[News] Kessel suspended rest of preseason. Will not miss any regular season games

[Wolven]

Originally Posted by Bandwagon In Flames

I don't think many people have much of an issue with the first slash, that's just instinctive when a 6 foot 8 guy is coming at you gloves off.

The second slash and the spear while Scott is being held down was very childish and I think a lot of players around the league took exception and will consider him fair game. You don't poke the bear.

I'm fine with the second slash. It was only seconds behind the first slash, still heat of the moment and if you look at what Scott is doing instead of what Kessel is doing, you will see that Scott is starting to pummel Brennan (who just came to Kessel's defense). Kessel may be a coward but at least he was willing to do something for the guy that just saved him from a world of hurt.

Coming back and tapping Scott 2 minutes later was a dick move but it wasn't a spear. What I got out of it was Kessel essentially calling Scott a loser, not trying to wildly spear the guy. I doubt Scott even noticed the stick that time (if he even felt either of the slashes).

I really do not get the desire to throw the book at Kessel. This whole situation is a result of the Sabres putting out the goon squad right after the Devane and Tropp fight.

[Meers]

Absolutely gutless non-suspension by Shanahan.

The NHL has basically endorsed two-handed tomahawk swings by first liners against fourth liners, even after that fourth line player has been tied up.

. . . well, at least if you're a Leaf. Somehow, if it was Zach Kassian who had done that, I expect the book would have been thrown here.

So expect a huge rise in stickwork this season - until someone loses an eye or has a jaw broken. Then the League will act shocked and hand out a fifteen game suspension (unless it's another Leaf wielding the lumber).

What a joke.

[Wolven]

Originally Posted by Meers

Absolutely gutless non-suspension by Shanahan.

The NHL has basically endorsed two-handed tomahawk swings by first liners against fourth liners, even after that fourth line player has been tied up.

. . . well, at least if you're a Leaf. Somehow, if it was Zach Kassian who had done that, I expect the book would have been thrown here.

So expect a huge rise in stickwork this season - until someone loses an eye or has a jaw broken. Then the League will act shocked and hand out a fifteen game suspension (unless it's another Leaf wielding the lumber).

What a joke.

Trolling? ... There has already been a broken Jaw. Kassian did it.

[DazzlinDino]

Originally Posted by Wolven

I'm fine with the second slash. It was only seconds behind the first slash, still heat of the moment and if you look at what Scott is doing instead of what Kessel is doing, you will see that Scott is starting to pummel Brennan (who just came to Kessel's defense). Kessel may be a coward but at least he was willing to do something for the guy that just saved him from a world of hurt.

Coming back and tapping Scott 2 minutes later was a dick move but it wasn't a spear. What I got out of it was Kessel essentially calling Scott a loser, not trying to wildly spear the guy. I doubt Scott even noticed the stick that time (if he even felt either of the slashes).

I really do not get the desire to throw the book at Kessel. This whole situation is a result of the Sabres putting out the goon squad right after the Devane and Tropp fight.

Some people are fine with stealing too but that doesn't make it right. Just because the second slash was right after the first one... so what happens if he does a 3rd one? Heck he could do ten slashes in a row and you would still be defending him if they were one right after another?

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by schmaaadm

-I can't remember exactly, but weren't the flames/D. Sutter fined for sending oliwa out late in a game once?

Against Nashville. Sutter was actually suspended for that one and the Flames fined $50k.

http://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/flam...y-nhl-1.518076

Bit of a joke though, as I blame that whole thing on Trotz sending Tootoo out to run his mouth... before the punk turned chickensh*t and the officials allowed him to illegally change to spare having to go up against Oliwa.

[Wolven]

Originally Posted by DazzlinDino

Some people are fine with stealing too but that doesn't make it right. Just because the second slash was right after the first one... so what happens if he does a 3rd one? Heck he could do ten slashes in a row and you would still be defending him if they were one right after another?

