[News] UPD: Tkachuck suspended for tonight's game against Habs for bench incident in Toronto

[FireItUp]

Obviously he's just trying to get under the skin of other players, I don't think there was an intent to injure. If this was the 80's the kid would be praised by everyone for his passion and pest like antics. Nowadays everyone is so sensitive.
Should he have not done it from the bench? Yeah, probably...but I love that we have a player that other teams hate.
I say a 1-3 game suspension.

[Classic_Sniper]

Kid is going to be suspended again for immaturity. These aren’t suspendable acts, but the kid already has a rep and these suspensions are going to keep getting longer. I think he’ll have to figure it out at some point because losing those $$$ won’t feel nice.

[CliffFletcher]

Originally Posted by dieHARDflameZ

A 19 year old kid is immature? No way.

I think the point is that's he's immature even for a 19 year old. Believe it or not, all guys that age aren't undisciplined loose canons.

[bzoo02]

Tkachuk seems to be the guy engaging the goons from other teams. Maybe we do need someone like Glass or Lomberg on the 4th line so he can worry more about scoring.
I'm all for his around the net antics, but stuff like this shouldn't be something he feels the need to take on.

[corporatejay]

Babcock nailed it:

Leafs coach Mike Babcock called it "junior hockey stuff.
"He'll learn over time," Babcock said of the 19-year-old player. "You've got to give Tkachuk credit, he played a good game, he played hard. No reason for that stuff."

[sa226]

The "unsportsmanlike" tag is pretty telling.

He's not having a hearing for spearing.

I would guess 2 games. Double the amount of 2 weeks ago to send a message, but don't go all crazy with 5 and set a weird precedent.

He needs to stop that stuff, he's going to end up hurting the team, but as a completely biased fan its hard to see that and not point to 100 other far more heinous acts from other players go unpunished.

[Sutter_in_law]

Originally Posted by undercoverbrother

I can't believe he didn't get suspended for that.


You can't come off the top rope with an atomic leg drop in the NHL.

what??

Watch it again, his feet were both planted as he pivoted at the time of contact - it was Doughty bailing out last second that sent Tkachuk flying.

[jaikorven]

Originally Posted by Sutter_in_law

what??

Watch it again, his feet were both planted as he pivoted at the time of contact - it was Doughty bailing out last second that sent Tkachuk flying.

lol....it's a joke. Look at the video screenshot only without playing it.

[Hey Connor, It's Mess]

Nothing wrong with it. It was a wise, necessary hockey play. From the bench.

[1Nite]

Originally Posted by nemanja2306

Maybe it's just me but asking him to stop spearing people from the bench isn't unreasonable.

On the ice if anything it might have been a 2 minute penalty, other player grabs his stick and he pushed it forward, but everyone knows you cant make contact from the bench with a player on the ice, unless you play for Detroit. Speaking of none calls, how did Martin not get anything, after Brower was pushed into Anderson, he follows Brower to the bench and cross checks him from behind into the boards, 2, 5 minute penalty? Oh wait cause he plays for the Leafs, he has a "get out of jail card".

[sureLoss]

News Update

John Shannon @JSportsnet
Matthew Tkachuk’s hearing is over.

[CSharp]

Originally Posted by corporatejay

Babcock nailed it:

It's too bad the Flames don't have Babcock as the coach. It all comes down to leadership of the coaching and trickling down to the players.

[Oling_Roachinen]

I wish he would pick his spot a bit better. Outside of a Cup final, this is the last game against the Leafs. There really was no point to poking Martin.

If you're going to get suspended, make it count. Do it to a divisional rival to get under their skin for the rest of the season series or something, or at least do it hard enough to matter for the game. "Wasting" a suspension for this is my biggest gripe.

But, I'd rather he cross the line sometimes than never go near it.

[Jiggy]

Guys like Kesler and Perry do things like this all the time. If Matthew gets suspended they better do the same with the next player who does it.

[longsuffering]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

Honestly, I hope they give the idiot five games. It's clear the coaches can't teach him where the line is, so it's time the league does.

What a bloody selfish moron.

I'm sure 19 year Resolute 14 NEVER did anything without thinking through the consequences.

[The Yen Man]

Definitely a boneheaded play, but I just find it comical that the league suspending Tkatchuk similar amount of games means they deem his actions to be on par with a guy who delivers a vicious head shot, or slashes a finger off another player.

[bubbsy]

Originally Posted by Jiggy

Guys like Kesler and Perry do things like this all the time. If Matthew gets suspended they better do the same with the next player who does it.

The main difference, and this may be an incorrect opinion on my part, is that they do all their d-baggery on the ice. If you're on the bench when stuff is going down, take a number, and make your actions in an upcoming shift.

[Geeoff]

They better make this ruling quick since the Flames play tonight. Also sort of weird that Tkachuk played the rest of the game and even scored in the shootout after his shenanigans.

[The Hendog]

I will predict 3 games

[northcrunk]

Has any player been suspended for 'unsportsmanlike conduct'

Sounds like a joke to me.