[Locke]

Originally Posted by Cleveland Steam Whistle

One thing that I don't think has been talked about much in this whole saga from my perspective, is how / why this whole Tkachuk deciding to target Kassian started in the first place started. I mean let's be clear, if Kassian and Tkachuk fought, it's a miss match, Tkachuk knows that, he's no fool, but he's certainly finding ways to get the better of him, in a situation that in my opinion Kassian started.

And it goes back to last year in that one meaningful game in Calgary between these two teams. Kassian pulled the same crap in that game, but that time, he did so literally for no reason. There were no hits on him, there were no hits on his team mates of any substance in that game............yet Kassian (and the Oiler media for some reason) felt Tkachuk owed Kassian a fight.............mind blowing..............and he pulled the jump him tactic at that time.

In that game, Tkachuk was slew footed by Draisatl and he ended up in scrum (where nothing happened) that McDavid started with Backlund. I get the whole protect McDavid thing, but even the most bias Oiler fan would have to admit nothing remotely concerning or physical happened to any of their stars in that game, or was even attempted on their stars.

Yet some how Kassian felt like Tkachuk owed him a fight............and jumped him. There's a lot of big talk from the Oilers right now about the code etc..... but he's the one that crossed the line first. He's the one that showed Tkachuk that he was going to go outside the code and jump him. He showed Tkachuk what he's really all about, and what kind of respect he deserves........which is none. So if Tkachuk's response to a player who's shown his true colours like that, who Tkachuk surely can't beat physically in a fight, is to bide his time, and wait for opportunities to stick it to him well within the rules of the NHL, I say good for him and all this code bull #### can go right out the window because Kassian certainly proved he doesn't follow it himself.

St. Kassian? The annointed Zack himself? No....it cannot be so!!

We've been led to believe that the man cannot nor ever has done any wrong and that Tkachuk is the true villain here for....playing hockey?