[News] Tkachuk suspended 2 games for elbowing Doughty

[N-E-B]

Originally Posted by agulati

It bothers me when the fanbase gets biased for their players and think they can never be wrong.

Tkachuk made a suspendable play, he got suspended for two games. He and the team will move on from this.

It bothers me when people dismiss a different opinion and use the lazy argument of "the other guy is a homer" rather than try use facts to explain why they're wrong.

[Demaeon]

Originally Posted by BloodFetish

I hear he has a sore elbow.

I heard it was his triceps.

[Yamer]

Originally Posted by kevman

I miss the days when a homer could be a homer without repercussions from their own teams fans.

Join the Republicans.

[heep223]

Doughty should have gotten 2 mins for embellishment. He is softer than baby ####.

I am an unabashed homer.

I am also an unabashed expert on baby ####.

[Yamer]

Originally Posted by CroFlames

It's homerism to say a two minute penalty is a two minute penalty?

If the referee did not believe the elbowing minor deserved a major or match penalty, why should there be extra discipline? If the elbowing minor was indeed a major or a match, then extra punishment should be looked at. Just like a 2 minute minor for high sticking is never supplemented with discipline. If you get a major or a match penalty for a deliberate high stick to the head, then the league should and will look at further suspension. These are the rules of the NHL; it's not homerism.

Your arguments hold no water. Every slash is deliberate. Should every slashing minor be looked at for supplemental discipline because it was deliberate?

No real point though in laying out facts for you. Your emotionally charged opinions would never change no matter who or what facts are presented to you.

Let me try to tackle this from a more rational angle:

Intent, viciousness, result, and history ALL play a role in calling a penalty or issuing a suspension...and it should.

Tkachuk knew what he was doing, caught Doughty in the head (which is a hot button for the NHL), knocked him on his ass to the point a trainer came out on the ice to assess, and Tkachuk has (evidently) been warned numerous times this year.

I thought we would see a fine or, at most, 1 game...especially since Tkachuk hasn't been officially sanctioned before this incident. However, I also have no issue with the League sending a message.

I just wish that messaging had a little more consistency and accountability.

[northcrunk]

Doughty has such a chubby face he probably didn't feel it. What a dive.

[Robbob]

I saw Doughty walk by an orphanage that was on fire. Didn't even think about calling 9-1-1. I ask him WTF as I was dialing and he told me he didn't have the time because he was late picking up a sack of kittens to drown. The guy is horrible.

Am I doing it right?

[Mister Yamoto]

Deciding discipline for headshots is a very tough job because every hit is different. And there are lots of other factors too.

Everybody has their own opinion on how many games if any a hit is worth. No shortage of self proclaimed experts when it comes to NHL discipline.

In my opinion (that doesn't matter one bit) the Flames lucked out. The proper call was 5 and a game. And a 5 minute powerplay could have changed the result of the game.

Also, I am looking forward to watching Tkachuk become the most hated player in the NHL.

[calgaryblood]

Originally Posted by Hockeyguy15

Take a deep breath, you seem pretty worked up.

This interwebs is serious business.

Not worked up at all, just funny reading the embarassing homerish comments like "it should only be a 2 minute penalty because elbowing is a 2 minute minor" derp.

[curmudgeon]

In my opinion, the ref, who was right there made a judgement call, no penalty for Tkachuk, for elbowing, and no penalty on Doughty because he embellished the fall, throwing everything. There should have been no further disciplinary action by the league on that fact alone. Two games for a first time offender is a bit harsh and just emphasizes the inconsistency of the Department of Player Safety. I've seen worse hits than that, which wasn't even an elbow, more like the tricep portion of Tkachuks arm. Doughtys comments were the catalyst for the suspension "dirty player". I think maybe Doughty should put his money where his mouth is next game, drop the gloves and go one on one, with young Matthew. I know who will win, and it won't be Doughty. This whole thing stinks!!

[Racki]

Originally Posted by PugnaciousIntern

However, there are two remaining games against LA, who will more than likely be completely out of the playoff picture and pissed at the Flames for taking their spot. The only thing they have to 'fight' for is retribution. I expect a very, very chippy last few games against LA.

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

LA's pretty much packed it in this year, they have all the response of a corpse. I'm not too worried about them hunting heads.

All four major sports have an element of vigaltiism, frontier justice. The NHL has always been the league with the highest degree of it because of the fighting element.

I suspect that Pugnacious Intern has it right. The Kings will be seeking retribution and Tkachuk will have to fight, probably one division above his weight class. I just hope that that settles it. I'd hate to lose Johnny or Monny to a dirty slash as revenge.

[calgaryblood]

Originally Posted by CroFlames

It's homerism to say a two minute penalty is a two minute penalty?

If the referee did not believe the elbowing minor deserved a major or match penalty, why should there be extra discipline? If the elbowing minor was indeed a major or a match, then extra punishment should be looked at. Just like a 2 minute minor for high sticking is never supplemented with discipline. If you get a major or a match penalty for a deliberate high stick to the head, then the league should and will look at further suspension. These are the rules of the NHL; it's not homerism.

