Go Habs Go - Fan Forum 10/11

[Guest Low Roller]

hit to the head caused the hit to the turnbuckle..

Agreed. And that should be punished, perhaps severely, but that could just be my biased opinion.

[badams]

I'm thinking Chara will get 3 to 5 games.

[Kanada Kev]

That was one scary collision.

Chara's freakish size is a major problem when it comes to these kinds of hits. Unless he bends wayyyyy down he's always going to look like he's hitting high on all the "normal" sized players in the league. If this hit happened any where else around the boards (where there is no opening in the glass) would it have amounted to anything?

These giants on the ice are going to get less and less involved in hitting when the NHL calls EVERY hit to the head. I wonder if we'll see a change in desire to have players the size of Chara on your team if they are going to be a liability all the time when they make contact.

There's not much they can do with the way the benches are an area with no barrier above board level. Taking out the section that protects the time keeper (and put them somewhere else) could at least eliminate two of the "turnbuckles" in the rink (which is where MaxPac had his horrible collision).

Hoping for the best for MaxPac's recovery and return to the game. Scary as shit seeing instances like this

[Tissue Man]

That was one scary collision.

Chara's freakish size is a major problem when it comes to these kinds of hits. Unless he bends wayyyyy down he's always going to look like he's hitting high on all the "normal" sized players in the league. If this hit happened any where else around the boards (where there is no opening in the glass) would it have amounted to anything?

such bullshit.. it happened where it happened.. you drive a guys head into the boards in the corner do you have the argument if it happened in open ice he wouldnt have hit the boards..

freakish size had nothing to do with it.. it was as dirty as a hit from behind plain and simple.

[Booche]

If this hit happened any where else around the boards (where there is no opening in the glass) would it have amounted to anything?

And if the game hadnt been played last night would this hit have amounted to anything?

[Schwa.]

That was one scary collision.

Chara's freakish size is a major problem when it comes to these kinds of hits. Unless he bends wayyyyy down he's always going to look like he's hitting high on all the "normal" sized players in the league. If this hit happened any where else around the boards (where there is no opening in the glass) would it have amounted to anything?

such bullshit.. it happened where it happened.. you drive a guys head into the boards in the corner do you have the argument if it happened in open ice he wouldnt have hit the boards..

freakish size had nothing to do with it.. it was as dirty as a hit from behind plain and simple.

are you as mad about this hit as all of the hits that Matt Cooke has done this season? probably not. i see validity in Kev's statement.

[Esau.]

If Chara had kept his arm down, this may or may not have happened, BUT he wouldn't have been making contact with the guys head, which I believe is the cause of most of the out rage over it.

But, I can relate about his size. I'm in no way as big as him, not by a chance but I've been the same height (5'11") since I was 13 years old. During my years playing, I was at least a head taller then the majority of the other kids I played with/against up until midget & jr. I took a lot of elbowing penalties, and a lot of grief from my old man (who was a coach) so I learned to keep them down because I knew the ref would call me on it.

Chara should know better, in my opinion.

[badams]

If Chara had kept his arm down, this may or may not have happened, BUT he wouldn't have been making contact with the guys head, which I believe is the cause of most of the out rage over it.

But, I can relate about his size. I'm in no way as big as him, not by a chance but I've been the same height (5'11") since I was 13 years old. During my years playing, I was at least a head taller then the majority of the other kids I played with/against up until midget & jr. I took a lot of elbowing penalties, and a lot of grief from my old man (who was a coach) so I learned to keep them down because I knew the ref would call me on it.

Chara should know better, in my opinion.

I agree

A player has to be accountable for nimself and his stick while on the ice. Yes, the game is fast and it is likely Chara was just trying to hit Max into the boards. However he should have had some awareness of their location on the ice and therefore should have realized to maybe pull back at bit... he didn't and the result was intense.

Chara should be held accountable.

