Quote:
Originally Posted by IamNotKenKing
I appreciate your position, and respectfully disagree. The extending of the arms could be deemed the result of incidental contact, and protecting himself therefrom as reactionary, and not deliberate.
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I think your explanation is pretty close to what happened, but I don't believe that with all the exposure this has received, and with the fact that the NHL will want to demonstrate their diligence to protect officials, the suspension will be less than ten games. Optics play a big role in this, and they are going to have a major impact.
I agree that the contact with Henderson was probably incidental, but do not think that the extension of the arms was entirely reactionary. I also think it is more difficult to demonstrate from the video that it was reactionary. Especially now, having listened to a few former players speak on this, I cannot accept that Wideman is without culpability here. They're unanimity about Wideman's responsibility for his actions is very compelling.