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Fri Oct 30, 2009 10:09 pm EDT

Andrew Ladd gives us something to debate this weekend

By Sean Leahy

Just when you thought the topic of head shots was about go away for a little while, Andrew Ladd(notes) of the Chicago Blackhawks delivered what ESPN Chicago's Jesse Rogers is calling "the biggest hit delivered in a Hawks game this season" to Montreal's Matt D'Agostini(notes) early in the first period of tonight's game. Ladd was given a five-minute major for elbowing, a game misconduct and a minor for roughing when he mixed it up with Kyle Chipchura(notes) during the aftermath.

See the hit and judge for yourself:

D'Agostini has not returned since the hit 3:48 into the game.

Like we saw last week after Philadelphia Flyers captain Mike Richards(notes) hit David Booth(notes) of the Florida Panthers, Ladd did not leave his skates and his shoulder (not elbow) connected with D'Agostini's head as seen in this screencap:

The head shot debate is now back after a few quiet days and proponent for a head checking penalty, like former NHL'er Keith Primeau, will again make their voices heard. TSN's Darren Dreger reported on Thursday that Primeau may receive an invitation to next month's general manager meetings to discuss a possible head checking penalty.

As far as supplementary discipline for Ladd? If history is about to repeat itself, don't expect Ladd to be punished anymore than the $200 fine he'll receive for being ejected from the game. Then again, it is the NHL we're talking about, so guessing punishment in this situation would be a fool's game. 

Related: David Booth, Andrew Ladd, Mike Richards, Chicago Blackhawks, Florida Panthers, Philadelphia Flyers

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76 Comments

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  1. ZHL Commissioner
    1. Posted by ZHL Commissioner Fri Oct 30, 2009 10:14 pm EDT

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    Clean hit
  2. ffefreekshow
    2. Posted by ffefreekshow Fri Oct 30, 2009 10:24 pm EDT

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    Clean hit? ZHL com you must be totally blind and stupid. That was dirty. You don't go for someones head. I hope that Ladd gets at least ten games.
  3. colin c
    3. Posted by colin c Fri Oct 30, 2009 10:34 pm EDT

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    wAS CLEAN-ISH. feet down and shoulder. true. complete lack of respect fo the other player would be the -ish part.
    Drop the damn instigator rule now so guys tossin shots like about wil be taken to task once again.
  4. neat1325
    4. Posted by neat1325 Fri Oct 30, 2009 10:38 pm EDT

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    clean hit watch it full speed
  5. mizzleistheshit
    5. Posted by mizzleistheshit Fri Oct 30, 2009 10:39 pm EDT

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    Head was down clean hit. Old time hockey. Everything is debateable these days for some reason. He doesn't leave his feet. He put his shoulder down at thats all. Great hit. Should not be suspended.
  6. ZHL Commissioner
    6. Posted by ZHL Commissioner Fri Oct 30, 2009 10:40 pm EDT

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    freekshow: learn the game and watch that clip again.
    He had the puck, head was down, hockey is fast.
    Keep your head up.
    Clean hit.
  7. The Bog
    7. Posted by The Bog Fri Oct 30, 2009 10:41 pm EDT

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    By the letter of the law that's clean. Especially since the guy's head was around Ladd's waist. Guy's need to play with their head up instead of buried. In that situation the only way Ladd can hit him is in the head, you take that hit away all a guy has to do is skate with his head down and be completely invincible. It pains me to say that because I would rather see hits like this eliminated from the game, but I can't figure out what else is Ladd supposed to do in that situation?
  8. gbaker386
    8. Posted by gbaker386 Fri Oct 30, 2009 10:44 pm EDT

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    Don Cherry is not always correct but sometimes he is right on. Get rid of the hard plastic shoulder pads. That stuff is so hard that it is not protecting, instead it is damaging. The protective equipment has become a weapon. Go back to soft pads that provide protection only.
  9. habs1rule
    9. Posted by habs1rule Fri Oct 30, 2009 10:45 pm EDT

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    Shrimps have heads??
  10. Scott M
    10. Posted by Scott M Fri Oct 30, 2009 10:47 pm EDT

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    "Clean hit? ZHL com you must be totally blind and stupid. That was dirty. You don't go for someones head. I hope that Ladd gets at least ten games."
    When are people going to realize that head shots are NOT illegal in the NHL? Every single discussion of these types of hits leaves people saying things like "he hit him in the head, that should be a suspension!" It's NOT, I repeat NOT illegal to hit someone in the head with your shoulder with a check. It may be illegal (I hope not) down the road, but at this current time it is allowed. You may disagree with it, but that doesn't mean you can suspend someone for it. Feel free to read the NHL rulebook. Elbows, charging, leaving your feet, etc. Those are things that you can be suspended for. Hitting someone in the shoulder with a check is not.
  11. Jim
    11. Posted by Jim Fri Oct 30, 2009 10:48 pm EDT

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    Hey, head up or lights out. It was hard but clean, just like the one on Towes last week. 10games? Pocket money, couple hundred, see ya next game.
  12. Kris
    12. Posted by Kris Fri Oct 30, 2009 10:50 pm EDT

