VILLE NIEMINEN

[Guest GordieSid&Ted]

I definitely think he should have been suspended. Being a repeat offender, I think it should have warrented one... however, I guess you could look at it, that he intechnically was suspended for one game, since he was ejected early in the first.

OMFG, you guys are being completely ridiculous. Suspension? For what?

Watch the video replay without your Wings glasses on. Stop the footage prior to the hit and you'll see that Nieminen had a good bead on Lebda as he turned to skate towards the net (general directon), they were about 4 feet apart distance wise and shoulder to shoulder as far as positioning. If you roll the footage its probably less than 1/2 second later that Ville throws the hit and Brett is turning his back to the play.

Sorry, I play defense and I don't go turning my back to the checker when i'm about a foot from the boards, which Lebda was just so I don't have to take a hit.

Ville went for the check and Lebda turned his back to him all in a split second.

You people act like Bret was facing the boards for 3 seconds and Ville just came up from behind him and drilled him in the back.

I don't want to see anybody get hurt but sorry, Bret saw Ville coming from his left and instead of taking the hit shoulder to shoulder he tried to make a move back in the other direction and Ville caught him mid move.

I'm glad they penalized Ville but players spend too much time turning their backs on giuys who are in mid check and have no way of letting up.

[Guest Don Corleone]

OMFG, you guys are being completely ridiculous. Suspension? For what?

Watch the video replay without your Wings glasses on. Stop the footage prior to the hit and you'll see that Nieminen had a good bead on Lebda as he turned to skate towards the net (general directon), they were about 4 feet apart distance wise and shoulder to shoulder as far as positioning. If you roll the footage its probably less than 1/2 second later that Ville throws the hit and Brett is turning his back to the play.

Sorry, I play defense and I don't go turning my back to the checker when i'm about a foot from the boards, which Lebda was just so I don't have to take a hit.

Ville went for the check and Lebda turned his back to him all in a split second.

You people act like Bret was facing the boards for 3 seconds and Ville just came up from behind him and drilled him in the back.

I don't want to see anybody get hurt but sorry, Bret saw Ville coming from his left and instead of taking the hit shoulder to shoulder he tried to make a move back in the other direction and Ville caught him mid move.

I'm glad they penalized Ville but players spend too much time turning their backs on giuys who are in mid check and have no way of letting up.

Well described. Finally, a Wings fan that makes sense and doesn't think the NHL has a conspiracy brewing against them.

[GongShow86 0]

OMFG, you guys are being completely ridiculous. Suspension? For what?

Watch the video replay without your Wings glasses on. Stop the footage prior to the hit and you'll see that Nieminen had a good bead on Lebda as he turned to skate towards the net (general directon), they were about 4 feet apart distance wise and shoulder to shoulder as far as positioning. If you roll the footage its probably less than 1/2 second later that Ville throws the hit and Brett is turning his back to the play.

Sorry, I play defense and I don't go turning my back to the checker when i'm about a foot from the boards, which Lebda was just so I don't have to take a hit.

Ville went for the check and Lebda turned his back to him all in a split second.

You people act like Bret was facing the boards for 3 seconds and Ville just came up from behind him and drilled him in the back.

I don't want to see anybody get hurt but sorry, Bret saw Ville coming from his left and instead of taking the hit shoulder to shoulder he tried to make a move back in the other direction and Ville caught him mid move.

I'm glad they penalized Ville but players spend too much time turning their backs on giuys who are in mid check and have no way of letting up.

thanks for the good laugh

[Vonnie182 0]

Vonnie! I am utterly in love with your signature.

thank you very much...Hank is the man!

[Zion 93]

I've said from the get-go that it wasn't a "dirty" hit. I'm even surprised that Ville has a history of hits like this, because he is not a "dirty" player, just an agitator... and it doesn't surprise me at all that he went to visit Brett and apologize to him, as he seems to be a very likable guy and was very popular in San Jose.

[wingsfan40 0]

Just like these guys...last i heard there was to be no additional punishment

[Guest GordieSid&Ted]

thanks for the good laugh

You're welcome.

Always nice to see somebody with their "homer" glasses take them off for 1 second and realize how much they're overreacting and reaching to try and make an issue where there isn't one because it happened to their beloved team.

I love the Wings too, but not to the point of delusion.

How's that for a laugh.

[Kp-Wings 3]

Good points Gordie.

I don't know what you really give a suspension for. If Lebda wouldn't have gotten hurt, nobody would be saying a thing about it.

[auxlepli 17]

Can't spell Ville without vile.

Vile = an adjective meaning "morally low; base; despicable"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vile

So yeah, that aboot sums it up.

[Wings_Rule_1010 4]

OMFG, you guys are being completely ridiculous. Suspension? For what?

Watch the video replay without your Wings glasses on. Stop the footage prior to the hit and you'll see that Nieminen had a good bead on Lebda as he turned to skate towards the net (general directon), they were about 4 feet apart distance wise and shoulder to shoulder as far as positioning. If you roll the footage its probably less than 1/2 second later that Ville throws the hit and Brett is turning his back to the play.

Sorry, I play defense and I don't go turning my back to the checker when i'm about a foot from the boards, which Lebda was just so I don't have to take a hit.

Ville went for the check and Lebda turned his back to him all in a split second.

You people act like Bret was facing the boards for 3 seconds and Ville just came up from behind him and drilled him in the back.

I don't want to see anybody get hurt but sorry, Bret saw Ville coming from his left and instead of taking the hit shoulder to shoulder he tried to make a move back in the other direction and Ville caught him mid move.

Anyways, almost a week later and no suspension. So I guess the case is closed.

I'm glad they penalized Ville but players spend too much time turning their backs on giuys who are in mid check and have no way of letting up.

Those are all good points. I just think, looking at the incident individually, it didn't warrent a suspension. But when you look at the whole picture of Nieminen, you see that he has constantly given questionable hits, some of which hurt players.

Edited March 29, 2007 by Wings_Rule_1010

[akustyk 84]

Those are all good points. I just think, looking at the incident individually, it didn't warrent a suspension. But when you look at the whole picture of Nieminen, you see that he has constantly given questionable hits, some of which hurt players.

yes, because he's yet another creation of instigator penalty. talentwise a mediocre player, which excels at s***ty play and makes other teams hate him. an evolution of a player like Maltby - but more reckless and with much less respect to other players. a little more hockey-skilled than Tootoo but it's the same kind

[Zetter is Better 0]

If it was Tootoo who hit him everyone would be calling for his head...

No SH!T. It would have been the second time this month Fruitoo has seriously hurt some one! Duh!

[Zion 93]

Can't spell Ville without vile.

Vile = an adjective meaning "morally low; base; despicable"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vile

So yeah, that aboot sums it up.

That is just dumb.

And, yes, he is similar to a Kirk Maltby, who (in his agitator days) was extremely effective against the opposition. You guys sound like other teams fans referring to Malts.