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Wed Nov 05, 2008 2:20 pm EST

Puck Headlines: Player poll supports hit-to-head penalty

By Greg Wyshynski

Here are your Morning Early Afternoon Puck Headlines: A glorious collection of news and views collected from the greatest blogosphere in sports and the few, the proud, the mainstream hockey media.

• TSN conducts a headshot penalty poll: "Of 33 NHL players who responded to the question, 'would you support a penalty for hits to the head,' 27 voted yes, five players voted no and one player said more research is required." What kind of penalty (major or minor or both)? Didn't say. Who are these players (undersized forwards, huge defensemen, goalies)? Didn't say. It's all about context in this debate, because different players have different motivations. If 27 of these players were small forwards who get knocked around like pinballs in the corners ... yeah, no wonder it turned out like this. [TSN]

• Some interesting Hockey Hall of Fame debates, including Dino Ciccarelli, Doug Gilmour and Chris Osgood of the Detroit Red Wings. Ciccarelli out and Mike Gartner in remains an offense to the Hockey Gods. [Snapshots]

• Uh, we'll just let the headline speak for itself: "Woman collapses at Blackhawks game, dies; mother died attending Hawks game in 1986." [Chicago Tribune]

• Bruce Boudreau says there's no goalie controversy with the Washington Capitals about as often as he starts Brent Johnson. [Capitals Insider]

• Calgary Flames star Jarome Iginla is struggling, and Kent has a theory: "Iginla is getting 'Tanguay'd' by Keenan so far: so-so linemates, tough competition." Something to watch, for sure. [Five Hole Fanatics]

• Former ESPN hockey and current NESN announcer Jack Edwards goes full-on WWE screamer during that Steve Ott fight against the Boston Bruins. "Ott takes a weakling's, coward's way out!" really isn't all that far removed from, "By god, that's KANE'S MUSIC!" [Puck The Media]

• Former Philadelphia Flyers forward Patrick Thoresen is enjoying his time playing for Swiss Nationalliga team HC Lugano. We're guessing this is due to the fact that no one on the other team has slap-shot a puck to the twig and berries again. Yet. [Meltzer]

• Barry Melrose reveals that New Jersey Devils fans adore him. "I had them eating out of my hand last year if you remember correctly. They love me. Probably a lot of them will have Melrose jerseys on tonight." [Fire & Ice]

• Seems as though Los Angeles Kings fans are fed up with "Rinkside View." [Inside the Kings]

• Better power-play conversion means more goals. More goals mean more lead changes. More lead changes mean entertaining hockey. Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate and hate leads to suffering. Mike Chen has it all figured out, doesn't he? [Fox Sports]

• The David Frost trial is a reminder that there are some twisted individuals preying on young players. [Two for Elbowing]

• Peter Laviolette is now one win away from being the most successful U.S.-born coach of all time. [Red and Black Hockey]

• Trying to connect the Edmonton Oilers carrying three goalies to the Martin Brodeur injury. [CBC Sports]

• Janne Niskala of the Tampa Bay Lightning cleared waivers and will be reassigned to a team in Finland. We don't want to say the Bolts are being run like a fantasy team, but this is ... what, their 47th player transaction on defense since July? [Lightning Strikes]

• Ukraine not weak, wants 2014 ice hockey championship tourney. [Magic Triangle]

• Finally, you just don't see all that many compilations of big Pee-Wee hockey checks. Especially ones that focus on a single player. Keep your head on a swivel around No. 14, boys.

Related: Hockey Fans, Goons and Pugilism, Puck Videos, Rumors, scuttlebutt, innuendo

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21 Comments

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  1. Jon A
    1. Posted by Jon A Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:11 pm EDT

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    Hits to the head are so hard to judge fault, cause if you keep your head up out in open ice, you can generally avoid getting hit to the head anyways. I think if you make it a penalty, you have to judge intent to injure, and that would be even harder to call.
  2. Brad_HT
    2. Posted by Brad_HT Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:43 pm EDT

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    theres no crying in hockey...
  3. Al S.
    3. Posted by Al S. Thu Sep 03, 2009 2:51 pm EDT

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    Calling hitting from behind penalties first. They are easier to call, just if not more dangerous, and if the refs can manage them then we can move up to more subjective penalties like hits to the head.
  4. BRIAN S
    4. Posted by BRIAN S Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:14 pm EDT

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    by the way, anyone who scores 700 goals belongs in the Hall of Fame, I don't care what anybody has to say about that. Dino and his 100 fewer can continue to wait / pray.
    I was watching the Ducks/Kings last night and the commentator referred to Chris Pronger as "future hall of famer". uhhhh, really? what exactly has he done to warrant that? 1 Norris and 1 ring, which he certainly would not have if Scott Niedermayer did not magically come to town to play with his brother. he's also a bitter hack who should probably be suspended for half a season on his next offense.
  5. Death by Leafs
    5. Posted by Death by Leafs Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:16 pm EDT

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    Pavel Bure should go to the hall. No question. If Neely is in, Bure is a slam-dunk.
    Neely: 395-299-694 in 726 games. Career high: 55-37-92. Top 6 goal seasons: 55, 51, 50, 42, 37, 36
    Bure: 437-342-779 in 702 games. Career high: 60-50-110. Top 6 goal seasons: 60, 60, 59, 58, 51, 34
    Both guys were goal scorers, both guys had careers cut short by injury. Of course...
    (+) Neely had that 50 goal season in only 49 games all year.
    (+) Neely played for Jeremy Jacobs
    (-) Bure is Russian
  6. Chris H
    6. Posted by Chris H Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:18 pm EDT

