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Colin Campbell Has Another Chance To Embarrass Himself
by PuckStopsHere on 03/15/10 at 09:32 AM ET
Comments (9)
The NHL has had a poor suspension policy for years. One of its key problems has been that star players get treated much more leniently than fringe players for the same offence. The NHL hesitates to suspend players who drive ticket sales, while sometimes throwing the book at players who are of lesser importance.
The most recent embarrassment has been the lack of suspension the Matt Cooke for a headshot on Marc Savard, in the same week the NHL general managers agreed to a potential rule change to make headshots more suspendable.
Yesterday afternoon was the most recent test of the NHL suspension policy. Alexander Ovechkin hit Brian Campbell into the boards from behind in the first period of a 4-3 Washington overtime win against Chicago. Brian Campbell is expected to be out for the rest of the season with broken ribs, a broken collarbone and a likely concussion. This is a blow to the Chicago Blackhawks, who are expected to be serious Stanley Cup contenders. Ovechkin was given a five minute penalty for boarding and a game misconduct.
In the past, the NHL has been hesitant to suspend Ovechkin as he is their best player. It took a lengthy series of misdeeds for Ovechkin to get a two game suspension that coincided with an injury.
This is a suspension worthy event, but there is already talk that there might not be a suspension. Colin Campbell, the NHL’s senior vice president and director of hockey operations, who is in charge of suspensions will likely look bad in this case. He doesn’t want to suspend the NHL’s best player, but he should be based on his recent actions. However, he has recently given another player (Matt Cooke) a pass for an even more obvious looking transgression.
There are a lot of eyes watching Colin Campbell to see his reaction to the Alexander Ovechkin hit on Brian Campbell. Most of those eyes expect him to embarrass himself with an inconsistent call. It would be hard not to be inconsistent given the history of the league’s suspensions. It is hard to suspend a superstar, when it may negatively affect NHL revenues, but the NHL should do exactly that.
NOTE: Alexander Ovechkin was suspended two games for his hit on Brian Campbell. That is not entirely unreasonable, although it makes the non-suspension of Matt Cooke for a worse offence harder to justify.
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Tags: Alexander+Ovechkin, Brian+Campbell, Colin+Campbell, Washington+Capitals,
Comments
My assumption is that the NHL can suspend Steve Downie without embarrassing itself. It is Ovechkin that is the test. However, it is possible they will mess up both cases.
Posted by PuckStopsHere on 03/15/10 at 09:59 AM ET
Crosby is a puss, but Downie should be suspended for sure.
What a cheap piece of crap.
Posted by johnnemac from Detroit on 03/15/10 at 10:11 AM ET
After reading Rule 42, and looking at the infraction, the refs have a lot of leeway, except when someone is injured. Then, they don’t. Ovie regrettably deserved the game misconduct penalty, but the refs also didn’t take into account the responsibility of the other player—Brian Campbell, not to put himself in such a situation where he was vulnerable (that’s in the rule, too). This is not suspension worthy. If goons Mike Richards and and Matt Cooke can avoid suspensions for much worse hits, then it is ridiculous to think Ovechkin deserves one here.
Posted by bucknelldad from Camden, NJ on 03/15/10 at 10:13 AM ET
The title of this article is epic. Made me laugh. Anything the league does when it comes to suspensions won’t surprise me. Guess we will have to wait and see.
Posted by pens fan in baltimore on 03/15/10 at 10:15 AM ET
I thought Richards should’ve been suspended.
I thought Cooke should’ve been suspended.
And I think Ovechkin should be suspended.
There’s a difference between playing hard and with “passion” and playing recklessly with no regard for his fellow NHL’ers. He doesn’t get it, and he has publicly refused to change.
Something has got to give (with all of these guys, actually) and it should start happening right away. Not the next time it happens. Not next year. Right now, before someone’s career gets ended.
Posted by Flashtastick56 from Milford, CT on 03/15/10 at 10:22 AM ET
My assumption is that the NHL can suspend Steve Downie without embarrassing itself. It is Ovechkin that is the test. However, it is possible they will mess up both cases.
Dead right. If a villain like Avery can be suspended 6 games for making fun of his ex-girlfriend, Campbell could ban Steve Downie for life and nobody would blink. Whereas Ovechkin could do the same thing and possibly escape punishment. Methinks it’s time for a new dean of discipline. Burke was much more consistent.
Posted by steve on 03/15/10 at 10:51 AM ET
It wasn’t a hit it was a shove. Downie should definitely be suspended. Ovechkin should get 1 or 2 games more because of the current climate than anything else.It was a shove and this guy obviously does not know his own strength!!??
Posted by Not a Hit from New York on 03/15/10 at 11:56 AM ET
You morons are *#$%@& crazy. Well at least partially crazy. I agree about “Crooke” and “Dickards” hits being worthy of suspensions, didn’t see Downey’s and throw in Gonchar’s sucker punch on Clutterbuck that got swept under the rug. Anytime you go at someone’s head there is nothing legal about it, but Ovechkins hit Sunday was (1) more a check from the side than a hit from behind and (2) probably a good 5 feet from the boards. Yeah, Ovie is strong but that’s no reason to suspend the guy. Their rationale was that it was “reckless”. What a *#$%@& load of shit. Tell me all those other hits by other players weren’t “reckless”. That’s not a *#$%@& rule. At least Campbell saw it coming. They definitely have it out for Ovechkin and give the Penguins the right to murder. Probably trying to give Bettman’s faggot butt buddy every chance to win the scoring title. Every *#$%@& hockey expert thought Crooke should have been suspended and thought Ovechkins penalties on Campbell were an over-reaction by the refs. And Colin Cancer Campbell does the *#$%@& opposite. He’s a *#$%@& piece of shit for many horrible decisions and the Ovechkin one is just the latest.
Posted by NotAPenalty on 03/15/10 at 06:45 PM ET
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Okay why is no one talking about the Downie hit on Crosby? Just because Crosby wasn’t seriously injured means Downie gets away with no even a slap on the wrist? Downies hit was more illegal than Ovechkins
Posted by Ada111 from MS on 03/15/10 at 09:45 AM ET