Luke Schenn`s dangerous hit on Justin Abdelkader

[Smite 399]

How is this not 5 min check from behind and a game?

http://www.nhl.com/ice/page.htm?id=26333

Rule 43 - Checking from Behind

43.1 Checking from Behind – A check from behind is a check delivered on a player who is not aware of the impending hit, therefore unable to protect or defend himself, and contact is made on the back part of the body. When a player intentionally turns his body to create contact with his back, no penalty shall be assessed.

43.2 Minor Penalty - There is no provision for a minor penalty for checking from behind.

43.3 Major Penalty – Any player or goalkeeper who cross-checks, pushes or charges from behind an opponent who is unable to protect or defend himself, shall be assessed a major penalty. This penalty applies anywhere on the playing surface (see 43.5).

I am wondering if this was a reputation call. A lot of calls against Abby have been missed, makes me wonder. I hope this is reviewed by the league. I had to drive home between the 2nd and 3rd and streamed the wings radio feed. They had a pre-taped interview with DMac. He said he thinks that Shanny is harder on the wings because of politics, but he would be the same.

This was the TSN turning point IMO. we fell victim of the broadstreet bullies. the wings slowed down they were constantly looking over there shoulders.

[puckloo39 5,686]

I think it pretty much has to be a decapitation with a samurai sword where the officials get splashed with blood to get any reaction from the league, if it's a Red Wing who is hurt.

For most other situations, yes, Schenn would be in the box and/or at least lose a game. We're just fortunate that Abby got up after the hit.

[Hatcher#2 13]

This is another situation that disgusts me with this team that Holland has assembled. Not even a scrum after a dirty hit like this, your team mate is on he ice potenially injured from a check from behind against one of the dirtier teams in the league and they all either are too scared to answer the bell or they just dont give a s***. Makes me sick. I just cant understand how Holland & Co can sit by and watch this crap and think it is alright.

Come on man, get a grip and toughen this roster up. Im not asking for a 2 min a night goon, just get me someone with a pulse or atleast get Tootoo up and loosen the leash.

[fixxxer 11]

Ya know if they want hits like this to stop why not be more proactive and hand out more majors. Announcers always say that players know better but obviously this isn't true. IMO they should just get rid of two min minors for these types of hits and just hand out majors maybe then players will think twice.

[wings87 1,290]

Ya know if they want hits like this to stop why not be more proactive and hand out more majors. Announcers always say that players know better but obviously this isn't true. IMO they should just get rid of two min minors for these types of hits and just hand out majors maybe then players will think twice.

We are seeing less of those type of hits lately and In the heat of the moment I would argue that players that make that sort of a hit aren't thinking at all. So making it a major instead of a minor in my opinion would do little to change that.

Edited December 5, 2013 by wings87

[WingsAlways 486]

The more hits like this occur, the more of them we're going to see. And sooner or later, someone's career is going to be over...

Todd Bertuzzi gets so much negativity over the Steve Moore incedent, (we all know how that occurred so I won't get into that) yet we've witnessed far dirtier s*** go on without consequence. For instance the Shea Weber deal with Zetterberg that cracked his helmet... I was honestly surprised to see Cody McLeod get a suspension for the hit on Kronner.

Something has to give.

It seems to me the Wings have had few fighting majors since Tootoo's last fight/game in which he was benched after (does the Miller fight count?). Has Babcock imposed a ban on fighting? Is it because Steve Yzerman is against it? He never had to fight, he had Kocur, Probert & McCarty watching his back, Pavel & Zetterberg doesn't have anyone like that. We see how well that fact worked out for Pavs with the Cohen elbow, hell Pavs even dropped the gloves himself (and fared pretty damn well) but the fact is, he shouldn't have had to.

Edited December 5, 2013 by WingsAlways

[dirtydangles 1,328]

The more hits like this occur, the more of them we're going to see. And sooner or later, someone's career is going to be over...

Todd Bertuzzi get's go much negativity over the Steve Moore incedent, (we all know how that occurred so I won't get into that) yet we've witnessed far dirtier s*** go on without consequence. For instance the Shea Weber deal with Zetterberg that cracked his helmet... I was honestly surprised to see Cody McLeod get a suspension for the hit on Kronner.

Something has to give.

Only reason McLeod was suspended is because he isn't a very important player to the Aves. Honestly the NHL has no problem suspending lower tier players but never come down hard on higher end players. Kronner even said he felt he was partially at fault for the hit and McLeod was still suspended. Doesn't help that Shanny goes soft when assessing wings suspensions so as not to tarnish his reputation (can someone say overcompensating). Considering the NHL has time to review these suspensions you would think they would be consistent - but there have been so many f***ups I just don't understand where they are coming from.

