Quote:
Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina
Any league, or for that matter employer, has the obligation to do whatever they can to avoid risking the long-term health of their employees. Given what we know about concussions now - it isn't enough to say "keep your head up kid".
The fact they get paid millions is 100% irrelevant in my view. I bet Steve Montador's family would trade all of that wealth to have him back.
To be clear though, under the current definition of body checking the Trouba hit is in my view 100% clean.
But it also points to exactly why the definition of hitting needs to evolve. As I've said before, it should be about getting possession of the puck back, and anything beyond that should be a penalty.
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It gets so complicated though. The obvious ones stand out, but here would be my argument for this hit:
- Trouba starts the play flat footed on the point, Dal Colle is quick.
- Trouba saw an opportunity to keep the puck in on a bobbled pass, so he takes a hard stride in and sets his body
- any reasonable person would expect a professional athlete to look up, Trouba commits to the play immediately. Once committed he has a split second to realize Dal Colle is day dreaming.
- Then what? Pull up and allow a 2 on 1? “Poke check him”? (fixation on the puck is another way you never make the NHL as a defenseman). Quick toe drag on a poke check and he’s gone.