But will Hossa’s concussion be reduced? (Photo: Bridget Samuels/flickr)
Just in time for the start of collective bargaining agreement talks with the NHLPA, NHL commissioner reduced Raffi Torres‘ 25-game suspension by four games:
NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman announced today that he has suspended Phoenix Coyotes forward Raffi Torres for 21 games for launching himself to deliver a late hit to the head of Chicago Blackhawks forward Marian Hossa during Game 3 of the Western Conference Quarterfinal Playoff series in Chicago on April 17.
The length of the suspension includes the 13 games Torres already served during the 2012 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Torres therefore will remain suspended, without pay, for the first eight games of the upcoming regular season. Because he is classified as a repeat offender under the Collective Bargaining Agreement, Torres will forfeit $170,731.68 in salary. In addition, Torres will be ineligible to participate in any preseason games until he has served the full term of the suspension.
“This type of on-ice conduct cannot and will not be tolerated in the National Hockey League,” Commissioner Bettman said. “We have seen similar behavior before from Mr. Torres and, particularly given the League’s heightened scrutiny on hits to the head, I believe that a very significant penalty is warranted in this case. We hope and expect that the severity of this incident, and the League’s response to it, will help prevent any similar incident from occurring in the future.”
Cool — now Torres can get started on getting yet another suspension and/or fine four games earlier than expected. Have fun with that, Coyotes.
The Blackhawks lost to the Phoenix Coyotes tonight 4-0 — and just like that, they’re out of the playoffs in the first round. Again.
I have to admit: this one stings worse than last year. I mean, yeah, the Blackhawks were taken out in the first round by the Vancouver Canucks — but the Canucks were the best team in the Western Conference last year. Taking them to seven was nothing short of a minor miracle.
This one, though, just feels like they caught a hot team (and a hotter goalie) at the exact wrong time. Gee, I sure am glad they got the sixth seed! If the Blackhawks would’ve faced the Nashville Predators, they probably would’ve been swept!
So, what happened? Well, there are a few factors that played into this second-straight first-round exit:
The power play: One measly power play goal this entire series. That’s it. Of course, this has been an issue the entire year. If the Blackhawks had even an average power play percentage, this series would’ve been put away by now. If Mike Kitchen has a job after this series, I might hijack a CTA bus to run him over. Please, someone fire him and save Coach Q from himself.
The goaltending: No, this is not all on Corey Crawford, despite what the meatballs would have you believe. But you do have to admit that he let in a couple of baby-soft goals in overtime that cost the Blackhawks at least two games. Of course, he probably wouldn’t have faced those shots in OT if it weren’t for…
The defense:Brent Seabrook had an amazing series. Everyone else on defense, however? Not so much. It wasn’t that everyone else was so much bad as they were wildly inconsistent… which, again, has been the story this entire year.
Marian Hossa: No, he wasn’t the one putting up goals before he was knocked out by Raffi Torres in game 3, but he was out there hustling and trying to make things work. When he was taken out of the equation, the offense wilted a bit, even with Michael Frolik doing his best Hossa impression.
So, there you have it. All of the Blackhawks’ weaknesses were exposed in this series, and it cost them dearly. Now we have an entire summer to stew over what could have been.
I guess this is where I’m supposed to congratulate the Coyotes or whatever good sportsmanship is, and part of me sort of still wants to do that. But the other, more vengeful part of me wants to watch the Preds grind them into a fine powder. I’ll get back to you when I make a decision. For now, I’m going to drink to dull the pain. Good night.
Raffi Torres has been suspended for 25 games for this hit on Marian Hossa during Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Western Conference Quarterfinals between Phoenix Coyotes and the Chicago Blackhawks:
According to Brendan Shanahan, Torres committed three different penalties while delivering the hit — interference (he finished the check past the appropriate length of time that it would be legal to commit the check), charging (he left his feet to deliver the hit), and illegal check to the head (he made Hossa’s head the principal point of contact).
Yet, there was no penalty on the ice from any of the officials. Oh, okay.
Two other factors played into the length of Torres’ suspension:
The play caused a “severe” injury to Hossa. The fact that Shanahan used the word “severe” gives me pause. I’m going to guess that he probably has a concussion, due to the circumstances of the hit and how it was treated afterward (according to Chris Kuc, he was released shortly after he arrived at the hospital — you can treat a concussion as well at home as you can there). I’m not a doctor or anything, though, so don’t quote me on that.
Torres has been fined or suspended multiple times for hits similar to this one (including twice this season), making him a repeat offender. The suspension video then goes on to show some of these hits — all to the head. And people keep giving him money to play for their teams. Amazing.
If Torres does not serve the entirety of the games during the Stanley Cup Playoffs, he will serve the remainder of his suspension during the 2012-13 season. He also won’t be eligible for any preseason games. For the entire suspension video, click here.
His 25-game suspension makes it one of the longest suspensions in NHL history. (The Globe And Mail) Of course, I’m more than okay with the length of the suspension — it’s not so much that he took out Hossa, but that he’s done it before and hasn’t shown that he learned from it. Maybe this time, it’ll get through his thick skull.
It was only a matter time until he returned... (Photo: Mel/flickr)
The circus that has become the Blackhawks and Phoenix Coyotes series features an actual hockey game tonight at 7pm CST.
The latest act of the show has been the $10,000 fine to Blackhawks Head Coach Joel Quenneville “for public comments critical of the officiating.” (Chicago Tribune) In response to the fine, I can only imagine a response similar to “2 minutes well worth it” a la D2: the Mighty Ducks.
Out tonight for the Blackhawks is Marian Hossa after absorbing a Raffi Torres hit. While Hossa is a big loss for the Blackhawks, it provides an opportunity for recent call-up Brandon Saad to enter the series. Quenneville hinted at the possibility of Saad getting time with the top lines. (CSN Chicago)
The Coyotes will again be withoutMartin Hanzal and Lauri Korpikoski both remain out with injuries. (Chicago Tribune)
Also out for the Coyotes will be Raffi Torres, who has been suspended indefinitely for his hit on Marian Hossa. Torres’ most recent hit is just another to add to the list of dangerous hits he has doled out. Though Torres seems to display no remorse for his consistently damaging actions. (Chicago Sun-Times)
The Coyotes brass has come to the defense of Torres, because according to Coyotes General Manager Don Maloney, it wasn’t like he killed a busload of kids or anything. (Chicago Sun-Times) I guess that one way to think of it? Needless to say I’m disappointed to see how the Coyotes have responded to the hit.
Tonight’s bottom line though is that it doesn’t do anyone any good for another player to get hurt. The Blackhawks responded correctly by not taking liberties on the Coyotes following the hit on Hossa and hopefully this remains the Blackhawks mentality going into Game 4.
The only revenge from the Blackhawks should be seen on the scoreboard, to even the series once again.
Raffi Torreswas suspended indefinitely for his hit on Marian Hossa at 11:42 in the first period on April 17. He will have an in-person hearing on Friday, April 20 which will determine the length of his suspension.
You know, this is where I usually post a video of the hit, but I just can’t bring myself to go to YouTube to look for one. Hopefully, you can understand.
I know there have been a lot of articles posted about the hit (here’s a good one by Not Another Hockey Blog), but I can’t even focus on stringing together words to explain how exactly I feel. Hossa is one of my favorite players on this team and in the NHL in general, so seeing him go down the way he did just makes the bile rise in my throat all over again.
Wishing you nothing but health Marian Hossa! (Photo: Bridget Samuels/flickr)
The Blackhawks and Phoenix Coyotes series has had a feeling of constant deja vu with every game ending in overtime. Unfortunately for the Blackhawks, it was a repeat of Game 1, as the Coyotes won on a goal from Mikkel Boedker that looked eerily similar to Patrick Kane‘s Stanley Cup winning goal. It was a tough angle shot that snuck by Corey Crawford as Boedker walked in untouched, ironically with Kane on the ice.
Noticeably absent from the ice for the Blackhawks in overtime was Marian Hossa, who in the first period took a vicious hit from Raffi Torres. From the multiple slow motion replays it could be clearly seen that Torres left his feet which launched his shoulder into Hossa’s head. Hossa was down on the ice unable to get up on his own power and was taken off the ice on a stretcher.
“Marian Hossa suffered an upper body blow in the first period of tonight’s game. After initial evaluation on the ice he was taken by ambulance to the hospital for further testing, which yielded encouraging results. He has been released from the hospital, and we are monitoring him closely at home. We anticipate a full recovery in a timetable yet to be determined.” (Chicago Blackhawks)
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