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Originally Posted by AC
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Positively surprised. Seems fair and helps set a precedent that this isn't an okay move. As for the more general discussion, to me the amount of physicality you can do within the rules is plenty enough. You can still throw devastating hits, puck battles are still physical affairs that often require strength to win. And there's a lot of hits thrown still.
The way I see it, cracking down on stuff like this only improves physicality elsewhere. If you can't physically contain a player with your hands (by slamming them on their back for example) or your stick, you're going to have to use your body or lose. It means you have to keep up and work hard. That means more good, physical hockey plays, not less. If you want to intimidate someone, you have to throw more body checks instead of one with a body slam added to the end.
Dirty moves like Mathesons body slam are a short cut for players who don't want to put the work in to reach their goal playing actual hockey.