1-    Did he purposely do it?  I guess we will never know, but popular opinion, including mine says he did it on purpose.  Now I don’t think that he thought I am going to hurt this guy, but I do think he was seeking revenge.

2-    How will this affect the Blackhawks in the final weeks leading up to the Stanley Cup Playoffs?  This may just help the Blackhawks.  Keith logs a ton of minutes and this will give him some much-needed rest.  Missing the first playoff game will hurt, but the Blackhawks are way to strong of a team to have this one game put them behind the eight-ball.

3-    Was the decision for six games the same penalty he would have received if this had happened in December?  NO!  This would have been a minimum of 10 games if it was any other time of the year.  The NHL does not want this type of play to tarnish their reputation, nor do they want players getting hurt this way.  The Playoffs played a huge role in this punishment.

4-    What if the roles were reversed and Coyle would have hit Keith like that?  Would the suspension be the same?  Keith is a superstar in the NHL.  The NHL wants and needs their stars playing.  I think it would have probably been 10 games at least. 

5-    How much was his repeat offender status taken into account?  I have to say I don’t think it played much of a role.  The time of year overrides this factor.

6-    Why does Keith continue to fly off the handle like this?  He is a competitor that has a short fuse.  It will be interest to see if this changes his game.  My guess is it will not. 

7-    Will this punishment change Keith?  Hard to tell he has been punished before so it obviously has not sunk in.  Keith did explain “It was obviously a reaction and one that I need to be disciplined for.”  He went on to say “Obviously there’s a limit and I have to know that. I will.”

8-    How do you think his teammates felt about this play? It is instant reaction to defend your teammate, but the Blackhawks players and management were quiet on this matter.

9-    Did the Dennis Wideman situation influence Keith’s decision to not appeal this suspension?  Possibly,  I don’t think the Blackhawks or Keith were willing to take any chances with the appeal process, and the length of time it can take.

10-Did Charlie Coyle actions provoke Duncan Keith’s reaction/retaliation?  It looks as though Coyle did high stick Keith earlier in the play. Hard to say, but I believe it was just a reaction to getting dumped.

INSIDE EDGE HOCKEY NEWS

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