Kronwall out for game seven
Detroit's Niklas Kronwall has been suspended one game for charging Tampa Bay's Nikita Kucherov. Video: http://t.co/0wf2UzzXc1
— NHL Player Safety (@NHLPlayerSafety) April 28, 2015
Monday night in Detroit, Red Wing's defenseman Niklas Kronwall launched into a hit against Tampa Bay's Nikita Kucherov that resulted in significant head contact.As the video shows, Kucherov is playing the puck along the right boards as Kronwall pinches down from his point position. After taking a couple of quick strides to intercept Kucherov's pass, Kronwall launches up and into a hit, driving his left forearm into Kucherov's face just after Kucherov releases the pass. This is charging.
Many charging penalties are adequately punished by a minor or major penalty. What causes this infraction to rise to the level of supplemental discipline is the force with which the hit was delivered and the significant head contact that resulted from Kronwall launching into it. Kucherov is eligible to be hit on this play. Being bent over in a standard puck carrying position does not make him exempt from taking a legal hit which might include some unavoidable head contact. However, rather than staying low and delivering a full body check through Kucherov's core, Kronwall elevates unacceptably, with his skates off the ice prior to contact.
It is important to note that this hit differs from the countless other hits delivered by Kronwall at this same location on the ice and under similar circumstances. First, rather than his skates leaving the ice after impact and as a result of the collision, Kronwall launches into this hit and is airborne at impact. Rather than hitting with his body or back, squarely at his opponents core, Kronwall makes contact with his forearm and elbow with much of the force being absorbed by Kucherov's face. The combination of both of these two factors are what differentiates this hit from similar previous examples.
...stand for "Homertown?" Be objective, bro.
Kronwall never lifted his elbow. He had no intention of making contact with the guys head. If the guy keeps his head up he never is hit like that.
The attempted hit on Abby is game 5 should have been a suspension. In that case Abbys head being low was the only thing that saved him from a flying elbow into the boards.
Intent should be a big part of the decision. TB intended to injure Abby but didnt. Kronwalls intent was to make a clean hit but body position forced a head hit. So Im in agreement it is a bullshit call.
Id be in favor of a penalty call there in a manner typical with controlling your stick on high sticking calls but no suspension.
Intent doesn't matter. You're talking about a defenseless player in this situation; discretion is on the checker, Kronwall. If you’ve played the game everyone knows one of the easiest places to catch a guy with a big hit is a D man coming hard down the wall during the breakout on a hard wrap. Kronwall usually times this well but in this case did not and it cost him.
He clearly makes head contact, extends the elbow through, and is off both feet when he makes contact. If the shoe was on the other foot everyone here would be crying bloody murder.
Double post
At the point of contact. No shot to the head. Nice try, BRO.
Video clearly shows he launched himself towards the opponet's body above the shoulders and that the opponent's head was up at point of contact.
This is a still a nanosecond before impact:
Clearly:
- Kronwall's left foot is off the ice (and soon to be both feet--he's in mid-launch).
- Kronwall's elbow is at opponent's chin level.
- Kronwall's shoulder is at opponent's head level.
- Opponent's head is obviously not down.
But sure, disagree, not b/c you're a Red Wing fan (htown) but b/c you're an objective ex-player.
or at worst, worth 2 min in the box. not worthy of a suspension. i call b.s. on that.
that just is weak. Another reason to hate Bettman, I guess.
There are a lot of reasons to hate Bettman but he's not in charges of player discipline.
but felt like piling on anyway.
I'm not ready for the wings season to be over. Hoping for another magical Mrazek night
"They're never clean hockey checks."
Sigh.
Hyperbole, I'll admit it. But...just to be sure I'm not crazy or misremembering things here, I just watched a Youtube video called "Top 10 Niklas Kronwall hits" and I counted 2 or 3 where he didn't leave his feet.
So how about "70-80% of the time they're not clean hockey checks." Better?
I'll counter at 30% and closing costs.
April 29th, 2015 at 12:13 PM ^
you are completely clueless about hockey.
I like that Kronwall does what he does; he plays a role and most of the time his hits fall within the letter of the rule, but I don't think think I'd describe, say, the Voracek hit as "fine and clean". It was a legal hit, but I don't know if I'd go as far as clean.
Also, no two hits are ever alike. In this thread alone there are plenty of posters that have gotten hit with pucks countless times, but one freak occurrence stopped Chris Pronger's heart.
Explain why you are glad it caught up with him? Do you think this will change him?
His left foot lifted up before contact. If it had left the ice after initial contact, then it would have been considered legal and he probably would have been fined. This is a bad business decision for the NHL though. Why take away from the series.
Hit to the head made that a possibility. Palat not being suspended for this hit (also from game 6): https://fat.gfycat.com/DeliriousPortlyCassowary.webm
is kind of ridiculous now.
The NHL's inconsistent enforcement of the rules drives me completely up the fucking wall.
there were 2-3 hits on the Wings that were every bit that bad (if not as artfully applied), and let's not evern get started on the passes that have been given to big-time players this year and last (subban, Weber, etc.).
Bologna.
on here but to me, he deserves it. Nailed the guy right on the head with his elbow. Even Mickey Redmond, a fairly bias commentator , acknowledged how poor the hit was.
That worse hits have warranted suspensions and not gotten one. Which means Kronwall really shouldn't have gotten one.
I think that this is really why there is so much anger.
I added a hand typed transcription in case anyone couldn't use audio or whatever.
Honestly, these guys have learned from a really young age to KEEP YOUR HEAD UP.
He got nailed. He didn't leave his feet til AFTER contact was made.
Also, you can't use the excuse that Kronwall is taller so his elbow naturally hits a smaller players head. If that was the case, guys like Chara would get a penalty everytime he makes contact with someone.
The NHL, along with the NFL, is getting weak. Leave fighting in the game, keep big hits...we don't have to cater to the European style of play.
I really wish the NHL wouldn't go out of the way to protect players who are too stupid to keep their heads up.
Compared to the rest of hockey, the NHL is the most permissive with allowing contact to the head. I'd bet anything they go further in the near future towards protecting players in a vulnerable position (height, second contact, and, yeah, stupidity).
God how awesome it would be to beat them after how dirty they have been this entire series, the cheating accusations, and now this BS.
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Beat me to it, I'm still bitter he got to play the next game.
Thought it was 50/50 in terms of suspension worthy, but yeah this sucks. I guess I'm still waiting for Shea Weber to be suspended for throwing Zetterberg's face into the boards after game 1 in 2012.
April 28th, 2015 at 10:35 PM ^
But he left his feet and made contact to the head. That deserve a suspension in my opinion.