Hockey 2010-2011

[shadows]

What a horrifying hit by Chara. I think that he will probably be getting a suspension for it. I thought Pacioretty had broken his neck! Scary, scary indeed!

[smc]

Originally Posted by shadows

What a horrifying hit by Chara. I think that he will probably be getting a suspension for it. I thought Pacioretty had broken his neck! Scary, scary indeed!

You are absolutely correct to use the word "horrifying," and I have no problem calling out even a member of my beloved Bruins for a dirty hit. However, having looked at the replay several times now, I think that while horrifying this was not dirty. It was big, but it didn't come from behind Pacioretty. Chara was skating along the boards and at the side of Pacioretty, and to finish a check leaned on him very heavily. Pacioretty's head and neck snapped against the stanchion -- and that wa indeed horrifying and very, very scary.

Chara is not even remotely known as a dirty player. He does battle for position, and uses his size (he's a good 7 inches taller than Pacioretty).

While Habs coach Jacques Martin has been insisting it was a dirty hit and has called for the league to review the tape, I think the tape doesn't lie.

However, I think Chara will get a suspension anyway. Why? The league has been so inconsistent about this growing problem that it will see an opportunity to look tough -- an opportunity it cannot pass up. And this will be exacerbated by the size difference between Chara and Pacioretty, which will make it even easier to defend a suspension.

I hope Pacioretty is okay!

[smc]

^^^^^

Canadiens head coach Jacques Martin updated the media on Max Pacioretty’s status this morning:

"Max Pacioretty has a severe concussion, as well as a fracture of the fourth cervical vertebrae, but it’s not displaced. Max will remain at the hospital for further observation. There will be no other prognosis for the time being, but he will obviously be out indefinitely. The most important thing for our organization right now is Max’s recovery. We will continue following recommendations from the doctors and of course, Max and his immediate family would appreciate privacy in this matter."

The NHL review of the incident resulted in a ruling that Chara did not intend to injure Pacioretty. Mike Murphy, senior VP of hockey operations, released this statement on behalf of the league:

"After a thorough review of the video I can find no basis to impose supplemental discipline. This hit resulted from a play that evolved and then happened very quickly -- with both players skating in the same direction and with Chara attempting to angle his opponent into the boards. I could not find any evidence to suggest that, beyond this being a correct call for interference, that Chara targeted the head of his opponent, left his feet or delivered the check in any other manner that could be deemed to be dangerous."

I am surprised by this, although it is clearly the correct call (as you can see from this video). Note that this is from the Bruins broadcast, so there is some bias -- although it turns out that Andy Brickley's assessment of Chara's hit is correct:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1QPHHd6jmMo

It was clearly interference. The game misconduct and throwing Chara out of the game might have been an overreach, but understandable under the immediate circumstances. Regardless, though, I think Murphy's statement demonstrates that the NHL is thinking through how to avoid knee-jerk reactions to the roughness that is part and parcel of hockey while at the same time dealing with the growing number of dirty hits (which this was not). I don't think many of us who discuss hockey here have had occasion to say that the league got one right, but I hope we can agree this time.

[ila]

Originally Posted by smc

^^^^^

Canadiens head coach Jacques Martin updated the media on Max Pacioretty’s status this morning:

"Max Pacioretty has a severe concussion, as well as a fracture of the fourth cervical vertebrae, but it’s not displaced. Max will remain at the hospital for further observation. There will be no other prognosis for the time being, but he will obviously be out indefinitely. The most important thing for our organization right now is Max’s recovery. We will continue following recommendations from the doctors and of course, Max and his immediate family would appreciate privacy in this matter."

The NHL review of the incident resulted in a ruling that Chara did not intend to injure Pacioretty. Mike Murphy, senior VP of hockey operations, released this statement on behalf of the league:

"After a thorough review of the video I can find no basis to impose supplemental discipline. This hit resulted from a play that evolved and then happened very quickly -- with both players skating in the same direction and with Chara attempting to angle his opponent into the boards. I could not find any evidence to suggest that, beyond this being a correct call for interference, that Chara targeted the head of his opponent, left his feet or delivered the check in any other manner that could be deemed to be dangerous."

