Malkin vs. Brashear
by Stephen Pepper on Jun 2, 2009 12:30 PM EDT
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PrintWell, wouldn't that be entertaining? Now that I've piqued your interest, let's get down to a more serious discussion.
The NHL's selective and wholly-unpredictable supplementary discipline for suspendible offenses has been a long running theme, well pre-dating even this spring's post-season. But the response (or non-response) to the multiple transgressions committed by Penguins center Evgeni Malkin brings the league's stated goals of fair and impartial justice into le Théâtre de l'Absurde.
One hot topic of discussion immediately after Game Two of the SCF last Saturday was Malkin's instigation of a fight with Detroit's banged-up captain, Henrik Zetterberg (who, by the way, is much more deserving of a regal title than is some goalie the Capitals faced over a month ago), during the final five minutes of the game. As all of you astute readers know, a player who instigates a fight in the final five minutes is to be suspended for one game, pending a review.
However, Colin Campbell, the league's director of hockey operations, before the calendar even turned to Sunday, rescinded the automatic suspension with this statement:
Suspensions are applied under this rule when a team attempts to send a message in the last five minutes by having a player instigate a fight. A suspension could also be applied when a player seeks retribution for a prior incident.
Neither was the case here and therefore the one game suspension is rescinded.
Reasonable minds may, or may not, disagree.
But I said "multiple transgressions." And here's where the rules would appear to apply even more clearly. Unequivocally. Without a tortured reading and review. An earlier incident involving Malkin has not generated much reaction at all.
Before Game Two, Malkin, standing against the boards during the pre-game warmups, at the center red line and directly behind the fresh-faced Pierre McGuire (who was again ensconced between the benches), swung his stick over the line and struck Red Wings' D Chris Chelios in the shins as the latter was skating by. Watch the contact at the 17-second mark of this TSN clip.
The Canadian-wide leader referred to the slash as "another little bump" and, to be sure, it was mild. But, as you'll recall, Caps heavyweight Donald Brashear was swiftly suspended for one game specifically for initiating contact with Rangers forward Colton Orr during the pre-game warm-up. As Tarik reported after that April 26th Caps game versus the Rangers, and as we all saw watching the center ice push-off between the two enforcers, "it wasn't much of a bump." But the force of the contact is irrelevant: "[L]eague rules prohibit such contact." (See Rule 86.6.)
Except, apparently, in the case of Malkin. And not even an official attempt to distinguish between the Brashear/Orr incident and this Malkin slash on Cheli.
THN's Adam Proteau seems skeptical that there is any limit to the absurdity inherent in the league's administration of supplemental discipline:
[L]et’s say Malkin cold-cocked and concussed Zetterberg, knocking him out of the lineup for the remainder of the series. Would Campbell’s supplementary discipline verdict have been rendered so quickly – and with such tacit compassion for the aggressor?
Somehow, I doubt it. But really, who knows what the NHL will do anymore?
What can we make of this disparate treatment, other than a blatant unwillingness to suspend a star player no matter whether clear rules are flagrantly violated?
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I wonder how much of that has to do with the fact that the Pens would be utterly flattened by the Wings without Malkin, and that that isn’t good for ratings?
I don’t know. There’s a lot of conspiracy theories, among them the one that Bettman is trying to hand Crosby the Cup, but I’m going to stay away from that debate and simply say that the NHL isn’t interested in integrity and it’s not interested in enforcing its own rules when it’s not convenient. It’s a business, and it’s trying to make money first and foremost. As such, suspending Malkin for a game would be bad for business.
Technically, shouldn’t he have gotten a game misconduct as well for not having his fight strap tied down?
"It is better to die on your feet than to live on your knees." - Delores Ibarruri
I don’t think the fight strap is a game suspension, i think he’s just out of the current game with a “game misconduct” …
but you’re right, it’s all about the “all mighty dollar” and eliminating malkin from game 3 would pretty much kill the pens chances of winning, thus hurting the possibility of 6 or 7 games. Rules be damned, The NHL does NOT wanna see a sweep or a 4-1 series victory. that’s 2 or 3 games worth of revenue they’re missing out on.