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    You gotta problem with Mike Gartner? Anyone with 700+ goals goes into the Hall. Cups or not.
  7. hockeytown blood
    7. Posted by hockeytown blood Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:23 pm EDT

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    Was 1986 the last time the Blackhawks had 3 unanswered goals in the 3rd?
  8. Evan
    8. Posted by Evan Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:11 pm EDT

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    All these pee-wee hockey videos are getting a little creepy.
  9. carl_vs_mastershake
    9. Posted by carl_vs_mastershake Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:18 pm EDT

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    Bruce Boudreau lets see you play with your Johnson more!
    Big Johnson has been screwed over for years in DC. The man has put up with so much. If he is good enough to play than play him. It shouldn't matter how much money Theo gets.
    Caps fans next time Bruce Boudreau whips out his Johnson, dto not point and sigh, but cheer hard and long.
  10. joe h
    10. Posted by joe h Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:26 pm EDT

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    haha, that kid can hit!!
  11. Stu
    11. Posted by Stu Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:45 pm EDT

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    Sick #14 on Avery - should be a fair fight.
  12. Peeler
    12. Posted by Peeler Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:02 pm EDT

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    Wysn - seems like the Kings fans are just fed up at 43 years....all 4K of them.....
  13. Bubbabanjo
    13. Posted by Bubbabanjo Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:05 pm EDT

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    I agree with nut stompin any creep that runs a guy to the head. Suspend the cheap loser. Or make him do a round with the other teams enforcer with no helmet on. No ref interference till he's out. Knock the snot out of anybody that aint got thier head up but that is beyond cheap. Ony thing worse in kneeing a guy.
    Wyshynski cheap shot chumps should be run out of hockey and they stink!
  14. cristobal II
    14. Posted by cristobal II Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:49 pm EDT

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    Its so pathetic that the yahoo NHL blogger is referencing Wrestling. Almost as pathetic as Hnidy pummelling Niskanen in that video. Both acts are much more disgraceful than anything Avery has ever done.
    Peeler - Us Kings fans are so tired of what's going on in LA and now we can't even watch all the mistakes and losses because Fox must try this 'rinkside' view gimmick. My interest in the NHL is on life-support.
  15. Peeler
    15. Posted by Peeler Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:02 pm EDT

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    long time no hear cristo.....I agree I tried to watch that last night....rinkview....that was horrible...leave it to fox who alos brought us the damn glow puck.....idiots
  16. Bubbabanjo
    16. Posted by Bubbabanjo Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:05 pm EDT

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    Man wassa-matter with rasslin! WWE and TNA are awesome entertainment. I listenen to Sirius in my truck the other day to Curt Angle tell his story on Howard Stern about his drug addiction and bangin bimbos while he was viewing Eric the Midget. God man..........thats what life is all about. Fightin drinkin and wimmin! And miserable midgets and rasslin, and hockey. Mostly women......well maybe hockey more......heck I cant decide.
    Ya'll need to have more fun boys. Yer gonna be miserable cranky old men.
    Wyshynski the WWE and TNA are awesome. So is Howard Stern. He's gettin old but is still funny as hell.
  17. cristobal II
    17. Posted by cristobal II Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:49 pm EDT

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    BUBBA - You can't fool me. I know you're wishinski.
  18. Bubbabanjo
    18. Posted by Bubbabanjo Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:05 pm EDT

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    Nope........Im a neck raised a Ridge Runner. Spent a chunk of time as a cracker in Florida. Now I am in the deep South with the last regiments of A.P. Hills brigade. I been to most cities and like a lot of em for a good time. Pittsburgh, Boston, Tampa, Miami, Cleveland, Detroit, Orlando, Montreal, Philly, Toronto, Nashville, Hartford, Atlanta, New York/Jersey too. Man I love em all for a good time and most of em puck. Great strip clubs too! T's lounge rocks in West Palm, cant remember the one in Camden that was the best ever. Had a gun tower and barbed wire to guard the parkin lot. Was in an old theater with a runway. No crap. Right outta the Sopranos. But I am a tried and true neck from the woods. My home town woulda got a SALUTE on Hee Haw. Grew up shuvelin stalls, sloppin pigs and pluckin chickens..................................... and Wyshynski stinks!
  19. BRIAN S
    19. Posted by BRIAN S Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:14 pm EDT

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    Wyshynski certainly stinks, you're right on target there......
  20. BRIAN S
    20. Posted by BRIAN S Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:14 pm EDT

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    of course there should be a penalty for blows to the head, ala Pro & College football... why wouldn't there be?
    ...a question for which there is no answer.
  21. Enemy Of Perfection
    21. Posted by Enemy Of Perfection Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:54 pm EDT

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    "Of 33 NHL players who responded to the question, "would you support a penalty for hits to the head," 27 voted yes, five players voted no and one player said more research is required."
    To me that says 27 voted yes, Chrissy Pronger and the 4 players he hasn't hit in the head voted no, and 1 (maybe Datsuyk whose head is still scrambled) voted more research is required.

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Puck Daddy is an NHL blog edited by Greg Wyshynski. Email him, and follow him on Twitter.

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