I am surprised by this, although it is clearly the correct call (as you can see from this video). Note that this is from the Bruins broadcast, so there is some bias -- although it turns out that Andy Brickley's assessment of Chara's hit is correct:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1QPHHd6jmMo

It was clearly interference. The game misconduct and throwing Chara out of the game might have been an overreach, but understandable under the immediate circumstances. Regardless, though, I think Murphy's statement demonstrates that the NHL is thinking through how to avoid knee-jerk reactions to the roughness that is part and parcel of hockey while at the same time dealing with the growing number of dirty hits (which this was not). I don't think many of us who discuss hockey here have had occasion to say that the league got one right, but I hope we can agree this time.

At 10 seconds into the video Chara clearly has his right foot off the ice. This doesn't necessarily indicate a dirty hit, only that Chara was able to put more force behind his bodycheck.

[smc]

Originally Posted by ila

At 10 seconds into the video Chara clearly has his right foot off the ice. This doesn't necessarily indicate a dirty hit, only that Chara was able to put more force behind his bodycheck.

"Able to" -- yes, but the question is one of intent. As someone who skates and plays hockey, I know that there are lots of times when I have a foot off the ice. I think that plus the particular location of the bodycheck was a combination for disaster, but it still doesn't indicate intent. True, Pacioretty and Chara have some history, but Chara just has zero reputation for being a dirty player.

If I thought there was intent, I'd be screaming for a suspension -- not that my voice matters. But I have argued long and hard with my Bruins fans friends about how Andrew Ference was treated after his statement criticizing a teammate for a questionable hit, and I had an argument with Mike Milbury about it a few weeks ago at the store in my neighborhood he shops at!

[ila]

Originally Posted by smc

"Able to" -- yes, but the question is one of intent. As someone who skates and plays hockey, I know that there are lots of times when I have a foot off the ice. I think that plus the particular location of the bodycheck was a combination for disaster, but it still doesn't indicate intent. True, Pacioretty and Chara have some history, but Chara just has zero reputation for being a dirty player.

If I thought there was intent, I'd be screaming for a suspension -- not that my voice matters. But I have argued long and hard with my Bruins fans friends about how Andrew Ference was treated after his statement criticizing a teammate for a questionable hit, and I had an argument with Mike Milbury about it a few weeks ago at the store in my neighborhood he shops at!

I agree that there it looks like there was no intent to injure. My comment was in response to Mike Murphy's comment that Chara's feet were not off the ice. I'm not convinced that interference should have been called against Chara, either.

[smc]

This reminds me of when U.S. Senator Arlen Spector of Pennsylvania, a rabid fan of the Philadelphia Eagles football team, wanted to open a Congressional investigation into allegations that the New England Patriots had cheated by videotaping illegally during games. Surely the Montreal police, just like the U.S. Senate, have more important things to do with their time.

Good for Pacioretty for calling this investigation ridiculous, in so many words.


Montreal police investigating Chara's hit on Pacioretty

BOSTON (AP) -- Montreal police started a criminal investigation Thursday into the on-ice hit by Boston's Zdeno Chara that left the Canadiens' Max Pacioretty with a severe concussion and cracked vertebra.

Police said they are acting on a request by Quebec's director of criminal and penal prosecutions, Louis Dionne. After evidence is collected, it will be determined if there are grounds for prosecution, they said.

But Pacioretty said he doesn't want Chara prosecuted.

"I sincerely appreciate all of the support that I have received since my injury," he said in a statement. "I was disappointed that the NHL did not suspend Zdeno Chara. However, I have no desire for him to be prosecuted legally. I feel that the incident, as ugly as it was, was part of a hockey game.

"I understand that this is not my decision. I have respect and admiration for the authorities in Quebec. I simply wanted to make my opinion clear."

