Ok, most of you guys dont know me. I have been with bf2s.com for about 2 years now. And I have posted some things, but not recently. But I think this is a serious issue. Hockey is a big sport just like basketball, baseball, football and many other sports. I'm a Phillies fan, Sixers and Nets fan, and 49ers fan too. But I love the Philadelphia Flyers. I have grew up watching them and always been a die hard fan. But what I have been reading online while I get my breaks at work has been disturbing towards me about hockey and the Flyers. We all know that after the lockout, some teams have struggled and some teams we never thought that would be great, have became that. Good for them. The Flyers, well they were a team in a re-building state and this season the Flyers are back with vengenance!!!!!!!!!!!! But, I need this topic to be discussed because I like to hear what others think and how they feel upon the situation at hand. Well, I'll post the topic from espn.com and give you the link itself after it I post. I would like others opinons on this and how they feel. Here we go with it:
Flyers put on notice after Cote suspended 3 games
PHILADELPHIA -- The Flyers have been warned.
Another dangerous strike, another deliberate blow to the head of an opponent and more than just a player will be a suspended. The NHL is prepared to take severe discipline against the franchise, such as a hefty fine, if another Flyer needs to be punished again for an illegal hit.
Broad Street Bullies Indeed
The Flyers' revolving door of players going into and coming out of suspension continued Monday with Riley Cote, right. Philly's transgressions and accompanying penalties this season:
Rough stuff
Players Ban (in games) Infraction
Riley Cote 3 Shot to the head
Scott Hartnell 2 Check to the head
Randy Jones 2 Face-first shot into boards
Jesse Boulerice 25 Hit to the face
Steve Downie 20 High hit to the head
*Note* Players above are just from the Flyers within 25 games so far this season
NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and disciplinarian Colin Campbell told Flyers general manager Paul Holmgren on Monday that five suspension-worthy incidents are plenty.
"One or two things can happen, even three, but five? Gary and I felt it was time to address it with Paul and say, 'You have to address this with your players, with your team.'" Campbell said by phone from Toronto.
The latest penalty handed down against the Flyers focused on forward Riley Cote. He was suspended for three games for using his elbow to strike Dallas forward Matt Niskanen into the boards in the third period of the Stars' 4-1 win on Saturday.
The suspensions have ranged from two games to 25, only so far the organization has been immune from any additional punishment.
"Obviously, we're under watch," Holmgren said.
Holmgren said he talked with the Flyers about the league's concerns.
"We want to play hard, we want to play a physical style, but we want to play within the rules," Holmgren said. "The way it's going, it's going to have to stop."
The cheap-shot hits have made the Flyers wildly unpopular around the league, earning them comparisons to the 1970s-era Broad Street Bullies.
"I talked to Mr. Bettman today and Colie and I think they think like I do, that these are different coincidences, situations that have to be viewed differently," Holmgren said.
They might all seem the same to the unsuspecting players who get their heads spiked into the ice or slammed into the boards.
"I think five incidents in the first quarter of the season is probably high. It's unprecedented," Campbell said. "Are we saying the coach or the general manager have instructed the players to play this way and be more physical? Not at all. But there has to be some responsibility or accountability at some point in time on the coach, GM or organization."
Campbell declined to say exactly what kind of penalties the Flyers could face if another hearing is needed.
The NHL's threat of severe discipline could include a fine, suspension of coaches, or a combination of both, sources told ESPN.com.
Much like the other suspended four who pleaded their case before Campbell, Cote was remorseful and apologized after practice.
"Just the way things are going, our reputation, for my role, I can't afford to have this happen," he said. "It's just unfortunate the way it's happened with our team. [We need to] finish our checks but no cheap shots."
Cote, who leads the Flyers in penalty minutes with 61, was given a match penalty for the hit. He will miss games Wednesday at Minnesota and Friday at Colorado.
