Jujhar Khaira carried off the ice on stretcher

[Joborule]

Originally Posted by GordonBlue

to me there is no argument. As soon as you say the first thing he contacts is the head, then you have your answer. It's not a clean hit.

Give him a game if nothing else.

Precisely. It's the same problem the NFL has where a hit itself may technically look legal, but if first contact is at the head, it's illegal by default in the interest of player safety. (Or rather, being forced to do it due to lawsuits)

It's gonna take years to adjust, and this incident is a tough example, but any contact to the head, intentional or unintentional, needs to have consequences. Body checking should be done if you're certain you can contact the player without making contact to the head. If not, then attempt to separate the player from the puck in an alternative fashion.

[Cecil Terwilliger]

Originally Posted by Cali Panthers Fan

I have to adamantly disagree with the bolded. It was absolutely a hockey play, and he was literally separating the man from the puck. I bristle at the idea that there's no place for a body check, especially when you're trying to keep the puck in the offensive zone. I have no issue with the general idea of the play.

However, the player was vulnerable. He did also hit his head first before anything else. He could have let up a little but chose to hit him as hard as he could. To me, this is a cultural issue the NHL has about "blowing guys up", and that has to change, but it will take time.

To me, it's absolutely suspension worthy for the hit to the head on a vulnerable player, but probably no more than 2 games.

Well he didn’t have possession so I’m not sure how you can even argue it separated the man from the puck. He never had the puck.

It’s not a hockey play as injuring people for no reason has nothing to do with hockey.

Even if we consider a hit a method of eliminating the player from making a play on the puck, which is a hockey play when a player has possession (which he didn’t but let’s play along), then it’s still a terrible method of doubt that. It was pretty much the least effective way to separate man from puck. A poke check, less severe collision, straight up taking the puck away would have all been more effective for Trouba and his team. Any of those plays would have given the rangers a far better chance and turning the play into an offensive chance and regaining possession.

Laying a devastating hit accomplishes none of those things and in no way helped his team.

So not only did it injure a guy but it was an ineffective play.

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by Nsd1

https://twitter.com/user/status/1468412370573676545

Originally Posted by Cecil Terwilliger

Well he didn’t have possession so I’m not sure how you can even argue it separated the man from the puck. He never had the puck.

It’s not a hockey play as injuring people for no reason has nothing to do with hockey.

Even if we consider a hit a method of eliminating the player from making a play on the puck, which is a hockey play when a player has possession (which he didn’t but let’s play along), then it’s still a terrible method of doubt that. It was pretty much the least effective way to separate man from puck. A poke check, less severe collision, straight up taking the puck away would have all been more effective for Trouba and his team. Any of those plays would have given the rangers a far better chance and turning the play into an offensive chance and regaining possession.

Laying a devastating hit accomplishes none of those things and in no way helped his team.

So not only did it injure a guy but it was an ineffective play.

I think he had possession of the puck in that is was in coming through his feet and about to come up to his stick. You can see if in this twitter video above.

Like it or not it can be argued that this type of hit does help his team. Having played a fair amount of contact sport, you are very aware of "big hitters" when they are in the game. This can cause some players to change the way they play their game.

I think the initial point of contact is the head, so this bring it into illegal hit territory. The initial point of contact should have been sternum.

I most certainly hope Khaira is ok, as has been noted he has a history.


A bit OT, but I would be interested in NHL players wear an impact measuring mouth guard.

[Cecil Terwilliger]

Originally Posted by undercoverbrother

I think he had possession of the puck in that is was in coming through his feet and about to come up to his stick. You can see if in this twitter video above.

Like it or not it can be argued that this type of hit does help his team. Having played a fair amount of contact sport, you are very aware of "big hitters" when they are in the game. This can cause some players to change the way they play their game.

I think the initial point of contact is the head, so this bring it into illegal hit territory. The initial point of contact should have been sternum.

I most certainly hope Khaira is ok, as has been noted he has a history.


A bit OT, but I would be interested in NHL players wear an impact measuring mouth guard.

You know what else would change the way players play the game? If we sent out a guy with a chainsaw instead of a hockey stick. That doesn’t make it ok though.

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by Cecil Terwilliger

You know what else would change the way players play the game? If we sent out a guy with a chainsaw instead of a hockey stick. That doesn’t make it ok though.

Seems like a reasonable well thought out response.

The hit on Khaira was illegal as I see it.

If that hit is shoulder to sternum it is legal and affective.

Every contact sport has a level of physical intimidation associated with it.

[Goriders]

I’m sure Trouba’s intent wasn’t to put him in the hospital. He had his head down and couldn’t protect himself properly from the hit. It was an unfortunate incident.

Big hits are a part of the game. They can change momentum, start scoring plays ect.

I don’t agree with the comment above about them not being effective. They have a huge impact. I’m not referring to hits that injure players.

[neo45]

Same hit as Sarich on Marleau

Khaira having been knocked unconscious once (twice?) recently definitely plays a factor. He needs to sit out long term and properly recover. Each time you get KO’d it happens easier and easier

[PaperBagger'14]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

People have said this to me in the past too. Such a brutal take.
Why should I stop watching a sport I love just because I don't enjoying watching have their brain turned to mush.

Hockey doesn't need hits like that.

Hits need to be about separating player from puck and anything more than that should be illegal.

Now go ahead and tell me I should watch figure skating instead.

