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

[nemanja2306]

Originally Posted by longsuffering

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

Hockey is a TEAM sport. His eventual suspension AFFECTS THE TEAM. It's not just about Matt Tkachuk. If I was his teammate, I'd be pissed off. If he gets suspended, the team is weaker. This wasn't in the heat of the battle, on the ice, this was a deliberate, off the ice, spear. And not only that, he got suspended, what, two weeks ago?

It was a stupid, selfish thing he did.

[getbak]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

The Doughty incident (elbow) and Witkowski incident (stick infraction) were under separate classes for disciplinary purposes. Since this is his second stick foul warranting supplemental discipline, he will be treated as a repeat offender for this incident. Which means he's going to forfeit more than double the salary he otherwise would have during his suspension.

This is not accurate.

There is no distinction made between the types of fouls that receive supplementary discipline.

Tkachuck was a repeat offender the last time, and he will be again. Repeat offender status is determined solely on the time since the player's last suspension. If a player hasn't been suspended during the last 18 months, he is not considered a repeat offender. If he has, he is.

Being a repeat offender means that he'll forfeit one game's salary (his base salary divided by 82) for every game he's suspended. If a player isn't a repeat offender, he only forfeits one day's salary (his base salary divided by the number of days in the current season -- this year is 186).


Even if he keeps his nose clean for 18 months, his previous history of suspensions can be taken into account if he faces discipline again in the future.

[Caged Great]

He's probably going to get 3-5 games from this.

[Joborule]

If he does end up getting five, I wouldn't have any issue with it. He needs to learn that he cannot do this off ice crap period. Battle within the boards.

[getbak]

Originally Posted by northcrunk

Has any player been suspended for 'unsportsmanlike conduct'

Sounds like a joke to me.

Yes, Matthew Tkachuk, 3 weeks ago.

[bax]

For everyone claiming he’s going to have two suspensions for stick infractions, he won’t.

The league knows he’s just being a pest hence why both the Detroit suspension and this hearing are falling under “unsportsmanlike conduct” and not spearing.

[corporatejay]

Originally Posted by CSharp

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.

Yes too bad they don't have the best coach the in the league and from a modern day perspective, one of the best of the last 25 years.

[PeteMoss]

If it wasn't Tkachuk it would be a fine at best. But he's done these kind of things before so probably 2-3 games.

If this wasn't a national game in Toronto and just a local broadcast game against Carolina no one even notices and he gets 0.

Still stupid.

[kevman]

I'm going to buck the trend and say he gets nothing.

The last unsportsmanlike was a suspension based on the tap starting a full on brawl.

The NHL player safety process is result based. The spear was unsportsmanlike but it a) didn't escalate and b) didn't injure. Therefore it's a fine and nothing more. I hope.

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by northcrunk

Has any player been suspended for 'unsportsmanlike conduct'

Sounds like a joke to me.

Matthew Tkachuk, three weeks ago. Which is why this incident is so much more frustrating.

Also, Steven Stamkos, Alex Killorn, Matthew Dumba and Kevin Hayes have each been fined this season for unsportsmanlike conduct.

[calculoso]

1) He needs to learn that when he's on the bench, he cannot interact with players on the ice
2) The NHL needs to send the message to the rest of the league that players on the bench cannot interact with players on the ice. They missed an opportunity during the Detroit brawl, but will likely learn from that.
3) He needs to figure out how to be an effective pest, in the Brad Marchand or Corey Perry mold. It'll come, as they did, but hopefully he does it sooner rather than later.

All in all, I'm thinking 3-5 games, depending on what was said to him during his last hearing.

[Calgary4LIfe]

It will be interesting to see what he ends up getting. Anywhere between a fine and 5 games sounds right to me.

He just needs to pick his spots a bit better. Just like they say - it is easier to reign-in over-aggressiveness, than it is to make someone who is normally passive to become more aggressive.

Just about the maturation process. Kid will learn. I wouldn't condemn him. He isn't a guy that is trying to hurt players intentionally, and for me that is where that line is drawn. He will just figure out when to do things, and where that line is between agitating and distracting.

[Igottago]

Love what Tkachuk brings in terms of passion and tenacity but this was clearly a dumb move. He probably deserves a suspension. Hopefully it serves as a lesson to him on where to draw the line between good one ice agitation and doing things that are totally unnecessary.

[BigFlameDog]

Jebus....can we stop calling this a "spear"? He poked him, he poked him with his stick and Martin says he didn't even feel it.

By we I am mainly pointing at the media. I am not saying lets go back to the 80's but watch every scrum back then and there were at least a couple of actual spears every time.

[EldrickOnIce]

Originally Posted by northcrunk

Has any player been suspended for 'unsportsmanlike conduct'

Sounds like a joke to me.

You cannot engage players when either you, or they, are not on the ice. Not sure why this seems like a joke. No, it's nothing like the old school shenanigans we used to see involving off ice stuff, but same idea still applies - and he has earned the target on his back. Would either incident hurt anyone? Nope. But still applies.

[Love]

Please just be a fine. We need him tonight

[EldrickOnIce]

Originally Posted by BigFlameDog

Jebus....can we stop calling this a "spear"? He poked him, he poked him with his stick and Martin says he didn't even feel it.

By we I am mainly pointing at the media. I am not saying lets go back to the 80's but watch every scrum back then and there were at least a couple of actual spears every time.

You do not even have to make contact to call it spearing. A spear is using the blade of the stick. So yeah - obviously spearing. If there was intent to injure, we'd be talking 10 to 20 games, not 2

[calculoso]

Originally Posted by BigFlameDog

Jebus....can we stop calling this a "spear"? He poked him, he poked him with his stick and Martin says he didn't even feel it.

What do you think a Spear is?

By definition, a spear is a jab with the toe of the stick. Just because it wasn't a severe spear doesn't change the fact that it was in fact a spear

NHL Rulebook:
http://www.nhl.com/nhl/en/v3/ext/rul...L-rulebook.pdf

Rule 62 – Spearing
62.1 Spearing - Spearing shall mean stabbing an opponent with the point
of the stick blade, whether contact is made or not.

[N26]

Originally Posted by northcrunk

Has any player been suspended for 'unsportsmanlike conduct'

Sounds like a joke to me.

Surely every single suspension involves unsportmanlike conduct. Hence the suspension.

Whether it is designated as such or as a spear or slash or whatever.

[GioforPM]

While it is probably technically a spear, I think the fact that the NHL has said the hearing is about unsportsmanlike conduct as opposed to actually saying "spear" probably has some relevance as to what they think of the action.