Neil flattens Hedman - then Fights Downie

[sureWhyNot 19]

I am sure a lot of you have seen this hit from last night - Chris Neil absolutely flattens Victor Hedman, with probably the closest thing we have see in the NHL to a perfect check in a while (didn't come from the blindside, shoulders to chest and not the head, etc.)

It gets even better as the little rat Steve Downie comes in jumps Neil. Ironic when you remember Downie's on McCammond. Anyways, their is no question this check is as clean as a check can be, but do you think something like this gives players more ammo to try to get them to remove the trapezoid rule?

[Carman 387]

First thing I noticed is no communication from the Goalie or Ohlund for Hedman. Poor rookie=(. Other then that, that's why I wanted Neil here.

[zettie85 106]

I agree with the rule being removed but in this case I don't think the goalie would have went to the corner anyways.(unless it's Roy or Turco). Ozzie does this all the time. Differnence being our boys keep their head up. Welcome to the show Vic!

[Guest Four]

Apart from being clean by today's standards, it's unsafe. How many more players are going to get injured behind the net because the trapezoid and the uncalled charging (regardless of strides or not, he's flying)? Solid play by Neil, but it makes me question the rules. Steve Downie sucks btw

Edited November 6, 2009 by Four

[zettie85 106]

I am sure a lot of you have seen this hit from last night - Chris Neil absolutely flattens Victor Hedman, with probably the closest thing we have see in the NHL to a perfect check in a while (didn't come from the blindside, shoulders to chest and not the head, etc.)

It gets even better as the little rat Steve Downie comes in jumps Neil. Ironic when you remember Downie's on McCammond. Anyways, their is no question this check is as clean as a check can be, but do you think something like this gives players more ammo to try to get them to remove the trapezoid rule?

Stop making excuses for victims. Keep your head up! There is no reason Hedman couldn't see him if he wasn't looking at his feet.

[Carman 387]

Stop making excuses for victims. Keep your head up! There is no reason Hedman couldn't see him if he wasn't looking at his feet.

The goalie screened him. Hedman was a victim of lack of communication. Ohlund should have been doing everything he could of seeing a sprinting Chris Neil track down his rookie defense partner from center ice.

[lfd250 1]

the goalie set it up for him, keep your head up. Are you guys on football boards saying don't hit the qb?

[zettie85 106]

The goalie screened him. Hedman was a victim of lack of communication. Ohlund should have been doing everything he could of seeing a sprinting Chris Neil track down his rookie defense partner from center ice.

I agre with the lack of communication. But it is a routine play and Hedman got complacent. You should never assume nobody is coming.

[Carman 387]

I agre with the lack of communication. But it is a routine play and Hedman got complacent. You should never assume nobody is coming.

True enough. I just don't think him having his head down had as big of an impact as the path Neil took behind the goaltender. I've been in Neil's position and it's great to use that goalie as a screen when there isn't an opportunity for the defensemen to reverse the puck and the goaltender comes back in front of the net where the defensemen is coming from.

[under_par_00 45]

You can see that Hedman even took a look over at Neil before he went behind the net. I think he was just used to the larger ice surface, and thought he had more time than he did.

[Inultus 12]

What's the question here? Regardless of being screened or not you have to be aware of your surroundings.

[stevkrause 1,247]

The goalie screened him. Hedman was a victim of lack of communication. Ohlund should have been doing everything he could of seeing a sprinting Chris Neil track down his rookie defense partner from center ice.

this.

that trapezoid is a failed experiment that NEEDS to go away...

[sureWhyNot 19]

Apart from being clean by today's standards, it's unsafe. How many more players are going to get injured behind the net because the trapezoid and the uncalled charging (regardless of strides or not, he's flying)? Solid play by Neil, but it makes me question the rules. Steve Downie sucks btw

Agree with you on Downie sucking, disagree with you on everything else.

The kid needs to learn to keep his head up - which he will. But this is the NHL, it's part of the game. It's kinda sad how every single monster hit (the clean ones) nowadays is either questioned or used in reference to question the "hitting rules" in the NHL.

Out of all the NHL personalities who have weighed in on this, I would have to say I am closest to Ken Holland in regards to his position on open ice hitting (close, but not in full agreement - the puckhandler and his teammates are always the one responsible for the hit he is or is not going to receive - clean hits that is, if it is dirty - like an elbow to the head, it is a completely different story)

Per MLive:

"If a player is coming straight on, the responsibility is on the puck carrier," Holland said this weekend in Calgary. "If he's coming from the blind side, the responsibility is on the player delivering the hit. It's got to be a rule. If I'm looking to my left and someone's coming from my right — if he hits me, it's his responsibility to hit me from the shoulder down."

....

"If we ban all hits to the head, we're just going to have a bunch of players playing with their heads down," Holland said. "I'm not a fan."

