NHL Off-Topic thread

[Money99]

Is anyone else upset with what Kucherov said?
I loved it. I want more players to show their personalities and I see no problem with a guy calling out teammates for being paycheck players.

Makes for some good entertainment.

[Majingir]

One of the debates brought up on TSN is that if Kucherov was Canadian or American, would his comments be taken a different way by the media? Though I wonder who exactly he was talking about because there's only 2 guys I believe who got salary increases last offseason for Tampa, one of which got injured(but Kucherov praised) and the other put up good numbers.


As for the Subban thing, he's Canadian and still getting ripped by media at times. Maybe some of it also has to do with hockey culture. Euro guys seem to have more fun and be less serious while Canadian/American guys are cardboard like personalities. So anytime someone like PK actually has a personality, some old school people look down on it.

[Money99]

Quote: Originally Posted by Majingir

One of the debates brought up on TSN is that if Kucherov was Canadian or American, would his comments be taken a different way by the media? Though I wonder who exactly he was talking about because there's only 2 guys I believe who got salary increases last offseason for Tampa, one of which got injured(but Kucherov praised) and the other put up good numbers. As for the Subban thing, he's Canadian and still getting ripped by media at times. Maybe some of it also has to do with hockey culture. Euro guys seem to have more fun and be less serious while Canadian/American guys are cardboard like personalities. So anytime someone like PK actually has a personality, some old school people look down on it.

Good points all around.

What I find sad is that in '72, the Canadian media and players were accusing Russian players of being robots.

Fast forward to now, and North American players are the robots while Russians are hilarious.

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[Money99]

Poor Crosby.
He's a generational talent that the league did absolutely nothing to protect.

They got rid of hooking and holding and replaced it with slashing.
If they call slashing to the letter, not sure Ovie does what he did last night.

And why does the league allowing tapping? It does nothing to add to the entertainment value of the league?
Or how about allowing skaters to lay in the crease making saves while the goalie is down and out?
Make it an auto goal. It's hard enough to score on an inflated goalie, but now you have to beat 5 skaters too?
Wasn't it last year where the Pens had 4 skaters in the crease blocking shots while Murray was on his back?

[TheMatrix31]

I hate superstar preferential treatment bull**** so I'm glad Crosby isn't quite "protected."

[ImTellinTim]

Quote: Originally Posted by Money99

Poor Crosby. He's a generational talent that the league did absolutely nothing to protect. They got rid of hooking and holding and replaced it with slashing. If they call slashing to the letter, not sure Ovie does what he did last night. And why does the league allowing tapping? It does nothing to add to the entertainment value of the league? Or how about allowing skaters to lay in the crease making saves while the goalie is down and out? Make it an auto goal. It's hard enough to score on an inflated goalie, but now you have to beat 5 skaters too? Wasn't it last year where the Pens had 4 skaters in the crease blocking shots while Murray was on his back?

Ovie would have done the same exact thing he did regardless of how they call slashing because players do desperate things when the opponent looks like they are going to score.

Also remember that Crosby literally slashed part of a guy's finger off a couple months ago.

[Money99]

Quote: Originally Posted by ImTellinTim

Ovie would have done the same exact thing he did regardless of how they call slashing because players do desperate things when the opponent looks like they are going to score. Also remember that Crosby literally slashed part of a guy's finger off a couple months ago.

I'm not sure about that.
Since hooking has been cracked down I've seen on several occasions where a player on a breakaway isn't hooked.
It still happens on occasion of course, but it's not automatic like it was pre-2005.

And Crosby's lightsaber work only strengthens my point.
Players know slashes don't get called so everyone is doing it.

I'm not pointing blame at Ovie or Niskanen.
Both guys did what the league has told them is ok to do.
Especially in the playoffs.

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[DrJones]

Not that it really matters, but after looking at the video several times, I doubt Ovechkin's actions (though illegal) directly hurt Crosby. Ovechkin deliberately slashes Crosby's arm, then his right skate clips Crosby's left (probably unintentional) at the same time Ovi's stick rebounds off the initial slash and knocks Sid on the top of the helmet (which is also probably unintentional, though still a penalty). Just based on the video and the way Ovi's holding his stick, it doesn't seem likely he could generate a ton of force. Crosby slides/falls awkwardly due to the trip, and Niskanen takes advantage by raising his stick, which while probably a split-second reaction, wasn't necessary. I don't have a problem calling it dirty, but I don't consider it predatory, because Niskanen didn't seek Crosby out. The crosscheck is almost certainly what caused Sid's concussion.

So, if I was in charge of NHL discipline, this would be my ruling:

1. 5-min major/game misconduct on Niskanen was the correct call.
2. Ovechkin should've received 2-min for slashing and 2-min for high sticking (even by playoff standards, at least one of those should've been called). In theory, you could call another 2-min on Ovi for tripping, though it looked incidental to me.
3. No suspensions.

It was a weird play, and Ovi and Niskanen are certainly not blameless; I just don't see an intent to injure. I don't blame Pens fans being mad; I would be too. Rob Rossi is a ridiculous troll, of course (as most Pittsburgh fans acknowledge).

Watch from the 22 second mark for the best view: