NHLsuspensions: 20 games, 25 games. Do I hear 30?

blogcritics.org/archives/2007/10/13/012614.php

I don't expect an excessive suspension. Unless the NHL what's the send a permanent message.

The Philadelphia Flyers don't seem to be getting the message. Remember the dumb kid in grade school who failed phonics? That's what the Flyers are imitating.

Yet again the wannabe tough team is in the center of a storm as Randy Jones hit Boston Bruins star forward Patrice Bergeron from behind. Into the boards his face went. Out cold with a broken nose and without feeling in his legs, Bergeron was taken off on a stretcher.

Weenie. This is hockey not soccer! In the old days players would shrug it off, take a stitch or two, grab a wheel chair and back they came.

Incidentally, Montreal Canadiens forward Alex Kovalev hit Pittsburgh Penguin forward Evgeny Malkin from behind. Darn it. Nothing happened to Malkin. Lucky him.

To be clear, the Jones hit is not one of the worst hits I've seen. Indeed. hockey experts have been explaining the nuances "of how the intention of a clean hit can turn cheap." The only problem is that it's a hit from behind when the player is not expecting it.

So what about the Philadelphians? Jones is not known to be a dirty player and expressed immediate remorse. Sure thing. It's like when we hear on the news how the neighbour who snapped was known as "quiet" and "friendly."

In today's NHL, the dirty hits keep-a-comin'. At what point does it cross from coincidence to the norm?

I run the risk here of sounding like a bleeding heart pansy liberal but hey I never said I was brave. What was once dismissed as "part of the game" is now upsetting not only hockey fans but NHL players themselves. The culture of "this is how hockey is played" is on a collision course to break someone's neck out on the ice. I didn't know hitting from behind is "how hockey is played."

The fact is that today's NHLers are bigger and faster than they have ever been. Not only that, since the league has pretty much enacted rules that prevent players from policing themselves like real men, players often approach the game knowing full well there won't be any consequences. The rats run the icedom now.

While this has little to do with the Jones hit, once upon a time a hook check used to slow players down. Today, you can't touch a player with your stick. Players complain, coaches complain. It's like soccer.

Result? Players pick up speed in the neutral zone or their own defensive end and barrel into an opposing player top speed.

Scary stuff.

Ever play shinny at a local rink? Ever play against a guy (let's describe him as French-Canadian, with no teeth and a twinkle in his eye for fun) who recklessly skated at top speed straight up the middle life's caution be damn? What happened? You got out of the maniacs way. Or if you were a player with a history of making poor judgment calls you would decide to stand pat. Crack!

Whatever, not everyone can skate at a high level and to see someone come at you at excessive speeds can be intimidating.

The NHL has a new type of problem on its hands and they to nip this one in the bud.

The other day people were calling in talking about the horror of Bruins 6'8'' defenseman Zdeno Chara bloodying the nose of Chicago Blackhawks tough guy 6'6'' David Koci of The "take fighting out of hockey" group were front and center on that one. That's UFC stuff right there. At least, they entered a gentleman's agreement to batter each other.

Stuff like this offends less than what we've seen with Downie, Boulerice and now Jones is just plain cheap.

The NHL will surely review this play and once again Paul Holmgren will have have his Costanza moment and sit like a school boy in trouble in front of Colie the Disciplinarianator.

Colie: "So Paul. We meet again. It's come to our attention your team pulled another one."

Paul: "Was that wrong? I gotta tell ya. I hafta plead ignorance on that one."

Note: Jones got two games. He should have got more. 5-10 would have been more appropriate.