James Wizniewski Suspended

[Duckboy6 0]

Before i get into my point let me set a couple things straight. I am a ducks fan and the Red wings are not one of my favorite teams however i respect the Organization as well as the fan base. I am not here to argue, i just want to talk hockey with some people who aren't biased like Duck fans.

Anyways... James Wisniewski got suspended for two games for his hit on Shan Doan. Theres a little news link and a video of the hit on NHL.com. As hockey fans i was wondering:

What do you think of the hit?

Do you think it was clean?

Was it suspension worthy?

I feel that the ducks are given this ridiculous double standard and are given suspensions that the nhl doesn't dream of giving to other teams and even cover it up as "clean" when a marketable superstar does it. *cough ovechkin* cough* I usually come on LGW occassionally to discuss hockey in a not so duck friendly atmosphere because i like your opinions so any would be nice.

Thanks.

DB6

[Doc Holiday 0]

I thought the suspension was a joke.

Maybe a penalty for the play, but two games is ridiculous.

Also, this is the hit in question.

Edited November 3, 2009 by Doc Holiday

[cjm502 165]

Here is the link to a thread I started earlier. I do not think I need to explain what I think. My thread speaks for itself.

Check It Out

[Hack & Whack Rule! 160]

Looks like he went high and caught Doan on the chin. I don't see anything wrong with it, but I can get pretty lenient when it comes to laying the smackdown on someone. I'll say: nice clock cleaning, clean hit (clean enough for me), suspension is more proof of the pussification brought on by Bettman.

[Buppy 1,720]

Hard to tell from the video, but it does look like the elbow caught Doan in the chest.

Even so, it's another example of disrespectful play. Players just want to make highlight reels and would gladly end another player's career to do it. As big and fast as players are today, the league has to crack down on the head hits before someone ends up dead. And yeah, that goes for Kronwall's headhunting too.

[Rivalred 630]

Should of let up on the hit, no reason for it so early in the season.

[cjm502 165]

Hard to tell from the video, but it does look like the elbow caught Doan in the chest.

Even so, it's another example of disrespectful play. Players just want to make highlight reels and would gladly end another player's career to do it. As big and fast as players are today, the league has to crack down on the head hits before someone ends up dead. And yeah, that goes for Kronwall's headhunting too.

I absolutely love big open ice hits, but when there is players leaving their feet, throwing elbows, knee to knee hits and such the league HAS to do more about it. As much as I hate to say it, Kronner is not innocent either.

[Guest Four]

It's very awkward looking.. But clearly he gets hit in the head and after the recent head-shot business in the NHL, OHL and whatnot, I'm not surprised its two games.

[Hack & Whack Rule! 160]

Should of let up on the hit, no reason for it so early in the season.

Did you do that on purpose?

[SDavis35 140]

I don't like the hit. Doan's head did not look like it was low, so it was a high head shot by Wizniewski. Intentional or not, I think it should be an auto-suspension. They want to crack down on hits to the head, this is what they need to do. Could've been worse though.

A pure clean hit, in my eyes - leaning in with the shoulder, should makes contact with opponent, and knocks them off the puck. Both skates should be on the ice, and the opposing player shouldn't be in a vulnerable position (does not mean he sees it coming). What I saw there, was a missed hit, with the arm flailing out (guess you could say "finishing" the check) it just wasn't satisfactory in my eyes.

[toby91_ca 620]

I good clean hit is throwing your shoulder into another player. If Mr. W. tried that, he likely would have fallen on his face since he was not in a position to throw a good hit, therefore, he threw up his elbow.

It was definately not clean and I think it was suspension worthy.

[XxGoWingsxX 0]

I would say it was a dirty hit, ON ACCIDENT. Doan was hit in the head but it looks like wiz kinda lost his footing when he went to step into him. He hit him high but it didn't look like on purpose. LoL, in the first replay angle they show it looked like wiz clotheslined doan, but when u see the next replay its just a misplaced hit is all.

