Quote:
Originally Posted by TurnedTheCorner
The chin is part of the head. The head snapped back first when he got hit. I'm not saying it was an intent to injure, or even intentional. But it was a hit to the head. Hits to the head aren't OK, period. They don't have to be hits from behind, skates leaving the ice, elbows, helmets, knee drops, chair shots, sledgehammers, crowbars, or anything else. IDGAF if it's a shoulder that makes contact. No hits to the head. Period.
This is a league that calls a penalty every time a puck is accidentally shot into the stands, or a stick gets broken by a slash from another stick. I don't think a zero tolerance policy on hits to the head is a bad idea in comparison.
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This may be the case, however, on many occasions Shanahan has chosen not to suspend, or even review similar hits, because the initial point of contact is the body, and there was no use of the elbow.
I feel, as most do, that it sucks that eller got hurt. And that was ugly for anybody to watch, opposing team included. But by rule, this was a clean hit.
Shanahan was in a no win situation, and I believe there was pressure from above to keep Gryba out for a couple of games to eleviate the need for vengeance, or an ugly Bertuzzi/Moore type of incident.
The problem is that now it appears that tensions have elevated in Gryba's absence, and he is due back in the line-up for the next game.
The best case scenario for both teams is for him to answer the bell against prust, then let the game play out, as the stakes are quite high.
Unfortunately, I have a feeling there will be some ugliness coming out of game 4.