Ty Rattie rocked by Hjalmarsson - Update: hearing tomorrow - Page 2 - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

Enoch Root · 10-02-2016, 11:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hockeyguy15

I'm not sure what more you want them to do? Other than padding the plastic how can they make shoulder pads safer in your opinion?

I am not suggesting making shoulder pads safer. That isn't the point at all.

The point is making players responsible for their hits - hitting the head needs to stop, regardless of who - if anyone - is at fault.

mdubz · 10-02-2016, 11:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

If you think there is only one possible way that Hjalmarsson could have hit Rattie, I don't know what to say to you.

Like you said, the game is faster now. Players are taught to check with their arms/shoulders. How else was he supposed to hit Rattie in that split-second?

Hockeyguy15 · 10-02-2016, 11:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

I am not suggesting making shoulder pads safer. That isn't the point at all.

The point is making players responsible for their hits - hitting the head needs to stop, regardless of who - if anyone - is at fault.

Maybe I read your post wrong then because I thought you were saying that the pads contribute to more concussions, my apologies.

Enoch Root · 10-02-2016, 11:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hockeyguy15

Maybe I read your post wrong then because I thought you were saying that the pads contribute to more concussions, my apologies.

They do. As does the speed of the game.

I am simply saying that if we want fewer head injuries, we have to put the onus on the player throwing the hit.

It's the one thing we can change.

And like the rest of you, I love big hits. I played D and open-ice hits were by far my favourite part of the game.

But things change.

Enoch Root · 10-02-2016, 11:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mdubz

Like you said, the game is faster now. Players are taught to check with their arms/shoulders. How else was he supposed to hit Rattie in that split-second?

ANY contact there separates Rattie from the puck. No need to drive his shoulder through him.

transplant99 · 10-02-2016, 11:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

If you think there is only one possible way that Hjalmarsson could have hit Rattie, I don't know what to say to you.

there is nothing to say....he did exactly what he is taught to do...dont target the head, lead with your shoulder and dont leave your feet. Just because the head got injured does not make this illegal, nor a bad hit. It was entirely on the player skating with his head down that this resulted in looking like it did. That in beyond dispute.

You take that out of the game you might as well start watching curling as there will be more contact there.

calgaryblood · 10-02-2016, 11:43 AM

3-0 game and you're winning with one minute remaining. What a dumb hit. It's not like it's a rookie fighting for his job, he's a top d-man in the NHL so I just don't see the point of making a hit like that.

N-E-B · 10-02-2016, 12:12 PM

Agreed that Ratties head was down, however it's 100% on the person making the hit. Hjalmarsson should have recognized that and backed off.

dash_pinched · 10-02-2016, 12:35 PM

NHL Player Safety ✔ @NHLPlayerSafety
Chicago’s Niklas Hjalmarsson will have a hearing tomorrow for charging/illegal check to the head on St. Louis’ Ty Rattie.

Coach · 10-02-2016, 12:40 PM

Bad hit, should be suspended.

The guy needs to have his head up too though. Glancing down, sure. But he had it down for several seconds exiting his zone with the puck. Not an excuse for the hit, but you do have to take measures to protect yourself. The game moves fast and people make stupid decisions in real time. The only thing you can do is try to mitigate the risk of someone being stupid on you.

Cecil Terwilliger · 10-02-2016, 12:48 PM

Head down or not is completely irrelevant. Just like football is now protecting vulnerable players, even on clean hits, so is hockey protecting players from head shots.

Although the clip only has 1 angle and it isn't totally clear, it looked to me like the head was the primary point of contact. That's suspendable. Wasn't really dirty but that hit isn't allowed anymore under the rules. You can't smoke a vulnerable player in the head. Simple as that.

Coach · 10-02-2016, 12:53 PM

Yup. I don't think anyone disagrees that the hit is suspendable and dumb.

That doesn't mean we can't also be of the opinion that someone playing the game of hockey at a professional level should have their head up when carrying the puck.

Cecil Terwilliger · 10-02-2016, 01:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MattyC

Yup. I don't think anyone disagrees that the hit is suspendable and dumb.

That doesn't mean we can't also be of the opinion that someone playing the game of hockey at a professional level should have their head up when carrying the puck.

Does anyone think that players shouldn't have their heads up?

Coach · 10-02-2016, 01:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cecil Terwilliger

Does anyone think that players shouldn't have their heads up?

I dunno, saying it's irrelevant kind of implies that whether his head is down or not doesn't matter. It's a tough line. Hitting someone with their head down will almost always result in hitting them in the head just by the nature of body positioning. So are they supposed to let anyone with their head down just skate around? Again, the hit is dumb, but I don't think having his head down is irrelevant. Hjallmersson made a bad choice, but Rattie could have prevented the whole scenario. It's not something that should be ignored IMO. Young players need to realize how they should be protecting themselves against people doing stupid crap.

Robbob · 10-02-2016, 01:10 PM

A minute left in the game, a preseason game, and up 3 zip. Didn't see the game but the commentators mentioned it getting heated again. All those will make the NHL drop the hammer.

DJones · 10-02-2016, 01:14 PM

So if someone has their head down you aren't allowed to hit him?

Looked like a textbook check against a guy that put himself in a stupid position.

Enoch Root · 10-02-2016, 01:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DJones

So if someone has their head down you aren't allowed to hit him?

Looked like a textbook check against a guy that put himself in a stupid position.

You seriously can't see any middle ground between drilling your shoulder into their head with full force and 'not allowed to hit them'?

DJones · 10-02-2016, 01:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

You seriously can't see any middle ground between drilling your shoulder into their head with full force and 'not allowed to hit them'?

I have a problem when people aim for the head. When someone puts their head in a dangerous area and gets hit by someone doing an acceptable hit I lose sympathy.

Get him for charging or interference sure. But the head shot aspect of it I don't agree with.

iloveicedhockey · 10-02-2016, 01:29 PM

There's a large part of rattie he could hit that isn't the head though, irrelevant of whether he had his head down or not. Gio made the right choice and had perfect timing in hitting Kadri last year; he could've hit the head for sure, Kadri had his head down, but he didn't. If there's a reasonably late change of direction then I'd side with hjalmarsson, but there isn't.

chubeyr1 · 10-02-2016, 01:40 PM

I see this as an illegal check to the head, sure the nhl sees it that way to and they should. The head was the primary point of impact. Suspendable!

The player could of aimed for another point of impact, or even eased up on the check and still would of been very effective. Six inches lower point of impact Rattie still goes flying and is still hurt. Then I call it a clean hit!

With that said its also on Rattie. You can not have your head down like that and not expect to get crunched! I have seen worse hits, and Rattie has too, he should know better!