Washington forward Donald Brashear has been suspended for six games by the National Hockey League and will miss Tuesday's Game 7 of the Capitals' Eastern Conference Quarterfinal round series against the New York Rangers for his action both prior to, and during, Sunday's Game 6.
Brashear was suspended one game for initiating contact with Rangers forward Colton Orr during the pre-game warm-up. Brashear was suspended for five additional games for a blind-side hit on New York forward Blair Betts at 9:54 of the first period.
"Brashear delivered a shoulder hit to an unsuspecting player," NHL Senior Executive Vice President of Hockey Operations Colin Campbell said. "It is also my opinion that the hit was delivered late and targeted the head of his opponent, causing significant injury."
- NHL.com
about 1 year ago
Stephen Pepper
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agreed. obligatory: apparently purposeful sticks to the face (multiple times) are no big deal.
by Natty Bumppo on Apr 27, 2009 4:04 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Agreed.
But it’s a dramatic shift, even if one factors (and I think one must) both the reputation of Brashear and the extent of Betts’ injury, from Pronger getting 1 game in the ’07 playoffs and this 5-gamer.
by Stephen Pepper on Apr 27, 2009 4:04 PM EDT up reply actions
Just to be clear, I say “must factor” those two things in the sense that no right-thinking person can honestly believe that those two weren’t responsible for the length of suspension. Not that they necessarily should be.
by Stephen Pepper on Apr 27, 2009 4:06 PM EDT up reply actions
I disagree, DMG. The NHL has looked away from a few hits to the head this post season. The NHL is getting serious about tough guys hitting guys in the head. What happened to Colin Campbell’s explanation about Cammalleri? “He could get a PIM so his team was punished, this is different because Carcillo did his at the end of the game when no PP could be granted.” Brash could have gotten a PIM, is this a suspension because the refs missed it? 5 games is a ridiculously long time for this kind of foul. Garbage.
by Fehr and Balanced on Apr 27, 2009 4:16 PM EDT up reply actions
You bring up a good point about Cammalleri. I guess that maybe this, plus the suspension for Witt, suggest the league is looking at five games for elbow/shoulder headhunting incidents, but the system still doesn’t completely make sense.
by David M. Getz on Apr 27, 2009 4:18 PM EDT up reply actions
I don’t think it ever will. It’s especially discouraging that Brash got so much for something that was much more of “a hockey play” than the two specific incidents involving Avery hitting someone with his stick/butt-end.
by DrinkingPartner on Apr 27, 2009 4:20 PM EDT up reply actions
He could get a PIM so his team was punished, this is different because Carcillo did his at the end of the game when no PP could be granted.
Did Campbell really say that?
Yeah. That was his explanation for why Carcillo got suspended and Cammalleri didn’t.
by Fehr and Balanced on Apr 27, 2009 4:21 PM EDT up reply actions
I am completely flabbergasted by that statement. How can the NHL’s discipliarian think that let alone say it.
The context of the play/game should have almost no bearing on whether there is a suspension. Its about intent, or recklessness. Also, it isn’t about punishing the team, its about punishing the player for doing something worthy of a suspension. If the team is punished, so be it, but whether its a Cap or a Ranger or a Bear up for one game the team shouldn’t be considered at all.
Just to recap: Late head shot: Five games. Pressing the blade of your stick on the throat of a player after the whistle: Zero.
Just to note: Scotty Hartnell absolutely lit up some guy in the WC, late, blind side, and away from the puck, and got a 1-gamer under international rules.
Brash gets 6? I could easily have rolled with a 1 and 1 suspension, but 5 for this hit is screwy.
also boarding a player with the intent to injure: zero. But only because the player didn’t have to leave the game as a result of the illegal hit.
by Sombrero Guy on Apr 27, 2009 5:56 PM EDT up reply actions
Well, let’s make sure that Avery isn’t able to cause any more damage this year.
