Eller Destroyed

[toby91_ca 620]

Heave you ever been bodychecked that hard? You don't always have control as you are stunned, concussion or otherwise. He did look out before he hit the ice though. TSN guys clearly show why it is clean and a bogus call.

And the ref clearly made the call after the injury. No matter what that is not how you call a penalty. And the no hit league comments are warranted, there is far too many overreactions to physicality in the NHL right now.

I have managed to avoid being hit hard most of my life, but yes, I've been hit fairly hard a few times and never have been stunned to the point I don't have control of my body to brace myself....that only comes from a head shot. If you look at the replay from behind the Eller approaching the blueline. His head is CLEARLY the first part of his body to take contact if you are looking to see an inch of movement on any part of his body. At a minimum, it's not cut and dry, especially at full speed, so I'm not sure how you can get on the ref too much here.

Lastly, have you played any games in the NHL in the last couple years? If not, I'd be interested in what you'd think if you went and played a couple weeks...would you come back thinking that there is not much hitting?

Looks like principle point of contact was to the head. Sure, it was a suicide pass, but that doesn't give the guy free reign to hit to the head - that's flawed logic. I was surprised to hear the CBC guys say it was clean. I think they were focusing too much on the interference call, which they correctly pointed out was the wrong call. If it is a hit to the head, and it sure looks like it, it seems completely suspendable. If Ference gets one game for his love tap to Grabovski, this surely deserves something.

This wasn't a bodycheck, it was a shoulder to the head.

I saw it definitely as shoulder to head as well, but I guess I'm confused now after watching Fraser's analysis on TSN. The head was hit first, with the shoulder, but not principle point of contact because there was enough of the rest of the body involved...confusing if you ask me.

[Yzerfan1999 81]

I have managed to avoid being hit hard most of my life, but yes, I've been hit fairly hard a few times and never have been stunned to the point I don't have control of my body to brace myself....that only comes from a head shot. If you look at the replay from behind the Eller approaching the blueline. His head is CLEARLY the first part of his body to take contact if you are looking to see an inch of movement on any part of his body. At a minimum, it's not cut and dry, especially at full speed, so I'm not sure how you can get on the ref too much here.

Lastly, have you played any games in the NHL in the last couple years? If not, I'd be interested in what you'd think if you went and played a couple weeks...would you come back thinking that there is not much hitting?

Yep - watch his head - you can see blue helmet is the first thing on his body that pops.

[rrasco 1,312]

No more contact than Kronwall makes on most of his hits, which are clean. It's unfortunate the result, but I don't think he should even have received a penalty for that according to the current rules. That was not principle point of contact and it wasn't targeting, which is why they tossed him for interference (which it wasn't either) based on the severity of the hit and the resulting injury.

Edited May 3, 2013 by rrasco

[jollymania 162]

I have managed to avoid being hit hard most of my life, but yes, I've been hit fairly hard a few times and never have been stunned to the point I don't have control of my body to brace myself....that only comes from a head shot. If you look at the replay from behind the Eller approaching the blueline. His head is CLEARLY the first part of his body to take contact if you are looking to see an inch of movement on any part of his body. At a minimum, it's not cut and dry, especially at full speed, so I'm not sure how you can get on the ref too much here.

Lastly, have you played any games in the NHL in the last couple years? If not, I'd be interested in what you'd think if you went and played a couple weeks...would you come back thinking that there is not much hitting?

I saw it definitely as shoulder to head as well, but I guess I'm confused now after watching Fraser's analysis on TSN. The head was hit first, with the shoulder, but not principle point of contact because there was enough of the rest of the body involved...confusing if you ask me.

IT has nothing to do with how much hitting there is it is the reaction to large hits.

[Guest irishock]

Clean hit. Not even a penalty. Go back to playing inf****** Finland if you don't like it, Habs

Edited May 3, 2013 by irishock

[Hockeytown0001 7,652]

Ouch, hope he's okay. He had the puck though, so no penalty. Just an unfortunate result of a clean hit.

[evilmrt 636]

Clean hit. Not even a penalty. Go back to playing inf****** Finland if you don't like it, Habs

Uh, what the heck is wrong with Finland?

[Guest irishock]

Uh, what the heck is wrong with Finland?

Nothing. Great country. Not so tough players.

[Yzerfan1999 81]

Clean hit. Not even a penalty. Go back to playing inf****** Finland if you don't like it, Habs

Lars Eller is Danish, and Montreal doesn't have a single Fin on their roster.

Ignorant post.

[GMRwings1983 8,794]

Lars Eller is Danish, and Montreal doesn't have a single Fin on their roster.

Ignorant post.

