David Koci

[DatsyukRules 0]

He played his first NHL game tonight for the Blackhawks against PHX.

check this out...he got into three fights (2 in the first and 1 in the third). Then he got minors for charging and roughing, and 3 minutes into the third he got two game misconducts. Total of 47 penalty minutes and 2:31 seconds of ice time. :!:

http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/boxscore;_ylt=...?gid=2007031024

It seems like the hawks just called this guy up to fight, did anyone see the game or know if there is any bad blood between Chicago and Phoenix?

[HockeyCrazy3033 168]

Woah major! That's pretty insane.

Not sure if there is bad blood between the two. This would of been an interesting one to watch!

[superstarsingh 23]

I just saw the highlights. What a way to start your career.

[Zetter is Better 0]

Pure goonary. Get rid of him, we don`t need players like that in the NHL.

[LIDDYGIBBY5 1]

Pure goonary. Get rid of him, we don`t need players like that in the NHL.

I agree with you 100%. Too many people think that is just "part of hockey" and that " hockey just isn't hockey with out fighting" That kind of player serves no purpose in hockey, and that kind of fighting is not needed!

[Guest GordieSid&Ted]

I agree with you 100%. Too many people think that is just "part of hockey" and that " hockey just isn't hockey with out fighting" That kind of player serves no purpose in hockey, and that kind of fighting is not needed!

Wow, talk about knee-jerk reaction.

The guy fought Josh Gratton early in the game. Big deal, it was his first NHL game, he's a tough guy and he wanted to mix it up. So what's the problem?

Okay, so Gratton feeds him 2 lefts and knocks Koci down. If you were paying attention to the game you'd have seen that Koci threw a clean hit behind the Hawks net later in the game and Gratton saw it, skated over to Koci and he pretty much got the 2nd fight going.

As for the 3rd fight, Koci leveled a player at center ice with a huge shoulder blow. It caught the guy in the head and KO'd him. However, as the rules stand now in the NHL, it was a perfectly clean, legal check. Why they gave him a charging out of it I have no clue. It was pretty much the exact same hit Neil threw on Drury. It's legal and clean but for whatever reason the refs called it I guess. Just goes to show how the officiating in the NHL blows. But, because of the check Boynton and the rest of the Yotes went after Koci and he stood up for himself.

Maybe you guys should've paid attention to the game more or maybe watch the guy play a little bit more before dubbing him the next Chris Nilan or whatever.

Out of the 3 fights he had he was the aggressor maybe once. So let's hold off from banning the guy from the league quite yet. Sheesh.

and yeah, my panties are in a bunch so yur just gonna have to deal with it.

[Hockeytown Red Wings 245]

Sweet....sounds like he's fun to watch. Doubt he'll ever amount to much though.

If you guys think this stuff is bad, I hope to god you never go to an ECHL game.

[Lou_Siffer 1]

Way to set him straight Gordie!

Koci's a euro by the way

[Kp-Wings 3]

Way to set him straight Gordie!

Koci's a euro by the way

That means despite his best efforts, Don Cherry still won't like him.

[Lou_Siffer 1]

That means despite his best efforts, Don Cherry still won't like him.

Nah, if I like him that means Cherry will like him. Koci's a good kid..

[Mark THS 2]

Pure goonary. Get rid of him, we don`t need players like that in the NHL.

Yeah, I'd love to see more totally non-descript, forgettable players with zero character and clone talent.

Boyd Devereaux, anyone?

[NorthDakotaWingsFan 0]

He played his first NHL game tonight for the Blackhawks against PHX.

check this out...he got into three fights (2 in the first and 1 in the third). Then he got minors for charging and roughing, and 3 minutes into the third he got two game misconducts. Total of 47 penalty minutes and 2:31 seconds of ice time. :!:

http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/boxscore;_ylt=...?gid=2007031024

It seems like the hawks just called this guy up to fight, did anyone see the game or know if there is any bad blood between Chicago and Phoenix?

I was at this game. It seemed to me that there was bad blood. Lots of fighting throughout the game.

[Mark THS 2]

The NHL is pathetic.

This garnered at 5 minute major for charging.

[arnoldbuck 0]

The guy obviously knows he isnt being called up to score goals, so he is trying to mix it up right away. And I suppose thats fine and all. But that is a hell of a lot for one game. And the hit was pretty bad, looked like he was bleeding, so desipite you guys he call it clean, a body check that results in a head blow still is NO GOOD.

And 3 fights by one guy? Come on ... fighting is a Part of the game for sure ... but it isn't The Game.

[Mark THS 2]

The guy obviously knows he isnt being called up to score goals, so he is trying to mix it up right away. And I suppose thats fine and all. But that is a hell of a lot for one game. And the hit was pretty bad, looked like he was bleeding, so desipite you guys he call it clean, a body check that results in a head blow still is NO GOOD.

And 3 fights by one guy? Come on ... fighting is a Part of the game for sure ... but it isn't The Game.

Your efforts would be better suited to criticize a player for skating cross ice with his head down than to criticize a player for making a perfectly acceptable, clean hit.

[Heaton 1]

It was another headshot, which needs to be stopped.

