, “As we’ve said before, one playoff game is equal to two regular season games when it comes to suspensions in the Stanley Cup playoffs, and with the series tied 1-1, Ryan’s absence makes the NHL’s statement here even more serious.” If the officials don’t call it on the ice, that’s it, the moment is over with and gone and shouldn’t be up for discussion after the fact. And with the opinion of expansion teams being what it is, even more reason for the commissioner to not have a say.

I’m wondering, what the hell happened to the unspoken rule of not messing with the finesse players? I lost track of how many times Teemu Selanne got stapled to the boards the last coupla seasons, and really? There’s speculation that it may be time for Sidney Crosby to retire? Once upon a time, there was common courtesy, an understanding, among players that called for a line to be drawn before flattening guys like the Great One. Those who insist on playing a gritty game and anyone else be damned ultimately are hurting themselves. What if Pacioretty never skates in a game again, and what if Sid doesn’t come back? Where’s the financially-struggling league without a golden boy then?