And, I agree: 6 games? Good christ.
by DrinkingPartner on Apr 27, 2009 4:04 PM EDT reply actions
The ones that I can think of so far are Carcillo and Lucic. In my opinion, Brashear’s hit was worse than either of those – Carcillo’s wasn’t much and he was most punished for “sending a message” and Lucic’s was the result of an on-going play – he didn’t line the guy up and go right for his head with the whole body. But to say that the result (Betts’ injury) didn’t play a role would be naive, I think.
by David M. Getz on Apr 27, 2009 4:10 PM EDT up reply actions
Lucic turned and cross checked the guy in the side of the head/neck. I tend to consider stick fouls more dangerous than non-stick fouls, and the head can at least be protected, the neck can’t. The only difference I see is that Betts got dropped and got hurt. Lapierre didn’t fall down and wasn’t seriously injured.
1 + 1 or even 1 + 2 would have been fair. This was the league trying to send a message to cool off game 7. It will not have that effect.
Intent has to count too, though. Lucic’s was the result of a guy coming at him and Brashear’s was a result of him getting upset and looking for someone to go out and hurt.
by David M. Getz on Apr 27, 2009 4:16 PM EDT up reply actions
I think you’re correct in the suspensions that have come down this year. Carcillo got a game for punching some guy in the head at the close of the game, and Lucic got one for a shot to the head with either the glove or the stick. Both guys got a game misconduct if I recall correctly.
Carcillo’s was worse than Brash’s, imo, as he punched a guy in the head while he had it down for a faceoff. That was a blatant cheap shot.
I didn’t see Lucic’s situation, so cannot comment.
The respective roles of the protagonists in this little contretemps (goon v. checking line guy), the campaigning by the Rangers, and the injury to Betts are all factors in this decision; of course they are.
Agree with the pre-game confrontation. That’s a bright-line rule, he broke it, end of story.
5 games for the hit to Betts means they put it in the same category as Brendan Witt’s elbow to the head of whatever Leaf player he tagged. I don’t see the two hits being similar in intent or execution at all.
This is another example of the NHL punishing the result.
6 games is too much.
Whatever.
So...
I figure DMG is right on the money…
Suspension for the pregame conduct is right…
5 games for the late hit on Betts seems excessive and I think it is but from the perspective that Betts is out indefinately and this suspension takes Brash out of the rest of this series and the first four of the next if the Caps advance it wouldn’t seem so much.
For my 2 cents I think they should call up Finley, we need a big tough guy in the lineup. I’ve loved and been loyal to Clarkie but right now from a pay for performance perspective this season he is only slightly ahead of Nylander in the largest under achiever catagory for our team.
Let’s hope our Caps can stay on plan and win game 7….
it’s a one game series and anything casn happen.
LETS GO CAPS!!!
by markbona-capsfan99 on Apr 27, 2009 5:28 PM EDT up reply actions
So here's my thinking...
You can’t replace Brash with Clark right now though he is a gritty forward and should be an asset for the 10 or min TOI that is necessary, he can’t fill the role of Brash – our “big” tough guy… Unlike the rangers tough guy – Orr who averages less than 5 TOI Brash can play hockey and matter… Clark can do that but the way he’s played since he came back intimidates noone and he hasn’t been creating the traffic in front of the net like his best season.
Bring in Finley as a 7th D-Man – use him as our big tough guy and distribute the extra minutes up front amongst the other wingers….
I know it’s wierd but everyone’s entitled to their own opinion…this is just mine…
by markbona-capsfan99 on Apr 27, 2009 5:36 PM EDT up reply actions
Finley’s only played one professional game and the Capitals don’t need someone who can intimidate or enforce – they need someone who will help them play hockey, and I don’t think Finley’s the best answer there.
by David M. Getz on Apr 27, 2009 5:45 PM EDT up reply actions
This is why Campbell is a freaking joke. 2 or 3 games, yeah. 6 – excessive.
Avery takes a stick to Erskine chin/ Juice’s nose/ Mo’s face/ and comes within an inch of Ovie’s face and he gets nothing from the league.
Brash should be suspended. But 6 games is excessive. I’d understand 2 or 3 games for the hit, but 5?
Presumably you mean ‘cuff’ and not ‘golf.’
by TylerG on Apr 27, 2009 4:13 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Would that be sausage links? Because you know he’s not gay.
by DrinkingPartner on Apr 27, 2009 4:13 PM EDT up reply actions
Wait, shit. I completely screwed that up.
by DrinkingPartner on Apr 27, 2009 4:13 PM EDT up reply actions
I think five (which is what Brashear got for the hit) sounds about right under what I feel is fair – going after someone’s head is a big deal – but it does seem to be harsher than some other punishments that have been laid down.