No one wants to see injuries, agreed there. There are also many examples of big open ice hits that do not lead to injuries like this.

Personally I love big hits like this and I do not want to see them out of the game. These hits have been in the game a long time and are legal with current rules. I want to see guys get hit hard for not having situational awareness, that's the price you pay in hockey.

[neo45]

Originally Posted by transplant99

A clean hit, by definition, is not a predatory hit though. A predatory hit would see a long suspension in this case. It was just a really hard one.

What would be required in your scenario would be to outlaw body checking completely.

Personally I would want no part of that.

I think “predatory hit” is a ridiculous saying anyways that doesn’t really mean anything at this point

“Unsuspecting player” as well

[calumniate]

Reminds me of when Dion got Kyle Okpozo.. Okpozo was trying to get a puck to settle down.. those moments can be pretty scary. Glad to hear that Khaira was released from hospital at least

[PuckSlap]

Originally Posted by calumniate

Reminds me of when Dion got Kyle Okpozo.. Okpozo was trying to get a puck to settle down.. those moments can be pretty scary. Glad to hear that Khaira was released from hospital at least

My thought exactly


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Jiri Hrdina]

Originally Posted by PaperBagger'14

No one wants to see injuries, agreed there. There are also many examples of big open ice hits that do not lead to injuries like this.

Personally I love big hits like this and I do not want to see them out of the game. These hits have been in the game a long time and are legal with current rules. I want to see guys get hit hard for not having situational awareness, that's the price you pay in hockey.

I do not like big open ice hits enough to accept the consequences of them.
They need to be eliminated. And they will be. It's only a matter of when.

[Goriders]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

I do not like big open ice hits enough to accept the consequences of them.
They need to be eliminated. And they will be. It's only a matter of when.

Honestly. I don’t think they will be eliminated.

[Scroopy Noopers]

Originally Posted by CorsiHockeyLeague

Is that really what you saw here? Trouba thinking, "oh he's got his head down, I'm going to destroy him"? I agree with Transplant, I think he was going to hit him regardless - the d-man is going to step up and make that hit if he thinks he can get there at the same time as the puck before the player has any chance to do anything with it. That pressure can create a 2 on 1 down low because your forwards are still below the dot and the other team is looking to break out. It's a bit of a risky pinch but it happens a few times a game, just not always with a big hit involved.

Well, no I don’t believe any athlete is thinking in full sentences when reading and reacting and making quick plays. They rely on practice and experience playing the game within the rules to make split second decisions and act on them. I do believe the entire intent of stepping up to play the body on a breakout is to “light the player up”. It’s physical intimidation. It’s within the rules, but that’s what it is.

So a lifetime of “light that player up” is why he stepped up on the player. D pick their spots on plays like this and almost always do it when a forward doesn’t have their head up. Otherwise they’d get sidestepped 9 times out of 10.

I don’t believe he’ll get a suspension based on the criteria for a “illegal check to the head”, but I also don’t like the play and wouldn’t miss it. Maybe personally going through post concussion problems makes me biased. Used to like these plays, but with what we know I no longer like it. And no I’m not watching a different sport.

[Jay Random]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

I do not like big open ice hits enough to accept the consequences of them.
They need to be eliminated. And they will be. It's only a matter of when.

The only way that's going to happen is by eliminating contact altogether.

If hits on a ‘vulnerable player’ are made illegal, every player will learn to make himself ‘vulnerable’ in any situation where he might be hit. Result: no hitting, ever.

I honestly don't understand why you like any contact sports at all.

[dammage79]

At speed, it would have been a much different outcome had Seth Jones not made a suicide pass that also doubled down as a pass into Khairas feet.

Tape to tape suicide pass= no head contact because his head would have been up and he'd have seen trouba coming, and would have just been blown up regularly. Bad suicide pass into skates.... we see the results.


Edit: they don't call them suicide passes for nothing.

[transplant99]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

I do not like big open ice hits enough to accept the consequences of them.
They need to be eliminated. And they will be. It's only a matter of when.

No they won't.

It's part of the fabric of the game and a fundamental way of playing it. Physical harm happens in fast sports played by big humans, you cannot legislate it out of the game.

[Young Guns]

Originally Posted by undercoverbrother

A bit OT, but I would be interested in NHL players wear an impact measuring mouth guard.

Is it a rule in the NHL that all players wear a mouth guard? Or is Tkachuk the only player that doesn't have to wear one? Really off topic here but I tried skating once with mine hanging out of my mouth. I lost it 10 seconds into my shift.

I hate the open ice hit. That sick feeling seeing guys knocked out. (Kariya) Really think you could eliminate this hit fairly easily.

[kevman]

Originally Posted by transplant99

No they won't.

It's part of the fabric of the game and a fundamental way of playing it. Physical harm happens in fast sports played by big humans, you cannot legislate it out of the game.

If the NFL can put a defenseless receiver rule into play, why can't the NHL do the same? Both "were part of the game" and one day they won't be.

[BlindMilwaukee]

While I totally agree with the premise of not blowing up guys receiving suicide passes the defenseless receiver rule is only for the player in the act of receiving the pass unable to defend themselves. Not for a player running down the field with their head down carrying the ball.

I think that's what some people are worried about with a slippery slope of banning big hits in general. This does not at all apply to the Khaira injury, but the thought that some guys will just put their heads down and assume guys won't hit them because they "shouldn't", would ruin the game for some fans for sure.