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    Technically clean? Yes.
    Should it be allowed? No.
    He should have enough common sense to find a way to make his check without going for the head. Don't kid yourself, I love big hits and an occasional fight, but there's absolutely no reason to see guys going down with concussions every single night.
    Unfortunately, it's going to take a life-threatening injury (or worse) for anyone to do anything about it. We saw that last season with the uproar about fighting after a player died in Canada.
    Even if you don't care about player safety, every single one of these hits that ends up on ESPN and youtube casts the game in a negative light. The fact that they mostly go unpunished is appalling to most non-fans.
  13. Tony
    13. Posted by Tony Fri Oct 30, 2009 11:00 pm EDT

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    The problem with hits like this is that they ARE legal. We should be debating if they should be.
    I'd say no. Hitting is a great part of hockey. There are tons of big hits that don't involve a player exploding into an unsuspecting opponent's head with rock hard shoulder pads. Take away head shots and all we lose is one vicious, cheap, yet now legal, check per week.(Or day as it seems lately.)
  14. thenhawke
    14. Posted by thenhawke Fri Oct 30, 2009 11:03 pm EDT

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    great hit nice job ladd keep it up
  15. Jay Rei
    15. Posted by Jay Rei Fri Oct 30, 2009 11:07 pm EDT

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    Clean
  16. Andrew
    16. Posted by Andrew Fri Oct 30, 2009 11:32 pm EDT

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    KEEP your HEAD UP!
  17. Andrew
    17. Posted by Andrew Fri Oct 30, 2009 11:32 pm EDT

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    KEEP your HEAD UP!
  18. Pete D
    18. Posted by Pete D Fri Oct 30, 2009 11:33 pm EDT

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    Completely clean hit, and it's a hit that should never be made illegal. The reason why there is not, and should not be, a rule against getting hit in the head with a shoulder is that it's not like players are intentionally trying to drive their shoulders into other players' heads, it's simply about the size difference. You're going to lead with your shoulder and hit every guy pretty much the same way. You'll never see Zdeno Chara take a hit like that, even if he's skating with his head down, simply because nobody's shoulder comes up to the level of his head. So why should a hit that's completely legal on Zdeno Chara be illegal against a shorter player simply based on the fact that said player is shorter? Yeah it's dangerous, but hockey is a dangerous and violent game. If you don't like it, don't play - or at the very least, particularly if you're a shorter player, keep your head up
  19. Zetty The Yeti
    19. Posted by Zetty The Yeti Fri Oct 30, 2009 11:33 pm EDT

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    That hit is almost identical as Kronwall on Havlat in the play offs last year. The only real difference is D'Agostini had full control of the puck.
  20. Pete D
    20. Posted by Pete D Fri Oct 30, 2009 11:51 pm EDT

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    @20 Paul B - CLEARLY you're the kind of wuss that got injured turning awkwardly away from a hit because you were too scared to take it head on like you should. I started playing hockey around the same time as I could walk, and being a shorter guy there were many a times that a shoulder made contact with my head during a completely clean hit just based on the fact that the guy hitting me was half a foot or more taller than me. What'd I learn from that? I learned that I'd best keep my head up and avoid being absolutely lit up coming across open ice, I didn't learn to [profane] and moan that anyone who hits me too hard is playing dirty. Grow a set or get out
  21. k_r0n
    21. Posted by k_r0n Sat Oct 31, 2009 12:02 am EDT

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    This is a clean hit. Ladd's feet were down at the time of contact, he didn't elbow, and his shoulder was down. Unfortunately, so was Matt's head.
    He didn't do it on purpose, and anybody in that situation wouldn't simply let the guy gain the zone.
  22. Guy F
    22. Posted by Guy F Sat Oct 31, 2009 12:05 am EDT

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    These debates are essentially preposterous. All the Hawks fans who say this is clean are the same ones who whined about Kronwall on Havlat...
    As the rules presently stand, it's legal. Great hit, Mitchell on Toews was better though.
  23. Fran
    23. Posted by Fran Sat Oct 31, 2009 12:06 am EDT

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    Biggest hit in a hawks game? Mitchell on Toews definetely. Its amusing that the Chicago announcer rules that this hit on a 4th-liner is bigger than the one that knocked their captain out. Anyways, good hit, keep ya head up boy.
  24. k_r0n
    24. Posted by k_r0n Sat Oct 31, 2009 12:16 am EDT

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    I wouldn't base the severeness of a hit on whether or not the recipient is injured, but yeah, that Toews hit was pretty hard.
  25. art33182
    25. Posted by art33182 Sat Oct 31, 2009 12:40 am EDT

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    Between the Kronwall hit on Havlat and the Mitchell hit on Towes, I've seen the Hawks on the wrong end of too many of these clean, hard hits in recent memory.
    If Ladd (or any other Hawks player) has a shot at another hit like that next game, I hope he drills that player too. Every NHL fan wants to see that kind of hit from their team.
    It's also nice to see that Ladd didn't lay the hit and then hide behind the instigator rule. He looked like he was willing to face whatever might come his way after the hit. Him and Chipchura both had the gloves off, ready to go....the refs got in the way .

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