Kutcher

I'm not suggesting that he get away with it. A 1 or 2 game suspension is fitting. If he gets upwards of 20 games thats saying he's a repeat offender like Simon and that his action was just as bad. Which it clearly was not, the injury was worse but the intent of Simon was way clearer and more dangerous than that of Downie.

The thing is he isn't good enough yet. He needs a vast amount of conditionig to be a top6 scorer like he is supposed to be. Therefore sign him a 2way send him to GR and call him up if need be. Then Downey gets the 13th spot and we have a good crash and bang line.

I don't see why everyone is in love with Grigs. I mean he isn't as good as advetised. Send him to GR or Russia and let him get better. He's here for scoring, if he can't do that then why take a 4th liner spot away from a guy like downey for someone who can't do a 4th liners job.

I see your point. But why not send a stronger message league wide to guys like Pronger who is an elite player that delivers just as many cheapies as one of those 3rd line "pluggers". The league needs to learn how to hand out the same suspension based on the type of play not on the players involved. It's retarded that a guy like Pronger can go around injuring guys left right and center. But a guy like Downie f***s up once and its game over?

If the league wanted to make an impact then they would suspend one of the premier players for something like this. Not a "no body" like Downie.

You make a very good point.

i was just stating my opinion. Just like everyone else.

I wouldn't go as far as saying that he shouldn't be allowed to play in the NHL. He has an amazing amount of talent. If he wasn't full of talent Team Canada would have left him off of their world junior roster. He needs to be mentored so that he can play in the NHL. But by saying he shouldn't be allowed to play in the NHL is saying that anyone else who has made a cheapshot also should be banned from the league. Guys like Pronger, Chelios, Kronwall, Simon .... the list goes on and on. So if he gets banned for something that has been done countless times, should not those other player be banned aswell?

I really hope we keep Sopel. He's the only one of those guys I really want on our roster. He will be a great match on our PP and hopefully get it back to where it was a couple seasons ago.

Not even. Suspensions should not be determined by what part of the season the player will miss. It should be just x games for this. Not oh hes ****** bag cock sucking Chris Pronger and its playoffs, 1 game is fine. I just get really pissed off when the league f***s up by giving one guy to lenient of a suspension and the other guy a way too harsh one.

I'm all with bringing him in. He would be great for a bang and crash line that we need. Every other team has a good bang and crash line except us. I say if we can't sign this kid up we are not gonna do aswell as we should.

I would agree that the league needs to police its self. Like it always has. the lack of respect is due to the lack of fighting. And Downie's hit was boarding, not charging. End of story, I'm not arguing it anymore. His hit was 100 times cleaner than Pronger's elbow in the playoffs and Pronger got 1 game.

Touchee. I was under the believe that was boarding?

Waiting for the opener against the Shmucks

I would try it on .. but it doesn't fit since it was NOT a charge. He left his feet during contact, which is not against the rules, and he stopped skating at the face-off circle, that makes your claim of a charge false.

Yes Hank, level 3's ref 5 yr old billy. FYI I ref PeeWee and Midget AAA and AA. So thats hardly little billy. Your just pissed now because I proved to you that it should not be a Match penalty,at worst a Game Misconduct.

Yes a grueling 3 hr course to start but to become a certified leve 3 you have to put in time and be reviewed countless times. Citing directly from the referee's rule book. Rule 50 - Boarding (A) Page 138 A minor penalty or, at the discretion of the referee, a Major penalty and a Game Misconduct penalty, based upon the degree of violence of the impact with the borad, shall be assessed any player who body checks, cross-checks, elbows, charges or trips an opponent in such a manner that causes the opponent to be thrown violently into the boards. If a player is injured a Major penalty and a Game Misconduct penalty must be assessed. Under that ruling, Steve Downie gets a 5 min Major and a Game misconduct for BOARDING. Not a match penalty. You're welcome for the knowledge, this one is free.

Just so you know I do know what I'm talking about. I've been an official for 7 years. A match penalty should not be assessed for something like that .. If they feel the need to give a penalty for a clean hit like that, because someone got injured, it should be a 5min major for boarding. Also i watched the game and saw what transpired before the hit took place. So he took a couple hits, big deal. He did what every hockey player does. He got the guys number and got him back.

All I can say was Nice F-ing hit. Way to finish your chech Steve. Sorry that Dean got hurt but sh*t happens. A suspension definately is not needed. He only left his feet AFTER he made contact with Dean. Therefore not a charge. His shoulder did hit Deans head , only cause Deans head was down. Lesson here KEEP YOUR HEAD UP!