That would depend upon your definition of self defense and where you draw the line in excessive force. Here people are saying the first slash is fine because Kessel is defending himself but then 2 whole seconds go by and suddenly the next slash is wrong because Scott is now punching Kessel's teammate instead of trying to punch him.

I've already said that I am fine with skilled player like Kessel (or Sven) using his stick as much as needed to defend himself from a monster like Scott and to continue to do so until the goon stops.

If the Flames end up in a situation where MacIntyre is on the ice and McGratton is not and MacIntyre starts trying to beat up everyone on the ice (like in the video posted elsewhere today) then I would much rather have the Flames players stay out of his reach and use their sticks to ward him off instead of trying to engage him fist to fist.

You might rather watch a skilled player take his beating from a goon but I do not.

[DazzlinDino]

Originally Posted by Wolven

That would depend upon your definition of self defense and where you draw the line in excessive force. Here people are saying the first slash is fine because Kessel is defending himself but then 2 whole seconds go by and suddenly the next slash is wrong because Scott is now punching Kessel's teammate instead of trying to punch him.

I've already said that I am fine with skilled player like Kessel (or Sven) using his stick as much as needed to defend himself from a monster like Scott and to continue to do so until the goon stops.

If the Flames end up in a situation where MacIntyre is on the ice and McGratton is not and MacIntyre starts trying to beat up everyone on the ice (like in the video posted elsewhere today) then I would much rather have the Flames players stay out of his reach and use their sticks to ward him off instead of trying to engage him fist to fist.

You might rather watch a skilled player take his beating from a goon but I do not.

We know what happens sometimes in stick swinging incidents people do become seriously injured, so I am not sure I agree with your take on the issue of people using stick swinging as a line of defense. On the double stick swinging "the way I see it" the first one was a reaction to being scared but the second one "looked more like intent to injure". Maybe you don't see it that way but that's exactly how I viewed it.

[Hockeyboi]

Originally Posted by East Coast Flame

LOLNHL!

And they fine the Buffalo coach for "player section"? What an absolute joke.

That was a BS move, so every time a coach beings on an enforcer and there's a fight is the coach looking at a fine?...... Kessel brought most of it on himself..... Glad to see Clarkson getting 10 games thou!!

[valo403]

Originally Posted by Hockeyboi

That was a BS move, so every time a coach beings on an enforcer and there's a fight is the coach looking at a fine?...... Kessel brought most of it on himself..... Glad to see Clarkson getting 10 games thou!!

How exactly did he do that?

[Hockeyboi]

Originally Posted by valo403

How exactly did he do that?

kessel was mouthing off at Scott, Kessel was a hard man when Scott was tied up with another Leafs player to swing the stick at him!

[valo403]

Originally Posted by Hockeyboi

kessel was mouthing off at Scott, Kessel was a hard man when Scott was tied up with another Leafs player to swing the stick at him!

Kessel was mouthing off? Where?

Scott was out there for one reason, and it wasn't to play hockey.

[HartAttack]

Haven't read all the back and forth banter here... But I agree with what Kessel did.

If a goon came at me in beer league the same way Scott did, first thing I'd be doing is swinging that stick like a 9 iron. Then, once my buddies (hopefully) jump in and corral him, I'd give him one more just for good measure. Then I'd chirp him as there's no need for a goon to come out and try and pummel a small (not very) skilled forward like me for no reason.

Good on Kessel, and good on Shanny for "suspending" him to make the poor optics of doing nothing go away.

[Hockeyboi]

Originally Posted by valo403

Kessel was mouthing off? Where?

Scott was out there for one reason, and it wasn't to play hockey.

Maybe so but why is Kessel getting off with his 2nd slash? Scott was no where near him and was tied up with another Leafs player, if Kessel wanted to be hard man he should of dropped the gloves and fought Scott one on one. If Kessel had of maned up and fought Scott then there would have been no line brawl and it wouldn't have got outta hand!

[Cleveland Steam Whistle]

Originally Posted by HartAttack

Haven't read all the back and forth banter here... But I agree with what Kessel did.