Strap
That’s what I said yesterday. Can anyone explain the difference between Malkin and Semins tie down issue?
No difference at all. Semin wasn’t suspended for it, and neither should Malkin be. Malkin should have gotten a game misconduct, but it was the very end of the game so he wasn’t coming back anyway.
by Gould Old Days on Jun 2, 2009 2:25 PM EDT up reply actions
A game misconduct is not s suspension – he was simply ejected from the game.
"It is better to die on your feet than to live on your knees." - Delores Ibarruri
semin's line, next game
Jan 06 ’09 PHI @ WSH 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 3 0.0 20 21:02 0.0
the previous 6 games, semin had missed with a back injury.
Malkin is a borderline dirty player who has a reputation of coming at guys from behind. Everyone remember the slew foot he put on Dave Steckel in the playoffs? Or how about the slew foot he performed on Paul Mara in the ‘08 playoffs which set off a big fight. (check out the video here about 1:40 in) He did the same thing to an Ottawa player in the ’07 playoffs.Then he jumps Zetterberg, a guy who never fights ( and apparently doesn’t know how). Sooner or later, he’ll get his.
Or how about the slew foot he performed on Paul Mara
I didn’t check the video, but I remember that ‘08 game. Didn’t he do it twice in the same game? Ever since, I’ve said he’s a dirty player, and this stuff seems to happen with him all the time. Pretty sure I saw him do it in one of the playoff games against the Caps, too. But it’s Ovechkin who is said to be dirty because he hits hard. Can’t remember him doing stuff like that to anyone.
Can’t remember him doing stuff like that to anyone.
4:00 minute mark on this Youtube; a pretty clear slew foot delivered by AO. there seems to be a constant need to label players “dirty” on all sides, and it’s never that cut-and-dry.
Hadn’t seen that and I was at that game, which is probably why (I sit at the other end). Well, no question that was bad, and should be a penalty, but I thought slew-footing was kicking the skate blade out from under the skater. I’m not arguing anything here, just asking a legit question as to a definition.
i actually had never looked this up, so i’m glad to learn something today:
“A Minor penalty or, at the discretion of the Referee, a Major penalty and a Game Misconduct penalty shall be assessed any player who uses his feet to knock an opponents skates out from under him with a kicking or leg dragging motion from behind (”slew footing")." (Canadian Hockey Referee’s Case Book/Rule Combination, 2001, pg. 221)
AO definitely uses a kicking motion from behind and takes malkin’s skates out from underneath him. it looks to me like he makes direct contact with malkin’s raised skate, but either way i think you could fairly call it a slew foot.
Malkin’s done it three times in the playoffs, Ovechkin once. If AO did it two more times, I’d say he’s playing dirty too.
so wait, is the cut-off 3 slew foots (feet) or 2 slew foots (feet)?
i’d really like to know so that i don’t misidentify someone as dirty or clean.
Double standard? A similar post was done on our site earlier today.
http://newfaux.blogspot.com/2009/06/double-standard.html
I find sometimes it's easy to be myself
sometimes I find it's better to be somebody else
I thought the most egregious part of the end-of-game incident, which nobody seems to be talking about, is that malking hits Zetterberg in the back of the head with his stick not once, but twice!
Should have been a game for the pre-game and at least two games for post-game (one for instigating, the other for a stick to the head), but what do you I know? Certainly not more than Colin Campbell.
http://dclandingstrip.blogspot.com/
Exactly the point I made in a fan post the other day. I can see the revokation of the instigator penalty, it basically fits their reasoning for putting the escape clause in in the first place. But those slashes to the back of Zetterberg’s head should have cost 3-5 games.
by HateOffSeason on Jun 2, 2009 1:56 PM EDT up reply actions
I’m having a hard time even caring about what decision the wheel spinning monkey will make next.
by zephyr on Jun 2, 2009 1:35 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
Good post, Pepper. I think I’m going to just stop trying to make any rhyme or reason out of any NHL rulings (or lack thereof). It’s a fool who looks for reason in the chambers of the human heart.
