[News] Kassian to have hearing with NHL **Assessed a two-game suspension**

[Dogbert]

If I was coaching, I would have a certain number of games in kind for Kassian’s suspension. If the NHL failed to suspend him for at least the length of time I had in mind, I would send Rinaldo out the next game with explicit instructions to take one of their top players out by any means necessary, as well as assurance that any fines or missed paycheques incurred as a result would be paid or reimbursed by myself personally.

[Robo]

I have a feeling this gets more games then people think the nhl has to send a stern message that this is unacceptable he will get hit with a big suspension at least 5 games they will take him out of the next couple boa games

[CgyFlamesftw]

Originally Posted by Robo

I have a feeling this gets more games then people think the nhl has to send a stern message that this is unacceptable he will get hit with a big suspension at least 5 games they will take him out of the next couple boa games

I have a feeling it’s gonna be 1. Oilers were talking about here, they are saints in the eyes of the NHL.

[Table 5]

Originally Posted by Matty81

You can have the passion and make the game interesting without risking injury to this extent.

It's one thing to try and legislate the ideal amount of passion in the boardroom to please all marketing and health objectives...but it's much harder to expect that rational behaviour on the ice. These are grown men (some less intelligent then others), full of adrenaline, taunting each other, under the spotlight. It's naive to think that you can have the "passion" of a guy like Tkachuk going around taunting and trolling other players, and then expect a meathead like Kassian to always act rationally in response. At some point, a little face-wash will not cut it. And I think Tkachuk is more than aware of that.

Kassian went too far, and was punished for it with penalties and shame...whether he deserves more is up for debate and that's why he's having a hearing. The reality though is that if you want passion and drama in this sport, this is the type of stuff that inevitably will happen at times. We either have to be ok with some added risk, or we need to be ok with a more clinical product. I get (and agree) with the injury argument, but from an entertainment perspective, I know which one I prefer.

[81MC]

Kassian didn’t go a ‘bit too far’ at the end. He went too far went he horse-collared a player from behind, who was engaged in the on-ice play, and slammed him to the ice.

I love big hits and scrapping, and I’m usually one to defend questionable or close calls. But there is no way Kassian had any right to start throwing headshots when he already had the guy dragged down from the back of his shirt. That’s absolute bull####.

[The Big Chill]

Should be a lengthy suspension IMO. Pulling him to the ice twice and punches to the back of his head are very dangerous. I'm all for aggressive play, but the NHL needs to protect it's players heads.

[Aegypticus]

I think something that hasn’t gotten a lot of attention in the past is that the wheel of justice definitely takes into account the negative media attention of an incident in how many games someone gets. A lot of pretty minor things have received more games than expected because the league got embarrassed by US press coverage or extended attention on HNIC and shows like Tim and Sid. If clips of Kassian show up on ESPN or whatever down in the states, this is getting 5 games for sure.

[KootenayFlamesFan]

I think he gets 1 game just to make up for the screw up by the refs last night. That's an easy 2, 5 and a game. I hope he doesn't get more than that, he's a huge asset to the Flames when they play the Oilers.

[Vinny01]

I definitely think Kassian declaring he is going to basically head hunt Tkachuk next time these teams play is going to definitely increase the length of the suspension

[WhiteTiger]

Originally Posted by CgyFlamesftw

I have a feeling it’s gonna be 1. Oilers were talking about here, they are saints in the eyes of the NHL.

Which is pretty funny, because their fans see them as the hated whipping dogs of the NHL, who never get a break because the whole leagues against them...

[soreshins]

The whining from Oilers fans about Tkachuk is simply glorious

[Matty81]

Passion will for sure boil over in sports. But for me this went well beyond acceptable blowing off steam. The only difference between this and a total pr disaster for the nhl is lack of an injury which was just blind luck.

I grew up on 80s BOA too and there were lots of fights, elbows and stick work but I never saw a guy who didn't want to fight get pummelled like that from behind. Its revisionist history to say the game changed and got soft and this stuff was the norm.