[Guest Shoreline]

I can see why. Blatant forearm hit to the head, and this very type of hit (which cannot even be compared to a bodycheck) is what the league is making an example out of as there's just way too much of this stuff. There was no reason to hit Doan up high like that. Reminds me a little of Pronger's elbows. Duck fans crying about the league bias against them sound like the old Raiders fans back when they were in LA when they were, for years, constantly worst in the league in penalties against. There's indeed a reason for it. Your team is dirty, Duck fan.

Edited November 3, 2009 by Shoreline

[Hack & Whack Rule! 160]

Should of let up on the hit, no reason for it so early in the season.

I think I asked this question of you in another thread. Without an answer, by the way.

At what point in the season is it okay to start laying on the hits? Is there some date that most don't know about? How about early March when teams are making playoff runs? How about only in the playoffs? Leading up to the Olympics? One week before the All Star Break?

[Drake_Marcus 890]

If Richards isn't suspension worthy this isn't

Two tiered suspensions are BULLs***. The law's the law. Enforce it or don't.

[Duck Guy 86]

there is no way that hit to the head was on purpose...but i have no prob with the suspension will hopefully make him be more careful..

and ducks got a bad name from pronger.... he was dirty.. and the one time scotty elbowed dats (i think it was) that was bad lol

Edited November 3, 2009 by Duck Guy

[Jocke 53]

Elbow to the head. Of course he should be suspended.

[dat's sick 1,002]

Definitely should be a suspension. But I wonder if Doan had been suspended if he did the same to Wiz?

Booth probably would have been if he was the one who hit Richards instead of the other way around.

The double-standard needs to go.

[Lovin Jiri Fischer 147]

What part of an elbow to the face states "this is a clean hit?"

[Doc Holiday 0]

It surprises me how many people agree with the suspension because of an elbow.

Was that suspension worthy?

[Carman 387]

Clean hit. They are taking the aggression out of the game, this is pathetic.

[stevkrause 1,247]

elbows clearly up, shot to the head - suspension.

my only problem is, the league needs to stop being such a Mickey Mouse league and get some damn consistency... ALL players, stars or not, should face suspensions for clear head s***s and elbows...

and to anyone saying that this is "part of the game" - bulls***.

You can play hard, skate hard and hit DAMN hard while still respecting your opponent and not trying to hurt them... this cheapshot bulls*** is what has marred the NHL from day one...

[stevkrause 1,247]

Clean hit. They are taking the aggression out of the game, this is pathetic.

honest question, did you ever play the game?

[Carman 387]

honest question, did you ever play the game?

Yes, 8 years AAA, 2 years high school, 3 years ECHL/USHL.

I think there is a clear deference between incidental contact to the head and intentional elbow to the head. In this case I think it's a miss timed hit that should not be suspended as I don't think it was intentional. I hate using example of hits in the 80's, but hits like these would of been praised and put on a highlite reel not suspended. I have a fear that if they keep suspending clean hard working players for these 'dirty' hits it's going to impact the integrity of the game. Players will start letting up on open ice hits because of how hard the are to line up, players will keep turning backs and get injured on the boards etc. Just my two cents.

[haroldsnepsts 4,826]

Yes, this is the right suspension, it just seems harsh because the NHL has gotten it wrong on so many of those other hits lately. (like Richards).

This was a forearm shiver to the neck/throat. Easily preventable and a bad decision by Wiz.

As for the Kronwall hit, it's hard to see on a decent replay because it's all the way across the ice, but it looks like he jumped (which he does sometimes) and stuck out his arm to catch Carter. He didn't catch as much of him as Wiz did on Doan, but it's still certainly worth a penalty and possibly a suspension. Given it was the playoffs though, you pretty much have to decapitate a guy to get one game.

And back to the OP, I don't know that it's duck specific, but there's definitely inconsistency here in the league. If someone like Ovechkin makes that hit, no penalty, no suspension.