12/21/24
March 22, 2004
NHL Cracking down?: A melee at the end of the Calgary - Nashville game has resulted in a 2 game suspension of Brian Sutter, and $50,000 fine against the Flames because of Sutter's player selection at the end of the game. Over-reaction by the league or justified?
Damnit, I had something long written out but my browser crashed. Trotz was going to have Tootoo on the ice for the last shift, but he thought better of it. Sutter had the last change. He had a chance to do the same. He didn't. Sure, a scrum might have happened if he put on other players, but at least he would have sent a message to the team (and the refs and the other team). It wouldn't have hurt. And, likely, he wouldn't have been suspended. The one thing about the Oliwa "man-handling" is that the scrum was cooling down and coming to an end when a Nashville player jumped one of the Flames (I think Walker?). That got Oliwa going. That brought the goalies together. And that started the fight. That player deserves a penalty for inciting the melee as much as Sutter does.
posted by mkn at 11:48 AM on March 22, 2004
mkn: You are correct. A Nashville player did jump Warner I believe, and that started the whole thing. Sutter said after the game he put the big guys on the ice at the end to make sure something didn't happen. The size of the players on the ice didn't deter the Nashville player so how does Sutter deserve a 2 game suspension? Of note while Trotz was hightly critical of Sutter after the game, saying Sutter was trying to take the game back to the 30's he then proceeded to say next time the teams meet he'll make sure all of his tough guys dress and return the favor. Uhh... who is draging who back the 30's again?
posted by camcanuck at 12:54 PM on March 22, 2004
Camcanuck, agreed. Trotz had a valid gripe until he vowed revenge afterwards. These guys are nuts. Now is NOT the time to be getting into another revenge match and it's just sad that there is that little intelligence on either side to lay off while the entire world scrutinizes the sport for being too violent.
posted by dfleming at 02:31 PM on March 22, 2004
Sutter didn't mean it? C'mon - he had Regher taking the face off for crying out loud. That said, I'm all for that kind of violence in hockey. Side-note -I don't understand how the league is going to attract fans to hockey by turning the violence off. Most people never gave a shat in the first place. Oh well - fuck 'em. Be honest with your sport and your game and the fans will come - sop trying to adopt it to the likes/dislikes of the average southern US ticket buyer who would never be interested in the first place. I really hope six teams fold. It was stupid to expand like they did anyway.
posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 04:11 PM on March 23, 2004
Full Disclosure time: I'm a die hard Flames fan, and I was actually at the game in question. Oliwa deserved his 3 game suspension (maybe even more because he is a repeat offender), however I think a the $50,000 fine to the Flames would have sufficient punishment to the team. The 2 game suspension of Sutter is a little over the top. If Sutter gets 2, then why didn't Crawford get something. The Ottawa - Philly game a few weeks ago (and notably before the 'Bertuzzi incident') resulted in 0 fines or suspensions for anyone. I really think that Sutter made a poor call in the heat of the moment to put Oliwa out there. The refereeing had been brutal, and if the officials aren't going to call the game well they shouldn't be surprised when things like this happen. I don't think it really matter who Sutter put out there, the Flames were mad as hell. The media however is making it seem like Sutter iced a whole line of goons. The other players on the ice are big guys, but they are NOT fighters by any means. Sutter could have iced a much worse line-up if he really wanted to start a line brawl (Chris Clark, Chris Simon, Denis Gauthier with Oliwa for example). In my mind a fine was justified, and if Sutter was to become a repeat offender I'm all for a small suspension but this was just the league over-reacting because the game was nationally televised.