And before people say it, yes there were plenty of guys running around doing the same crap like Tikk and Fleury who refused to fight 99% of the time yet the code still didnt permit jumping a guy from behind.

I'd like to see 5 games. I expect 2. Nhl from a marketing perspective probably won't want him out for what will now be a marquee game but increasingly face pressure to address any kind of violence that could be held up in CTE litigation as example of condoning behaviour causing head injuries.

[CaptainCrunch]

To me he's had multiple multi game suspensions including a 5 game suspension for breaking Gagner's face. This was a thug assault, the Horse collar was bad enough and dangerous enough, but punching at a vulnerable player is unacceptable.



Oh and Kassain isn't a warrior, he's a spot checking gutless weasel. The league needs to throw the book at him, he should be gone for 8 games and be suspended for the remaining games against the Flames.


Oh and the league should also take into account his threat last night to hit MT when he's in a vulnerable position, that's an implied threat to injure.

[transplant99]

Originally Posted by Matty81

Passion will for sure boil over in sports. But for me this went well beyond acceptable blowing off steam. The only difference between this and a total pr disaster for the nhl is lack of an injury which was just blind luck.

I grew up on 80s BOA too and there were lots of fights, elbows and stick work but I never saw a guy who didn't want to fight get pummelled like that from behind. Its revisionist history to say the game changed and got soft and this stuff was the norm.

And before people say it, yes there were plenty of guys running around doing the same crap like Tikk and Fleury who refused to fight 99% of the time yet the code still didnt permit jumping a guy from behind.

I'd like to see 5 games. I expect 2. Nhl from a marketing perspective probably won't want him out for what will now be a marquee game but increasingly face pressure to address any kind of violence that could be held up in CTE litigation as example of condoning behaviour causing head injuries.

Ummm....happened pretty regularly actually. No revisionism needed.

Mark Messier was the king of it. The difference between then and now is IF someone got a guy from behind/unsuspecting back then, they knew they had to answer for it at some point. Usually within the same game. Npw normally the guys involved in such things were guys that regularly would at least fight, not everyone was fair game.

The instigator was born of such incidents and was the worst rule change in the history of the game IMO. No on ice accountability any longer.

[BigBCalgary]

I wonder... If the Nhl gave him a game for every punch landed after the first one, how many games would he get? Because that's sort of where I'd go with it. Just like the "what if's" floating around here in regards to it being turned around. If it was Rinaldo on one of their stars.

[transplant99]

Greasey fans gonna hate this

https://twitter.com/user/status/1216434665562619904

[Locke]

If they really want to punish Kassian and the Oilers they'd waive a suspension and instigate a mandatory 25+ minutes of ice-time for Kassian per night.

But first they should probably get him a helmet that they have to bolt to his skull. For his own protection.

[Fuzz]

Hopefully he gets a lot of crap form this from the league and team, so the next time they play Tkachuk can spend the whole game goading Kassian, knowing he'll be thinking thrice about retaliating.

[Matty81]

Originally Posted by transplant99

Ummm....happened pretty regularly actually. No revisionism needed.

Mark Messier was the king of it. The difference between then and now is IF someone got a guy from behind/unsuspecting back then, they knew they had to answer for it at some point. Usually within the same game. Npw normally the guys involved in such things were guys that regularly would at least fight, not everyone was fair game.

The instigator was born of such incidents and was the worst rule change in the history of the game IMO. No on ice accountability any longer.

I actually found semenko to be the worst fight wise in that Hunter owned him when the fights were fair but he had a tendency to jump people, albeit guys he knew would be willing. Messier was bad for getting the stick and elbows up when people were trying to hit him. Never saw Tikkanen (or anybody else) take 12 shots unanswered like that while everyone watched and he was way worse of a rat and half the player Tkachuk is.

[codynw]

If Lucic's gloved punch was worth 2 games, what Kassian did last night should be worth significantly more. But I fully expect the NHL to disappoint me here.