Quote:
Originally Posted by Oil Stain
I think most reasonable people would agree that both of the Tkachuk hits were borderline. Were they charging?
The NHL rulebook says charging is this:
Charging is a penalty in ice hockey. Rule 42 of the NHL rulebook dictates that charging "shall mean the actions of a player or goalkeeper who, as a result of distance traveled, shall violently check an opponent in any manner. A 'charge' may be the result of a check into the boards, into the goal frame or in open ice."[1] The infraction may warrant any severity of penalty or combination of penalties as the officials deem fit, including a major plus a game misconduct, or suspension if the infraction results in injury to the opposing player.
After reading that I'm not sure if the NHL even knows what charging is.
I always remember hearing and talking about 3 strides. Don't know if that was just a fan invented thing?
I think if the hit were Kassian on Gaudreau or Lucic on McDavid a penalty would have been called. I'd seen big guys bump a smaller guy with half that force and get penalized. Basically anytime Penner started to get physical for instance.
I think that's the type of hit you'd see fans be outraged by if it happened to Gaudreau or Monahan. I didn't care too much because its Kassian and he has been the aggressor on stuff like that in the past so whatever.
Kassian should have took a number and tried to deliver the same type of borderline hit back. He'll probably get suspended. That's fair. I think anyone trying to paint Tkachuk as an innocent in the scenario is a little off base though.
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Calling Tkachuk's hits borderline misses the point entirely though. It is nothing but whataboutism.
What
is relevant is Kassian's actions: they crossed the line. End of story. He was goaded into taking a stupid penalty, and he took the bait, the line, and the sinker.
Also, not that it matters, butt the league has already dismissed the notion that they were borderline.
You are right, however, that the definition of charging is so vague that it has absolutely no meaning. You don't like a hit? Call it charging.