[WingsAlways 486]

Only reason McLeod was suspended is because he isn't a very important player to the Aves. Honestly the NHL has no problem suspending lower tier players but never come down hard on higher end players. Kronner even said he felt he was partially at fault for the hit and McLeod was still suspended. Doesn't help that Shanny goes soft when assessing wings suspensions so as not to tarnish his reputation (can someone say overcompensating). Considering the NHL has time to review these suspensions you would think they would be consistent - but there have been so many f***ups I just don't understand where they are coming from.

I think the hit on Kronwall was a case of being at the wrong place at the wrong time, that's why the suspension surprised me so much. I've lost a lot of respect for Shanny due to the way he performs his duty, I mean hell, if he was in his position when Lemieux put Draper's face into the glass would he have imposed any punishment? Yet he was part of it when the s*** hit the fan on Bloody Wednesday... I couldn't agree more on the inconsistencies.

[DatsyukToZetterberg 128]

I didn't like the hit when I saw it and I still don't. Schenn should be disciplined for it. Luckily, Abby seems to be alright after it.

[haroldsnepsts 4,826]

I think it has more to do with the league's flawed policy of heavily weighting outcome when deciding punishment.

This was a very dangerous hit from behind. Schenn saw numbers the whole way and hit Abby anyways, sending him headfirst into the boards. Luckily Abby mostly landed before he hit the boards. Add to it that Abdelkader is a bit of a diver and I'm not surprised it didn't get a major.

But if the league wants to crack down on dangerous hits like this they should put more weight on the hit itself instead of waiting for a guy to get his neck broken. The simple fact is Schenn cannot make that hit. If he sat for 5 minutes I'm guessing he's a lot less likely to do it in the future because his coach will give him an earful.

To the second issue of diving. I don't want to derail the whole thread into a discussion of diving, but hits from behind are definitely an area where I've noticed an increase in diving. A guy gives you a routine little crosscheck from behind, you jump into the boards, kick your legs up and throw your head back, then look to the ref. Call it the San Jose special.

The game is fast and the refs aren't going to see everything, and they can't even reliably tell by the way the player reacted to the hit. So it's hard to know if a guy just got crushed or he's pulling a Couture.

[RusDRW 155]

Nothing? Yeah, nothing.This is what we will hear. For Shanny to be sure he is no longer associted with Wings "by default".

[Son of a Wing 1,644]

I think it has more to do with the league's flawed policy of heavily weighting outcome when deciding punishment.

This was a very dangerous hit from behind. Schenn saw numbers the whole way and hit Abby anyways, sending him headfirst into the boards. Luckily Abby mostly landed before he hit the boards. Add to it that Abdelkader is a bit of a diver and I'm not surprised it didn't get a major.

But if the league wants to crack down on dangerous hits like this they should put more weight on the hit itself instead of waiting for a guy to get his neck broken. The simple fact is Schenn cannot make that hit. If he sat for 5 minutes I'm guessing he's a lot less likely to do it in the future because his coach will give him an earful.

To the second issue of diving. I don't want to derail the whole thread into a discussion of diving, but hits from behind are definitely an area where I've noticed an increase in diving. A guy gives you a routine little crosscheck from behind, you jump into the boards, kick your legs up and throw your head back, then look to the ref. Call it the San Jose special.

The game is fast and the refs aren't going to see everything, and they can't even reliably tell by the way the player reacted to the hit. So it's hard to know if a guy just got crushed or he's pulling a Couture.

But the "flawed system" with punishment determined by outcome/injury is a direct result of diving and players trying to sell calls.

One is a direct result of the other. It may be flawed but I don't necessarily see a better alternative. The league would turn into a diving circus if punishment was just determined on action alone.

Regardless I think this hit looked worse initially than it really was.

[DRW Dominance 255]

originally i actually didn't think the hit was that bad, but the more i see it yes it was pretty bad.

don't know what schenn was possibly thinking on that.

[13dangledangle 957]

I didn't rely get that one either, he appeared fine seems to be a repeat factor in these cases. When I heard the hit followed by the reaction of the crowd I couldn't believe he just got 2...it seemed like a real bad hit imo, after the missed Datsyuk hit I'm starting to question what the actual rules are again

[fixxxer 11]

We are seeing less of those type of hits lately and In the heat of the moment I would argue that players that make that sort of a hit aren't thinking at all. So making it a major instead of a minor in my opinion would do little to change that.

While I don't think its that prevalent its not that uncommon either but still I think the decisions for refs to make should be taken out and just make it a flat 5min major for this. Unfortuantly I think the USA as a whole is too reactionary rather than proactive to any sort of situation. Some serious s*** has to go down before something is done.