Courtesy of The Hockey News:

Blue Jackets' Jason Chimera wheeled off ice on stretcher

"ST. PAUL, Minn. - Columbus Blue Jackets forward Jason Chimera was wheeled off the ice on a stretcher after being checked into the boards by Minnesota Wild centre Eric Belanger.

The hit came with 6:17 to play in the second period of Minnesota's 2-0 pre-season victory Friday night.

Chimera appeared to go into the boards face first after getting hit by Belanger. He stayed down on the ice for about five minutes before being placed on a stretcher and wheeled off. He gave two thumbs up on his way off and a team official said he was coherent. He was taken to a hospital for evaluation.

"From my view, it looked like he just had no chance to protect himself," Columbus forward Rick Nash said. "Obviously, (Belanger) doesn't have a history of (playing dirty) and he seems to be a pretty fair player. But I don't know, I need to see the replay and judge from that."

Belanger was assessed a five-minute major for boarding and a game misconduct."

...This dangerous nonsense has to stop. Every season we see the same disregard for player-safety.

What are the NHLPA waiting for? A player to be paralyzed or lose his life or suffer irrepairable brain damage? A "union" that does nothing to protect its' membership and their livelihood is fairly inept, and will contribute to its' own downfall.

...but?....but?...think of the children...the culture of violence it might spawn...

Dump it, is right. Pronto. And let the beatings begin.

The rule its' self is senseless, because 99% of the time it's not called anyway. The checking from behind rule needs to be modified, and players also need to take better angles on the puck. Not saying at all that this is Chimera's fault for the check from behind, but I remember watching hockey a few years ago, you never, and I mean NEVER saw someone skate head on, head first at the boards, now it's common practice. Why? The game got a little softer, and the rules on checking from behind got a little tighter.

I think it really is going to cause someone getting their neck broken, before the NHL does something. Because clearly they are just sitting on their hands on this rule since after the lock out.

Fight instigator needs to go. 3rd man in is usually the guy with the balls enough to take someone out for being a coward anyway.

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"She's like plan C after an 18 pack"

Squanto 7/27/2010

Did anyone else cath the interview with Collin Campbell on NHLN last night? Two of the topics they discussed were the instigator rule, and the rule about fighting in the last five minutes of the game. Collin was going on glowingly about how successful the two rules have been, and how much better the product on ice is. When asked about comments made by Laraque and another pugilist, Collin said they should keep their mouths shut - like they don't know what happens on a hockey rink.

This dude should be competing for "Biggest Douche in the Universe"

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"I don't feel like Satan, but I am to them"
Neil Young

Simple truth: If you do something stupid, and receive a beating each and every time you do it...pretty soon, you stop doing it.

Jay, someone has already had their neck broken from a check from behind.

Eric Cole, and they suspended the guy but nothing serious came about it, it is going to take a paralysis in order for something to happen.

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This is getting ridiculous.

A paralysis or death is going to have to occur for anything to change.

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Miles to go before I sleep

‎"Love knows not its own depth until the hour of separation."
-Khalil Gibran

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"...they came down into the stands and asked if I knew how to do play by play. I said...No. But. I'll take a shot at it if you want".- Rick Jeanneret