Nolan Patrick got laid out by McKinnon last night

[B21]

On 2/17/2022 at 5:04 PM, CoachX said:

According to your POV, today's players are larger, tougher, faster, and better protected. As a result they are injured MORE? Where's the logic in that?

 

Phyiscs. It's not about how big you are. It's about the size and speed of the guy hitting you. Being bigger doesn't make you any less susceptible to head trauma, broken bones, etc. Whether you are 5'9 and 180 or 6'2 and 230 - if you get hit in the head by Tom Wilson in 2022 NHL gear you are lot more likely to get a concussion than being hit by Gordie Howe and his "felt & plastic" equipment. 

 

On 2/17/2022 at 5:04 PM, CoachX said:

From my perspective, today's player doesn't have to answer for their actions, and therefore respect is out the window. You can cheap shot just about anyone you want, whenever you want, and the worse you might face is a suspension. And based on who you are, or who you play for at the time, will determine that suspension. Just ask Todd Bertuzzi. He proved you can break a guy's neck and end his career, and you will still keep yours.

 

Respectfully, this is the biggest crock of shite (err...myth) in hockey today.  Tom Wilson. Again - he of 6'4 and 220 lbs. - is one of the dirtiest players in the history of the league. He will fight anyone. Anywhere. So how has having to "answer" for his actions deterred him?  Matt Cooke answered for his actions after he clocked Mark Savard (he fought Shawn Thornton next Pens/Broons game). That really kept Cooke in line. He was only suspended another 20+ games or so for cheap shots after he "answered" for that Savard hit.  Tie Domi. Claude Lemieux. Raffi Torres. Offenders all. None known for shying away from a fight. Having to "answer" for their actions sure did a lot of good. I'm sure Pierre Turgeon, Kris Draper, Marian Hossa and Jakob Silfverberg all would agree.

 

Bertuzzi is actually the perfect example for me. He went after Moore because Moore had hit Markus Naslund with a borderline hit in a previous game and missed 3 games after that.  So Bertuzzi - doing his best to "police the game" - ends Moore's career. But that's fair. Naslund missed three games. Moore never played again and only had to wear a neck brace for a year or so. I'm sure the game is much "safer" today thanks to Bertuzzi.

 

On 2/17/2022 at 5:04 PM, CoachX said:

Today its a business. Players are paid huge sums of money. They all have highly sophisticated agents, who will tell them to sit out and protect their future earnings. Loyalty to franchises and cities no longer exist. Today is all about contracts. And I'm pretty sure that Gordie Howe wouldn't have changed a damn thing. That guy loved the game and was a warrior. Players of his era played through injuries, with zero regard for what the future held. I'd bet significant money, that if you gave Gordie a choice between playing game 7 of an SC final, knowing it would be his last, or sitting out and living a long happy life, we'd see him taking the faceoff

 

The business aspect I agree with 1,000%.  But sorry - players today are just as (if not more) tough as their predecessors. Greg Campbell was on a PK for over a minute with a broker fibula after getting his with a slap shot. Didn't want to come off.   Last time I checked, guys get cut by sticks and flying pucks all the time, get stitched up and come back and finish the game.  After teams are eliminated from the playoffs you can bet there will be a few stories of undisclosed injuries guys were playing with...broken bones, torn muscles.  Not trying to take credit away from the Howes and Clarkes and Mikitas but I don't buy for a second that today's NHLer is any less "tough" than them.

 

[B21]

23 hours ago, RonJeremy said:

Today you throw a clean hit and the other team comes after you. It's ridiculous.

 

This, this and this. 

[OccamsRazor]

In a nut shell I was saying about the kids/players today and where we are headed....

 

 

If you don't understand this them we can't have a conversation about this anymore...