Kronwall's Top 10 Hits - VIdeo Highlight

[mmorland 16]

So I stumbled across this today, the top 10 hits of Kronwall's career. It's a nice video and some great hits.

The one thing I noticed in several of these clips is when he lays a big hit, a member from the other team seems like they are ready to fight. My question is, why? I remember years ago when a player got laid out, most the of time each guy would go their own way. However, it seems like now every time someone is laid out, there needs to be "redemption" fight.

Anyone else feel this way?

http://blogs.thescore.com/nhl/2012/02/14/the-10-best-hits-of-niklas-kronwalls-career-video/

[Travis 576]

Yeah, the new trend seems to be fight-when-you-get-embarassed. I love that Kronwall just goes about his business mashing dudes and isn't interested in doing any more.

I think it's pretty interesting that a number of those hits came from this season alone - he's definitely become a lot more physical this year, those hits used to be saved for the playoffs.

I was also surprised to hear the use of 'Kronwalled' by a got that wasn't employed by Fox Sports Detroit - I thought was something only we said!

[esteef 2,679]

Delicious!

esteef

[Din758 371]

what a boss

[CrimsonFlame 424]

This video made my day.

[Red Wings Addict 787]

I wouldn't rank the Kesler hit as high as he did but a fantastic video nonetheless.

[St. Michael (the Red Wing) 422]

Great video of Kronwalling.

BUT the top 2 and final hits, Kronners definitely leaves his feet.

[wolverine1817 55]

One of my favorite parts of watching hockey... smashing, destroying, pulverizing, kronwalling...

[hooon 1,089]

Awesome.

People love to say he left his feet, but his timing is perfect on nearly every hit, he accelerates up at the perfect moment which is why the hits are so lethal and why some people THINK he leaves his feet. Its still perfectly legal as long as the feet are on the ice at the point of contact.

Its also awesome how so many of those are from the exact same part of the ice.

[CrimsonFlame 424]

I wouldn't rank the Kesler hit as high as he did but a fantastic video nonetheless.

I would just cause I don't like him.

[wolverine1817 55]

Awesome.

People love to say he left his feet, but his timing is perfect on nearly every hit, he accelerates up at the perfect moment which is why the hits are so lethal and why some people THINK he leaves his feet. Its still perfectly legal as long as the feet are on the ice at the point of contact.

Its also awesome how so many of those are from the exact same part of the ice.

What's the exact wording when it comes to leaving your feet? Cause it seems like he lifts up a split second before he hits, which gets a fan from any other team in the league to cry penalty, but at the same time, the refs HAVE to be getting told to keep an eye on Kronwall's hits and he almost never gets penalties for these hits

[hooon 1,089]

What's the exact wording when it comes to leaving your feet? Cause it seems like he lifts up a split second before he hits, which gets a fan from any other team in the league to cry penalty, but at the same time, the refs HAVE to be getting told to keep an eye on Kronwall's hits and he almost never gets penalties for these hits

Yeah I'm certainly not saying he's never left his feet a tad early, but as far as I know, there is nothing illegal about leaving one's feet AFTER contact. Not sure of the exact wording.

[Travis 576]

Awesome.

People love to say he left his feet, but his timing is perfect on nearly every hit, he accelerates up at the perfect moment which is why the hits are so lethal and why some people THINK he leaves his feet. Its still perfectly legal as long as the feet are on the ice at the point of contact.

Its also awesome how so many of those are from the exact same part of the ice.

In the comments someone compared his hits to the principals of two cars colliding head on at a high rate of speed - which generally causes both cars to propel upward - I thought that was a great comparison.

[haroldsnepsts 4,826]

What's the exact wording when it comes to leaving your feet? Cause it seems like he lifts up a split second before he hits, which gets a fan from any other team in the league to cry penalty, but at the same time, the refs HAVE to be getting told to keep an eye on Kronwall's hits and he almost never gets penalties for these hits

He definitely does. Mainly on hits like with Kesler and Miettinen.

The wording of the rule is pretty vague.

42.1 Charging - A minor or major penalty shall be imposed on a player who skates or jumps into, or charges an opponent in any manner.

Charging shall mean the actions of a player who, as a result of distance traveled, shall violently check an opponent in any manner. A “charge” may be the result of a check into the boards, into the goal frame or in open ice.

To me they're borderline charges when he jumps like that. HIts like that used to be straight up charging but over the years it's become more acceptable as long as the skates are on the ice at contact. But he's leaping into the guy as he hits him, which is against the spirit of the charging rule.

To put it another way, I'd be pissed if someone hit one of our players exploding up like that, even if the skates were on or only a little off the ice at contact.

Don't get me wrong, it's a great video. I just know Kronner can still crush people without the jumping part.

[Legendary D In 03 50]

Gah, that hit on Clowe was just freaking glorious. I'm still sour over not beating the Sharks last year. Damn.

[rrasco 1,312]

Great video of Kronwalling.

BUT the top 2 and final hits, Kronners definitely leaves his feet.

