Kerfuffle wrote:cprice12 wrote:6 games is disappointing. He should have at least got 7. What a joke. An intentional, nasty stick swing at a head that makes contact and draws blood. Repeat offender and everything...and he just gets 6 games.
C'mon cprice - 6 games is a disappointment but 7 would have been acceptable? A one game difference? As I mentioned in an earlier post Keith is considered a first time offender due to the 18 month gap - this was part of the NHL explanation as well. And yes they also mentioned that he was previously suspended for another stick incident but clearly they didn't suspend him with a term that is indicative of a repeat offender - they went by the rule. And although Coyle had a small injury with blood he was not decapitated and even played the rest of the game. I know that the guy that got injured should not be a factor but you know it always is. Obviously if Keith had severed Coyle's carotid artery this would have been a LOT more serious and even criminal but that didn't happen and you have to go by what did happen and not what MIGHT have happened. That's my take.
The rule states that previous suspensions can be factored in. The 18 month thing applies primarily to the fine that will be imposed.
Here it is:
https://www.nhl.com/news/department-of- ... -738846#q8
A Player is considered a repeat offender for 18 months following his most recent incident that resulted in a suspension.
His status as a repeat offender in this category is used to determine the amount of salary forfeited should he receive another suspension.
It is important to note that even if a Player is not defined as a repeat offender, his past history may come into consideration when determining future Supplemental Discipline.
The fact that his most recent suspension was also for a slash to the face SHOULD have factored in. He isn't just a repeat offender in terms of being suspended before, he was suspended for an intentional slash to the face just a couple seasons ago before this last intentional slash to the face. Obviously Keith didn't get the message from his last suspension for the same type of play...so the suspension needs to be severe.
And yes, he should have gotten at least 7 games. A LOT of people were saying this as well. I said he SHOULD get 10, but I thought he would actually get 7 or 8. Only suspending him for 1 playoff game is a joke. The first two games of a series would have been the absolute minimum as far as I am concerned. One less playoff game is a big deal.
Keith essentially gets to rest up for the playoffs so he can be ready to play 35+ minutes a game. That's wrong.
If Ryan Reaves had done this to Toewes, Reaves would have received 20 games. The double standard exists and it's wrong.
Every time the NHL hands down a suspension for something serious like this to a star player, it's always less than it should be. Every time.
The fact that he returned to the game should have nothing to do with it at all. It was an intentional and forceful stick to the head and it was an intent to injur. That's about as serious as a stick infraction as you can get...and it amounts to him missing 1 playoff game. Whoop Dee Doo. It SHOULD have been at least 10 games...and the fact that it was less than 7, yes...is a complete joke.
