Suspend him for 300 games.

Just tell me it doesn’t mean we’ll have to deal with a Meech/Lebda pairing for any significant length of time.

Posted by Nate A from Detroit-ish on 11/21/09 at 11:14 PM ET

Maybe Pronger should explain the Physics of this hit to George....they’re brutal.

Posted by johnnygloveside on 11/21/09 at 11:40 PM ET

What is pathetic is that maybe the league will suspend Laraque for a game or two, maybe.

Kronwall (Wings 3rd leading scorer) will likely be on the shelf for weeks. 

Someone tell me how this is fair.

Posted by Jeff OKWingnut from Quest for 12 on 11/21/09 at 11:46 PM ET

And yet not a single Red Wing challenged him.  Not right after the hit and not throughout the game.  They basically ignored him…

Posted by Mr. Nasty on 11/21/09 at 11:52 PM ET

And he was already going to be in the box anyway for his high-stick on Helm (I believe).  That was just an additional two minutes - although it should have been more than two for that.

Posted by Baroque from Michigan on 11/21/09 at 11:52 PM ET

CBC just said the wings fear MCL damage. More tests to come in Detroit.

Posted by Nate A from Detroit-ish on 11/21/09 at 11:55 PM ET

And yet not a single Red Wing challenged him.  Not right after the hit and not throughout the game.  They basically ignored him…

Posted by Mr. Nasty on 11/21/09 at 10:52 PM ET

What the hell good would that have done?

Eastern conference, therefore the teams won’t meet again.  No reason to “send a message” for another meeting.

He barely hit the ice again after that, I think, so there was no opportunity for it.

For the majority of the game, the Wings were leading.  Why bother giving the home team any opportunity to get fired up after a fight?  Pointless.

Besides, it isn’t as though it would have helped Kronwall.  Just a POS move to pull.

Posted by Baroque from Michigan on 11/21/09 at 11:56 PM ET

If you are following via email, updates added to post.

Posted by Paul from Motown Area on 11/22/09 at 12:01 AM ET

Kronwall didn’t return after he fell to the ice in obvious pain following his collision with Laraque, who appeared to leave his leg in Kronwall’s path.

That’s the way the AP report described the incident. Laroque had a “collision” with Kronwall in which he “appeared to leave his leg in Kronwall’s path.” That’s like saying that Major Hassan had a “meeting” with the troops at Fort Hood in which he “appeared to discharge a weapon.”

At some point, whether it’s in hockey or in society at large, we need to quit being “politically correct” and start describing things as they actually are.

Tonight, Laroque deliberately stuck out his leg and hit Nick Jr.’s knee. Any deliberate act that results in an injury must receive a severe penalty. Laroque should have gotten five minutes and a game misconduct for the hit plus at least a 10-game suspension.

It’s time to put an end to the god-damn political correctness in both society and hockey. But it’ll never happen. You know it. We all know it.

Posted by OlderThanChelios from Grand Rapids on 11/22/09 at 12:47 AM ET

Laroque should be suspended until Kronwall is back on the ice, plus ten games. There’s no place in the game for stuff like this. The NHLPA should sanction him as well.

Posted by matt from ohio on 11/22/09 at 01:11 AM ET

Yeah, he runs two of the wings players, and no one does a damn thing. Maybe you don’t need to send a message to the Canadiens by stepping up to him, but you need to send a message to the other guys on the bench with the winged wheel on their chest. I can’t imagine NOT going after someone after he pulls that shit with two of my teammates. Isn’t this what players like Kirk Maltby are on the team for? Grit? Take off, maltby, ya effin’ plug. More Brad May.

Posted by ProngerPhysics from The Soo on 11/22/09 at 02:25 AM ET

That injury to Little Nik is the same knee that he had total repair surgery on a couple years ago.
I hate to think it, but this could potentially end his career.

Laroque should be banned for life from hockey.
He should also be prosecuted in civil court for assault and battery.

What else can go wrong for the Wings?
They are holding this team together with duck tape.

Posted by w2j2 on 11/22/09 at 08:08 AM ET

good.
the opportunistic cheap shot hitter Kronwall just got a cheap shot back.
well deserved.