[Mark THS 2]

It was another headshot, which needs to be stopped.

Just another example of the pussification of todays NHL. Dont stop a guy from making a clean check on a guy who was boneheaded enough to put his head down as he skated cross ice.

Want to cut out elbows? Stick work? Leaving the feet? Thats applauded by me- but dont create a system of rules that protects a player who puts his head down and skates through open ice.

Mickey Redmond would have a field day with Thomas. How many times has he harped that if you put your head down and admire a pass- you're going to pay for it.

[Heaton 1]

Just another example of the pussification of todays NHL. Dont stop a guy from making a clean check on a guy who was boneheaded enough to put his head down as he skated cross ice.

Want to cut out elbows? Stick work? Leaving the feet? Thats applauded by me- but dont create a system of rules that protects a player who puts his head down and skates through open ice.

Mickey Redmond would have a field day with Thomas. How many times has he harped that if you put your head down and admire a pass- you're going to pay for it.

Yeah, the pussification is going to be really evident when someone get paralyzed or killed because of a clean hit like that. And don't shrug it off, it WILL happen.

Players can have clean hits without the result of the other player bleeding from their head.

I love the fighting and the big hits in the game, but there has been too many head injuries this season for you to justify anything.

Edited March 11, 2007 by Heaton

[USAFWingedWheel 4]

Yeah, the pussification is going to be really evident when someone get paralyzed or killed because of a clean hit like that. And don't shrug it off, it WILL happen.

Players can have clean hits without the result of the other player bleeding from their head.

I love the fighting and the big hits in the game, but there has been too many head injuries this season for you to justify anything.

well then thomas should've kept his head up, that was a clean textbook hit...with your reasoning they should take away open ice hit all together....this is hockey not figure skating, injuries are bound to happen in a rough sport...

[arnoldbuck 0]

Hitting is an essential part of the game ... Absolutley. And injuries will happen until the end of time. Its a fast, hard hitting sport, it is inevitable. But there is a huge difference between a solid body to body check to a body to head check. Punish a guy for putting his head down? Come on ... that is just stupid. I understand the importance that must be put on players to keep their heads up and be aware of the play around them at all times, but the real issue is a guy noticing a guy in a vulnerable position and hitting him.

I love big hits dont get me wrong, but there is nothing cool about head shots. It is not necesaary at all in the Game.

[Heaton 1]

well then thomas should've kept his head up, that was a clean textbook hit...with your reasoning they should take away open ice hit all together....this is hockey not figure skating, injuries are bound to happen in a rough sport...

Considering I never said anything like that I'm not sure how to respond.

Having your head down is not an excuse for someone to make it a point to hit them in the head.

Injuries are bound to happen, but head injuries should and can be avoided better.

[Mark THS 2]

well then thomas should've kept his head up, that was a clean textbook hit...with your reasoning they should take away open ice hit all together....this is hockey not figure skating, injuries are bound to happen in a rough sport...

Exactly

Considering I never said anything like that I'm not sure how to respond.

Having your head down is not an excuse for someone to make it a point to hit them in the head.

Injuries are bound to happen, but head injuries should and can be avoided better.

And what better way to avoid them than to KEEP YOUR HEAD UP.

but there has been too many head injuries this season for you to justify anything.

You dont think that has anything to do with players feeling like they can skate anywhere under the new rules? Its so blatantly obvious. Guys are getting comfortable under the new rules that they wont be touched because so many cheap, frivolous penalties are being called. With the comfort comes the cross ice skating, the dropping of the head, and the pass admiring.

A lot of players feel invincible and too comfortable to skate anywhere on the ice. Keep your head up, watch for hits, and limit the 'strolls' across open us.

The league is much less violent than it was years ago- but the pads are harder nowadays, guys are too comfortable, and feel invincible

[USAFWingedWheel 4]

Having your head down is not an excuse for someone to make it a point to hit them in the head.

Injuries are bound to happen, but head injuries should and can be avoided better.

i agree with you 110% on the part of head injuries, those must be avoided cause they become chronic injuries....but my point is that thomas put his head down, knew what he was doing and put himself in an injury prone position...i personally am not going to back off just cause of the neglect of another player...and i'm sure that nobody was aiming for his head....

You dont think that has anything to do with players feeling like they can skate anywhere under the new rules? Its so blatantly obvious. Guys are getting comfortable under the new rules that they wont be touched because so many cheap, frivolous penalties are being called. With the comfort comes the cross ice skating, the dropping of the head, and the pass admiring.

A lot of players feel invincible and too comfortable to skate anywhere on the ice. Keep your head up, watch for hits, and limit the 'strolls' across open us.

The league is much less violent than it was years ago- but the pads are harder nowadays, guys are too comfortable, and feel invincible

exactly my point....players became too complacent...

Edited March 11, 2007 by USAFWingedWheel

[wingslogo19 281]

It was another headshot, which needs to be stopped.

Agreed

[scotzman 29]

Half of this crap would go away if the players weren't wearing galvanized steel on their shoulder and elbow pads... oh, yeah, and KEEP YOUR HEAD UP douchebag!