Raffi Torres NHL Suspension

[billybek]

Well, at least it isn't Marchand this time but he and Torres might share the same few IQ points between them.

41 Games. Has the message been delivered with this suspension?

Torres is a repeat offender and this hit was delivered in preseason.

[flatbutt]

41 games? Wow, yeah that's a very clear message.

[rattlsnak]

I really don't think that was that bad of a hit. Yes, he made head contact, and I'm certainly not a Torres fan, but it just didn't look that bad. He didn't hit him from behind, didn't throw an elbow and his shoulder was in front of the other players body. Looked more like a glancing blow so to speak. I guess my point is, I've definitely seen much worse of hits with intent to injure that only got a 2:00 minute penalty, or maybe a few games but 41 is extreme for that particular case.

[1990C4S]

The NHL does a very good job of documenting and explaining suspensions, their logic is sometimes questionable, but they do explain their thinking.

In this case:

a) Torres took several strides before he made the hit

b) Torres used his shoulder to contact Silfverberg's head

c) at a minimum the hit was 'slightly' late, the Shark's had the puck when the hit was delivered

d) Torres could have veered left and taken Sifvergerg out of the play, as he changed his path slightly to avoid a Duck's player just before he delivered the hit

e) the whole play had a look of 'I am going to get Silfverberg'

f) Torres is not (technically, by definition in the collective bargaining agreement) a repeat offender, but he has multiple suspensions, fines and warnings. He has had an 'incident' (fine or suspension) every 100 games of his 700 game career. He does not get it.

Marginal player, he is a danger on the ice. Good riddance. He deserves his $440,000 fine. He is wearing out his welcome around the league.

Torres did the league a big favor here; the NHL gets to send a message that the fines and suspensions are going to be more punitive, and no one is up in arms because Torres is a marginal player that won;t be missed.

Now lets see if the league has the fortitude to keep the same line of thought when a star player makes a similar hit.

[Hawkeye's-911T]

Well, at least it isn't Marchand this time but he and Torres might share the same few IQ points between them.

Add the two up & you might get something approximating room temperature - in Fahrenheit degs. of course. Maybe this time Torres will get the message, then again.....

Cheers
JB

[Por_sha911]

Originally Posted by billybek

Well, at least it isn't Marchand this time...

1) Torres is a habitual offender and the league doesn't allow those hits anymore so the punishment is to be expected.

2) What's with the cheap shot at Marchand? That's the dumbest thing I've heard is a while. There are many players that have a worse record than March. Why not bash Steve Downey, Cody McLeod, Brandon Prust?

Marchand is an agitator and he is good at being hated. That's his job. He had 95 PIM with no game misconducts in 2014-15. At the same time he also scored 24 goals and had 42 pts in 77 games last year.

The other three above?
Downey 238 PIM 1 misconduct 14 G 28 pts
McLeod 191 " 1 " 7 G 12 pts
Prust 134 " 1 " 4 G 18 pts

Marchand had more goals and point than all three combined but Marchand is bad?
Oh, BTW, there were a total of 18 players with more PIMs than Marchand last year. 26 misconducts given out last year. March had zero.
2014-15 NHL Hockey Stats and League Leaders - Major Penalties - National Hockey League - ESPN

The #1 team last year with Game Misconducts was the Habs with 5! The Pens had 4. The Wild had 3. Boston (along with 10 other teams) had 2: Lucic and Bar kowski (Pelican won't let his name print???): Neither one is with the team this year.
2014-15 NHL Hockey Stats and League Leaders - Major Penalties - National Hockey League - ESPN

All that said, when he was asked how he feels about being booed, Marchand said "they don't boo nobodys" and smiled.

[Hawkeye's-911T]

It's not so much a "cheap shot at Marchand" - it's just nobody outside of Beantown particularly cares for the little _ _ _ _ . You're right also in stating "he is good at being hated". All-in-all, he's the archetypal pi$$in-post.

Cheers
JB

[Por_sha911]

^
And agitators VERY highly valued when they can do that AND still score goals.
You're just jealous.

[billybek]

Originally Posted by Por_sha911

2) What's with the cheap shot at Marchand?
.

Not a cheap shot.
Just like Torres, Marchand will play a good number of games and forget his brain at home and take another cheap shot at an opponent that is in a bad position and unable to defend himself. (He was suspended 2 games in 2015 for that slew foot btw.)

Why?

That is just the kind of guy he is.

Plus I knew it would draw you into the conversation as I started the last thread on the Marshand slew foot and subsequent suspension. Not really trolling cause I appreciate your input. Maybe he has turned over a new leaf, but time will tell.

I am glad to hear that you are in agreement with the Torres suspension. The game is changing and I don't always like the changes. The speed of the game, size of the players is one thing but the improvement in the protective gear seems to have made the players more reckless on the ice and less respectful to the safety of their opponents.

41 games for Torres, his career in the NHL could pretty much be over. Maybe that is not a bad thing.

Will it be enough to discourage this type of behavior? I guess time will tell that too.

[Por_sha911]

Aw I know I'm a sucker for a chance to defend March. Its all in a good spirit of discussion.
Is he a little weaselly at times? Sure. My point is there are far more heinous players out there. Look at the stats and tell me I'm wrong. Heck, I thought less of Lucic for some of his cheap shots. That said, Marchand gets the job done and keeps it right on the bleeding edge. There have been a lot of agitators that were losers.
Sean Avery for one (arrested twice in the last two days)
Dan Carcillo
Matt Cooke
All 3 totally worthless other than to take a penalty.

Why do we skip over so many losers and aim at the little ball of hate? Jealousy I tell you. Jealousy.