I’m not sure how to feel. On the one hand I feel like it’s harsher than I’d expected, but then I think the NHL is generally too lenient with these things, so….good?
by David M. Getz on Apr 27, 2009 4:13 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
That’s how I feel too. But I think what we’d both appreciate is some consistency.
by TylerG on Apr 27, 2009 4:15 PM EDT up reply actions 2 recs
Agreed.
If this becomed the new standard “Headhunting Unsuspecting Players = 5+ games” I think that’s good for the game. But if Lucic or Cooke does something egregious in Round 2 and gets hit with a 2 game suspension this is just going to get more weird.
I think we can probably predict that that will happen.
Maybe they’ll retroactively punish Avery for Pothier and Juice in this series.
by DrinkingPartner on Apr 27, 2009 4:17 PM EDT up reply actions
Agreed
100%. Get the intent to injure stuff out of the game. But do it across the board. Get rid of Avery. Get rid of Brashear. Why is there any role in the game for people who consistently (and hence, not unintentionally) hit people late, blindside, etc.?
I’d say I’m amazed Brashear would pull something like this since he was almost killed by McSorley so many years ago, but since he has no actual hockey skills, I guess I can’t be surprised.
Brash hasn’t been suspended in the last 3 years, until this. A late hit like this is nothing close to what McSorely did. It’s not analogous IMO.
by Fehr and Balanced on Apr 27, 2009 5:09 PM EDT up reply actions
I’ve read all sorts of crazy posts today, and I think there is a widespread, serious disconnect between who a fighter is and who a dirty player is. Brash is the former, Avery is the latter: 16 in blue consistenly plays much more dangerously than 87 in red.
Argue away about whether to remove fighting from the game completely, but until it’s so, Brash and the other fighters in the league will get a sweater. Conversely, there is no place for a player like Avery, who skirts a suspension on nearly every shift. And before some Ragsophile chirps up that he’s never been suspended for an on-ice incident, I would counter that this fact is but a remarkable indictment of the league office, not a blanket excuse for an exceptionally dirty player.
from the house that Red Jesus built
by bigonetimer on Apr 27, 2009 5:28 PM EDT up reply actions 7 recs
Brashear is a dirty player too.
Pension Plan Puppets: A Toronto Maple Leafs blog and a group therapy session.
How can you say Brashear isn’t a dirty player when he’s been suspended more times than anyone in the League?
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
by J.P. on Apr 27, 2009 7:26 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Thanks JP. If Chris Simon got his verdict because he was a repeat defender then this five games is nothing. And folks, it was five games for the hit, and one game for trying to pull a Slap Shot and picking a fight during warmups (IM TRYING TO LISTEN TO THE F-ING SONG!). Not six for the hit.
I have a blog too! www.scottyhockey.com
Let's Go Rangers!
by Scotty Hockey on Apr 27, 2009 8:53 PM EDT up reply actions
Yeah one game was for the pre-game shenanigans (which I’m sure Orr was an equal participant in) but there is not a huge difference between 5 and 6 games, he still got a much bigger suspension than anyone else has gotten this post-season (or last, or the previous). Yeah, the NHL thinks he’s expendable (and he is) but that doesn’t justify varying the sentence. We don’t give poor people different prison sentences than rich people, right?
You may disagree with me but I think Simon’s stick foul was worse than a shoulder foul. You can look at the result and say it’s the same but to me it’s just different. Maybe it’s because since I was a kid playing hockey I was always taught to retaliate with my body, not my stick. Maybe it’s because of the optics of it. I don’t think it’s the fandom because I really try to be objective about it.
by Fehr and Balanced on Apr 27, 2009 9:10 PM EDT up reply actions
I was taught the same – stick fouls are the worse.
But Versus had the pregame video before their broadcast of the Canes game – Brash skated over the red line and bumped into Colt.
