OT: NHL defenseman crosschecks ref in the back
In case you haven't seen it yet, last night in the Calgary vs Nashville game, Calgary defenseman Dennis Wideman gets up woozy from a crushing hit into the boards and starts making his way towards the bench. Along the way he runs into a linesman skating backwards, and proceeds to drill him right in the back of the head and shoulders.
Wideman claims it was unintentional and states he has apologized to the linesman in question, no word yet on possible suspension by the NHL. It did not draw a penalty in the game.
Video can be found at the following LINK but I'm having trouble embedding for the board, sorry.
January 28th, 2016 at 11:29 AM ^
There is nothing about that motion that suggests he was was trying to avoid contact. His head is up, he's looking at the official, he raises his stick, and extends both arms at speed right into his back. Afterwards, he just skates right on by.
Either he hit the official because he was pissed about the no-call, or his brain was so damaged that he was hallucinating an alternate reality. I'm going with Option A.
January 28th, 2016 at 2:30 PM ^
The video's of the back of his head so you can't tell where he's looking. Sometimes in hockey there's no way to avoid contact. Like when you don't see someone until the last second. How many times have we seen highlights of a clearly concussed hockey player trying to skate on his own to the bench only to look like a fool and fall all over the place. I think he was so focused on getting to the bench and then too prideful to admit he was concussed because he wanted to stay in the game.
I've been mildly concussed on the ice to the point where I'm gliding around waiting for my vision to come back so that's probably had an effect on how I see this. I'm gonna take him by his word because of this and because he's a 32 year old offensive defenseman who's never been considered a headcase. He averages around 30 PIM a season.
January 28th, 2016 at 11:41 AM ^
worry about a rush to judgement around here, right?
January 28th, 2016 at 11:23 AM ^
I played hockey, no higher than College intramurals. That looked intentional. The only way I can see this being an accident is if he was so "groggy" that he didn't know what was going on. In that case, he shouldn't have been cleared to return.
January 28th, 2016 at 11:37 AM ^
I play too and it looks like the latter to me, and he absolutely should not have been cleared to return.
January 28th, 2016 at 12:14 PM ^
The only thing that makes me leary is the way he brought his arms up to ready for the hit. Either way, he shouldn't have been back in the game.
January 28th, 2016 at 12:48 PM ^
Waiting for Wolverine Devotee...
January 28th, 2016 at 1:24 PM ^
I'm not saying that makes me an expert or something, but I know that I've accidentally collided with people before. Raising your hands to brace for it at the last moment is pretty normal. It's just like if you fall. You put your hands out to protect yourself.
January 28th, 2016 at 11:34 AM ^
How does he stay in the game? I get it hockey guys are crazy, but dang.
January 28th, 2016 at 11:35 AM ^
January 28th, 2016 at 11:55 AM ^
Kind of impressive he got up and shook it off. I bet he was feeling it later.
January 28th, 2016 at 12:02 PM ^
May be deliberate, maybe not. But in cases like this, his actions may appear to be intentional even if they are not. Also, him trying to explain it is not reliable for that same reason.
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January 28th, 2016 at 2:00 PM ^
January 28th, 2016 at 12:04 PM ^
... I'm going with woozy and confused. Just an odd thing to do. Clearly was foggy.
January 28th, 2016 at 12:05 PM ^
Obviously he was concussed/dazed/something else. Linesman was by the other team's bench. Either he thought he was on the other team, or he just didn't give a shit and was going to nail whoever was in his way to get off the ice.
Linesman wasn't hurt. I'd say suspend him for a game.
January 28th, 2016 at 12:17 PM ^
January 28th, 2016 at 12:17 PM ^
January 28th, 2016 at 12:28 PM ^
I'm not saying he should be absolved. I'm saying I don't know. You can't say "throw the book at him" without knowing the facts.
Consider he has no history of incidents of any kind. If his character is vouched for and he sees the video and genuinely apologizes (privately, not publicly) why should he be punished!
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January 28th, 2016 at 12:45 PM ^
Wideman clearly doesn't know where he is and THEN DIDN"T MISS A SHIFT! This is a problem in all contact sports. Aren't we learning anything?
and yes he should get some sort of suspension. You can't hit a ref under any circumstances. Maybe on the shorter end if the commissioner thinks he was ruled not in total control of his faculties..
January 28th, 2016 at 12:46 PM ^
The linesman wasnt even playing the puck; that is surely 2 for interference!
January 28th, 2016 at 1:05 PM ^
that he was so out of it that he thought he was hitting another player. I don't know that it was unintentional, but I don't know that he meant to hit a REF. I think he meant to hit whoever was coming at him and maybe didn't realize it was a ref.
I don't get why he was allowed back on the ice. Seemed to be clearly out of it.
January 28th, 2016 at 1:22 PM ^
That's got to be a lifetime ban.
January 28th, 2016 at 3:15 PM ^
since he in no way went back to the linesman and offered assistance. I have been around hockey for a long time and they looked like he meant that. He may have felt sorry AFTERWARDS when he calmed down. He meant every but of that at the time it occurred.
January 28th, 2016 at 3:22 PM ^
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January 28th, 2016 at 4:33 PM ^
The NHL has suspended Dennis Wideman indefinitely.
January 28th, 2016 at 6:10 PM ^
dirty
January 28th, 2016 at 6:36 PM ^
For all those in the "it was definitely intentional" party, what motivation would Wideman have for laying the ref out like that? He was that upset about a missed call in a regular season game?