"I tried to capture the spirit of the thing"
Vince McMahon has better rulings in his industry than Colin Campbell does for the NHL. It is one big joke.
by killianskid34 on Jun 2, 2009 3:10 PM EDT up reply actions
No it’s not. The story is not about this particular episode but rather about the trend and expectations. What should the Wings do now after Malkin gets such a blatant card blanche? Next time some of them may prefer to smash him with a stick just because NHL’s not doing their job, and I’m afraid it’s only a matter of time that anything like that happens.
You gotta stop talking about it. It’s like The Sopranos. It’s OVER. Find a new show.
So, I guess that means every ruling made from here on out by Campbell will be perfectly consistent and made without bias to a player’s stature?
So, I guess that means every ruling made from here on out by Campbell will be perfectly consistent and made without bias to a player’s stature?
Yeah, that’s exactly what I’m saying.
CFTO people, you’re sounding like the same people who were contending that AO kneed Gonchar in Pittsburgh and elbowed Heward in February.
by Bald Pollack on Jun 2, 2009 2:38 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
To me the issue has little to do with Malkin and how dirty or how clean a player he is. This is entirely about Campbell and his failure to have any consistency in the application of the rules. We all know it, but he’s a joke and so is NHL discipline. Its another page in the same book I’m afraid.
And that’s where I am with it. Until there’s less subjectivity with the rules and the issuing/repercussions therein, all I can really say is strike a balance between playing your game and not getting called for 5 minors a night and things should be, well, not fine, but better.
What it boils down to is Brashear is a “goon”, Malkin is not. It’s pretty obnoxious that that nomenclature turns this into a joke. Bring back NHL Presidents who had no qualms suspending a player for the rest of the season and the playoffs even though they were on the league’s most popular team, and he was vying for the scoring championship, and his team was competing with the Red Wings for the President’s Trophy.
I'm so sick and tired of the refs explaining the calls like this is the NFL.
You beat me to it. This is an anti-goon rule and nothing more than that. The language was written “fuzzy” on purpose to allow the Malkin loophole that we’re seeing after game 2. I’m OK with that aspect, but not the stick to the head (intent to injure) nor the pregame swipe at Chelios.
At a bare minimum, I thought they’d have to suspend him one game for the pregame incident, even though common sense tells me that was the least egregious of the three events. It just happens to be the one that Bettman has the least amount of wiggle room to get his boy out of it…
It’s too bad that a great sport like this is being turned into a “business” first and foremost where fairness or common sense could be sacrificed at the alter of the Almighty Dollar. Serenity NOW!!! : )
or: Brashear doesn’t score 100+ points a year on a team that has been blessed by the NHL and was brought in the league to start fights.
take any of those three away from Malkin particularly point 2 and there would be a suspension here. If Malkin performed the Betts hit he wouldn’t be suspended either.
"You will remember the night you were struck by the sight of [18] thousand fists in the air" -Disturbed
Despicable = Colin Campbell and his posse.
If the rule states no contact with an opposing player during warmups or else face a 1 game suspension. Campbell needs follow the rules and suspended him. Malkin will continue these stupid and childish antics until he gets suspended or he gets hurt ( I don’t wish an injury on him or anyone).
If he did get suspended for that slash, would anyone argue?
If he did get suspended for the instigator, would anyone argue?
The answer to both is NO. If you do the crime, serve the time.
You can’t flip flopping on these rules, it makes a joke of the system.
I’d like to see player suspensions handled by a committee of 3 former players who would rotate each year/few years. Also, at least one if not two should be from Europe/Russia to insure against perceived Canadian bias.
Imagine a ruling coming down from Yzerman/Stasny/Bourque. That would be a whole lot more credible than what we’re seeing from Campbell.
