@TSNBobMcKenzie: Clowe has been offered in-person hearing, which would allow NHL discretion to suspend 6 or more games if it chooses.
@TSNBobMcKenzie: One option is auto 10-game suspension but that carries with it one-game suspension for head coach. McClellan coaching is coaching tonight.
I watched that live last night and agree that the Shaw hit deserves more than Clowe should get. It looked like the Sharks were making a line change anyway and Clowe was just coming on for his shift. Not suspension worthy IMO.
Glad to see painting large groups of people with the same brush didn't totally die with the 80s after all! Got any Polish or Blonde jokes for an encore? Or maybe your sarcasm just went over my head.
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If Clowe gets suspended for that, then it's time to take a serious look at what exactly the point of a suspension actually is.
He was on the ice as part of a line change, and stood up for a teammate that just got plastered into the boards with two seconds left in a game they were losing.
Man.. if Clowe gets more than Shaw we get to see what the NHL has come to. Gutless hit by Shaw and he deserved to be punished.
I fail to see how a mandatory penalty that has been around for 20(?) years speaks to what the NHL has "come to". The NHL is beyond good or consistent with discipline but this is not an example.
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Agreed. The rules on this are clear: You are not permitted, for any reason, to step onto the ice to start or join an altercation. That is exactly what Clowe did, and that is exactly why he is getting suspended. That he might have been coming on for a line change is a mitigating factor that might be the only reason why the NHL hasn't simply suspended him 10 and his coach 1 and is instead offering him the in-person meeting.
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Exp:
Bad hit by Shaw, no doubt, but, the NHL has been extremely severe in cases where a guy leaves the bench to get involved...I highly doubt that the "line change" defense would be valid with 8.2 seconds left in regulation.
__________________ "If the wine's not good enough for the cook, the wine's not good enough for the dish!" - Julia Child (goddess of the kitchen)
I've watched the replay closely and it does seem like Couture calls for a line change then in which Clowe then comes onto the ice, but Couture never leaves the ice.
Couture signaled for a change made his way to the bench but then stayed on when Clowe came on and attacked Shaw.
Hopefully he gets off since that really was borderline leaving the bench for an altercation.
I believe you can also consider a line change if you go on the ice for an injured player, this is also a factor. I think Clowe will get 6 or 7 games, but I hope Shaw gets 5+ for his hit.
Ryan Clowe *Update* 2 game suspension