I have a blog too! www.scottyhockey.com
Let's Go Rangers!
by Scotty Hockey on Apr 27, 2009 10:31 PM EDT up reply actions
Yeah I just saw that. Very unnecessary.
by Fehr and Balanced on Apr 27, 2009 10:32 PM EDT up reply actions
Surely you’re not putting stock in Forbes.com for convincing NHL data. But aside from that fluffy montage, I’ll stand on the comment that Brash is not a dirty player. Maybe Jamie Heward begs to differ, but Brash’s suspensions have stemmed mostly from fights. So I’ll reiterate: fighting is not dirty play in the NHL.
from the house that Red Jesus built
by bigonetimer on Apr 28, 2009 12:12 AM EDT up reply actions
Ok, fair. Maybe Brashear is a dirty player. He is, after all, a pure goon. But Avery is still something far worse – a guy with some speed/skill who intentionally hits people in the face with his stick. I’m not really sure I can remember another player that was as big of a punk [insert expletives here] as him.
He is, after all, a pure goon
let’s not forget this was forged not by a goon, but a concert pianist : )
from the house that Red Jesus built
That’s kind of how I feel too. If you’re going to do 5 games for this, you have to suspend for the Avery antics, you have to suspend the clothesline (perhaps even a greater intent to injure on that one), and you should probably suspend the Cammalleri punch.
This punishment is as randomly severe as receiving the death penalty. Doesn’t make any sense to me, but if it signals the league is going to actually take stuff seriously, then great.
If Brash can appeal this, he absolutely should, because there is no way someone could compare this to what has received suspensions of this length in the past and think it’s consistent.
I hope this is a sign of things to come
Every hit like that should get a minimum of 5 games.
NHL Discipline would be so much more acceptable if it was consistent. What’s going to piss me off is the next time someone does this they will get a 1 game penalty and this whole process will just look that much more stupid.
by Wisper on Apr 27, 2009 4:13 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
If Brash has set the 5-game standard, then, yes, I absolutely agree with you.
Do I think that his hit earned a 5-game suspension? Absolutely not.
1 and 1 or 2, that’s all that deserved.
by DrinkingPartner on Apr 27, 2009 4:15 PM EDT up reply actions
1 or 2 wasn't going to happen
1 or 2 would have come on a simple blow to the head.
Then add in that it was a clearly late hit
Then add in that it was on an unsuspecting player
Then add in that it was on “the closest Blue Shirt” because the guy that hit Brash on the boards was already off the ice.
and you add up to five pretty quick.
Personally, I think the straight head-shots should start at 5 games anyway. A 1-game suspension is for behaviorial issues. When you take action to deliberately hurt someone, you need to sit for longer then that.
by Wisper on Apr 27, 2009 4:18 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
But players get blindsided all the time. That’s his fault, victim or not. He’s got to be aware that he just got rid of the puck that he’s still a target. Betts clearly didn’t do that.
And I don’t think I get the “closest Blue Shirt” thing. What do you mean?
by DrinkingPartner on Apr 27, 2009 4:23 PM EDT up reply actions
Whom also just got rid of the puck. Whatever, I guess.
by DrinkingPartner on Apr 27, 2009 4:27 PM EDT up reply actions
No.. this was not a heads up thing
Betts was at center doing a simple dump-in for a line change. He was no longer part of the play. He wasn’t moving at all. Its one thing when someone is coming across the middle lane and only looking one way for a trailing teammate or something and fails to notice a quickly-approaching defender. This guy was standing still AFTER a routine play (puck dump).
And the “closest Blue Shirt” thing is part of what made this play dirty. Brash got hit on the boards with a clean check but shoved pretty hard. The ranger that hit him was skating to his bench and just finished Brash on the way. Brash recovered and quickly skated after the guy and when he saw him step off the ice, he spun around went to the closet Blue Shirt (which was Betts) skated up and LEVELED HIM and then skated off.
Betts wasn’t in the play. He didn’t have the puck. He wasn’t engaged with Brash at all and Donaled skated up from behind him to get lateral and then came at his side and went right for the head.
This is why it doesn’t matter if it was the elbow or shoulder or whatever. (FWIW, I think if it had been an elbow shot we’d be looking at 10+ games)
NHL Rules of Possession
Last player to touch the puck still has possession. If anything, Brash’s hit could have been a charge (I believe it was…)
But per NHL rules, Betts was still in the play, and still had possession.
