haroldsnepsts

Agreed.

It could happen to anyone, but if it is going to be anyone, it always seems to be Kronwall. The most he's played is 68 games in one season because of injury. There's no denying he's had terrible luck with injuries in his short NHL career.

That's a great still. It shows exactly how you shouldn't try to hit a guy (legally). I'm not saying Ruutu specifically meant to hit Kovalchuk on the knee, but he definitely extended his own knee and elbow trying to catch a piece of him, which is illegal because it could result in exactly what this play did.

nope. but thanks for telling me what I'd think.

I disagree. Because even if you're not headhunting, anytime you throw an elbow there's a chance you may clip the guy in the noggin.

yeah, looking at again, it wasn't head height. But he still threw his elbow out to try and make contact.

To me, it's pretty clear he was leading with his knee from the get go. Most guys don't skate for a body check with their knee stuck out like that. I don't know that he was going for Kovalchuk's knee, but to me it was pretty clear he intended to hit Ilya with his knee, and elbow if possible. The elbow wasn't at head height, but he clearly stuck it out away from his body to try and make contact. That's always gonna be a dirty hit, even if it's not a blow to the head. Elbows should be in, and don't flash a knee out when you're about to miss a guy.

Yup. Only Bertuzzi chose to cold cock a guy in the back of the head when he had no idea it was coming. You can keep trying to turn what McCarty did into what Bert did, but it wasn't the same thing. Mac definitely jumped Turtle, and kneed him when he was down. That's still not the same as punching a guy in the back of the head when he isn't looking, then piling on him and driving his face into the ice. Besides, you're missing the major point that both McCarty and Bertuzzi have other skills on the ice. Mac wasn't exactly an offensive powerhouse, but on the grind line he was good for some points, more responsible defensively, and threw a lot of good hits without cheapshotting guys. And Bert is obviously a world of talent away from Tootoo.

If Ilya just stands there to take the hit, then we'd be talking about Ruutu elbowing him in the face more than the knee. EDIT: and the whistle was clearly after the hit. But I think they were already on a delayed offsides, so when Kovalchuk dumped the puck in the zone, everyone knew there was going to be a whistle. Still, I can't fault Ruutu for hitting him in that circumstance. It's just how he hit him I have a problem with.

I'm amazed by how we can look at the exact same video and see completely different things. How was it accidental? Most guys when they deliver a hit don't take a stride with their left leg so they can keep their right one bent and sticking out. Ruutu didn't have him lined up well, and clearly has his knee sticking out. You don't lead with the knee when you're trying to throw a check to the body. Yes, the knee on knee contact was partly a result of Kovalchuk trying to avoid the hit and elbow. But Ruutu was leading with his knee regardless of where Ilya was. It wasn't going to be kneeing no matter where Kovalchuk moved.

Ahh yes. The homer argument. It's very popular these days. That may be partly true, if a Wings player does something, of course it's going to get the benefit of the doubt from Wing's fans, but the examples you give are a little different than most of what Tootoo does. McCarty was getting retribution for a cheapshot on a teammate. And when he started pounding Turtle, they were standing. He just chose to cower and get beat on instead of fighting back. Shanny clotheslined Roy because Roy was coming flying out to center ice to go after McCarty and be the third man in. It's not like Shanahan then proceeded to beat the tar out of a goalie. But he kept his teammate from getting blindsided. It's not like I thought Ulfie was suddenly a great player when he was traded to the Wings.

Of course Kovalchuk tried to get out of the way. That doesn't mean Ruutu should stick his friggin knee and elbow out to catch a piece of him. And how exactly did Kovalchuk moving leave his knee any more vulnerable than it generally is when someone is ramming it with their knee? How should he have better protected his knee? Like I said, funny how certain guys always seem to be involved in questionable hits. And do I really need to point out that Ruutu did get a 5 minute major for kneeing? Yes, those of us who don't agree with you must be lost.

The first one was a charge. The league hasn't really called it the way they used to it seems. Guys are able to take a running start across half the rink before they hit a player. And I'm not saying it's the only thing he does. But it's about 75% of it.

Right knee flared out, right elbow high and sticking out. What do you think he was trying to do exactly? He didn't have Kovalchuk lined up correctly, so he tried to catch him with his knee and elbow. Funny how certain players always seem to be involved in "unfortunate" hits like this one.

Because I'd rather watch someone like Kovalchuk who can actually play hockey instead of watching someone like Ruutu cheapshot him and take him out of the game.

Early in his NHL career, he also bit a guy during an altercation. It's not like I'm making this up out of nowhere. There used to be a video on youtube where they did a piece on Tootoo, and they various guys around the league were saying how he was a dirty player. Some even went so far as to say he'd get what was coming to him. Then there's his most common fight technique. Jump the guy before he even has a chance to get his gloves off and start swinging. If you ask most hockey fans (outside of Nashville) who the dirtiest players around the league are, Tootoo is gonna be on that list.

Personally I would've gone with a young Chris Chelios' flying elbow on Propp, but you may not know about that one. Aside from the fact that there's a totally different context than what McCarty was doing, we're not talking about one isolated incident here with Tootoo. It's a pattern of cheapshots and jumping guys to "fight" them before they can even get their gloves off. And even if you had used Chelios's cheapshot, he's still a Norris winning defenseman and talented player. Put him on the fourth line with Tootoo's minutes and even at 46 he'd still probably have more goals (and be more responsible defensively). Tootoo is a marginal player who earns his keep by running guys and throwing cheapshots.

I pretty much agree with the list in the article. Maybe knocking Leetch a step or two down the list.

no kidding. how many times will we do this before the playoffs?

Actually it does. If 50% of the league were doing what Tootoo did, it wouldn't even be hockey anymore. He is a part of a small group. Marginal players with limited to no skills at the NHL level, who keep their place in the lineup by running and/or jumping guys.

It may have been a shoulder, I can't really tell. But what about the 5 strides he took to the deliver the hit? Then there's also the whole dive at the end.

Bertuzzi was a gamble, and Holland lost when Burke overpaid for him. As for Calder though, that was still a good deal. It wasn't just about acquiring Calder remember, it was about getting rid of Williams, who had another year left on his contract, whereas Calder was a UFA at the end of the season. That move was a contract dump. If Calder worked out, hey great. He didn't. But the Wings still came out ahead on that one.

Chelios is definitely no angel, but are you seriously comparing a 3 time Norris winner and all-star defenseman to a marginal 4th liner who is known more for his cheapshots than anything else he does on the ice? And for the record, I hated Chelios when he played in Chicago. HATED him. But I always thought he was a great player. I can't even come close to saying the same about Tootoo, other than the hate part.

You need to watch the tape. Robidas was coming in relatively slowly, with his gloves and stick up. Most players turn around and get their gloves and stick up, then decide if they're gonna square off. Tootoo did his usual b.s. of jumping a guy. It was a suckerpunch. He brings very little to the table, isn't defensively responsible, and is a dirty player. No thanks.

Good for Mac! Here's hoping he stays on track and makes the most of this second chance.