The Hockey News Takes Both Sides In Suspension Arguments

[radoran]

The Hockey News' Ken Campbell says Brad Marchand should have been suspended for playoff games

http://www.thehockeynews.com/news/article/nhl-sends-mixed-message-with-laughable-two-game-suspension-for-marchand

 

The Hockey News' Matt Larkin says suspending players for intentional spears to the groin is "delusional"

http://www.thehockeynews.com/news/article/if-you-think-crosby-should-be-suspended-you-re-delusional

 

Campbell:

But suffice to say this is a league that always talks about honor and loyalty and the code. It penalizes players who bring shame to the game by embellishing. It talks about loyalty and toughness and standing up for one another and how those traits are so important and how hockey players have this unique part of their DNA that makes them so rugged and full of character.

Then it does almost nothing when a player does something as cowardly as driving the end of his stick blade into a vulnerable opponent’s testicles.

No mixed messages there.

 

Meanwhile Larkin thinks O'Reilly got "relatively soft contact" while Crosby was "going for (O'Reilly's) stick" by shoving his own between O'Reilly's legs from behind.

 

I'm wondering if Larkin would have thought that if it had been his testicles Crosby was stickling.

[More Hockey Stats]

The DPS must be handed over to the NHLPA without any right of interference from the Commissioner.