That’s pretty weak.

Posted by MstrB on 03/15/08 at 01:41 PM ET

I think pronger should appeal this Suspension and has a very good case of winning this. the league cant go back on its final decsion and suspend someone after they came out and said you only get a fined. its setting a bad standard and it shows you much this league caters to the canadian media, inwhich bitches about everything.

kessler is a prick anyway, boulrice should of finish him off when he had the chance.

Posted by FlyersFan on 03/15/08 at 01:49 PM ET

kop out…

how the hell he doesn’t miss any playoff games is redicilous

Posted by Pharazon from England on 03/15/08 at 01:52 PM ET

Pretty soft in my opinion but at least the league did something I guess…

Posted by Sp4r7an on 03/15/08 at 02:03 PM ET

Agreed on the weakness/copout.  If you want players to actually change you have to hit them in the places it hurts them most: their wallet and the locker room.  You think Pronger is going to be loved and accepted if he’s out for the first round of the playoffs because he couldn’t keep his temper under control?  His presence or absence could easily bet he difference between winning and losing vs the Stars.  At this point it’s almost impossible for anaheim to catch the Sharks for the Pacific so basically this is a vacation for Chrissie to get rested for the playoffs.  I don’t understand why the league seems incapable of treating playoff games the same as regular season games with regards to suspensions.  What they are saying with this announcement is “do whatever you want coming down the stretch, unless you kill someone you probably won’t miss more than 1 playoff game.”  You can certainly argue about whether what Simon did was worse than what Pronger did but I think the league set the precedent with Simon: multiple offenders who attempt to use their skate blades as weapons should miss at least 20+ games.  Whether 30 games was appropriate for Simon, I don’t know, but I think it’s clear today that there is a double standard.

Posted by Aaron on 03/15/08 at 02:09 PM ET

“Whether 30 games was appropriate for Simon, I don’t know, but I think it’s clear today that there is a double standard.”

As far as I can see, there is and always has been a double standard in the NHL. I believe a 30 game suspension was appropriate for Simon and should have been appropriate for Pronger.

I doubt Simon will do anything but I’m certain he now has grounds for a lawsuit.

Posted by Ted from Innisfil, Ontario on 03/15/08 at 02:33 PM ET

A 30 game suspension is what was merited in this case. The precedent was set that repeat offenders get the book thrown at them when Simon got ousted for 30 games.

What can we do, though, eh? At least he got suspended for his careless actions. Minor victory, at least.

Posted by Alan from Atlanta on 03/15/08 at 02:37 PM ET

How can you say that pronger should appeal. The suspension levied was far shorter than deserved. You talk about the Canadian media complaining, but have you ever watched pronger play? I don’t think he ever took a penalty in which he didn’t argue for 5 minutes. All in all he got off way light he’s a repeat offender and poor sport.

Posted by tim95030 on 03/15/08 at 03:34 PM ET

Why would Pronger appeal?  Forget for a moment whether or not the NHL can “go back on its final decsion [sic] and suspend someone.”  If he appeals the ruling and the NHL ultimately wins, he misses playoff games.  Now is that something the Ducks really want to see?

Posted by Chad on 03/15/08 at 04:00 PM ET

Pay no heed to Flyersfan.  He’s railed against almost every suspension.  Of course most suspensions were against the Flyers this year so…

Posted by Shane from Saskatoon on 03/15/08 at 04:06 PM ET

http://www.petitiononline.com/pronger/petition.html

Support Stomping Tom Connors for the National Anthems!

Posted by Laker from Dapuddle on 03/15/08 at 04:21 PM ET

I thought for sure it would be ten games - it would enable the league to boast of their toughness because he would miss time in the playoffs as well as the regular season.

I hope the discipline czar doesn’t pull something in his shoulder patting himself on the back for being so evenhanded in disciplining dangerous, dirty play.

Posted by Baroque from Michigan on 03/15/08 at 04:35 PM ET

Ok, now that I’ve seen the video on a big screen, I’ve changed my mind (so my eyesight isn’t as good as it used to be…at least I’m not a ref!).  The stomp was totally intentional and I can’t believe he only got 8 games.  How the hell did they come up with that arbitrary number?  Looking at the list of Pronger’s suspensions on the NHL website, his previous infractions have been just as bad as Simon’s (except for the attempted decapitation).  So maybe not 30 games, but definitely more than 10.

Posted by K24 from NYC on 03/15/08 at 05:25 PM ET

What an effin joke.

Should’ve been gone for at least the rest of the regular season, if not some or all of the playoffs.

Exhibit A: The Simon Stomp- 30 games.  Stiff, but designed to send a message that skate blade acts intended to injure will not be tolerated.

