[News] Shawn Horcoff suspended 20 games: PEDs

[KootenayFlamesFan]

Elliotte Friedman ‏@FriedgeHNIC
We have to see if Horcoff will appeal or make some kind of statement. Word is he's devastated by the positive test.

[KootenayFlamesFan]

Craig Custance ‏@CraigCustance
Horcoff not expected to appeal the suspension.

[ZedMan]

Originally Posted by codynw

It's funny how the only guys they "catch" are fringe players at best.

Not really. It's guys like Horcoff and other fringe NHLers that need to work the hardest to stay in the league. Especially after last summer. Star or even good players don't need to worry about if they have a spot on a team next year so they'd be less motivated to take a risk like this to improve performance.

[FanIn80]

What constitutes a PED in the NHL? Are we talking blood doping, or Sudafed for a sinus headache?

[Scornfire]

Originally Posted by KootenayFlamesFan

Darren Haynes ‏@DarrenWHaynes
20 games for Shawn Horcoff and a forfeiture of $357,526 for violating the terms of the NHL/NHLPA Performance Enhancing Substances Program.

Holy hell, that's probably a bigger fine than every illegal hit/headshot fine the league has handed out put together. Just wow

[blankall]

Originally Posted by FanIn80

What constitutes a PED in the NHL? Are we talking blood doping, or Sudafed for a sinus headache?

20 games...I doubt it was just Sudafed.

[blankall]

Originally Posted by Ashasx

I have to imagine hockey is one of the sports where PEDs have the least beneficial impact.

PEDs won't help you become a better stickhandler, but they will help a lot with everything else including injury recovery. Hockey is also a game where you have to be totally amped for 30-45 seconds at a time. So they might be talking about amphetamines as well.

For grinder and players on the cusp, PEDs would make all the difference in the world. For a player like Horcoff, who is old by NHL standards, it could be to help recover from a nagging injury.

[Goodlad]

Originally Posted by ZedMan

Not really. It's guys like Horcoff and other fringe NHLers that need to work the hardest to stay in the league. Especially after last summer. Star or even good players don't need to worry about if they have a spot on a team next year so they'd be less motivated to take a risk like this to improve performance.

Exactly this. It's a risk/reward scenario. Guys at the top of the game aren't willing to risk taking something that could land them a 20 game suspension and possibly losing endorsement deals, etc. For a fringe guy barely hanging on it's PED and still have a job in the league vs. possibly finishing your career in the AHL/overseas. I can definitely see how more guys in that scenario are willing to chance getting caught.

[Lanny'sDaMan]

Originally Posted by KootenayFlamesFan

Elliotte Friedman ‏@FriedgeHNIC
We have to see if Horcoff will appeal or make some kind of statement. Word is he's devastated by the positive test.

Man am I a cynical old fart. I totally read that as "He's devastated he got caught."

[Parallex]

If Horcoff was using them this year then I'm not sure how performance enhancing they could be.

... I wonder if it was Adderall.

[sureLoss]

[Lanny'sDaMan]

Originally Posted by socalwingfan

and in 20 minutes, the usual player response of "I didn't know I was taking anything wrong - it was just supplements/energy drinks"

BOOM. You called it.

[Knut]

A Genuine apology.. wow.

[MrMastodonFarm]

Originally Posted by blankall

For grinder and players on the cusp, PEDs would make all the difference in the world. For a player like Horcoff, who is old by NHL standards, it could be to help recover from a nagging injury.

Nailed it.

[FeyWest]

This is what I don't understand, why would you not have checked in the first place it's not like you're doing much injured and all it takes is a phone call asking about X treatment. Ignorance is just irresponsible....

[Knut]

Originally Posted by Lanny'sDaMan

BOOM. You called it.

Seem's like he blamed himself for it and took full responsibility.

[Buff]

Originally Posted by FeyWest

This is what I don't understand, why would you not have checked in the first place it's not like you're doing much injured and all it takes is a phone call asking about X treatment. Ignorance is just irresponsible....

And that was he is saying. He was ignorant of what he was taking and it was his fault for not checking into it.

[killer_carlson]

I'll give him some credit here.

His apology would seem like fluff if he also appealed the sentence. But instead he's accepting a $300,000 fine and blaming no one but himself.

[habernac]

Originally Posted by Hesla

Seem's like he blamed himself for it and took full responsibility.

What else could he do, really? Deniers don't get any sympathy.

[CaptainYooh]

Anyone knows how the NHL PED testing protocol actually works? Is each player tested on some kind of a regular basis (daily? weekly? before each game?) or is it random team-based testing etc.? Also, who administers the tests - teams themselves or the league-appointed personnel?