Hit by Trouba on Dal Colle

[Itse]

Originally Posted by sempuki

If you hit a guy in the head with your stick, it's a penalty -- regardless. If you hit a guy in the head with your shoulder, it's a penalty -- if you want concussions out of the game.

I'd rather see a high stick than a high hit. At least you can get new chicklets and they work just the same as the old. Ain't no replacing your brain.

This. Players are going to be vulnerable. Making hits to the head just because their head is down can't be okay.

Does it make it more difficult to make hits? Yes. Too bad. Brain (and neck) injuries are not worth those hits.

No one is ever going to put their head down deliberately "to protect themselves" , it's ridiculous to suggest that could ever be a thing.

[Erick Estrada]

He lined him up with his head down. It's a predatory play and they type of play that they are getting rid of in football and hockey should probably follow suit.

[transplant99]

https://twitter.com/user/status/1232641050575081474

[Fan in Exile]

Originally Posted by CaptainYooh

Trouba jumped. Both feet off the ice. It’ll be a suspension, for sure. And it should be.

Didn't jump. Didn't charge. No idea what you're talking about. However the primary point of contact was definitely the head. That's because it was out ahead of him and down while he had the puck but will likely be punished for that reason. High risk of serious injury from hits like that.

[delayedreflex]

Originally Posted by CorsiHockeyLeague

I don't think contact with the head was "avoidable", though, and that's part of that rule. That is, I really don't see how Trouba could hit him without contact to the head. And that's Dal Colle's fault, because he's put his head down.

Basically, I don't want it to be the rule in hockey that a guy can skate around with his head down and thereby make it illegal to hit him straight on.

See, I understand that there's room for a difference of opinion on the hit itself, but this is just a bad, uninformed take. Every hit ever where two players are going in opposite directions will result in the hitter leaving the ice post-contact. That's just physics. He absolutely didn't jump into that hit.

I agree, if Trouba was a bit shorter he probably wouldn't have even hit Dal Colle's head even though it was down. It definitely looked like Trouba was aiming for the shoulder and got as low as he reasonably could. I suppose he could have thrown a hip check instead but not sure if that's really any safer.

This sort of thing has me conflicted, as I can definitely see how this sort of hit can be dangerous, but at the same time it seems ridiculous to suggest that Trouba just shouldn't have hit him. Suggesting that he could have let up more also seems to be too much of a grey area - just how big of a hit is reasonable to throw at a vulnerable player?

[Displaced Flames fan]

Pageau's fault. Horrible pass.

Clean hit

[8sPOT]

Keep. Your. Head. Up.

That was the #1 rule when playing hockey growing up, and for your own safety it should still be the #1 rule.

Beautiful open ice hit. You can't eliminate this type of hit without eliminating hitting.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by 8sPOT

Keep. Your. Head. Up.

That was the #1 rule when playing hockey growing up, and for your own safety it should still be the #1 rule.

Beautiful open ice hit. You can't eliminate this type of hit without eliminating hitting.

This is also the premise for those who sincerely believe that for the good of the players and to ensure the long-term viability and safety of professional hockey, these types of hits do need to be removed from the game. I don't know that I am necessarily one of those people, but I am greatly concerned about the issues surrounding hitting in the game today and in the future.

If you are as conflicted about head-hits like these as I am, then I think it makes sense to penalize them, even if they are unavoidable or not deliberate. I don't think there can be any grey-area where grey matter is concerned: if you make contact with another player's head, that should be a penalty every time.

[sempuki]

Originally Posted by 8sPOT

Keep. Your. Head. Up.

That was the #1 rule when playing hockey growing up, and for your own safety it should still be the #1 rule.

Beautiful open ice hit. You can't eliminate this type of hit without eliminating hitting.

If hits to the head with your shoulder would be treated like hits to the head with your stick, it may incidentally ban big open ice hitting, but the idea it would bad all hitting, or even any physicality, is absurd.

The purpose of a hockey check is to separate player and puck. You don't need to put people in the trolley tracks to play hard physical hockey.

Not that I make the rules, or play hockey -- my brain (mostly) works just fine.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by 8sPOT

Keep. Your. Head. Up.

That was the #1 rule when playing hockey growing up, and for your own safety it should still be the #1 rule.

Beautiful open ice hit. You can't eliminate this type of hit without eliminating hitting.

They have done it in football so I fail to see why they can't do it in hockey.

[soulchoice]

Originally Posted by sempuki

If hits to the head with your shoulder would be treated like hits to the head with your stick, it may incidentally ban big open ice hitting, but the idea it would bad all hitting, or even any physicality, is absurd.

The purpose of a hockey check is to separate player and puck. You don't need to put people in the trolley tracks to play hard physical hockey.

Not that I make the rules, or play hockey -- my brain (mostly) works just fine.

I get what youre saying Sempuki, but if you have played hockey on a contact level, you would also realize its not just about separating the player from the puck during the game. There is an element of intimidation and fear one wants to instil on an opposing player with an ability to put people out on the tracks.