Posted by Death Metal Nightmare from MKE on 11/22/09 at 08:09 AM ET

Posted by OlderThanChelios from Grand Rapids on 11/21/09 at 11:47 PM ET

It isn’t “politically correct” in the sense of “I don’t want to offend anyone” so much as avoidance of all possibility of being sued.  It’s become a reflex at this point and an instinct for PR and financial survival in organizations of all sizes.

Posted by Baroque from Michigan on 11/22/09 at 08:11 AM ET

Posted by w2j2 on 11/22/09 at 07:08 AM ET

I’ll chalk that up to anger and frustration, because you and I both know that is never going to happen.  No way does any professional sport open itself up to any kind of legal action for what happens on the field of play.

Posted by Death Metal Nightmare from MKE on 11/22/09 at 07:09 AM ET

I hope no one ever wants your knee to be potentially blown apart.  Don’t be an ass.

Posted by Baroque from Michigan on 11/22/09 at 08:23 AM ET

Does Laraque have any sort of suspension history?  Isn’t he the fool that apologized for being in ‘sexist’ commercials?  I like “suspended until the injured player hits the ice again”, even though no one at the NHL is smart enough to do more than look up from their game of dominos on the floor of Gary’s office and spit out whatever last number they picked up.

Posted by MarkK from Maryland on 11/22/09 at 09:35 AM ET

Baroque:

I am pretty sure that there have been civil legal actions in Canada for stuff that happens on the ice.

Posted by w2j2 on 11/22/09 at 09:39 AM ET

@ w2j2 -

For something extremely violent and unusual, sure, like a blatant attack.  This has “I just wanted to get in his way, I didn’t mean to hurt him like that” written all over it.  If every accidental or “accidental” shot to the knee or the head or face is included then the NHL would have ample need of all the lawyers among the fanbase.

I think he has been suspended once before, but he doesn’t have a history to rival Pronger’s for example.  Just another in a long line of marginally useful hockey players who are more known for fighting or causing injuries than their hockey prowess.

Posted by Baroque from Michigan on 11/22/09 at 09:52 AM ET

I didnt see the game, but if its true no one came after laraque, thats just disappointing. 

What the hell are players on the bench supposed to think about that.  That lack of comradery is unacceptable.  Better get that fixed before the playoffs.

Posted by drw on 11/22/09 at 11:06 AM ET

What the hell are players on the bench supposed to think about that. 

That it was stupid to waste their energy in a pointless display when they were concentrating on trying to win the game while down an important defensman on the second game of a back-to-back?

Maybe they figured the two points were a little more important than supposedly “sending a message.”

Besides, there wasn’t an opportunity to “get back at him.” He only played 4:47 the entire game - why even bother paying much attention to someone who spent more time in the penalty box than on the ice?  Pointless.

Posted by Baroque from Michigan on 11/22/09 at 11:20 AM ET

Don Cherry is a moron. He spends his career going after non-Canadians for cheap shots, then when a Canadian throws a knee out for a cheap shot all Don can say is, “George, George, George”.

Xenophobic jerk.

Posted by Red Winger from Sault Ste. Marie on 11/22/09 at 11:26 AM ET

Well, I hate to see a player go down like that.
Truth be told though, how many guys has Kronwall taken out for a while?
I’m not saying he deserved to have his knee blown up, but he did have a cheap shot coming his way.  Karma can be a bitch sometimes.  People need to relax on calling for a suspension for over 10 games.  It won’t happen.  Especially with Kronwall.  How many games did he get for that hit on Havlat last season?
I think the discipline committee will view it as a player that throws cheap shots finally got one.

As far as the people asking for the Wings to stand up for a fallen teammate;

We all know the Wings don’t fight.  They haven’t been fighters since the mid nineties.  The last decent fighter they had was a guy by the name of Gordie Howe.
The Ducks showed us last year that the second a punch is thrown, even by Ol’ Greybeard, the Wings turn into a bunch of red and white turtles.  Standing up for a teammate just isn’t going to happen with the Wings.

Posted by AvsRock from My timeshare in insanity... on 11/22/09 at 12:03 PM ET

We all know the Wings don’t fight.  They haven’t been fighters since the mid nineties.  The last decent fighter they had was a guy by the name of Gordie Howe.

