Ballard slashes teammate Vokoun in head

[Inultus 12]

I know that I've definitely been frustrated enough in a game to do something like that. Hell, I had a guy who probably weighed 275 crash into me and break my brand new composite stick. I went and got my backup POS stick and slashed the hell out of him next shift. Got a penalty, but unfortunately didn't break his stick.

I could well have injured him accidentally. Childish and careless, sure but stuff like this happens everyday in hockey. And the reason that he won't get suspended is because a suspension would hurt the whole team, not just Ballard. Plus, it's kinda like if I punch my friend and the bar and accidentally break his ribs (this has actually happened). He doesn't want me to be punished because he knows it was an accident. He just gives me some good-natured ribbing (LOL) and I buy him some beers and that's that.

[Third Man In 2,091]

I'm not going to argue that it's not childish because it is. However, this is not everyday life. It's one thing to lose your cool at home or in public and put your fist through a door or whatever. But this is a sport. Players get amped up and their frustration just boils in an instant.

If he snaps his stick over the post and skates away, when they showed this highlight to show the goal, not one ******* person would have mentioned the fact that Ballard broke his stick.

Get off your ******* soapboxes people. He swung his stick in a careless manner. His intention was to hit the goalpost. Unfortunately he clipped his goalie. All will be fine.

Yeah, it's childish. But the lack of understanding around here has less to do with what happened and more to do with a bunch of dickheads thinking they're so much better than Keith Ballard. Makin' mountains out of molehills people.

Hey, a couple of rational people who aren't overreacting to an accident. How refreshing.

So, to summarize: accepting as part of sports an irrational outburst of violence that we don't accept in broader society and may have resulted in much more serious injury or worse is rational. Got it.

The point isn't that one player intending to hit the post accidentally smashed his goalie's head, and this is one freak occurrence among many other harmless ones. The point is that every time a player is angry enough to smash their stick on the post they may be oblivious to the goalie's or another player's presence, even after they've hit them.

Edited December 1, 2009 by Third Man In

[Datsasuk 2]

That's beyond retarded. But how did it make Vokoun bleed? Did Ballard's stick hit some tiny opening by some freak occurrenc?

IT was all a stunt. Vokoun had a ketchup packet hidden under his helmet. The NHL is the new WWE.

Seriously though, this was ridiculous. If I were coaching in FLA, Ballard would be sitting for 3 games. I don't care how good he is or how much the team is struggling. That was an immature and undisciplined gesture that ended up hurting arguably the MVP of the team. Coach has gotta show he has control over the team and make Ballard feel sorry for his actions.

[GMRwings1983 8,803]

I don't get it.

If Ballard was so angry, why didn't he go swing the stick at the other goalie's net?

[GMRwings1983 8,803]

Warning to anyone.

Don't put any of Keith Ballard's teammates on your fantasy teams.

[Konnan511 1,736]

I don't get it.

If Ballard was so angry, why didn't he go swing the stick at the other goalie's net?

I actually laughed pretty hard at this GMR.

[wingslogo19 281]

Complete stupidness.. Can't believe I saw that. He's going to feel like a complete idiot evey time he sees that on tv

[Hockeytown0001 7,652]

Florida's GM said that Vokoun and Ballard were able to sit down and chat and that there were no hard feelings. Good to hear.

[Stiffy 0]

If the NHL forced players to pay for their own sticks this kind of behavior would be reduced!

[Hockeytown0001 7,652]

If the NHL forced players to pay for their own sticks this kind of behavior would be reduced!

I thought I read somewhere that this could actually happen.

[MacAttack25 44]

Who is Florida's enforcer?! How did they let this happen?

[ComradeWasabi 109]

IT was all a stunt. Vokoun had a ketchup packet hidden under his helmet. The NHL is the new WWE.

There isn't much to react to here. Freak accident. There's not going to be any reaction from the NHL on this so there's not much point discussing it.

[96warrior 11]

“I saw it on tape, and it looks awful. The sad part is people see this, little kids see it, and they think maybe that’s the way professional guys act. It’s not something I’ve ever done, and it’s not something I’ll do again. I’m terribly sorry.â€

-Keith Ballard of the Florida Panthers on the Vokoun incident