Most puck carriers who know they may get lit up will tend to play scared or may make a bad play with the puck when there is a chance to get hammered. If a player knows there is someone out there who will demolish you the moment you put your head down or try to dangle him, there is a tendency to play differently. This happens in all level of hockey.

I would hope if it was a Flames Dman in the same situation as Trouba to not let up and give a message, just like Sarich did to Marleau. Just as if a Flames player got hit in that manner, I would say, keep your head up and be aware of your surroundings. Its a fast game.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by soulchoice

I get what youre saying Sempuki, but if you have played hockey on a contact level, you would also realize its not just about separating the player from the puck during the game. There is an element of intimidation and fear one wants to instil on an opposing player with an ability to put people out on the tracks.

Most puck carriers who know they may get lit up will tend to play scared or may make a bad play with the puck when there is a chance to get hammered. If a player knows there is someone out there who will demolish you the moment you put your head down or try to dangle him, there is a tendency to play differently. This happens in all level of hockey.

I would hope if it was a Flames Dman in the same situation as Trouba to not let up and give a message, just like Sarich did to Marleau. Just as if a Flames player got hit in that manner, I would say, keep your head up and be aware of your surroundings. Its a fast game.

Things are different now though. Some players simply don't like to get hit and there's nothing wrong with laying the body on those guys in hopes of getting them off their games. However no player should ever play out of fear that his head may get taken off if he has possession of the puck on open ice.

[metroneck]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

They have done it in football so I fail to see why they can't do it in hockey.

I don’t disagree, but in football the ball carrier’s head level, stays relatively consistent, unless they lower the shoulder for impact.

On the ice, a players head can be anywhere, as the look for, twist or reach for the puck, plus the speed and change of puck possession add a whole other layer.

It is hard for a ‘hitter’ to anticipate where the head will be at the time of contact.

That being said, I think more needs to be done to protect the head.

[stone hands]

Originally Posted by metroneck

I don’t disagree, but in football the ball carrier’s head level, stays relatively consistent, unless they lower the shoulder for impact.

On the ice, a players head can be anywhere, as the look for, twist or reach for the puck, plus the speed and change of puck possession add a whole other layer.

It is hard for a ‘hitter’ to anticipate where the head will be at the time of contact.

That being said, I think more needs to be done to protect the head.

not in this case

[wretched34]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

Things are different now though. Some players simply don't like to get hit and there's nothing wrong with laying the body on those guys in hopes of getting them off their games. However no player should ever play out of fear that his head may get taken off if he has possession of the puck on open ice.

Fast paced contact sport.... Every player should absolutely fear his head may get taken off while he has possession of the puck. That's how you protect yourself.
If you feel like you're untouchable, you put yourself in vulnerable positions.

Until the NHL says there is no hitting allowed, players should protect themselves at all times while on the ice.

If you choose to earn millions of dollars by playing hockey, you are accepting the risks that come along with it. Just like any other profession with dangers.

[CaptainYooh]

Originally Posted by transplant99

https://twitter.com/user/status/1232641050575081474

[sempuki]

Originally Posted by soulchoice

I get what youre saying Sempuki, but if you have played hockey on a contact level, you would also realize its not just about separating the player from the puck during the game. There is an element of intimidation and fear one wants to instil on an opposing player with an ability to put people out on the tracks.

Most puck carriers who know they may get lit up will tend to play scared or may make a bad play with the puck when there is a chance to get hammered. If a player knows there is someone out there who will demolish you the moment you put your head down or try to dangle him, there is a tendency to play differently. This happens in all level of hockey.

I would hope if it was a Flames Dman in the same situation as Trouba to not let up and give a message, just like Sarich did to Marleau. Just as if a Flames player got hit in that manner, I would say, keep your head up and be aware of your surroundings. Its a fast game.

Of course there's that element, but I don't think big open ice hits fundamentally contribute to that element, since by definition players never see the hit coming.

And it's about player brain damage -- not audience pearl clutching.

[soulchoice]

Originally Posted by sempuki

Of course there's that element, but I don't think big open ice hits fundamentally contribute to that element, since by definition players never see the hit coming.

And it's about player brain damage -- not audience pearl clutching.

Agreed on the audience aspect. True

However as someone that played a decent level of hockey, although a while ago, it certainly does play a part in how one carries or will lunge at the puck in the open ice. In this case the onus is clearly on Dal Colle to realize its best not to stare down at the puck especially in the neutral zone. It’s not like he was bending over near the boards. I can assure you unless he wants a short career he will probably not take a hit like that often.

In junior he may have had an extra second to get his head back up while retrieving the puck but in the show it’s just too fast and the players are that much bigger and stronger.

[Azure]

To me it looks like a fair amount of shoulder / chest contact which I found remarkable considering his head was so far down.

I think Trouba did a great job at trying to keep the hit as clean as possible while not holding back. Almost a hit that should be used as an example of what a good hockey hit is if a player is in that position.

[soulchoice]

Originally Posted by Azure

To me it looks like a fair amount of shoulder / chest contact which I found remarkable considering his head was so far down.

I think Trouba did a great job at trying to keep the hit as clean as possible while not holding back. Almost a hit that should be used as an example of what a good hockey hit is if a player is in that position.

It was a textbook hit.