C’mon. You’re an Avs fan, you know better than that.

But Baroque is right. There was no point or opportunity. And until seeing the replays, it looked to me like just another one of those plays where guys get skates tangled up going past one another.

Posted by Nate A from Detroit-ish on 11/22/09 at 12:25 PM ET

I don’t understand how the Havlat hit is comparable to that knee on knee.  Havlat has his head down and gets hit, albeit unfortunately in the face.  It wasn’t an intentional dirty hit, just an unfortunate situation.  The knee on knee was clearly intended and a dirty play.

Posted by J.R. from Sunshine State on 11/22/09 at 12:29 PM ET

1) First, sincere apologies to the Wings, it’s a dirty dirty shameful hit.  That’s not a reputation anyone wants the team to have.

2) It wasn’t intentional as much as LAZY and BRAIN-DEAD.  Doesn’t matter, the end result is the same.

3) Everyone is cursing Laraque and blaming him for the loss.  Going through the various Habs boards is pretty funny actually, given the level of hatred directed towards Laraque.  He’s definitely Public Enemy #1 in the city this morning.

4) If suspending him for life = no longer counting his disgusting 1.5M cap hit, then I’m down.  The best I could hope for right now is that the video serves as a sales pitch aid when we try trading him to Philly at the deadline.

Posted by ostiedehabs from montreal on 11/22/09 at 12:44 PM ET

AvsRock:

You are full of it.

Kronwall hits people straight up.
No head shots, no knee shots, no elbows.
He can and does take his share of hits, as he did earlier in this game.

The Wings do have guys who fight, including Brad May.
Recent editions have been Aaron Downie & Darren McCarty, and going back a little are Joey Kocur, and Bob Probert.

I have a video of the Wings beating the he** out of your ‘dique team in March 97.
Turtles?  Remember Claude Lemieux?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C7DlAjrhm9s&feature=related

Crawl back in your hole.

Posted by w2j2 on 11/22/09 at 12:47 PM ET

I can just imagine his outrage if that was a “good ‘ole Canadian boy” who got kneed by a European.

Xenophobic jerk.
And much more.

Posted by Lindas1st from New England on 11/22/09 at 02:04 PM ET

AvsRock:

You are full of it.

Kronwall hits people straight up.
No head shots, no knee shots, no elbows.

No head shots?  C’mon w2.  Every single hit he gives he drives his shoulder right into the head of the guy he’s hitting.
I don’t think I’ve ever seen his skates stay on the ice when he throws a hit.  In fact, sometimes his entire body flies off the ice like he’s trying to make himself a human projectile.  It’s like he isn’t trying to knock a guy off the puck.  It’s like he’s trying to cause damage.  The Wings fans have even given what he does a name.  They call it getting “Kronwalled”. 

I do remember the brawl in ‘97.  It’s still in the air depending on who one talks to as to which team beat the hell out of the other.  I will admit to the turtling of Claude Lemieux.  Of course, anyone would turtle if they caught a blind-side hit to the side of the head.  But yes, he turtled.

I’m sorry I forgot about Probert and Kocur.  They were during the Dead Things years.  During the 40+ year cup drought.  I think pretty much everyone has forgotten about those years.

Downie hasn’t been much of anything since the “flying leap” hit during his years with the Flyers.  I don’t think I’ve seen McCarty playing much lately. 

Someone mentioned Brad May.  I will give them that.  He’s the only fighter the Wings have.

I’m not saying a suspension is not warranted.  Laraque is and has always been a dirty player.
But the half-season to lifetime suspensions people are crying for is nuts.  Especially considering how many player games Kronwall has caused other teams to loose.

Crawl back into my hole?  I’m sorry if I see reality.  The only time I’ve called for a longer suspension was after the Bertuzzi incident.  The reason I called for one was he was suspended during the lockout.  No one was playing then. 

Like I said before.  Karma is a bitch.  One quickly learns if they live by the sword they will die by the sword.

Posted by AvsRock from My timeshare in insanity... on 11/22/09 at 05:06 PM ET