[Guest Low Roller]

“We were racing for the puck and battling for position, and the puck went by,†Chara said after the B’s eventual 4-1 loss. “I was riding him out, and it was very unfortunate that at the same time I pushed him he kind of leaned and jumped into the glass extension. It’s very unfortunate.â€

Did Chara know where he was on the ice?

“I know we were somewhere close to the bench, but obviously it wasn’t my intention to push him into the post,†Chara said. “It’s very unfortunate. In that situation, things were moving fast, and I wasn’t trying to do that. I always play hard and play physical, but I’ve never tried to hurt anybody. I’m hoping he’s OK.â€

Asked if he was worried about getting a suspension, Chara said, “Obviously, I have to wait, but I don’t see it. Like I said, it’s very unfortunate.â€

Fuck you Chara.

[Tissue Man]

are you as mad about this hit as all of the hits that Matt Cooke has done this season? probably not. i see validity in Kev's statement.

i dont give two shits about matt cooke.

this has nothing to do with what happened last night.

[badams]

“We were racing for the puck and battling for position' date=' and the puck went by,†Chara said after the B’s eventual 4-1 loss. “I was riding him out, and it was very unfortunate that [b']at the same time I pushed him he kind of leaned and jumped into the glass extension. It’s very unfortunate.â€

Did Chara know where he was on the ice?

“I know we were somewhere close to the bench, but obviously it wasn’t my intention to push him into the post,†Chara said. “It’s very unfortunate. In that situation, things were moving fast, and I wasn’t trying to do that. I always play hard and play physical, but I’ve never tried to hurt anybody. I’m hoping he’s OK.â€

Asked if he was worried about getting a suspension, Chara said, “Obviously, I have to wait, but I don’t see it. Like I said, it’s very unfortunate.â€

Fuck you Chara.

I agree... Fuck you Chara... your comment is ridiculous... I belleve what Chara considered a lean and jump was him pushing Pax into the boards.

[Schwa.]

are you as mad about this hit as all of the hits that Matt Cooke has done this season? probably not. i see validity in Kev's statement.

i dont give two shits about matt cooke.

this has nothing to do with what happened last night.

same thing though. only you're mad about one and not the other.

[Kanada Kev]

such bullshit.. it happened where it happened.. you drive a guys head into the boards in the corner do you have the argument if it happened in open ice he wouldnt have hit the boards..

freakish size had nothing to do with it.. it was as dirty as a hit from behind plain and simple.

Easy now. I am not defending Chara or the hit or any of that. I was just making an observation that there are some areas in the playing arena that are much more dangerous than others.

In looking for ways to make the game safer, while not having to lose intensity, one must look at where, when and why some serious damage is happening to some players. That is why I mentioned the possibility that they could eliminate half of the current turnbuckles at NHL rinks by modifying/moving the time-keeper box.

Yes, I do think size played a big role in this. Just like Esau said, these huge players must be in control of their size and play within the limits. Chara did not.

Whatever number of games Chara is out for will be interesting. The NHL keeps saying they want to "send the message" when they enforce suspensions. Too bad they are so f'in inconsistent with it and is it really having any effect on player behoviour on the ice? Do you think this would draw as many games of suspension for Chara now as if it were in the playoffs? (like how they "dealt" with Pronger in the past)? Different rules for different players at different times in the season. Their disciplinary measures are a joke, and like capital punishment, are not a deterrent for most players.

Edited March 9, 2011 by Guest

[Guest Low Roller]

Fractured vertebrae confirmed.

[TheSloth]

If this hit happened any where else around the boards (where there is no opening in the glass) would it have amounted to anything?

And if the game hadnt been played last night would this hit have amounted to anything?

Bang on as always Booche. There is no point in discussing any aspect of the hit, what may or what may not have been, a Hab has received a cheap shot and has been injured. Stop everything.

Samething with you Schwa. This is no time to discuss other cheap shots or even other cheap shot artists. A Hab has received a cheap shot and has been injured.

If I had a flag, it'd be at half-mast. I asked my boss for the day off but it was a no go.

