Todd Bertuzzi hit with lawsuit

[SevenSeasJim]

Do you think Moore could have timed this better?

Vancouver Canucks forward Todd Bertuzzi, currently playing for Team Canada at the Torino Olympics, was served Wednesday with a civil lawsuit filed in Ontario superior court.

The lawsuit, filed by Moore and his parents, Jack and Anna, seeks $15 million in lost wages and millions more in damages.

It also named Orca Bay Ltd. partnership, Orca Bay Hockey Inc., and the Canucks.

Bertuzzi, 30, was reinstated by the NHL last Aug. 8, precisely 17 months after being suspended for sucker-punching Colorado Avalanche rookie forward Steve Moore during a 9-2 Canucks loss at General Motors Place on March 8, 2004.

Bertuzzi's suspension lasted the final 13 regular-season games of the 2003-04 season and the Stanley Cup playoffs, which, for the Canucks, translated into seven more games.

Bertuzzi remained under suspension throughout the 310-day lockout and prohibited from playing in the 2004 World Cup of Hockey , two world championships and any European pro league.

He also forfeited $501,926.39 US in salary and hundreds of thousands more in endorsements.

Bertuzzi not only wound up suspended by the NHL, but charged by Vancouver police.

He was sentenced to a year's probation and 80 hours of community service upon pleading guilty to assault causing bodily harm.

Part of the probation was that Bertuzzi not engage "in any other sporting activity involving Mr. Moore as a participant."

Moore later filed a civil lawsuit in Denver against Bertuzzi and head coach Marc Crawford, ex-Canucks forward Brad May and GM Brian Burke and Orca Bay Sports and Entertainment, which owns the Canucks.

Bertuzzi formally requested to be reinstated April 27 in a seven-hour hearing with NHL officials at the league offices in New York.

Moore, now an unrestricted free agent, sustained a broken neck and cuts and still suffers from post-concussion syndrome which prevented him from exercising until just recently.

[ollie]

Do you think Moore could have timed this better?

Totally. I don't know why Moore would want to piss of those Canadian fans that empathize with him.

[Whitey]

I agree that the timing is not the greatest, but why should he hold off his lawsuit to appease Canadian hockey fans.

[SmoothedShredder]

Cause it'll take 6 years to get through the courts anyways...

[ge-off]

Do you think Moore could have timed this better?

when Don cherry was on the CBC olympic coverage.. they were talking about this..

and the quote that sticks out in my head is

"Bertuzzi hit him from behind, so why shouldnt Moore do the same?"

[badams]

Bertuzzi knew this was coming all along. I doubt it was a suprise to him at all. I'm sure his team of lawyers have been preparing all along.

[Whitey]

I saw that segment last night and I would have to agree with Don Cherry. They could have brought the lawsuit out sooner, but they didn't. Good or bad. It is hard to feel sorry for Bertuzzi, he still gets to play hockey.

[ge-off]

Bertuzzi knew this was coming all along. I doubt it was a suprise to him at all.

i agree with you completely.. and i dont blame Moore at all..

but him and his lawyers waited almost 2years to the day for the statuts of limitations to run out befor filing the suit...

timing is poor in my opinion..

it could have been filed in the summer when the criminal case was in court.. but it wasnt