Tom Wilson

[glen a richter]

The league really dropped the ball on this one. I despise the Rangers but Jesus, Wilson could have killed Panarin and he gets a fine and no suspension? Totally messed up.

[WaukeeBlues]

I'm in the minority here and I know that but here goes:

I think the outrage is a crock. I think it's the fact Tom Wilson did it is why people are so ticked off, it has much less to do with what he actually did. If two no-name 4th line grinders of exact same size did the exact same thing we don't hear a f***** word about this. Faux outrage across the board.

Wilson saw Buchnevich keep hitting the pad of his goalie. He flipped his switch, "saw red" and did a douchebag cheap thing and popped Buchnevich in the face while laying on him. That's crap. Glad Buchnevich didn't get hurt (apparently) but yea that's trash. Penalty, fine, sure. Great.

Then it's a scrum from there. People analyzing this frame by frame are ludicrous. Completely takes the context out of the whole thing. Anyone like us who's played hockey knows you have limbs flying and guys shoving and rough rousing, all that. If a guy jumped on top of ME? You're d**** right I'm trying to throw him off of me. F*** him. I think Panarin's helmet came off because Wilson was face washing up high and pushing his head back, you can't tell me he specifically intended to take his helmet off. After THAT, the aforementioned slow mo camera does do ONE thing right and shows pretty dang clearly Wilson while at first holding the back of Panarin's head with his left hand, releases and when he's shoving Panarin with his right it's ACROSS Panarin and UP. He's shoving him to the side and away, not lifting him off the ice. Wilson's leg was going forward, making Panarin lose his balance and gravity does the rest and makes it look way more scary than the action actually was.

It's a disconnect between what the injury was and what the intent was. I don't think there was intent to injure. I really don't. Many people passionately disagree with me. Maybe he did, but we'd have to get in to Wilson's head. Nobody gives him the benefit of the doubt at this point, which I get. But all that being said, I'm fine with 2, 5, 10 minute penalties, I'm fine with the fine. You can't lose it like that just period. Maybe even 1 game suspension. Two? ehhh. But these people "suspend him indefinitely" "kick him out of the league" are just screaming because of the name on the back of the jersey.

Oh and then Crosby does something worse 24 hours later and nobody says sh**. Just goes to show it's the player not what he actually did.

My $.02...

[theohall]

If there were goons still in hockey, I wouldn't be outraged. I'm outraged because the NHL has essentially eliminated goons, refs won't police this crap, and now the league won't police it. Who is supposed to protect players from this stuff? It used to be the other team's goon who would either get back at Wilson or do the same to say Ovechkin... But - this stuff is supposedly no longer supposed to be part of the game in Bettman's dream world.

Either punish players like Wilson, not with slap on the wrist fines which won't stop him from doing this again, for slamming a guys head into the ice after punching another guy whose face down in the back of neck. Or - bring the Ice Guardians back since it's darn clear the refs can't handle it nor can George Parros.

Officials, while officiating, are also responsible for doing their best to protect players from injury. That sure as heck didn't happen in this Wilson incident. They are busy dealing with everyone else except the most dangerous player on the ice in this type situation.

Try watching any game Kyle Raymond officiates. That official is an actual danger to players with the potential injury-type penalties he won't call - even when they are right in front of him.

[WaukeeBlues]

If there were goons still in hockey, I wouldn't be outraged. I'm outraged because the NHL has essentially eliminated goons, refs won't police this crap, and now the league won't police it. Who is supposed to protect players from this stuff? It used to be the other team's goon who would either get back at Wilson or do the same to say Ovechkin... But - this stuff is supposedly no longer supposed to be part of the game in Bettman's dream world.

Either punish players like Wilson, not with slap on the wrist fines which won't stop him from doing this again, for slamming a guys head into the ice after punching another guy whose face down in the back of neck. Or - bring the Ice Guardians back since it's darn clear the refs can't handle it nor can George Parros.

Officials, while officiating, are also responsible for doing their best to protect players from injury. That sure as heck didn't happen in this Wilson incident. They are busy dealing with everyone else except the most dangerous player on the ice in this type situation.

Try watching any game Kyle Raymond officiates. That official is an actual danger to players with the potential injury-type penalties he won't call - even when they are right in front of him.