Still, It’s Brash. Losing him for 6 doesn’t bother me, considering we’d probably not see him the rest of the way anyway (no other team has any fighters to worry about. nothing Clarkie can’t handle)
by FFSEnough on Apr 27, 2009 4:47 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Those rules or for things like determining where faceoffs are after the puck goes out of play and scoring on goals, not for penalties. I mean, if a guy ices the puck and let it go three second prior and someone comes over and clocks him, no one says “well that’s okay, he had possesion”.
by David M. Getz on Apr 27, 2009 5:47 PM EDT up reply actions
So my question is this...
“Brashear delivered a shoulder hit to an unsuspecting player”
A cross check to the back of an unsuspecting player (M. Green) causing his head and body to go face first into the boards is less dangerous… thus only garnering a 10-min misconduct.
Is that how it works now?
Yeah. Mike Green got up so it must have been a clean hit.
by Fehr and Balanced on Apr 27, 2009 4:21 PM EDT up reply actions
Also, I seem to recall a play in game 6 where AO was ridden into the boards head first. He got up and shook his head and shook it off, but that was far more dangerous than some of the other stuff I’ve seen, and no comments on that either. I don’t even remember what period or who the ranger was, but i remember seeing and wincing as it happened
Yeah, that was a Rosival check. I have to admit that I still am not sure how that check even physically happened, as it seemed like they were going directions non-conducive to the way he actually ended up. Hope that made sense :-).
by DrinkingPartner on Apr 27, 2009 4:27 PM EDT up reply actions
Mike Green gets away with leaving his skates all the time
I love almost all of his game. Love it. The one thing I don’t love is how frequently he leaves his skates and leads with his elbow on some of those checks he makes. He seldom gets called for it. I think that’s b/c he has a rep as an offensive defenseman, but if he keeps this up, he will get a rep for these hits and get called for it more often. He’s a brilliant player who shouldn’t need to head hunt the way he does.
I disagree. I don’t think he leaves his feet before contact and I don’t think he leads with his elbow. Elbows pop out after the hit a lot but that doesn’t mean it was an elbow. Most of the time it is just the hitter bracing himself for the contact. I know a lot of Rags fans were upset about the Sjostrom hit but I think that hit was clean.
by Fehr and Balanced on Apr 27, 2009 5:13 PM EDT up reply actions
I dunno. I’ve rewound and rewatched in slo mo some of his hits on the DVR, and I’m not a fan of a bunch of them. I’m not saying he does it all the time, but I’ve seen it more than once per game for just about every game in the last quarter of the season.
Definetely leaves his feet pre-hit.
You are right that it’s awfully hard to tell what’s happening with the elbow, and slo mo doesn’t help. The elbow is certainly up post-hit, but that could either be the follow through on leading with the elbow or it could be an instinctive / involuntary move to regain balance.
Do we even know that the misconduct was for the boarding and not for the post-play scuffle/something said to the linesman? If it was for the boarding then it should have been a 5 minute boarding
I thought that too
I mean… how does a guy get a misconduct for a 2 minute minor? I mean double it up or make it a major….maybe it was for a post-hit conduct.
Maybe he bit himself on his arm?
Apparently so.
And not to condone head shots, but Brashear’s was an open-ice hit, just after Betts played the puck. Unlike the trajectory of the Green / Dubinsky collision which you mention.
by Stephen Pepper on Apr 27, 2009 4:29 PM EDT up reply actions
But by that logic
Why even have a “Boarding” penalty on the books? Every hit to the back of an unsuspecting player causing him to go face first into the glass would just be misconduct/suspension.
The penalty was boarding… the misconduct was because Dubinsky had time and space to avoid the hit. I really would not want to see suspensions handed out for every boarding, and misconducts should only be doled out when it was clearly deliberate (as Dubinsky’s was).
Be careful what you wish for, i could see Feds grabbing a misconduct or two…
by DrinkingPartner on Apr 27, 2009 4:24 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
This does not reduce my sentiment, as long as things are called consistently (Ha!). The Caps have much more depth than the Rangers.
by Gould Old Days on Apr 27, 2009 7:11 PM EDT up reply actions
There is an understatement considering the Rangers have three salvageable players.
I have a blog too! www.scottyhockey.com
Let's Go Rangers!
by Scotty Hockey on Apr 27, 2009 8:56 PM EDT up reply actions
6 games is too long but it might keep the Rags from feeling like they need payback; i.e. Orr on Semin, Nicky, etc.