"Part of being a good hockey player is having your head up," he said. "There are times in a game in any sport, you have some responsibility to protect yourself. That goes on in life. When you're driving a car, there are times in life where there's some responsibility on you to make some decisions to protect yourself."

All in all, I would have to say I agree with 90% of this.

All this talk (not just here, but in the hockey world in general) has made me increasingly miss pre-lockout hockey quite a bit. I am not talking way back in the day I am talking mid-late 90's/early 2000's.

[Yzerfan1999 81]

I don't mind anything about that play - I even like that Downie fought Neil after, shows Hedman that his teammates know his value and will stick up for him when he gets hammered. Good for Neil for actually dropping them too, I absolutely hate when guys who have a rep for fighting and being tough flatten someone and then don't scrap. Example - Dion Phaneuf - the kid used to be tough, but now he lays people out and runs away.

[zettie85 106]

Agree with you on Downie sucking, disagree with you on everything else.

The kid needs to learn to keep his head up - which he will. But this is the NHL, it's part of the game. It's kinda sad how every single monster hit (the clean ones) nowadays is either questioned or used in reference to question the "hitting rules" in the NHL.

Out of all the NHL personalities who have weighed in on this, I would have to say I am closest to Ken Holland in regards to his position on open ice hitting (close, but not in full agreement - the puckhandler and his teammates are always the one responsible for the hit he is or is not going to receive - clean hits that is, if it is dirty - like an elbow to the head, it is a completely different story)

Per MLive:

All in all, I would have to say I agree with 90% of this.

All this talk (not just here, but in the hockey world in general) has made me increasingly miss pre-lockout hockey quite a bit. I am not talking way back in the day I am talking mid-late 90's/early 2000's.

This video makes me realize even more how much i miss hockey....not the mutant hybrid we see today. Thanks for the post.

[zettie85 106]

I don't mind anything about that play - I even like that Downie fought Neil after, shows Hedman that his teammates know his value and will stick up for him when he gets hammered. Good for Neil for actually dropping them too, I absolutely hate when guys who have a rep for fighting and being tough flatten someone and then don't scrap. Example - Dion Phaneuf - the kid used to be tough, but now he lays people out and runs away.

Great post! I hate Phaneuf for that reason.

[Dimaline312000 51]

That's my boy Chris Neil!!!!

[jollymania 162]

Hedman: Keep your head up

[jollymania 162]

I don't mind anything about that play - I even like that Downie fought Neil after, shows Hedman that his teammates know his value and will stick up for him when he gets hammered. Good for Neil for actually dropping them too, I absolutely hate when guys who have a rep for fighting and being tough flatten someone and then don't scrap. Example - Dion Phaneuf - the kid used to be tough, but now he lays people out and runs away.

So do Stuart and Kronwall, there is nothing wrong with declining a fight after you rock someone, if anything it gets the other team off their game because they will have you on their mind instead of the game. But I hate Phaneuf because he is so overrated.

[stevkrause 1,247]

Hedman: Keep your head up

this was more Niittymaki's fault for not communicating with him properly, or for running proper interference... Hedman was screend by Niittymaki and didn't have a chance...

[ltgator333 3]

I am officially tired of fights starting over clean hits. If you get hit, you get hit. The game goes on.

In this case the goalie was somewhat at fault I think (Ohlund could've also gave a heads up), he could've just stayed in the net and things would've been a little more even between Hedman and Neil.

As for the trapezoid- you can make a very complicated issue out of this easily. I wish if anything the rule was more simple one way or another- either you want goalies to keep their skates in front of the goal line (except for between the pipes) or they're free and clear for their whole half of the ice. Either or has it's upsides, and either or includes no trapezoid. I should just make a thread on this..

[stevkrause 1,247]

So do Stuart and Kronwall, there is nothing wrong with declining a fight after you rock someone, if anything it gets the other team off their game because they will have you on their mind instead of the game. But I hate Phaneuf because he is so overrated.

exactly - you shouldn't HAVE to fight someone for laying a perfectly clean, legal hockey check... they need to start giving automatic instigator and 10 minute misconducts for this re-action to a hit...

Whatever happened to "get his number and get him later?"

[ltgator333 3]

exactly - you shouldn't HAVE to fight someone for laying a perfectly clean, legal hockey check... they need to start giving automatic instigator and 10 minute misconducts for this re-action to a hit...

Whatever happened to "get his number and get him later?"

thank you!

[zettie85 106]

this was more Niittymaki's fault for not communicating with him properly, or for running proper interference... Hedman was screend by Niittymaki and didn't have a chance...

It's still Hedmans fault.

He should never not expect someone is coming for you.

[zettie85 106]

So do Stuart and Kronwall, there is nothing wrong with declining a fight after you rock someone, if anything it gets the other team off their game because they will have you on their mind instead of the game. But I hate Phaneuf because he is so overrated.

Phaneuf does this on dirty plays as well. After the whistle stuff, he backs out and hides behind refs then lets Iginla fight his battles. It's sickening.