Exhibit B: The Zednik Scare- clear demonstration of the fact that skate blade infractions, unlike many stick infractions, can end careers and are potentially lethal. 

The league should take an absolute zero-tolerance stance on the issue of skate blade incidents, especially where intent is pretty clearly apparent, as the clean video indicates.  This suspension is more of the same- the NHL will not hesitate to apply rules selectively, based on the identity of the culpable parties and the implications of the suspension. 

Pronger is lucky he didn’t seriously injure Ryan Kesler.  This sorry excuse for discipline ensures that thugs like Pronger will continue to act recklessly, with little fear of retribution by the league.  Let’s just hope no one is seriously injured (or worse) by this maniac.  Pronger has entered the Bertuzzi leagues, IMO.

Posted by mudshark from Divetown, Colorado on 03/15/08 at 05:28 PM ET

8 Would be good for a 1st time offender.

A 7th time offender should be a lot more.

Posted by Laker from Dapuddle on 03/15/08 at 05:29 PM ET

EDIT- obviously, the Zednik thing was completely accidental and unintentional.  So it wasn’t an “infraction,” just a very scary “incident.”  The point is that the incident highlighted the fact that skate blades are potentially lethal objects…

Posted by mudshark from Divetown, Colorado on 03/15/08 at 05:30 PM ET

A more appropriate comparison would be Bieksa getting his calf muscle cut (by accident) earlier this year. Bieksa was out for something like 50 games.

Posted by Laker from Dapuddle on 03/15/08 at 05:34 PM ET

Pronger is a recognizable name and despite the fact he demonstrates the impulse control of a toddler when he gets frustrated, he will be fine because he gets the star treatment - unless he takes out a league golden boy like Sidney Crosby.

An elbow to the head of Crosby resulting in a season-ending concussion and he will rapidly find out that there is someone in the league seen as a bigger star than himself.  As long as he sticks to players with less star power than himself, he will continue to get the benefit of the doubt, no matter how many incidents he is involved in.

Posted by Baroque from Michigan on 03/15/08 at 05:50 PM ET

I think pronger should appeal this Suspension and has a very good case of winning this. the league cant go back on its final decsion and suspend someone after they came out and said you only get a fined. its setting a bad standard and it shows you much this league caters to the canadian media, inwhich bitches about everything.

Yet another breathtakingly ignorant post by FF. Can’t spell. Can’t write a coherent sentence. Can’t form an intelligent thought. And yet he keeps presenting himself as some sort of expert on all things hockey. Brilliant!

As for the suspension, what an amazing coincidence that it expires one game before the playoffs begin. Why, a cynical person might think the league was more concerned with the Ducks getting their “big guy” back for a one-game playoff tune-up than they were in punishing one of the league’s most flagrant bad boys.

Yah, I know. He’s got that innocent face. And he speaks in nice soft tones. So, he can’t possibly be as bad as Simon, right? Crap…and double crap!

As Ms. B. correctly describes it, this guy has the “impulse control of a toddler”. As such, he should be sent to his room until he can “play nice” with the rest of the boys. I’d say the rest of the regular season and all of the first round would have been fair.

At least Pinhead will be forking over $$609,756.08 to the Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund. Maybe they should just put that in escrow and give it to the guy whose career is ended by this toddler thug.

Posted by OlderThanChelios from Grand Rapids on 03/15/08 at 06:11 PM ET

  As long as he sticks to players with less star power than himself, he will continue to get the benefit of the doubt, no matter how many incidents he is involved in.

Of course he will continue this trend as he is the biggest pussy in the league. For a big guy he really backs down to confrontation. I mean he starts crap all the time and has 6 fights in 8 years.

Posted by tim95030 on 03/15/08 at 06:36 PM ET

Does this mean that Prissy Chrissy’s drool bucket will be gone when he gets back?

Posted by Mike from San Jose on 03/15/08 at 06:58 PM ET

Is this racism or just that Pronger is a better player than Simon? It’s certainly not right or fair.

Posted by false_cause from DC on 03/15/08 at 11:09 PM ET

Heck I’d like to see him play for Vancouver. Oh, wait right. His mistress lives in Vancouver now. Won’t happen.

Posted by Laker from Dapuddle on 03/16/08 at 11:28 AM ET

When will it end with Pronger? I, and other Ducks fans, are faced with the dilemma of having Pronger on our team. We need him on defense, but we don’t want the goonery and cheap shots. I would find it warranted if the NHL suspended him for the rest of the season, that would send a great message to curb Pronger’s actions.

Until then, seven year old Ducks fans will look up to Pronger as if he is a deity—which I imagine isn’t too far off from what the league thinks of him.

Posted by Wild Wing from Orange County, CA on 03/17/08 at 03:53 PM ET