In all fairness, this post was made with hatred for Koivu and Selanne in mind.

[StormJH1 231]

Yeah, I am as protective of player safety as anyone, but this particular one might be a legal hit gone wrong. I can't even really figure out where all the blood came from - either from being caught by the shoulder or hitting his head (or a visor cut) on the ice. The hit was maybe gratuitous but I didn't really see a targeting of the head. It also wasn't a late or unnecessary hit because he actually had the puck - kind of like Kronwall's hit on Havlat in the Playoffs years ago.

[dat's sick 1,002]

Isn't this exactly the typ of hit the NHL wants to stop? Blind-side, player extremely vulnerable. Even if the principle point of contact isn't the head it's still dangerous as hell.

I honestly felt sick watching that guy lie knocked out on the ice and blood pouring out on the ice. Suspend Gryba a couple of games.

[Red Crazy 201]

Isn't this exactly the typ of hit the NHL wants to stop? Blind-side, player extremely vulnerable. Even if the principle point of contact isn't the head it's still dangerous as hell.

I honestly felt sick watching that guy lie knocked out on the ice and blood pouring out on the ice. Suspend Gryba a couple of games.

Thing is the league has made it clear that if you have the puck then you are not vulnerable and you must expect to get hit. Do I like this hit? No but if you see all the replays like TSN broke it down you would see that it was indeed a good clean hit with a terrible result. Like Paul McLean said I would be more mad at #61 for making a awful pass. Gryba shouldn't be suspended but likely will get a game. Stuart on Landskog didn't get anything for a similar hit.

[VM1138 1,921]

It didn't look like the head was targeted. Does intent matter in cases like this? Looked to me like a clean hit that just had an unfortunate freak connection.

[Rhah 195]

This is the same problem that I have with the NFL...defensive player goes to hit a receiver and the receiver crunches down to absorb the hit, effectively lowering their head and it ends up being an illegal hit. Defensive guys can't stop to think, oh is this guy going to shrink down before I hit them? I better aim for their ankle...

You aim for guys chest with a check and he looks down to grab a puck and bam, its a head shot and illegal and suspension. You can't take away the instinct of defensive players or you make the whole game different.

[St. Michael (the Red Wing) 422]

I thought it was a clean hit.

[dirtydangles 1,328]

This will get a suspension and weber didnt last year with clear intent an clearly targetted the head. Oh NHL...

[Guest The Axe]

Does he have to pass his mouth guard now? Oh man!

[martinezsvsu 240]

awesome hit!

[wingslogo19 281]

Clean hockey hit, with a bad result. Thought I wouldn't be surprised he get's suspended

[redhasek2013 11]

That wasn't a Clean hit. Ottawa's coach's comments after the game was inappropriate. Sorry and I never thought I'd defend my Father's favorite team the Montreal Canadians but I am. That player needs to be suspended. http://video.tsn.ca/?dl=main/latest/1/0/918817/clip/0#main/latest

[Euro_Twins 4,475]

That wasn't a Clean hit. Ottawa's coach's comments after the game was inappropriate. Sorry and I never thought I'd defend my Father's favorite team the Montreal Canadians but I am. That player needs to be suspended. http://video.tsn.ca/?dl=main/latest/1/0/918817/clip/0#main/latest

that video is such a joke, Ya some of the comments may have been inappropriate, but he was square on, it was a clean hit. The montreal players rightfully so will be upset about it, but they are claiming its a clear head hit blah blah blah, it was not, he MAY have clipped the chin, but all the damage was down was his face hit the ice, the hit was a good clean hockey hit, no suspension here if I am Shanahan

[Rhah 195]

I will say it again, look at Subban's hit and tell me the hit on Eller was worse. Ignore the status of the player being hit. One gets up and other doesn't but that has no bearing on if the hit is illegal or not.

Subban's shoulder/elbow goes right into Neil's head...

Edited May 3, 2013 by Rhah

[Euro_Twins 4,475]

I will say it again, look at Subban's hit and tell me the hit on Eller was worse. Ignore the status of the player being hit. One gets up and other doesn't but that has no bearing on if the hit is illegal or not.

Subban's shoulder/elbow goes right into Neil's head...

looks like he kronwalled him

[jollymania 162]

I will say it again, look at Subban's hit and tell me the hit on Eller was worse. Ignore the status of the player being hit. One gets up and other doesn't but that has no bearing on if the hit is illegal or not.

Subban's shoulder/elbow goes right into Neil's head...

OTher than Neil not being koed that is the same exact hit Fistric got 3 games for a few years back. The fistric suspension was unwarranted and this was a clean hit, just as clean as the other.

Edited May 3, 2013 by jollymania