"There were too many aspects of what we don't want in that hit," Campbell said. "They have to understand this wasn't an accidental play."
The Flyers will have forward Scott Hartnell back in the lineup against the Wild. Hartnell was suspended two games last week for checking Boston Bruins defenseman Andrew Alberts in the head.
In the preseason, Steve Downie was hit with a 20-game ban after a high hit to the head of Ottawa's Dean McAmmond.
Jesse Boulerice was dealt the longest single-season punishment in league history when he earned a 25-game suspension for hitting Vancouver's Ryan Kesler across the face with his stick.
While a pair of 20-game suspensions might scare some teams into changing their conduct, the Flyers kept on going with their sticks and arms high.
"You'd think there'd be all kinds of signs," Campbell said.
Randy Jones was given a two-game suspension after he sent Boston's Patrice Bergeron face-first into the boards on Oct. 27. Bergeron hasn't returned to action since he broke his nose and sustained a concussion as a result of the hit.
If these hits aren't bad enough, the Flyers are even rumbling with each other. Daniel Briere and Sami Kapanen got into a brief skirmish during a practice drill along the corner boards.
Kapanen said the incident was no big deal.
"I think it's just the frustration over the way we played the last game," he said. "We had a little meeting today and brought everything to the table."
The Flyers can only hope those frustrations stay on the practice ice and don't spill over in the games anymore.
"We're not out there to hurt anybody," Cote said. "We're out there to play hard."
Link.... ----> http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/news/story?id=3139926
Ok this is my feeling on this. I feel the NHL are right in a way, but also sometimes incidents happen on mistake and the players take things to far. Yes, players get hurt, but doesn't players in all sports should get the same treatment the NHL players get for a hit? Well, lets see, everytime a linebacker hits the quaterback in football and the quaterback gets hurt, should that person that hit him get a suspension and/or fine b/c of the reason? I dont see it happen. So, is this far play? I feel that the NHL is trying to do there best on the game since the lockout ended but warning a team b/c they are playing competive and aggressive which all the NHL teams do. But if a certain player turns a certain way or bends a certain way and gets hit and gets hurt, is it the opposing players fault? Isnt it true to keep your head up at all times when playing any sports? Hockey fans and hockey players defiantly know this and all players of different sports knowing that keeping your head up when playing a sport keeps you alert so you don't hurt. I just feel that its not fair and maybe the Flyers are trying to prove themselves that they are the team to beat this year.
Opinons????????????
Flyers put on notice after Cote suspended 3 games
PHILADELPHIA -- The Flyers have been warned.
Another dangerous strike, another deliberate blow to the head of an opponent and more than just a player will be a suspended. The NHL is prepared to take severe discipline against the franchise, such as a hefty fine, if another Flyer needs to be punished again for an illegal hit.
Broad Street Bullies Indeed
The Flyers' revolving door of players going into and coming out of suspension continued Monday with Riley Cote, right. Philly's transgressions and accompanying penalties this season:
Rough stuff
Players Ban (in games) Infraction
Riley Cote 3 Shot to the head
Scott Hartnell 2 Check to the head
Randy Jones 2 Face-first shot into boards
Jesse Boulerice 25 Hit to the face
Steve Downie 20 High hit to the head
*Note* Players above are just from the Flyers within 25 games so far this season
NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and disciplinarian Colin Campbell told Flyers general manager Paul Holmgren on Monday that five suspension-worthy incidents are plenty.
"One or two things can happen, even three, but five? Gary and I felt it was time to address it with Paul and say, 'You have to address this with your players, with your team.'" Campbell said by phone from Toronto.
The latest penalty handed down against the Flyers focused on forward Riley Cote. He was suspended for three games for using his elbow to strike Dallas forward Matt Niskanen into the boards in the third period of the Stars' 4-1 win on Saturday.
The suspensions have ranged from two games to 25, only so far the organization has been immune from any additional punishment.
"Obviously, we're under watch," Holmgren said.
