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Asham/Neal hearings - 1 game for Neal, 4 for Asham


Guest trevluk

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Some of you guys seem to have inside lines and get info before I see it on NHL.com so just checking in. I am guessing Asham gets 7-10 games and Neal gets 1, maybe 2.

I just read two articles, one by Sam Donnellon, who said the separate hearings suggested that Neal would be fined only, and one by Bill Meltzer, who had a very different take:

Later today, we will learn the suspension fates of James Neal and Arron Asham for their respective incidents in Game 3. Once the NHL announces a formal hearing, there is almost always a suspension to follow. When it's only a fine, the league announces it as such without a prior announcement of a hearing.

Asham's hearing is slated to be an in-person hearing in New York, although he can waive his right to it. In-person hearings are ones in which lengthy suspensions are dished out. I expect that Asham will get a four-game suspension.

I was pleasantly surprised by the announcement of a hearing for Neal. I thought the star player would get away with a fine, because both Sean Couturier and Claude Giroux were OK after Neal's runs at them in the third period of the last game.

But Neal is a repeat offender under current NHL policy, with a suspension in 2009-10 (boarding) and a fine earlier this season (high sticking). The league really couldn't dish out only two more fines, especially because Neal was involved in multiple incidents in the same game. As such, I think he will get a fine for his charge at Couturier and a one-game suspension for the Giroux hit.

Craig Adams has received an automatic one-game suspension for his instigator penalty in the final five minutes of Game 4. The NHL upheld the automatic suspension yesterday, along with the automatic $10,000 fine to Penguins' coach Bylsma. (Editorial comment: Sidney Crosby ought to pay the fine on his coach's behalf, because the Pittsburgh captain was the real instigator).

Pretty compelling rationale by Meltzer. As he points out, a hearing is usually followed by a suspension, so let's hope the league is true to form. I think a game or two is fair. I wrote to Donnellon and asked where the non-intuitive conclusion came from and I'm waiting for an answer.

Edited by terp
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I just read two articles, one by Sam Donnellon, who said the separate hearings suggested that Neal would be fined only, and one by Bill Meltzer, who had a very different take:

Later today, we will learn the suspension fates of James Neal and Arron Asham for their respective incidents in Game 3. Once the NHL announces a formal hearing, there is almost always a suspension to follow. When it's only a fine, the league announces it as such without a prior announcement of a hearing.

Asham's hearing is slated to be an in-person hearing in New York, although he can waive his right to it. In-person hearings are ones in which lengthy suspensions are dished out. I expect that Asham will get a four-game suspension.

I was pleasantly surprised by the announcement of a hearing for Neal. I thought the star player would get away with a fine, because both Sean Couturier and Claude Giroux were OK after Neal's runs at them in the third period of the last game.

But Neal is a repeat offender under current NHL policy, with a suspension in 2009-10 (boarding) and a fine earlier this season (high sticking). The league really couldn't dish out only two more fines, especially because Neal was involved in multiple incidents in the same game. As such, I think he will get a fine for his charge at Couturier and a one-game suspension for the Giroux hit.

Craig Adams has received an automatic one-game suspension for his instigator penalty in the final five minutes of Game 4. The NHL upheld the automatic suspension yesterday, along with the automatic $10,000 fine to Penguins' coach Bylsma. (Editorial comment: Sidney Crosby ought to pay the fine on his coach's behalf, because the Pittsburgh captain was the real instigator).

Pretty compelling rationale by Meltzer. As he points out, a hearing is usually followed by a suspension, so let's hope the league is true to form. I think a game or two is fair. I wrote to Donnellon and asked where the non-intuitive conclusion came from and I'm waiting for an answer.

Good investigative work! Shaw just received 3 games for his bump into Mike Smith. I really didn't see that hit as a charge and Smith put on one of the greatest acting performances in the history of hockey and should have gotten 2 for unsportsmanlike/embellishment. He went down as if he were going to need to be taken off on a stretcher and may never be able to play hockey again, but SURPRISE!! 2 minutes later he was up and he was fine. At any rate, if Shaw got 3 for that, Asham certainly gets 6 or 7 and Neal should at least get 1.