To be fair, he did get tossed after the Havlat hit IIRC. And those last two hits were pre-Shanaban era.

Edited February 15, 2012 by rrasco

[arag 308]

Very pretty !

Hope to see some more tonight.

[Red Wings Addict 787]

I would just cause I don't like him.

Yeah Kesler isn't that easy to like, which is probably what put it up there so high, but still. I mean, Kronner left his feet on that one. The collision took Kronwall out of the play too. Yadda yadda.

[Red Wings Addict 787]

He definitely does. Mainly on hits like with Kesler and Miettinen.

Yeah, which is tough for me to admit because to me that's probably the most beautiful collision in that video. The way he made Miettinen move was like something out of a wushu movie or The Matrix or something like that.

I just know Kronner can still crush people without the jumping part.

It's a lot easier when you have the size of Briere or Hemsky. When you're as big as Kesler or Ruutu (who isn't in that video), you have to do a little extra. Now, of course, he got Ryane Clowe perfectly well and to be honest that hit surprised me a little but in the heat of the moment you have little time to size a guy up and decide what you need to do to take him down. I just assume that if a guy is that big then Kronwall kind of has to take a penalty to get a good hit on him. His two big hits on Clowe, one of which isn't on there, to me are an anomaly in his body of work of hits.

[jollymania 162]

Yeah I'm certainly not saying he's never left his feet a tad early, but as far as I know, there is nothing illegal about leaving one's feet AFTER contact. Not sure of the exact wording.

fistric got suspended for a hit when he left his feet after contact, shanny is a looney

[toby91_ca 620]

To me they're borderline charges when he jumps like that. HIts like that used to be straight up charging but over the years it's become more acceptable as long as the skates are on the ice at contact. But he's leaping into the guy as he hits him, which is against the spirit of the charging rule.

To put it another way, I'd be pissed if someone hit one of our players exploding up like that, even if the skates were on or only a little off the ice at contact.

Don't get me wrong, it's a great video. I just know Kronner can still crush people without the jumping part.

I agree, a lot are borderline, some are clear that he leaves his feet before contact, some are not clear, some are clear that he leaves his feet after contact. Personally, I don't like that type of hit regardless, I don't like players accelerating up into a hit.

To answer the original question though, I think big hits, clean or not, used to incite some response in years past as well. If you want to hit one of our players hard, expect pay back....you don't want to be seen as a team that will get bullied like that.

[PROBIE4PREZ 58]

As long as he is getting away with it .. I don't care. Gotta take a inch when a inch is given.

[haroldsnepsts 4,826]

I agree, a lot are borderline, some are clear that he leaves his feet before contact, some are not clear, some are clear that he leaves his feet after contact. Personally, I don't like that type of hit regardless, I don't like players accelerating up into a hit.

To answer the original question though, I think big hits, clean or not, used to incite some response in years past as well. If you want to hit one of our players hard, expect pay back....you don't want to be seen as a team that will get bullied like that.

I agree to an extent, but it used to be done more often by hitting the guy who threw the initial check for the rest of the game, or going out and trying to crush their star players. There seemed to be more of attitude of "we'll get them back" but not so much dropping the gloves and jumping guys just because it was a clean hard hit. Guys would protect their teammates but there was also some acknowledgement of personal responsibility and getting caught with your head down.

If someone was taking hard runs at Stevie, they'd probably be getting some attention from Probert. But if you hit pretty much anyone else with a clean hard hit, it just ramped up the intensity and hitting in the game. It didn't usually lead to play stopping because of an all out scrum after a clean hit.

My biggest problem with it is that hitting is a big and legal part of the game. The idea is not just to crush the guy, but separate him from the puck and gain an advantage. Countless times that advantage is negated nowadays because the team that got hit starts jumping guys and the refs stop the play.

[fixxxer 11]

Loved the video!

Anyone here notice is evolution of Kronwall starting to turn his back into his checks now? I'm wondering if he's doing that to avoid his forearms/elbows accidentally getting up to high and avoiding the situation all together? Who knows though but it seems like it would hurt more to line up a hit going back first like that. I see his head get flung back at impact and I just cringe that he's gunna hurt his back at some point.

[toby91_ca 620]

Loved the video!

Anyone here notice is evolution of Kronwall starting to turn his back into his checks now? I'm wondering if he's doing that to avoid his forearms/elbows accidentally getting up to high and avoiding the situation all together? Who knows though but it seems like it would hurt more to line up a hit going back first like that. I see his head get flung back at impact and I just cringe that he's gunna hurt his back at some point.

Yeah, I don't know about leading with the butt. I think that could be dangerous (to Kronwall). I think there is a risk of lower back injury there. I've been playing hockey since I was 5 and I never missed a game because of injury until I was in my mid-20s when I broke my wrist. However, I do remember going butt first into the boards one time and tweaking my lower back. I get lower back pains every now and then now, but I'm not sure if that is simply age or someting to do with that incident. That said, I'm guessing hitting a human will give a little bit more than the boards...but not sure about that.