While I didn't think the hit was as dirty as Shanny painted it, I'm with you and Squanto on the length. The only problem is all the other suspensions are the wrong length.

Did you watch it?

First offense un-intentional head shot or boarding of vulnerable player (where they go down and head first into boards), where it was just a careless or reckless play, regardless of injury - 5 games

2nd offense for above - 10 games

3rd offense - at least 20 or up to season

First offense for INTENTIONAL targeting the head or boarding of vulnerable player - 10-20 games

2nd Offense - at least 20 or up to season

3rd offense - at least a season

If the NHL would ignore the injury factor and other gray mitigating/aggravating factors for 1st or 2nd offenses, players and fans would see much more consistency for the majority of suspensions. Once a player gets into the range where they can be suspended for a season or longer, then take mitigating/aggarvating factors into account that can explain differences between 20, 30, 50 or whatever long suspensions. Have a simple baseline that takes care of most incidents, and then try to nitpick other factors when deciding a player's season.

my only beef with this suspension is that 25 games is too heavy based on past suspensions. to me, this guy isn't going out to hurt people, he hurts people because he's stupid. i don't care who you are, there is a huge difference. 25 games is how long chris simon got for using a stick as a weapon.

i would have suspended him for 15 games. but if the league used the above structure, i'd be good with that, because it's consistent and graduated.

I don't have a problem with 25 because it's his 6th suspension for the same thing.

If this was his 1st or 2nd, I'd agree that 25 seems heavy, especially in context of the Simon ban. However, now that he's had his SIXTH go round for this, 25 seems to be the bare minimum.

Why yes, yes I did. I also saw Shanny's explanation. That's why I posted a comment about it.

Fair enough. (Figured that needed to be asked, since so many don't bother. )

Why do you consider it to be 'not dirty'? I'm honestly curious.

I didn't say not dirty. I think it was closer to borderline than dirty. All 3 things Shanny pointed out were meh. He was barely late, barely left his feet, and didn't "target" his head, so to speak. I'm fine with the suspension, because he doesn't seem to learn, but they need to start throwing 10+ game suspensions for all repeat offenders, not just Raffi. Tons of guys leave their feet a bit when they hit, but Raffi being a big meatball usually results in a car crash. I also think the hit was really no later than the "clean hit" Brown put on a Sedin like a week ago. Sure he saw the puck was gone, but guys often hit even when they know the puck is gone. It's called finishing a check, Shanny.

I guess that's my problem with your assessment.

Leaving your feet is ALWAYS dirty. That's how headshots happen. If Torres keeps his feet on the ice, he plows Hossa into next month, it's probably not even an interference call, and everything is fine.

Jumping into hits is WRONG. ALWAYS.

I agree Squanto, leaving your feet is dangerous no matter what. That act along with his extensive history, warrants the extensive time. I rarely give him props but decent call by Shaniban on this one....

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I don't disagree with that, it's just when you're a human wrecking ball, you're jumps are put under a microscope because of it. If Gerbe jumps, no one bats a lash. It happens all the time, but Shanny made it seem as though anyone caught doing it should be in big trouble. The weak penalty late in the WAS-BOS game yesterday seemed to be an example of trying to make it seem uniform. The Boston player jumped, and got his hands up by the WAS guys head, but was still clearly a weak call, especially considering the gravity of the situation. The NHL has a lot of work to do on player safety and officiating for sure.

By saying no interference call, you agree Shanny was exaggerating the lateness of the hit to some degree too?

He's right. Anyone caught jumping into a check should be nailed. Even Gerbe. Jumping into a check is a charge, and it's a prime reason for headshots and concussions.

The call in Boston was not weak. It was a penalty. Leaving your skates is a charge if it's 5 seconds into a game in October, or 5 seconds from the end of the game in June.

With respect to the interference, it was borderline if they'd call it, but it was clear interference. But lets be honest here; none of the 25 games he got was from a missed interference penalty.

The thing is, the Boston player didn't really even try to make a crushing hit. He just for some unknown reason jumped(that we'll never know), which, for purposes of officiating, probably ought to coincide with a hard hit or an intent to make a hard hit. Simply jumping by itself to make a mild hit a medium hit, because you don't have much speed shouldn't be a penalty, imo. That part of the charging rule is to protect players, and there's no need to protect them from minor hits. If the jump gets you up into the guys head, however, then a call is warranted.

Calls/no calls, and the timing of which is a very debatable subject better left for a topic all its own. The NHL CERTAINLY does have selective enforcement. I don't even think that's arguable.

I'm not saying they don't selectively enforce. I am saying they shouldn't.

As far as the jumping goes, it should always be a penalty, and should NEVER be done. Any time you leave your skates, you're putting your opponent's head at risk.

If you jump into a guy, that's a penalty. That's the definition of charging. The Boston call, even though it wasn't a body check, he still jumped and hit the guy's head with his arm.

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"Counting all the assholes in the room, I'm definitely not alone!" ~ Michael Poulsen, Volbeat, Still Standing.

I'm just saying the ticky tacky shit shouldn't be called. I'll bet if you ask the Caps player in private, he'd say it was ticky-tacky, and he'd have been mad if he got called for doing the same thing.

Does anyone know what Hossa's take on the suspension/hit is? I wouldn't doubt if the league wanted the players to keep their opinions to themselves.