Great post. This looks and smells like a double standard, especially with respect to the pre-game contact. Is there any real difference between the contact initiated by Malkin and what Brashear did? Methinks not. Malkin hit Zetterberg in the head with his stick but they let Kunitz go for cross-checking Varlamov in the throat so that’s consistent, in a twisted, wrong-headed sort of way. And the rules allow Campbell to set aside the automatic suspension for instigating the fight even though the loophole appears arbitrary and capricious to the casual observer. But hey, it’s the NHL, maybe Maggie the Monkey is secretly in charge of the rules. Seriously though, if and when one of our star players is on the block, this Caps fan will be expecting leniency, based on the precedent already set. It’s self-serving but so is the NHL’s disciplinary system.
I have a feeling Malkin is going to get served up cold by Kronwall before this series is over.
from the house that Red Jesus built
Where is logic?
How do these standards protect or grow the game. I talk to a number of people who eschew hockey on the basis of its violence. This audience is where the NHL will grow numbers. Those who accept the fighting are already fans. Try explaining why there is no penalty for that after game “fight”, or try to explain why Brashier got suspended for pre-game contact and Malkin didn’t. You can’t do it without making the NHL sound like a dog and pony sport. I say this knowing that Ovie will get more penalties, for leaving his skates on SOME hits, for instance.
As for the “dirty player” accusation, let’s take it easy. Confirmation bias provokes us to find all the instances that support our hypothesis and ignore all those that don’t. Pens fans have a habit of saying Ovie cheap shot all the time and is thus a dirty player. This is obviously not true, nor is it true that all of Ovie’s hits are within the letter of the law. Experience would show that most hockey players have moments of transgression, but it would be a monumental crime of logic to label them “dirty”.
Having said all that, isn’t there, and shouldn’t there be some understanding of the importance of the Cup Final? I’m not suggesting a suspension of the rules, but among fans who don’t like a player or team, wouldn’t it be fair to suspend some judgment in cases where emotions are concerned? By all means expect the refs and the NHL to do their jobs, but can any of us say we don’t understand Malkin’s frustration to be losing to this team for the second year in a row in the most important series of the season, regardless of our opinions of Malkin?
Every year without a Cup adds wonder and awe to its eventual arrival.
The dirty player stuff is spot on. Anyone that hits a lot is going to get caught in a gray zone on occasion. The Malkin stuff is half right. I agree that it would be dumb to suspend Malkin for Game 3. But that’s because I think that rule is pretty dumb in the first place and it would be a travesty for the NHL to suspend the Art Ross winner for a SCF game over some garbage like that. I don’t really think it’s the same as Brash because it wasn’t as violent, and let’s face it, as dumb as Brash’s suspension was it in no way affected the quality of hockey or the outcome of any games. Suspending Malkin most definitely would. That said, there are several NHL rules and/or policies that Malkin violated. Late instigator PIM. Shots to the head. No message sending late in a decided game (he admitted that he let his emotions take control and was just pissed in the Puck Daddy interview). It’s the right call but for all the wrong reasons.
The first paragraph is flat wrong. Hockey is violent. Do your friends that don’t like hockey like football, or lacrosse, or MMA? If they do they are just hypocrites that don’t understand the game of hockey, or the concept of violence; if they don’t then that’s fine, but hockey is just not their sport. The NHL needs to do something about protecting their players before someone gets killed. There are way too many hits that are extremely dangerous that go unpenalized because nobody gets hurt. Someday someone is going to be hurt. Bad. I’m not talking Steve Moore, that can be disclaimed as stochastic error, that stuff clearly doesn’t belong in the game. But what if Mike Green’s neck is broken in the ECQF? Those hits happen regularly. Someone will get hurt, and that is why the NHL needs to control it. But to let the perception of people who don’t know anything about hockey, or are not ever going to be fans, dictate policy is just a bad idea.
As for the dog and pony crap. Hockey is an awesome game and if you take the time to explain the game to someone it’s usually pretty easy to turn them into fans, in my experience. Explaining reffing is entirely different than explaining the game or the league. If you are a sports fan you understand the difference between “the rules” and “the calls.” What is holding in the NFL? What is the official MLB strike zone? How many steps is a travel? Hockey is no different than other sports in that respect, it’s just harder to ref.
