If it was an accident he would've shown some concern for Henderson. Absolutely agree with the decision. Won't demonize Wideman for one momentary lapse of judgment, it shouldn't define him, but he deserves the suspension and the officials deserve a workplace free of the threat of violence, like all of us do.
Green text? A workplace free of violence?
You tell me the last time an NHL player stopped in the middle of play to help an opponent or official and then I'll blame Wideman. It never, ever happens. Ever.
Not to mention Wideman did apologize and if anything him not stopping the play and embarrassing himself shows he didn't think it was a big deal. Honestly, imagine how much he gets ridiculed if Henderson is fine and he takes a penalty. We'd have mercilessly ripped him a new one for being a ##### and an idiot for taking a too many men penalty.
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Jumps into the linesman before contact, follows through with both arms, and like Wideman shows no concern afterward for the linesman's health. 0 games.
No doubt Wideman's is worse, but how is that a 20-game difference in punishment.
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NHL likely went with twenty to appease the referees Union and then let it go to independent arbitration so if it goes get reduced the NHL can wipe they're hands and tell the refs that they were with them.
Just look at coaches challenges being done by the refs still because they "don't want another part of the game taken away from them." Despite GMs and fans complaining about how slow the reviews are and not taking advantage of the technology in the command centre. There was no way the NHL was going to risk backlash from the refs with this suspension
meh, I'm fine with it. If it was a player on another team, I'm guessing no one would have any issues with it. I don't believe he wanted to attack the linesman, but he did it, so ...
This was what I was bracing for - debatable yes, but there is not a clear cut defence that it was unintentional, and the NHL is also thinking about the precedent implications this decision will have. They are clearly sending a message that any abuse of officials, even if such abuse is in a somewhat grey area, will not be tolerated.
Crappy for the Flames insofar as they can't deal him at the deadline
Is that true? I honestly have no idea.
Wideman has a year left so probably won't be an issue anyways but looking at the Detroit option people have been talking about I wonder if it can still happen. If a team doesn't mind taking on a suspended player I can't see it being an issue. It would be less money the Wings would have to pay him this season too.
I find it funny some people still think he'll get off without being suspended any games. For it to go through Bettman then to a neutral arbitrator, it'll take at least 1-2 weeks (if it's very expedited) and he'd have already missed a number of games. And there are many examples of suspensions when players have made contact with a ref or have pulled away with force from a ref. The precedent isn't 0 games. With an appeal, it's not all or nothing. 20 games set the bar high and he'll be lucky to argue it down to 10 games.
Can you cite these suspensions? There are a ton of clips of refs getting clobbered by players and getting nothing because it was deemed an accident. Can't think of any that were suspended.
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Nope, I think he will lose any appeal too. The NHL obviously saw the same thing as I did when you look at the entire picture. I think they got it right.
I don't think so. I feel that gets reduced by independent arbitrator.
He did show concern. Once Wideman had his wits about him again he went and apologized to Henderson.
He never lost his wits at all, he took a stinger to the shoulder and neck, he originally said as much. I am sure he meant the apology and I am sure there was no premeditation in the act but everything seems to indicate he lost control and he crosschecked the linesman, I have zero doubt at this point that is what happened. He never should have went into that hearing and changed his story to being woozy after all because he absolutely destroyed any credibility he had for his original argument, that it was incidental contact and that was all.
I think if he sticks with his original story he gets 10, I think because the NHL caught him in a lie to try and get them to go easy on him they threw the book at him and rightfully so.
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You tell me the last time an NHL player stopped in the middle of play to help an opponent or official and then I'll blame Wideman. It never, ever happens. Ever.
Not to mention Wideman did apologize and if anything him not stopping the play and embarrassing himself shows he didn't think it was a big deal. Honestly, imagine how much he gets ridiculed if Henderson is fine and he takes a penalty. We'd have mercilessly ripped him a new one for being a ##### and an idiot for taking a too many men penalty.
He was right beside the bench door.
A good person would have helped Henderson up to his feet and then went to the bench. It would have taken 2 seconds and would not have been an embarrassment to Wideman. Then I would have a better impression of his situation.
Last edited by craigwd; 02-03-2016 at 01:04 PM.
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