For the reasons you outline it wouldn't surprise me if we don't see a slight uptick in teams getting a guy or two this offseason that can drop them when he needs to. Just in case. The Rangers don't really have that person. Sending Brendan Smith after Wilson was slightly comical.

[glen a richter]

The Rags were grossly overmatched in each of those six fights. I applaud them for sticking up for their mates but there just has to be fighting in hockey and every team needs someone who can actually hold their own. It's not a matter of making a mockery out of the game, it's a matter of hockey can be arguably one of the most dangerous games out there what with everyone wielding multiple weapons--a stick, two razor sharp skate blades, their fists. You need enforcers out there to protect each other. Trying to take fighting out of the game makes severe injuries even more likely.

As far as Wilson getting a fine and no suspension, it's particularly stupid since he's a repeat offender and has been suspended plenty of times before but this time seems to get off with a slap on the wrist. Then when the Rangers call out Parros for it they get hit with a team fine of a quarter million. I'm, no Rangers defender by any stretch but the whole sequence of events is just insane. I also feel very bad for JD, he didn't deserve to be fired over this and James Dolan is a frikken toolbag for making an example of him and the GM. Unfortunately those who speak up against Dolan (if they happen to do it at MSG) all suffer the same fate--lifetime ban from the arena. Dude is a colossal dick.

[WaukeeBlues]

The Rags were grossly overmatched in each of those six fights. I applaud them for sticking up for their mates but there just has to be fighting in hockey and every team needs someone who can actually hold their own. It's not a matter of making a mockery out of the game, it's a matter of hockey can be arguably one of the most dangerous games out there what with everyone wielding multiple weapons--a stick, two razor sharp skate blades, their fists. You need enforcers out there to protect each other. Trying to take fighting out of the game makes severe injuries even more likely.

As far as Wilson getting a fine and no suspension, it's particularly stupid since he's a repeat offender and has been suspended plenty of times before but this time seems to get off with a slap on the wrist. Then when the Rangers call out Parros for it they get hit with a team fine of a quarter million. I'm, no Rangers defender by any stretch but the whole sequence of events is just insane. I also feel very bad for JD, he didn't deserve to be fired over this and James Dolan is a frikken toolbag for making an example of him and the GM. Unfortunately those who speak up against Dolan (if they happen to do it at MSG) all suffer the same fate--lifetime ban from the arena. Dude is a colossal dick.

I hope fighting never truly goes away. It's dying out on its own with the salary cap and emphasis on skill and speed over grit, which I think is overall healthy for the game. But I equally think that fighting will always have a place. Heck, we just saw it. You have to have 1 or 2 guys who can go and hold their own if you need them to. Then another 1 to 2 after those guys who CAN fight even if they're not fantastic at it. For us Schenn jumps to mind immediately. Faulk CAN, as we saw. Has Sanford fought? Oh Bortuzzo! Umm... yea I don't know. Dunn. Walman?

[theohall]

For the Blues...

Bortuzzo is the obvious one.
Schenn is the guy who does it to "get the motors going" when the team seems to be in a funk or to get back at someone if on the ice when a questionable hit happens.

After that...
Mikkola can - has the size and mentality, just don't know how often we'd see it.
Dunn can, but doesn't.
No idea on Walman
Sanford only fights in practice.

And the Rags pulling that crap with JD and the GM... that's a tool of an owner who won't stand up for his employees.

With what Wilson did, the NHL bringing down a 250k fine on the Rags?? Seriously? Did they not see what happened? If the league can't take what should be considered valid criticism, the league has issues that dropping massive fines won't resolve.

And this isn't the first time this season Parros sided on leniency for Tom Wilson in spite of Wilson's history - which is supposed to be a major factor in NHL Player Safety decisions. Given that, who in their right mind wouldn't be questioning Parros suitability for the job. Blues players have been suspended for less than what Tom Wilson has done.

[glen a richter]

Thanks to the Rags lackluster effort at revenge the following game against the Caps they’ve now gotten not only Sammy Blais but also our old friend Ryan Reaves. They’re going for the all “physically pound you into submission” team. Interesting approach.

[theohall]

Being in a division where they face the Caps 4x per season with the potential for more shenanigans in the playoffs, I can understand the Rags acquiring both Reaves and Blais.