A short response to good points: As I understand the rule pre-game contact is automatic and I’ve seen less contact with the stick on slashing calls. I’m not arguing that Brash’s conduct set the standard by which Malkin or anyone else should be judged.
By violent I was specifically talking about fighting so let’s focus on that and not the violence that flows naturally from a contact sport. There is no other sport other than the fighting sports that don’t suspend players automatically for fighting. In hockey fighting results only in a penalty (with some caveats for certain actions). While I can explain the tradition of hockey and the subsequent culture that demands fighting be a part of the game, it is much more difficult to explain the arbitrary nature of sanctions against certain actions. A six game suspension for a borderline hit may fall into the rules, but so does contact during pre-game skate. I’m not asking the NHL to dictate policy for delicate fans, I’m asking them to act in a way that allows those fans to be able to understand policy.
I stand behind my “dog and pony” statement. To explain that there seems to be rules for regular season or for stars, or that there are certain “spotlight” penalties that are called at the beginning of the season whose importance fades by January, while making sense to a long time fan, leaves one with the impression that the NHL IS dog and pony when it comes to officiating. You look at how Colin Campbell is judging things and contrast that to Roger Goddell.
Every year without a Cup adds wonder and awe to its eventual arrival.
I’m right with you on everything regarding arbitrary punishment. That needs to be straightened out and it really is infuriating for the fans, but it doesn’t ruin the game. I’d love to be able to understand NHL policy, and that should be the focal point. I don’t know what fans you talk to, but I have been very successful converting people into hockey fans. The sport sells itself. Once you explain basic strategy so people can follow what guys are trying to do they catch on very quickly. I don’t think the terrible officiating really deters people; sports fans are used to bad officiating, especially NFL and NBA fans. NFL refs routinely have an impact on games.
The problem definitely lies in the inconsistant refereeing. Any player that is playing all out, is going to be performing on the edge of what is legal, and what is illegal. That is the way it is supposed to be. When they stray over that line, they take a penalty, and the penalty is what keeps the player from crossing that line, except by accident (excluding the “good” hold/hook when you are flat beat and a guy is gonna get a breakaway).
However, when the penalty is not called when you accidentally cross the line, then that play becomes the norm, not the rare occassion. If Ovie is called for a few of his charges (he does take more than 3 steps before a hit sometimes, and he does leave his feet on occassion) he will do it less often. He will still hit, he will just do it more within the letter of the law. Same with Malkin. If he actually got penalized for his actions, he wouldn’t continue to do them. He’s a damned good player, not a dirty one, who is trying his hardest to win. He will do whatever the ref’s allow him.
I really don’t think there are very many “dirty” players in the league. There are dirty hits and plays, usually a venting of frustration, and the league isn’t doing anyone any favors if those plays aren’t called as penalties, even if it is done by a star. I can think of only one really dirty player, and he plays for the Rangers. The sad thing is he doesn’t have to be dirty, he is very effective when he plays within the rules.
by HateOffSeason on Jun 2, 2009 8:05 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
You’re a professional hockey player making millions every year. You’re not some busch league thug who has too little brains to do something else, too few skills to play a higher level and too much testosterone. You need to control those emotions and use them to give you the fire that got you to the level you’re at. He was swinging his stick at a guy’s head, not just any guy’s head, but one of the coolest heads of both teams. No one else was pulling that crap on either side.
Don’t give me crap about emotions should be taken into consideration. Actions are the only thing that matters.
"You will remember the night you were struck by the sight of [18] thousand fists in the air" -Disturbed
As I recall he was hitting Hank in the head with his stick but not “swinging” the stick as you describe. In any event, as a fan I’m willing to give Malkin the benefit of the doubt and assume a breakdown of emotions rather than that he is “dirty”. I am not, as a fan of Ovie going to minimize the role of emotions.
Every year without a Cup adds wonder and awe to its eventual arrival.
