HabsCast Hockey Blog

I have to admit I love old-school hockey, I enjoy watching Don Cherry, I think the instigator rule is stupid, I blame some guys for not keeping their head up in games (myself included), Slapshot is one of my favorite movies, I get strange feelings in my body when I see Scott Stevens line people up. However, the Flyers are crossing the line and becoming 1970’s caricatures of themselves. I understand, that the NHL is a tough league and that teams that want to win playoff hockey need to be gritty and tough and protect their guys. But three guys within the span of two months receiving significant suspensions (Yes, Randy Jones only spent two games off the ice, but he should have gotten more - video below) is not old-school hockey, it’s not Slapshot hockey. It *may* be Slapshot 2 hockey, which I apologize for acknowledging as existing.

Now while it seems quite basic, I think we need to go back to being children and be taught the difference between fighting and dirty crazy plays. Fighting, as we have seen from the last year, can lead to cups and mustachioed people punching others (George Parros). Cross-checking a guy in the face, leaving your feet to decimate a guy behind the net, and almost breaking someone’s neck leading to TV channels repeatedly perpetuating the incorrect myth that hockey is too violent for regular people.

Okay with that out of the way - I can move into the culture of violence the Flyers are using to the detriment of everybody else. This problem has to be a top-down problem. Much in the same way that Bobby Clarke turned hurting other players into immortal victories, these players have been led to believe that hurting other guys, taking them off the ice, betters the Flyers chances of winning. And you know to this point they have, as they are a much better team than they were last year (granted, some credit must be given to the thievery that occurred out of Edmonton and that guy from Buffalo). One isolated incident does not convict the organization, you could make the argument that two isolated incidents also does not convict the team. However, three incidents does constitute a pattern. This is even not taking into account their sordid past or some of the players they have chosen to take on (Derian Hatcher’s Elbows I am looking in your direction). When you have an organization who recruits guys who take liberties with other players, when the old GM was famous for breaking someone’s ankle, when fans try to climb over the boards to try to fight the fantastically ninja-turtle looking Tie Domi (video below), there is a problem that cannot be fixed by picking out certain players for punishment. Much in the same way that Steve Moore named the coach, the GM, and the organization in his lawsuit against Bertuzzi, the Flyers and their management should be also held accountable for their philosophy of hurting guys. Start suspending the GM, have them give up picks, create a system by which the team can get rack up fines if the behaviour becomes repetitive.

It bothers me that this is happening because they should know better. They HAD the NEXT ONE, they should know that injuries crippled his career from Hall of Fame route to enigmatic money well. Why do that? Granted, I know Kessler, McAmmond, and Bergeron are not the next great players, but Bergeron is a key cog in Boston, Kessler is a great up and comer, and McAmmond has found himself a great niche on a powerhouse team. For a big hit, is it worth it for the NHL to risk losing these guys?

For an apparent lack of honour and desire to turn hockey into a roller derby, I accuse thee, Philadelphia Flyers!

Digg - StumbleUpon - Reddit - Del.icio.us - Technorati - Email - Etc...

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!