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MacArthur suspended 3 games (2 reg. season games)

I have to agree Neil's hit was just as bad. I guess if MacArthur would have done a big flop afterwards like the punk Neil he could have gotten off as well....or maybe Neil has some pictures of Shanahan.
 
Seriously, TWO regular season games?  1 would have been more than enough for a play like that, especially in light of some of the "harsh" suspensions so far for worse plays, which really amounted to getting to relax during pre-season games.
 
From Shanahan's view point, I'm kind of okay with it.  The lack of intensity of the hit really makes me question it.  Almost feel like there should be an unsportmanship penalty for bad acting.  Still, sounds like the rules were laid out and well explained in advance.  The whole 'repeat offender' thing bugs me, because there's guys out there that have done terrible deeds in the past and the punishment never counter-acted the reward of these guys actually having NHL jobs because of their rule breaking.  As long as all penalties are going to be judged like this going forward, I'm all for it.
 
It was an unnecessary hit.  That's what they're trying to eliminate from the players' arsenal of plays.  I'm ok with it.  It is sending a message and the message is...don't try to go for a hit where a hit isn't necessary. 

Shanahan is obviously beyond trying to get his feet wet.  Don't you guys get it, he's on a mission.  And it all stems from the league (Bettman) who's extremely pissed that Crosby may never play again.
 
While I whole heatedly agree with the league's stance on head-shots I'm kinda worried that Shanny might have opened Pandora's Box - 3 games for that? There is going to be a slew of fringe suspensions this year.

Kidding aside I don't see how MacArthur gets 3 games for that and Neil got nothing...neither warranted anything IMO.
 
Madferret said:
Kidding aside I don't see how MacArthur gets 3 games for that and Neil got nothing...neither warranted anything IMO.
Click to expand...

That's pretty much what I was getting it. If MacArthur gets 3, then Neil probably should have as well. In terms of recklessness, severity, rule violations, etc, the two plays were roughly equal and should have been treated as such.
 
Need not worry, by Christmas the GM's of the league will have ShanaBan reined in or there won't be players left to play the game. Or worse there could be no fans left due to fact that players won't even come within 5 feet of each other for risk of suspension.
How long before players use the new rules to draw penalties?  Before you know it players will be turning their back at the boards to draw the penalty or will be falling to the ice holding their heads.
 
How about a comparable "softer" hit to the head with the Brad Boyes suspension of 2 preseason games.  That gets two meaningless games, and the MacArthur one gets 1 meaningless game and 2 actual games. 

And how does Nystrom not get suspended for taking out Fedun's legs on an icing (that resulting in a broken femur)?
 
L K said:
And how does Nystrom not get suspended for taking out Fedun's legs on an icing (that resulting in a broken femur)?
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While I get your point, I think if you punish based on the extent of any injury caused you open a whole other can of worms. Two exact same plays may result in the exact same outcome, just some other guy may not break a femur. Do you ban them both the same?
 
Tigger said:
Abdelkader should have received a diving penalty
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Me too.

I'm not crazy about the decision either. Had it been me and I thought it might have truly violated the intent of the rules, I would have said that since the guy obviously embellished/dove, it's tough to be conclusive ... so no suspension.
 
http://toronto.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20111002/macarthur-says-nhl-no-hitting-after-suspension-111002/20111002?hub=TorontoNewHome

The Canadian Press
Date: Sunday Oct. 2, 2011 11:15 AM ET
TORONTO ? Is the NHL on its way to becoming a league without hitting?

Clarke MacArthur certainly thinks so after having his first brush with supplemental discipline. The Toronto Maple Leafs forward was the ninth player suspended by Brendan Shanahan this pre-season -- eight of them for infractions involving illegal bodychecks -- and believes the NHL crackdown is going to drastically change the sport.

"I just think there's going to be no hitting in this game," MacArthur said Saturday night. "I think that what is going to happen. No one wants to take five- or 10-game suspensions. You've really got to think when you're going to go finish your hit, you've really pay attention because the guy with the puck doesn't have any responsibility any more.

"It's on the guy hitting."

MacArthur's suspension for the first two games of the regular season stems from a hit on Detroit's Justin Abdelkader on Friday night. The Red Wings forward was bent slightly when MacArthur came across the ice and gave him a glancing blow off the head.

Abdelkader didn't appear to suffer an injury on the play and suited up for Detroit's game in Toronto on Saturday.

"I kind of skimmed his shoulder and then clipped him in the head," said MacArthur. "He comes back after me and starts sucker-punching me. It's one thing if he's laying on the ice.

"I don't know, it's a tough call. They're trying to keep the game safe."

Players around the league have been slow to adapt to off-season changes that expanded the description of rules governing boarding and checking to the head. Essentially, all contact with the head is now off limits and players delivering a check must ensure their opponent isn't in a vulnerable position.

In Shanahan's video explaining the MacArthur suspension, he noted that it didn't matter that the Leafs forward wasn't trying to make contact with Abdelkader's head.

"As was explained in the rules and regulation video that all NHL players were required to watch, targeting (the head) is defined as either intentional or reckless," said Shanahan. "While I agree with MacArthur's assertion that he did not intentionally target the head, we still consider this hit to be recklessly targetting the head."

Shanahan has been extremely busy since taking over the league's disciplinary role as the senior vice-president of player safety. His nine suspensions have totalled 31 regular-season games and close to US$700,000 in lost salary for the players.

There's a good chance he'll be adding to that list after Tampa's Ryan Malone caught Habs defenceman Chris Campoli with a check to head during an exhibition game in Quebec City on Saturday night.

