yave1964 Posted December 8, 2017 Share Posted December 8, 2017 A little late to the party with this one..... Matthew Tkachuk who was suspended a month ago for spearing a player who was off the ice while he was on the ice has now been suspended for spearing a player who was on the ice while he, Tkachuk, was off the ice. A couple of nights ago the Flames were engaged in a very good game against the Leafs with Tkachuk being a thorn in goalie Andersen's side all night long, but what he will be remembered for is this: Matt Martin of the Leafs got into a tussle with Matt Stajan of Calgary by the benches. Martin is one of the nastiest pieces of work in the game and Stajan is really way below his weight class so Matt Tkachuk decided to reach onto the ice with his stick and spear Martin. No penalty was called on the play but the camera caught it and the department of player safety has given Tkachuk a one game suspension for doing so. "That is Junior hockey stuff right there." said a disgusted Mike Babcock after the game. "I didnt really feel it so if he is going to do that nonsense he should really try to make it count." said Martin. Here is the deal as far as i am concerned. Tkachuk is reminding me more and more of a certain rat terrier faced punk in Boston both as a player and with his stupid decision making. One game for this less than a month after using his stick on a player who was off the ice with his back turned and going down the tunnel seems light, twice in one month of basically doing the same thing, the league should have given him longer, IMHO and keep in mind that i love the guy. He plays a heavy hard game, other teams hate to play against him because he wears them down, he has a non stop motor and gives no quarter ever, but this silliness has to end. Both Martin and Witkowski are two of the toughest customers in the game and both have to irked that the Flames have faced their respective teams for the last time this year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TropicalFruitGirl26 Posted December 8, 2017 Share Posted December 8, 2017 That move was disgusting on Tkachuk's part. I get being the young guy out to show the entire NHL that you are a force to be reckoned with (and he does that pretty well during actual games), but this is stupid, cowardly, and not at all something to be proud of. The most disturbing part to me was some of the analysts on NHL Network that seemed to sort of "admire" Tkachuk's boldness, saying, and I am paraphrasing mind you, "I may be a teenager, but I don't need to take crap from any vets". While that in itself isn't a bad thing (one only need look at another 19 yr old, Mikhail Sergachev on the Lightning, who plays with a bit of an edge and doesn't back down from vets...but does it the RIGHT way), his methods are more than questionable.........and one also has to question his intelligence...specifically because he JUST got dinged not too long ago for the same flippin offense. I don't think any hockey player, whether a Lady Byng candidate or a heavy PIMs guy would have any respect for any other player, rookie, sophomore, or 10 year vet, who uses his stick as a weapon. Hockey may have some wacky and sometimes ill defined rules, but I think it is universally agreed by both the league and the players on the ice that stick use to cause harm is a big no-no. And yet here we have a very effective young hockey player, doing just that, and in the process, making himself a very real scumbag. I doubt his own teammates approve of his actions. Would have LOVED to have been a fly on the wall in that locker room to hear what some of his teammates had to say to him about that. Would be a sad thing if Tkachuk, who has the opportunity to match his Dad's intensity, ends up being known more for the cheap stuff. Reminds ME of a certain hockey player who, when he actually played his tough brand of hockey, could use his skillset to help a team....yet still stick his nose in scrums in defense of teammates. A guy who actually shone a bit here and there when properly guided, but ultimately fell victim time and again to his own idiotic impulses and soon found himself out of the league. That player was Steve Downie. Tkachuk better watch his step.....a fine line between the toughness his Dad played with and the his undoing by being another Steve Downie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JR Ewing Posted December 8, 2017 Share Posted December 8, 2017 My big problem with Matthew Tkachuk is that he plays for the Calgary Flames. He's a wild young man, and they sometimes need some taming. He will need to learn how to dial it down a bit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyercanuck Posted December 9, 2017 Share Posted December 9, 2017 Talented player who does some really stupid things. A chip off the ol' block. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OccamsRazor Posted December 9, 2017 Share Posted December 9, 2017 5 hours ago, flyercanuck said: Talented player who does some really stupid things. A chip off the ol' block. And his lil brother is touted (by some to be even better)....guess we'll see. But yeah feisty like their dad. Always loved him and the game he played. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WordsOfWisdom Posted December 9, 2017 Share Posted December 9, 2017 On 12/8/2017 at 2:34 PM, yave1964 said: Matthew Tkachuk who was suspended a month ago for spearing a player who was off the ice while he was on the ice has now been suspended for spearing a player who was on the ice while he, Tkachuk, was off the ice. LOL. So he has the complete spearing package now. Pretty much a "meh" play in my opinion. Nobody really cares in Leafland, but I'm sure he'll be remembered the next time Toronto plays Calgary and I'm sure he's going to answer for that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TropicalFruitGirl26 Posted December 10, 2017 Share Posted December 10, 2017 40 minutes ago, WordsOfWisdom said: LOL. So he has the complete spearing package now. Pretty much a "meh" play in my opinion. Nobody really cares in Leafland, but I'm sure he'll be remembered the next time Toronto plays Calgary and I'm sure he's going to answer for that. Well, then my friend, apparently someone in Leafland DOES care then if he will be remembered and made to answer for it....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyercanuck Posted December 10, 2017 Share Posted December 10, 2017 12 hours ago, OccamsRazor said: And his lil brother is touted (by some to be even better)....guess we'll see. But yeah feisty like their dad. Always loved him and the game he played. Can't say I'm a fan of a guy spearing someone from the bench...I'd call that gutless myself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WordsOfWisdom Posted December 10, 2017 Share Posted December 10, 2017 14 hours ago, TropicalFruitGirl26 said: Well, then my friend, apparently someone in Leafland DOES care then if he will be remembered and made to answer for it....... If we could get both Naz and Leo to hit him simultaneously in the next game that would be perfect! (Leo could nail him from behind just as Naz leaps up and elbows him in the head.) A guy can dream right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OccamsRazor Posted December 10, 2017 Share Posted December 10, 2017 5 hours ago, flyercanuck said: Can't say I'm a fan of a guy spearing someone from the bench...I'd call that gutless myself. Let me clarify. I was a fan of their dad....haven't seen his kids too much and i certainly don't condone the spearing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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