I agree. He was reckless and stupid with his stick, but he wasn’t “swinging his stick at his head.” That was a pretty lame fight all around, Hank throwing gloved punches, Malkin looking like a loud dog with no killer instinct. The only beef with Malkin has to be the pre-game contact.
And if he hits someone in the eye, I think it’s a suspension.
by Gould Old Days on Jun 3, 2009 9:19 PM EDT up reply actions
25+ seconds of an extra Penguins man on the ice that 4 officials missed this last game. The Detroit bench was screaming so loudly a Pens defenseman heard the commotion and finally left the ice. Still no penalty call. Poor officiating/ double standards/ idiotic league decisions. I am not a conspiracy guy, but no wonder we can’t get the masses to support this game. The NHL will get the extra $$ for the extra game, but they will look like a bunch of incompetent dolts in doing so…
Then there’s this, via Cult of Hockey:
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
Since I didn’t watch the game, I’m curious, when did this hit happen? I also noticed (surprise, surprise) that the Pens got a powerplay late in the third. Was it legit?
The PP was legit – Ericsson stupidly interfered with Cooke.
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
you mean it was “legit” as in the refs weren’t calling it earlier and they let more serious (and obvious) stuff go up until that point.
"You will remember the night you were struck by the sight of [18] thousand fists in the air" -Disturbed
I mean “in a vacuum, by the book, that was interference.” In context? Perhaps not so much (then again, I didn’t watch the game up until that point).
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
And the obligatory “hockey isn’t played frame-by-frame” disclaimer.
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
With each passing cheap shot, I am more and more thankful that he is no longer in Washington. The elbow on Holmstrom the other night, now this one being just the latest examples. Never liked him.
Makes me appreciate Matt Bradley more. He’s very effective at what he does without this BS.
by Gould Old Days on Jun 3, 2009 11:12 AM EDT up reply actions
Just … wow. Every game, it seems the Pens get away with something else. This is not to say that Detroit didn’t get away with a few things, but … wow.
"It is better to die on your feet than to live on your knees." - Delores Ibarruri
It’s great for the refs if they want to control the games. They let everything go until players pull crap every time their on the ice. The refs can call anything they want at that point whenever they feel like they want to tilt the pressure.
"You will remember the night you were struck by the sight of [18] thousand fists in the air" -Disturbed
Proteau just wanted to use the word “cock” in a post.
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
So is it true that Pittsburgh had six skaters on the ice for more than half a minute last night and it wasn’t called?
"It is better to die on your feet than to live on your knees." - Delores Ibarruri
Completely true. The real travesty is that I am sure the officials aren’t going to be penalized for that. I imagine it’s too late to change the officiating crews for the rest of the series. I can understand missing a few seconds, but half a minute? [Cue conspiracy theories here.]
The sad truth is that the guys they have officiating these games probably are the best the league can offer. There’s no conspiracy here because both sides are getting equally bad treatment, but the quality of reffing in the NHL is just plain embarrassing at times. It’s almost like the NBA in terms of its consistency, and that’s saying something.
Pens have been getting preferential treatment the entire playoffs. I haven’t been watching the Red Wings as much. A 6 on 5 for 30 seconds is as embarrassing as it gets.
"You will remember the night you were struck by the sight of [18] thousand fists in the air" -Disturbed
pittsburgh fans will remember, the NFL suspended two officials for a similar incident in ’95.
(pic from unrelated game. total shame that the almighty google image search isn’t returning a single pic of cowher stuffing the polaroid down mccarter’s shirt.)
by Natty Bumppo on Jun 3, 2009 11:48 AM EDT up reply actions
I wonder what the odds are that Game 4 is called super-tight after all the flap.
"It is better to die on your feet than to live on your knees." - Delores Ibarruri
I say slim and none
That would be an acknowledgement that maybe they’d done something wrong, wouldn’t it?
by CapitalCentre on Jun 3, 2009 7:08 PM EDT up reply actions
How un-NHL that would be. Accountability is for other sports.
by Gould Old Days on Jun 3, 2009 9:21 PM EDT up reply actions
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