Your arguments hold no water. Every slash is deliberate. Should every slashing minor be looked at for supplemental discipline because it was deliberate?

No real point though in laying out facts for you. Your emotionally charged opinions would never change no matter who or what facts are presented to you.

What are you even talking about? Tkachuk wasn't called for elbowing, the ref didn't see the play as he was turned around at the instant the elbow made contact.

Tkachuk was called for roughing for the scrum afterwards so maybe know how things played out before calling me out?

And if you've followed hockey long enough you'd know it doesn't matter what they call on the ice when it comes to supplemental discipline. It literally makes no difference if the refs missed it or not.

[timbit]

Going to the game in Nashville on Thursday and was very much looking forward to watching Tkachuk play live. Oh well. Hopefully, he learned a lesson.

[Weitz]

Originally Posted by curmudgeon

In my opinion, the ref, who was right there made a judgement call, no penalty for Tkachuk, for elbowing, and no penalty on Doughty because he embellished the fall, throwing everything. There should have been no further disciplinary action by the league on that fact alone. Two games for a first time offender is a bit harsh and just emphasizes the inconsistency of the Department of Player Safety. I've seen worse hits than that, which wasn't even an elbow, more like the tricep portion of Tkachuks arm. Doughtys comments were the catalyst for the suspension "dirty player". I think maybe Doughty should put his money where his mouth is next game, drop the gloves and go one on one, with young Matthew. I know who will win, and it won't be Doughty. This whole thing stinks!!

The video clearly shows the ref isn't looking if I remember correctly.

[Jay Random]

Originally Posted by calgaryblood

What are you even talking about? Tkachuk wasn't called for elbowing, the ref didn't see the play as he was turned around at the instant the elbow made contact.

Tkachuk was called for roughing for the scrum afterwards so maybe know how things played out before calling me out?

And if you've followed hockey long enough you'd know it doesn't matter what they call on the ice when it comes to supplemental discipline. It literally makes no difference if the refs missed it or not.

You seem to have trouble understanding the opposing argument, which is approximately this:

NHL rules state that if your elbow makes contact with an opposing player's head, you may be given a minor penalty for elbowing.

The NHL's normal practice is not to review minor penalties for supplementary discipline.

The NHL claims to be ‘serious’ about punishing hits to the head. Yet the minor penalty for elbowing still is an option. If every incident of elbowing is appropriately punished by a two-game suspension, why does the elbowing minor even exist?

So we have a situation where the NHL can give a player 2 minutes for elbowing, or 5 and a game, or a fine, or a suspension, or nothing at all – and the decision is entirely arbitrary and not subject to review. There is no consistency at all in which punishment is imposed; except that the league seems to give out stiffer penalties in response to complaints in the media, which usually means that an offence against a star player is deemed worse than an offence against anybody else.

I know it's fashionable nowadays to be cynical and ‘edgy’. But there is still such a thing as sportsmanship, and the rules are supposed to be there to enforce a standard of sportsmanship. If the rules are merely there so the officials can pick on players or teams they don't like, they are no rules at all and the competition is no more honest than professional wrestling. It's just an empty spectacle.

Is that what we're paying money for?

[northcrunk]

Originally Posted by Racki

All four major sports have an element of vigaltiism, frontier justice. The NHL has always been the league with the highest degree of it because of the fighting element.

I suspect that Pugnacious Intern has it right. The Kings will be seeking retribution and Tkachuk will have to fight, probably one division above his weight class. I just hope that that settles it. I'd hate to lose Johnny or Monny to a dirty slash as revenge.

All Tkachuk has to say is "you had your chance last game" and "Why waste a fight on some bum team who isn't even making the playoffs?"

[Hackey]

I only watched the play once and whatever replays came after but as soon as it happened I figured 2-3 games since it was Doughty but he didn't stay down. I think it was a pretty obvious elbow. Seems like a fair suspension.

[midniteowl]

Originally Posted by Racki

All four major sports have an element of vigaltiism, frontier justice. The NHL has always been the league with the highest degree of it because of the fighting element.

I suspect that Pugnacious Intern has it right. The Kings will be seeking retribution and Tkachuk will have to fight, probably one division above his weight class. I just hope that that settles it. I'd hate to lose Johnny or Monny to a dirty slash as revenge.

This is totally BS, Pearson had his retribution already by him elbowing Tkachuk. Should Pearson needs to fight Engelland for elbowing Tkachuk especially he wasn't even suspended.

[northcrunk]

I think it's only McDavid who thinks guys should fight someone bigger then them when he falls down.

[Racki]

Originally Posted by midniteowl

This is totally BS, Pearson had his retribution already by him elbowing Tkachuk. Should Pearson needs to fight Engelland for elbowing Tkachuk especially he wasn't even suspended.

I'm not saying it's right but you know that's how it will go. Doughty won't be the one to go after him. I have my money on Jordan Nolan, Brayden McNabb or Derek Forbort.