If it ain't broke, don't break it.
I hope that’s not true. The second this game gets out of hand, say a 3-0 deficit five minutes into the game, all I would want out of it would be someone to get some payback on a Cap… preferably Poti (of course, duh). Once he is gone, I won’t feel so dirty for rooting for Washington in the next round against Fatso or the Cole Harbour Crybaby.
I have a blog too! www.scottyhockey.com
Let's Go Rangers!
by Scotty Hockey on Apr 27, 2009 9:00 PM EDT up reply actions
I would understand (though not condone) a Rag cracking a stick across Brash’s dome for the cheap shot as at least there is some sort of pairing going on there- but Orr or Voros beating the shit out of Poti. Semin, etc because Brash was a douche seems remarkably small minded.
If it ain't broke, don't break it.
I think the league polices this game pretty harshly tomorrow night. Both teams are going to be very angry. I think very little will be tolerated tomorrow.
by DrinkingPartner on Apr 27, 2009 4:30 PM EDT up reply actions
Looking forward...
Does this slightly alter which team we would rather face if we make it to round 2? Without Brash for the first 5 games of a potential round 2, would you rather see the Pens or Devils? I tend to think it won’t matter whatsoever, but I’m also bored and like to overthink things.
I think Erskine does a great job of being a tough, intimidating presence.
by Pivonka, Michael Ridley on Apr 27, 2009 4:30 PM EDT reply actions
Way, way too much thinking ahead. We’re not there, yet.
by DrinkingPartner on Apr 27, 2009 4:31 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
I’ve got a 50 page thesis due this Friday, and I’m willing to do anything to not work on it right now, including determining how much the absence of the 20th most important Capital could alter our future preferences of potential playoff opponents. Help a struggling student procrastinate.
Apologies to the superstitious.
by Pivonka, Michael Ridley on Apr 27, 2009 4:38 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
I, too, was once a struggling student, so i feel your pain, but speculating even the tiniest bit about what happens after tomorrow night’s game is just as bad as the Caps looking past their last 5 games, because the “Playoffs” were just over yonder. Patience, my friend. Might I suggest a video game, or a hard drink to calm thy nerves?
by DrinkingPartner on Apr 27, 2009 4:41 PM EDT up reply actions
including determining how much the absence of the 20th most important Capital could alter our future preferences of potential playoff opponents
What does Tomas Fleishmann have to do with any of this?
by Gould Old Days on Apr 27, 2009 7:12 PM EDT up reply actions 4 recs
Like a diamond in the rough, rec’d for all time.
If I had the wings of an eagle,
If I had the arse of a crow,
I'd fly over New York tomorrow,
And shite on those bastards below.
by Bald Pollack on Apr 27, 2009 8:28 PM EDT up reply actions
Woah, woah, there sparky! I know you said “if we make it to round 2”… it’s just that some of us are way superstitious.
by superjuan on Apr 27, 2009 4:32 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Some high-fallutin’ strategery from the League maybe?
Excessively punish Brash to make it seem like the Caps are getting a raw deal in order to make up for them ignoring the cries about the “Bite” and the Verizon security.
I’m only half-joking. Wouldn’t put it beneath them.
Did the Caps a favour!
1) Excessive or appropriate the NHL did the Caps a favour here. Brashear hasn’t added much in this series, and assuming they and NJ win tomorrow he wouldn’t add much there either.
2) If Clark is indeed ready to go he’s an upgrade on the 4th line, and perhaps if they win he will be a nice addition to a 3rd line in the next round.
I find sometimes it's easy to be myself
sometimes I find it's better to be somebody else
i won’t be so bold as to assert cause and effect…but worth mentioning at least that the caps are 3-1 with brash in the lineup this postseason, 0-2 when he doesn’t dress.
by Natty Bumppo on Apr 27, 2009 4:47 PM EDT up reply actions
I kind of like a bottom 6 of:
Laich – Steckel – Clark
Bradley – Gordon – Fehr
by Gould Old Days on Apr 27, 2009 7:13 PM EDT up reply actions
Nuh Uh...
Don’t be breaking up Laich-Steckel-Bradley
Besides Clark-Gordon-Fehr would work too…
Let's go Caps!