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Good investigative work! Shaw just received 3 games for his bump into Mike Smith. I really didn't see that hit as a charge and Smith put on one of the greatest acting performances in the history of hockey and should have gotten 2 for unsportsmanlike/embellishment. He went down as if he were going to need to be taken off on a stretcher and may never be able to play hockey again, but SURPRISE!! 2 minutes later he was up and he was fine. At any rate, if Shaw got 3 for that, Asham certainly gets 6 or 7 and Neal should at least get 1.

I don't think Smith was acting. He's questionable for tonight's game following that hit.

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the top heavy two-headed monster thing is unweildy.

I hear what you are saying; the history tells us it's possible to have 2 first fiddles if you have right personnel and right coaching staff.

Messier and Gretzky won the Cup together. Sakic and Forsberg played well together and won. Clarke and Leach did it. I am sure I am missing tons of other examples.

Problem is, I don't know if Crosby is the right player - the player who can co-exist with another superstar. He has plenty of growing up to do and sharing the spotlight (or ice time) with another good player is not something he may be comfortable with a this point in his career.

He doesn't strike me as a team person. I really feel he wants to have a full control of the team and be treated as a royal prince. In that case, it may be in everybody's best interest (Crosby, Malkin and the Pens) to move one of their superstars out and build the team around whoever they choose to keep. Ordinarily, having more superstars on the team is actually to the benefit of the team. In this case, might not be so much.

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Man the pyramids were built quicker than this decision...somethin is up...i don't like it.

Hah.

Seriously, I think it is just because its been quite a busy day on the supplemental discipline front. Shaw, BAckstrom, Adams, Konopka...

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I heard as soon as the NHL decided to actually suspend a Penguin, the earth shook, the entire NHL headquarters in NYC fell into a great crack in the ground and plunged staright to hell......only to find it frozen, so they all laced up, puton their Crosby Jerseys and started playing "hockey".......

(Sorry....just some filler until the verdict is in....:)

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As someone else mentioned, the issue with Asham being a UFA at the end of the season might complicate things from an NHLPA standpoint. If he's suspended for a significant amount of games then some prospective team would have to accept paying a guy to sit in the pressbox for the first few games of the season. At the same time, this shouldn't really be an issue--Asham did what he did, he has to live with the consequences.

And of course the Neal delay is tied to them sorting out the Asham ruling. No doubt in my mind that Neal's punishment has already been decided.

Or maybe Shanny keeps flubbing his lines in the suspension video.

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As someone else mentioned, the issue with Asham being a UFA at the end of the season might complicate things from an NHLPA standpoint. If he's suspended for a significant amount of games then some prospective team would have to accept paying a guy to sit in the pressbox for the first few games of the season. At the same time, this shouldn't really be an issue--Asham did what he did, he has to live with the consequences.

If that's the case, Shanny can just suspend him for the rest of the round or the rest of the playoffs. It's been done before in the playoffs, using rounds instead of games. That way he avoids any potential issues tied to next season.

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What exactly does Shanahan do ALL DAY?

He has had over 36 hours to figure out this suspension for Asham and Neal.

I would be to the curb at my place of employment if I took this long to make a decision.

I'll bet this decision won't be announced until LATE tmorrow afternoon, let's say 120 minutes prior to game time.

Very dissapointing to say the least.

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I'll bet this decision won't be announced until LATE tmorrow afternoon, let's say 120 minutes prior to game time.

All the more to the flyers advantage if the pens don't know who's going for them until the last minute. Though i would expect something tonight still.

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So I assume we're not gonna hear anything tonight or is the NHL actually gonna make a somewhat "major announcment" at freaking 8pm at night......

What a joke this league can be sometimes.....

I'm beginning to fear that they're waiting to make an announcement until the East Coast audience has called it a day--in order to keep the outrage to a minimum.

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Sheesh, folks, ease off the conspiracy theories. Weber's hearing was Friday. He was fined Saturday. Shaw's hearing was yesterday, his suspension came down today. I'd have been suprised to hear anything today.

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