In all seriousness, that shot was fucking nasty and uber cheap. The only thing size had to play in that is it allowed Chara to reallly launch the guy into the boards. Chara could have pulled up no problem. (and I fucking love Chara but...)

[Schwa.]

that's pretty much my point, Sloth. I didn't want to discuss the other shots, merely to point out that the rage in this case is special but shouldn't be. A cheap shot is a cheap shot is a cheap shot.

[Tissue Man]

same thing though. only you're mad about one and not the other.

oh ok then.. you have swayed my opinion with your logic.

and with regards to one part of the ice being more dangerous it is why there are rules for boarding/hitting from behind blah blah blah..

the area of the rink should not be an argument about poor chara its not his fault but should be he took advantage of where he was and fucked the guy up..

i was 14/15 and hit a guy into the timekeeper box.. though i was skating backwards and the guy was trying to get by.. i knew if i hit him where he was that he would smack the timekeeper box.. i did it, i knew it was there and i didnt even have to see it..

it was my first time in the rink.. so fuck chara and his i wasnt sure where i was BS and his blaming the victim bullshit..

[Schwa.]

CTV News.

Sounds very similar to the story Esau just told.

Montreal Canadiens forward Max Pacioretty suffered a severe concussion and four broken vertebrae in his neck after being the target of a crushing hit during a game against the Boston Bruins on Tuesday.

Canadiens coach Jacques Martin confirmed the injuries during a press conference on Wednesday, saying Pacioretty remained under observation in hospital.

"The important thing for the organization right now is Max's recovery. We will follow the recommendation from the doctors," said Martin.

Pacioretty was taken from the ice on a stretcher after defenceman Zdeno Chara crushed him into a post along the boards near the end of the second period.

Pacioretty was in hospital overnight for examination, but a team spokesman said he had regained consciousness and had movement in his extremities.

"It was an infraction," Martin said of the hit. "It is now up to the league to decide on the consequences."

TSN's Darren Dreger reported that Chara will have a phone hearing with Mike Murphy, the NHL's vice-president of operations, on Wednesday.

"That's not my style to hurt somebody," Chara told reporters following the game. "I always play hard and play physical, but I never try to hurt anybody."

The hit comes amid heightened concern about concussions in the National Hockey League.

Superstar Sidney Crosby remains on the sidelines after taking a serious hit during the NHL's Winter Classic in early January. Crosby returned following the game and was checked into the boards again four days later. He hasn't returned to the ice since.

Next week, when the NHL's general managers hold their annual meeting, the issue of how to handle concussions in players is expected to be a hot topic of discussion.

The news last week that former NHL enforcer Bob Probert had a degenerative brain disease has also stirred a debate about the safety of fighting in hockey.

"It is not our role to accuse. There was an incident that occurred and there have been other incidences," Martin told reporters. "The league has to look at all those incidents that have had serious repercussions to certain players and I think at some point address it."

Edited March 9, 2011 by Guest

[Guest Low Roller]

Collation of various Twitter sources:

- Nondisplaced fracture of the vertebrae, may not require surgery, but obviously he is out indefinitely.

- Drs add surgery not likely. Depends on size of fracture. If small linear fracture, then no surgery. Large break could need stabilization.

I will add that no surgery with no displacement is much more common here. Time, rest, fusion will be most likely recovery scenario.

[Esau.]

Fractured vertebrae confirmed.

I was really afraid that would be the result. That's a real shame (not being sarcastic), I know the injury and would never wish it upon anyone. I hope his injury pans out better then mine did.

[Guest Low Roller]

His career could be done.

[Guest Low Roller]

Chara is ratfuck. He wanted to rub out MaxPac to set the tone for a goonshow third period. The intent to hit as fucking hard as he could and then shove him even further is clear, including contact with the head area despite MaxPac not even being close to the puck.

His hearing ended up over an hour ago with no word from the league yet.

[Guest Low Roller]

"The way the rink was constructed isn't Zdeno Chara's problem" - Mike Milbury

[Guest Low Roller]

NO suspension for Chara.

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Or fine. Or anything.