Also Thursday, Air Canada told the NHL it's considering withdrawing its sponsorship unless the league tightens rules to reduce potentially serious injuries. Commissioner Gary Bettman responded that his teams could retaliate by deciding to stop using Air Canada for charter flights, an important source of revenue for the airline.

Chara did not speak at length on the investigation when he talked after the Bruins' morning skate.

"I got some media information on that this morning," he said. "But like I said, right now, I'm focusing on playing my game, and playing hockey."

Chara, who said he had no intent to hurt Pacioretty, was given a major penalty for interference and a game misconduct on the play Tuesday. The Bruins captain has never been suspended in his 13-year career.

The NHL said Wednesday it would not suspend Chara for slamming Pacioretty into a padded stanchion supporting a glass partition. Pacioretty, 22, was released from the hospital Thursday and was resting at home, his agent said.

Among Thursday's other developments:

-Canadiens owner Geoff Molson said in an open letter to the team's fans that "the Montreal Canadiens organization does not agree" with NHL's decision not to suspend Chara.

-In Toronto, Prime Minister Stephen Harper said the NHL, "for its own sake," should look seriously at the increase in serious injuries.

-NHL Players' Association executive director Don Fehr called for "maximizing the safety" in the area of the rink where the hit occurred and said the union would inspect the rink in Montreal "and elsewhere as needed, to make sure the appropriate padding is in place."

The league's general managers are expected to again address hits to the head at their annual meeting next week in Florida.

The Bruins entered Thursday night's game against the Buffalo Sabres with 84 points, tops in the Northeast Division. Montreal was in second place with 81 before its game versus the St. Louis Blues.

Pacioretty, who has 14 goals and 10 assists in 37 games, is out indefinitely.

"He has a right to be emotional and I respect that," Chara said. "I'm wishing him a fast recovery and hopefully he can be back on the ice soon and that's all we love to do. Obviously, when we go out there, we take risks. And sometimes, we do get hurt. But, it's just very unfortunate."

Bettman said in Washington, D.C., after a congressional panel discussion about encouraging youngsters to play hockey that "our hockey operations people are extraordinarily comfortable with the decision" to let Chara play.

"It was a horrific injury, we're sorry that it happened in our fast-paced, physical game, but I don't think whether or not supplemental discipline was imposed would change what happened and, in fact, the people in the game who I have heard from, almost to a person ... believe that it was handled appropriately," he said.

The league said it was "a hockey play that resulted in an injury because of the player colliding with the stanchion and then the ice surface."

Molson called news of the decision "a hard blow for both the players and fans of the Montreal Canadiens." He said Bettman had agreed to make the issue a priority at the upcoming GM meetings and added the decision "was one which shook the faith that we, as a community, have in this sport that we hold in such high regard."

Julien's team, on a two-game skid headed into Thursday, will need to maintain focus as this cloud hovers.

"There's still things hanging over our heads," he said. "It doesn't seem to want to disappear. It's not an easy situation because we understand that there's a player that's injured."

Bettman also said Pacioretty's injury is part of the game. Most concussions and head injuries this season have been from accidents or players falling rather than as the result of hits, he said.

There, indeed, has been strong debate this season over injuries from hits to the head. Pittsburgh star Sidney Crosby is among those sidelined with such an injury.

Montreal coach Jacques Martin, like Julien, will need to keep his team level headed. "Our mandate is to focus on the game," he said. "Hopefully next week, (the players) will be in better spirits."

The request for an investigation was filed by Dionne after he watched footage of Chara's hit, his spokeswoman said.

"Like all police investigations, evidence will be gathered and an investigation report will be submitted ... to see whether there's grounds for prosecution," spokeswoman Martine Berube said.

Chara was not in the starting lineup against the Sabres. But when he took the ice, and threw his first check of the night, the crowd cheered and chanted, "Cha-ra, Cha-ra" for about 20 seconds.