With a strong message having been sent since Shanahan took the job, MacArthur expects it to continue when the regular season kicks off next week.

"The way they're starting, you can't really go backwards now," he said. "There's going to be a lot of money in that fine fund for the year, I can tell you that right now."

His absence comes at a difficult time for the Leafs.

Tim Connolly and Tyler Bozak each sat out the end of the exhibition schedules with minor injuries while Matthew Lombardi got in just one pre-season game after missing virtually all of last year because of a concussion.

When MacArthur finally returns to the lineup on Oct. 15, he'll think twice about throwing hits. The play he was suspended for was certainly avoidable.

"Obviously if I could do it over again, I'd just turn away and don't even go near him," said MacArthur. "What's done is done."
Click to expand...

Dunno if this has been posted anywhere yet, but I think it could be a thread of its own.

I understand Clarke's frustration and everything, but he is right about one thing. After this crackdown, players will be starting to get hesitant to hit anybody anymore for fear of a suspension. Look at MacArthur for example, after that "hit" (I wouldnt even call it that, he basically skated by Abdelkader and brushed his face - the whole thing is preposterous in my opinion) Clarke even makes an accidental collision in the future - guess what, now he's a repeat offender and he could get 5 or 10 games or something as a result.

You cant just put hockey hits into a black and white box of yes and no. Hits to the head or not, there are going to be accidental collisions and people just turn the wrong way at the last second and accidents happen. When 10 guys are skating around a 200 foot rink at 50kmh, that kind of stuff is going to happen, theres no way around it.

That doesnt mean you suspend somebody every single time someone gets touched anywhere above the shoulders.

The rule should be for blatant hits to the head where the guy throwing the hit was obviously trying to take the victims head off, or was just being careless and reckless which I think with the wonders of video replay, almost anybody with any experience of watching/playing hockey can watch and conclude an accident from intentional douchebaggery.

I have to wonder though, if all the blame being put on Shannahan is a little midguided. He works for the NHL and it could very well be just a case of pressure coming down from the top to do certain things. Maybe im wrong on how the organization is set up, but I suspect theres more to this than just Shannahan acting like the NHL's worried overreacting mother.
 
Shanahan's in a kind of no-win situation. He's either seen as suspending too much, or it looks like the NHL is status-quo on head hits and it's open season again. I'm not crazy about the MacArthur suspension, but it does fall within the confines of the rules as being "reckless".

I do agree with MacArthur that it WILL affect these guys ability to throw hits - once you've been tagged as a repeat-offender, the next hit could lead to a much bigger suspension. While I'm definitely against head-shots, I don't want to see hitting taken out of the game as a result.

I'm thinking maybe something along the lines of giving some leeway to players who are clearly not intentionally throwing head-shots, like MacArthur here. Perhaps not until they have a couple of "unintentional" hits should they become considered "repeat offenders"? Or maybe shorter suspensions for non-intentional? Make a clear distinction between intentional and not?

I dunno, it's really a tough call on this and the league is going to have it's hands full keeping this one strong, but fair.
 
Mack674 said:
http://toronto.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20111002/macarthur-says-nhl-no-hitting-after-suspension-111002/20111002?hub=TorontoNewHome


Dunno if this has been posted anywhere yet, but I think it could be a thread of its own.

I understand Clarke's frustration and everything, but he is right about one thing. After this crackdown, players will be starting to get hesitant to hit anybody anymore for fear of a suspension. Look at MacArthur for example, after that "hit" (I wouldnt even call it that, he basically skated by Abdelkader and brushed his face - the whole thing is preposterous in my opinion) Clarke even makes an accidental collision in the future - guess what, now he's a repeat offender and he could get 5 or 10 games or something as a result.

You cant just put hockey hits into a black and white box of yes and no. Hits to the head or not, there are going to be accidental collisions and people just turn the wrong way at the last second and accidents happen. When 10 guys are skating around a 200 foot rink at 50kmh, that kind of stuff is going to happen, theres no way around it.

That doesnt mean you suspend somebody every single time someone gets touched anywhere above the shoulders.

The rule should be for blatant hits to the head where the guy throwing the hit was obviously trying to take the victims head off, or was just being careless and reckless which I think with the wonders of video replay, almost anybody with any experience of watching/playing hockey can watch and conclude an accident from intentional douchebaggery.

I have to wonder though, if all the blame being put on Shannahan is a little midguided. He works for the NHL and it could very well be just a case of pressure coming down from the top to do certain things. Maybe im wrong on how the organization is set up, but I suspect theres more to this than just Shannahan acting like the NHL's worried overreacting mother.
Click to expand...

It couldn't possibly be the case that shanny is acting independently. He is implementing rules agreed upon by the league.  Now of course those rules are open to a little interpretation but the league has surely instructed him to crack down.  With all that has gone on recently, particularly the new medical knowledge that has been revealed concerning the severe life-long repercussions of concussions, I think they are basically doing the right thing.  Yes, they may have swung a little too far towards caution, but I think that is better for now than not doing enough.  It will take some time to figure out the right level of punishment and they will never be perfectly consistent but I think things are generally headed in the right direction.

I'm pretty concerned about a guy like Connolly or Lombardi or Crosby ever playing again, for my entertainment, due to the life-long risks involved.  This crackdown perhaps alleviates my concerns a little.
 
Bottom line...Mac could've gone shoulder to shoulder....he didn't and will pay the price, like he should. I have no problem with Shanny's call. These guys need to get it...head checks are illegal.
 
The suspensions meted out by Shanahan have collectively totalled 31 games and $700,000 in lost salary.

Source:  Sportsnet
 
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