Over-Enforced, but whatever
This was a 2 game foul, max. Yes, it was a bit late and it was to the head, but it’s obvious to me that the broken orbital bone, plus the rep, exponentially increased the penalty. Had Betts stepped back on the ice, it’s a fine and/or a game and no one looks twice.
More importantly, who gets the sweater? Anyone but Nyls, and Clark only if he can skate.
from the house that Red Jesus built
The candidates as I see them, in order of preference:
1. Clark;
2. Aucoin;
3. Beagle
4. Nylander
Whoever it is only has to replace +/- 5 minutes of TOI a game, but it would be nice to have someone out there that will hustle.
I’d throw Osala in there ahead of Beagle and Nyls. Jesus, what does that say about Nyls?
If it ain't broke, don't break it.
That he is an extremely bad fill in for a 4th line checking forward in the playoffs. If Fedorov were the one out, I’d have Nylander higher on my list of replacements. This is a matter of role and fit.
Dollars to donuts it’s gonna be Clark. He can play the 4th line role, as long as he can skate. The limited ice time makes his rustiness less of a liability.
I would not throw Osala or Finley onto the pile – that’s just asking for trouble.
If we are going to entertain thoughts of playing a rookie Dman that has NEVER played a professional game I’d throw John Carlson in before Finley. At least his skating is somewhere close to NHL ready.
by Fehr and Balanced on Apr 27, 2009 5:33 PM EDT up reply actions
I hear Hershey has a pretty good defenseman called “Karl” something…
by Gould Old Days on Apr 27, 2009 7:14 PM EDT up reply actions
I agree. I wasn’t actually suggesting we call up Carlson. I’m just saying if we are looking at any of the guys in Hershey that haven’t seen NHL time yet I’d look at Carlson before Finley.
by Fehr and Balanced on Apr 27, 2009 8:17 PM EDT up reply actions
I see your point—should be a vet for game 7. But an 80% Chris Clark helps no one; if he’s “this” close, why hasn’t he dressed to date?
from the house that Red Jesus built
It says alot more than that, I think. The Caps could move some players around to get Nyls a better fit, like moving Stecks back to the 4th line. Instead, the Caps will likely stick with Stecks as 3rd line center and the sense is that an AHL’er is preferred over Nyls (assuming no Clark). Wow.
If it ain't broke, don't break it.
I see what you’re saying, but I think it’s actually a matter of not breaking up a line/moving a player who is playing very well (Steckel) to account for a need for someone to fill a 4th line winger slot.
I guess I look at it this way:
Steckel is preferred over Nylander as 3rd line C.
Clark/Aucoin/Beagle (as for my preferences) is preferred over Nylander as 4th line LW.
But, if Fedorov got hurt or something, Nylander might be preferred over Steckel, Aucoin, and Beagle for 2nd line C.
Odd comment
“The Caps could move some players around to get Nyls a better fit, like moving Stecks back to the 4th line.”
From a guy who has a motto of “If it ain’t broke, don’t break it.”
Also I don’t really agree, Nyls doesn’t fit with the Caps system under Bruce Boudreau; he fit great under the puck possession, trapping system that we had under Hanlon though. Nyls would probably be a good fit in Columbus too, however I can’t see him waiving his NMC to go there for one season even if they’s take him.
by markbona-capsfan99 on Apr 27, 2009 5:50 PM EDT up reply actions
Read the posts prior to mine (I failed to “reply” to the correct post). I’m not all suggesting that the Caps should change the lineup; far from it. I was responding to the idea that Nyls is only sitting because he is a poor fit. I could not disagree more- Nyls is sitting because Stecks and a few A league players are outplaying him. And, again, what does that say about Nyls?
If it ain't broke, don't break it.
