First, let’s get my biases out of the way.
I hate the Ducks. They operate on bullying tactics when trying to compensate for their shortcomings, but to their credit last night, they kept themselves together.
Next, I like the Coyotes and if I were a hockey player, I’d kill to play for a captain like Shane Doan.
Finally, I have looked at the hit, considered the situation in totality, and with the rule changes, I might not be as a homer as some people might think.
To start, I have no problems with Doan being suspended. When I saw the hit, I knew that the NHL wheel-of-justice will be in full rotation meting out what they deem appropriate. What I do have a problem with is the length.
Let’s compare, shall we? Okay, we shall.
Here is the most recent egregious hit against Pominville. Hjalmarsson completely destroys him.
When others opined around the league that this was just a hard hockey hit, I posted on twitter that those who think that Hjalamarsson hit him cleanly, they should take that hit and see if they feel the same way.
Let’s look at the Doan hit:
Ignoring Brian Heyward’s hyperbole for a minute (funny, that he got so intense with this one, considering the team he “commentates” for. But hey, he’s a homer, and he’s paid to be one, so I guess I can’t fault him for that. I just wonder if he defended Chris Pronger’s wayward elbows back in the day), is this a textbook example of what the rules say now?
I would say so. Dan Sexton didn’t see him coming, and Doan’s shoulder caught him in the head. The stick is the main instrument that hit Sexton, but the hit was a blindside one, and Doan needed to be held accountable for it.
However, which hit was worse? I vote the earlier hit as Hjalmarsson had more distance to travel, but he only got two games? Doan gets three?
And before anyone says, but he broke Cam Fowler’s nose? Well, my answer to that is the Cam Folwer hit wasn’t the one legislated – it was the Dan Sexton hit. If the precedent is to take the entire actions of a player in totality, then one might have an argument. But the NHL was looking at the Sexton hit and nothing else.
So, Mr. Campbell? Three games, eh? I get the idea of sending a message to the rest of the league, but shouldn’t that precedent have been set say earlier in the week?
Here’s my take: Yes, Doan should have gotten suspended regardless of a penalty being called. I’m on the side of protecting players and Doan, not known as a dirty player, and one of the few stand-up guys in the game, made a a bad hit.
Personally, I would have been content with two; I would get that, because without the hyperbole of Heyward, and without my bias towards the Coyotes, I would have to say, yeah, that qualifies as a blind side hit to the head. If we want the game to be cleaned up in this area, then this is the step to do so.
Unfortunately, Doan has to pay a lengthy price and so do the Coyotes.
What Others Have Said:
From Five for Howling: NHL Suspends Shane Doan for Hit on Dan Sexton
From Puck Daddy: Coyotes’ Shane Doan Gets 3-Game Suspension, But Save the Outrage
Original Story:
http://onefansperspective.com/2010/10...
