Quote:
Originally Posted by AcGold
How many teams are in our situation or have ever been in our situation?
Best player is targeted with intent to injure 20 times in a game, a major violation of the rules, with zero repercussion. I can't think of this ever happening where there are so many violations it puts our best player at risk of playing less than half the season.
I completely agree Kanzig and Smith aren't ready to be effective pros capable of contributing to the game on a nightly basis, but they are capable of annihilating a few players with huge hits.
So you put Kanzig out and he smashes Staal into the corner. We get scored on in the PK but Johnny doesn't get slashed anymore that game, Kanzig sits for the rest of the game and Johnnys line pots 2 goals because one of the top 5 talents in the league gets to play. A net gain. Kanzig, Engelland and Smith are the only ones that can get into the scrums and create fear.
Until we have that element Johnny will continually get injured. We have to take the approach as there is no other way, Smith stands up a few players in the neutral zone with bone rattling hits (even if they are a little late) and nobody wants anything to do with Johnny or Smith.
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There is zero chance Kanzig will be in the situation to hit Staal because he's literally the slowest player I've ever watched. Staal would move out of the way with ease. Only way is a dirty hit that Staal isn't expecting.
You still haven't been able to give any examples of a goon making a big hit that made that player change his game to not slash a star. It just doesn't happen anymore. Doesn't matter who the Pens put on the ice Crosby will always take big hits and get slashed. Players that play on the edge don't care about retribution they actually would love to get the team a PP when the other team retaliates.
And 90% of those slashes that were part of the "21" were harmless slashes that Hathaway alone last game did about 10 times. Like Gaudreau said it is part of the game we just have to hope the refs call the more serious ones.
Kanzig might be big but he's not a dirty player and the fights I've watched of him aren't that impressive so I don't even think he'd make a good goon.