If a goon came at me in beer league the same way Scott did, first thing I'd be doing is swinging that stick like a 9 iron. Then, once my buddies (hopefully) jump in and corral him, I'd give him one more just for good measure. Then I'd chirp him as there's no need for a goon to come out and try and pummel a small (not very) skilled forward like me for no reason.

Good on Kessel, and good on Shanny for "suspending" him to make the poor optics of doing nothing go away.

Given Scott never "pummeled" Kessel, you are making a giant assumption on what would have happened to justify Kessel's response.

As one of the folks on the radio said this morning, the Sabers totally over reacted to what occured on the shift before, they acted like a small guy on there team got jumped, which isn't the case. But on the flip side, Kessel was also allowed to get away with a bunch of crap that he shouldn't have after the fact.

Sabers / Scott miss read a situation and acted innappropriately, Kessel acted like a little puss after Scott (who never actually touched him) was well under control. Both actions were less than ideal.

Also, to awesome that you referred to yourself as as a beer league "skilled forward", that made my day

[valo403]

Originally Posted by Hockeyboi

Maybe so but why is Kessel getting off with his 2nd slash? Scott was no where near him and was tied up with another Leafs player, if Kessel wanted to be hard man he should of dropped the gloves and fought Scott one on one. If Kessel had of maned up and fought Scott then there would have been no line brawl and it wouldn't have got outta hand!

He isn't getting off with his second slash, that's exactly what he was suspended for.

Your idea of Kessel fighting Scott is ridiculous. He would have got his ass handed to him, and very likely would have been injured. It's manning up to get the #### kicked out of you by a neanderthal when you aren't a fighter and aren't ever expected to fight? Really? That sounds more like idiocy than anything else.

Kessel didn't want to be a "hard man", he wanted to be a skilled forward. There's no reason he should have to even entertain the possibility of dropping the gloves with some no talent goon.

[valo403]

Originally Posted by Cleveland Steam Whistle

Given Scott never "pummeled" Kessel, you are making a giant assumption on what would have happened to justify Kessel's response.

As one of the folks on the radio said this morning, the Sabers totally over reacted to what occured on the shift before, they acted like a small guy on there team got jumped, which isn't the case. But on the flip side, Kessel was also allowed to get away with a bunch of crap that he shouldn't have after the fact.

Sabers / Scott miss read a situation and acted innappropriately, Kessel acted like a little puss after Scott (who never actually touched him) was well under control. Both actions were less than ideal.

Also, to awesome that you referred to yourself as as a beer league "skilled forward", that made my day

Right, because Scott was just looking to give him a cuddle

[StrykerSteve]

It's amazing to me how many people are justifying Kessell's actions, just because the other guy is bigger than him.

Ridiculous.

[GreenLantern]

If this was Sven or Johnny getting jumped by a goon twice their size we would be screaming bloody murder.

Shanahan made the right call. Trying to fight someone WAYYYY out of your weight class is not a hockey play, its a classless scrub play that has never had a place anywhere in hockey at any time.

[valo403]

Originally Posted by StrykerSteve

It's amazing to me how many people are justifying Kessell's actions, just because the other guy is bigger than him.

Ridiculous.

It's amazing how many people think Kessel should have just taken a beating without defending himself.

Ridiculous

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by HartAttack

Haven't read all the back and forth banter here... But I agree with what Kessel did.

If a goon came at me in beer league the same way Scott did, first thing I'd be doing is swinging that stick like a 9 iron. Then, once my buddies (hopefully) jump in and corral him, I'd give him one more just for good measure. Then I'd chirp him as there's no need for a goon to come out and try and pummel a small (not very) skilled forward like me for no reason.

Good on Kessel, and good on Shanny for "suspending" him to make the poor optics of doing nothing go away.

You might 'agree' with what Kessel did, but that doesn't change anything.

I 'agree' with what Clarkson did - I want my teammates to stick up for each other and as a coach, GM or teammate, I am thanking Clarkson for his actions.

But that does not make his suspension any less justified.