I Love It
Six Games is excessive and that should make Bruce giddy:
1. It completely removes any Ranger motivation that they got screwed by the league and
2. It gives the Caps the argument that the league is out to screw them
3. Having Brash gone takes away any sideshow distraction and allows the guys to just focus on the game
4. All the talk about Brashear, the Mo “bite” and the Torts-fan confrontation allows Bruce and GM to use the old “us against the world” speech and most importantly
5. It allows Bruce to get Clark into the lineup
I don’t think this could have worked out any better if the Caps had scripted it themselves.
by b.orr4 on Apr 27, 2009 5:51 PM EDT reply actions 2 recs
brashear is a goon
ok should anyone be surprized by this Brashear got his bonus for taking out the guy he was supposed to take out. Betts was the best face-off man and PK guy the rangers had. No big deal that hes out for basicallly the whole playoffs. I will agree that the penalties for these infractions are skewed sometimes but brashear is a goon and they went after him but he deserved it but he still got that bonus and caps fan you know he did
This is really the best general rule to follow – if you think someone is trolling, flag it and/or email someone who writes for the rink.
by David M. Getz on Apr 27, 2009 7:31 PM EDT up reply actions
Yeah, but then you don’t get to use that beautiful image…
by Gould Old Days on Apr 27, 2009 8:43 PM EDT up reply actions
Why flag it, especially when it is so easy to rip on the grammar and typing of said offender?
I have a blog too! www.scottyhockey.com
Let's Go Rangers!
by Scotty Hockey on Apr 27, 2009 8:58 PM EDT up reply actions
Here’s a shocker for you – said offender is… wait for it… a Flyers fan.
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
ur so smart japers. how did u find this out? i could only see that he iz named capssuck but only joyned the Caps’ blog. i thought all the cryerz fans were defending the home blog from pengwinz trollz. how doez he has such free time to talk to a Caps blog?
by Fehr and Balanced on Apr 27, 2009 9:45 PM EDT up reply actions 3 recs
What the hell are you talking about, Jack?
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
"No big deal that hes out for basicallly the whole playoffs"
Yeah I agree it sucks; but he’s only going to be missing one more game.
Anyway. it wasn’t too much of a trolling post except for the “got his bonus for taking out the guy he was supposed to take out.” I don’t believe for one second he was told to or had motive to injure.
As far as him deserving it: I think he should have got a game for the warm-ups and I think 5 for what I thought was a relatively clean hit is a bit excessive but there you have it.
140+ comments?
Are you kidding me? This is Donald Brashear we’re talking about! Betts dropped like the batteries got yanked out of him. Brashear got what he deserved and I don’t care if I ever see him dress for the Caps again.
uhh...uhh...uhh...
Sorry, man, but I couldn’t disagree more. I think the hit was not terribly late, not an obvious shot to the head, and with the shoulder. Aside from the first part, it was, so far as I’m concerned, a legal hit. The injury is completely beside the point. Injuries happen on legal hits and don’t happen on blatantly illegal plays (like, say, a pitchfork-spear to a player on the ice).
Ultimately, I refuse to get all het up about this while a guy who has taken his stick to someone’s face twice (and drawn blood once) and flashed the blade of his stick to a third hasn’t even come close to a suspension.
Outsider POV
I am a Pens fan…I initially thought the hit was late and dirty…However 6GAMES? I thought 1 maybe 2??? I have noticed a lot of late hits in these playoffs by all teams. I am actually surprised more guys havent been called for “roughing” on these runs. I personally think DB’s name and rep got him this many games….you can’t tell me a superstar or even like a Brooks Laich type player would have got more than one game. That is what bothers me…AO, Malkin Crosby Datsyuk get nothing, and like i said I am a Pens fan. If they are going to suspend Brashear like this then they are setting a high precident for the rest of the league – to not hit late/high…although i am still not sure it was high, but like I said I saw him turn towards the bench and then see an opportunity to hit someone without the puck as soon as he turned around which makes it dirty in my mind. but Whateve
by black&goldtilldead&cold on Apr 28, 2009 11:23 AM EDT reply actions
agreed on rep costing Brash a doubled sentence. Colin Campbell in at least one other instance has increased a mandatory one gamer to 3 games for the Don, just because he could.
from the house that Red Jesus built
by bigonetimer on Apr 28, 2009 12:19 PM EDT up reply actions
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Southeast Standings
| GP | W | L | OTL | PT | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Washington
|
82 | 54 | 15 | 13 | 121 |
|
Atlanta
|
82 | 35 | 34 | 13 | 83 |
|
Carolina
|
82 | 35 | 37 | 10 | 80 |
|
Tampa Bay
|
82 | 34 | 36 | 12 | 80 |
|
Florida
|
82 | 32 | 37 | 13 | 77 |
(updated 4.12.2010 at 9:21 AM EDT)
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