Holmgren said he talked with the Flyers about the league's concerns.
"We want to play hard, we want to play a physical style, but we want to play within the rules," Holmgren said. "The way it's going, it's going to have to stop."
The cheap-shot hits have made the Flyers wildly unpopular around the league, earning them comparisons to the 1970s-era Broad Street Bullies.
"I talked to Mr. Bettman today and Colie and I think they think like I do, that these are different coincidences, situations that have to be viewed differently," Holmgren said.
They might all seem the same to the unsuspecting players who get their heads spiked into the ice or slammed into the boards.
"I think five incidents in the first quarter of the season is probably high. It's unprecedented," Campbell said. "Are we saying the coach or the general manager have instructed the players to play this way and be more physical? Not at all. But there has to be some responsibility or accountability at some point in time on the coach, GM or organization."
Campbell declined to say exactly what kind of penalties the Flyers could face if another hearing is needed.
The NHL's threat of severe discipline could include a fine, suspension of coaches, or a combination of both, sources told ESPN.com.
Much like the other suspended four who pleaded their case before Campbell, Cote was remorseful and apologized after practice.
"Just the way things are going, our reputation, for my role, I can't afford to have this happen," he said. "It's just unfortunate the way it's happened with our team. [We need to] finish our checks but no cheap shots."
Cote, who leads the Flyers in penalty minutes with 61, was given a match penalty for the hit. He will miss games Wednesday at Minnesota and Friday at Colorado.
"There were too many aspects of what we don't want in that hit," Campbell said. "They have to understand this wasn't an accidental play."
The Flyers will have forward Scott Hartnell back in the lineup against the Wild. Hartnell was suspended two games last week for checking Boston Bruins defenseman Andrew Alberts in the head.
In the preseason, Steve Downie was hit with a 20-game ban after a high hit to the head of Ottawa's Dean McAmmond.
Jesse Boulerice was dealt the longest single-season punishment in league history when he earned a 25-game suspension for hitting Vancouver's Ryan Kesler across the face with his stick.
While a pair of 20-game suspensions might scare some teams into changing their conduct, the Flyers kept on going with their sticks and arms high.
"You'd think there'd be all kinds of signs," Campbell said.
Randy Jones was given a two-game suspension after he sent Boston's Patrice Bergeron face-first into the boards on Oct. 27. Bergeron hasn't returned to action since he broke his nose and sustained a concussion as a result of the hit.
If these hits aren't bad enough, the Flyers are even rumbling with each other. Daniel Briere and Sami Kapanen got into a brief skirmish during a practice drill along the corner boards.
Kapanen said the incident was no big deal.
"I think it's just the frustration over the way we played the last game," he said. "We had a little meeting today and brought everything to the table."
The Flyers can only hope those frustrations stay on the practice ice and don't spill over in the games anymore.
"We're not out there to hurt anybody," Cote said. "We're out there to play hard."
Link.... ----> http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/news/story?id=3139926
Ok this is my feeling on this. I feel the NHL are right in a way, but also sometimes incidents happen on mistake and the players take things to far. Yes, players get hurt, but doesn't players in all sports should get the same treatment the NHL players get for a hit? Well, lets see, everytime a linebacker hits the quaterback in football and the quaterback gets hurt, should that person that hit him get a suspension and/or fine b/c of the reason? I dont see it happen. So, is this far play? I feel that the NHL is trying to do there best on the game since the lockout ended but warning a team b/c they are playing competive and aggressive which all the NHL teams do. But if a certain player turns a certain way or bends a certain way and gets hit and gets hurt, is it the opposing players fault? Isnt it true to keep your head up at all times when playing any sports? Hockey fans and hockey players defiantly know this and all players of different sports knowing that keeping your head up when playing a sport keeps you alert so you don't hurt. I just feel that its not fair and maybe the Flyers are trying to prove themselves that they are the team to beat this year.
Opinons????????????