Hockey Trash Talk & BS thread

Hiyo, the days of the high scoring Smyth are baaaack.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qMlJI4GAp6I&feature=onebox

 

Thanks, I missed the game.

 

I hope MacKinnon can come back soon, the Avs need him in these suddenly tough-to-close-out 3rd periods!

 

It was a lot less scary looking than what Wilson did to Carlo, but head stuff can be bad no matter how it looks. I hope those two guys are OK and wish the league could do more to punish the culprits. I was reading the Capitals player's reactions on some article last night, wow those guys were contradicting themselves left and right to defend their resident scumbag.

What almost pisses me off the most is the no-name that hit MacKinnon was basically going off for a line change, changed his angle to clip MacKinnon in the head, and tried to just hop over the boards like nothing happened.

 

I wouldn't say 'resident scumbag' by any means, but if that's your way of identifying any hard-hitting player or controversial enforcer, so be it. I find it extremely odd that no penalty was issued in game for this particular play, even though plenty of time was taken mid-game to discuss the hit and it's implications. If it was as 'cut-and-dry' as it's being made to seem, then a penalty as a result would have been a no-brainer. But no, they waited until after the game to issue the definitive 7 game break....I find that to be a response to potential social outlash, more than anything. Don't get me wrong, I always dislike seeing any player injured, ESPECIALLY when it can be avoided, but 10 years ago, these sort of plays were extremely commonplace in this sport. If they truly wish to look out for player safety as paramount, then they need to remove as much contact as possible from the game, and even when they do, it will take a good bit of time for the old ways to die. Eliminate fighting, boarding, and checking - its the only surefire way to prevent these sort of instances from occurring, intentional or not.

Tom has always been an overly physical and somewhat controversial player, but he seems to have toned it down quite a bit over the years....although at this point, I feel it's a little too late. If he keeps playing the way he used to/has been in the past, he will continue to be a poster child for Player Safety to help calm down an inherently aggressive and physical game.

 

Don't know if I can necessarily defend that lapse of judgement either, it definitely sucked as far as hits go. But, hockey is an inherently violent and hard sport - I love to rattle the cages of all my football buddies by constantly making the claim that hockey players are likely some of the toughest people in professional sports nowadays, especially when compared directly to football players. I do respect your opinion however, and get it completely; any avoidable hit to the head is shitty.

 

The guy has basically made a multi-million dollar career out of illegal hits in the age of knowing the dangers of this type of injury. Since Matt Cooke went unsigned Wilson has been in the running for his title, I'm sure you could partially agree with that haha!

I don't like the "10, 20, 30 years ago this was common" argument, it doesn't hold any weight. Inserting a ridiculous historical example of "the old way" here won't do any good either. The fact is that these hits are outright dangerous and avoidable. Watch any of them and you'll see the offending player finish an illegal check after plenty of time to avoid it. No one is arguing that hard legal checks should be removed from the game, regardless of resulting injuries. A lot of people wanna use the "he didn't mean it" defense, but that's in the rulebook as inconsequential. Just like tripping, intent doesn't matter one bit, you are just as responsible for your stick as you are for ensuring you make a legal check.

Wilson got a 7-game suspension because he is a repeat offender and the scale used for suspensions doesn't have to be linear (as if the league had an objective way to calculate those suspensions). You've touched on a good point about the approach the league has taken, which seems to be lip service regarding removing hits to the head. The NHLPA isn't innocent in the matter either, they protect the offending players just as hard as the injured players.

 

Valid point sir, can't argue much there(although I always saw Cooke as more of a pest, than an enforcer, but that's just me splitting hairs). I guess a large part of me liked the old way of play, to a degree(although I can obviously see how much more dangerous it was overall). I think a large part of it's appeal, to me, stemmed from the self-regulating type of play that always seemed to take place - the scrapes that weren't incidental were usually the end result of some perceived slight played by the opposing side, and a result to even things out on the ice and deliver the message that this team wasn't to be pushed around. Plus, all the tough guys of old (McSorley, Domi, Probert, Grimson, Hunter, etc.) helped to really endear the enforcer role to me when I was younger; I used to love nothing more than watching these guys seek retribution out there on the ice. Now, I understand better the consequences of these sort of scuffles, and it's a hell of a lot harder for me to see them as justified or necessary - although I'd be lying if I said a small part of me didn't enjoy it nonetheless.

 

@confirm45 can't post here?

 

When I was new and tried to post here, I received a message that you have to have been on the site 60 days to post in this thread. I imagine it's the same for him. Tell the poster to be patient.

 

Ohh gotcha. Just thought I'd make sure he was trying to post into the right thread.
He's over blowing up his own hockey thread lol

 

FYI @confirm45

 

Hey, the more the merrier.

 

@confirm45,
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/hockey-trash-talk.16576/page-4323#post-25301980

 

Despite the title, it's not just trash talk.
Just the reigning hockey thread for whenever you have 60 days.

 

Alrighty. Have fun

 

So you guys think the Bruins are gonna lose to the fuckin Islanders again?

 

Well said yourself sir! I can tell you have watched more hockey of previous eras than I have (how's that for a nice way to say "you're probably older than me" haha). The game is changing and I agree there should be self-regulation by the players, but I hope that can be done by fights with a purpose as you mentioned. I think the game is going that way already, we will see what happens in time.

As far as how I like and want the game to be played, I wish Peter Forsberg was still playing. I want more reverse hits and elite skill like he had

 

I appreciate the courtesy, although I'm likely not as old as you think(or maybe I'm older than I think....? Meh)....I was fortunate to be exposed to the sport at a very young age, although I didn't really get back into following it heavily until the past 6 or so years. When I was younger, we all used to hang around the electrical box in my neighborhood and discuss 'who-fought-who-and-why' more than we ever seemed to discuss technique or skill, sadly. lol

As for Forsberg, dude was NASTY. His run in the mid-90's was simply awe-inspiring, honestly.

 

Isles are playing well.