Hopefully, some good will come out of the hit on Brandon Sutter of the Carolina Hurricanes.
Hopefully, the NHL will finally make a decision to protect its players. And it really won't be that hard.
The week's hot-button debate has been head shots amidst Doug Weight's devastating check on Sutter, and already some good has come of it since ideas are being brought forward to help reduce head shots.
Now, it's up to the league's stewards -- especially the general managers -- to begin the process of making all hits to the head at least an immediate minor penalty, followed by a suspension hearing.
Sure, the NHL's rule book is already overflowing, but it's a logical first step to see whether concussion-causing checks can be reduced. (Only in a dream world will they be eliminated, but a major reduction is needed.)
In the case of Weight's hit on Sutter, the punishment would most likely be the two-minute minor. There was no intent, and that Sutter bent over and lunged for the puck he passed off the boards to himself made it a shot to the head.
Really, after Weight committed to make his check, there was nothing he could have done. Let's face it, the New York Islanders veteran isn't known as a head hunter, and, at his age and size, won't likely start now.
However, there are those throughout the league who are known for going high, be it with their shoulders or their hands.
The two-minute penalty Weight would receive is a small price to pay if it reduces the number of obviously dirty checks. Hard contact is part of the game, but if the NFL can make a difference by cracking down on hits to the head, the NHL can do the same.
It won't be easy, in part because hockey is so much faster than football and, in part, because you'll always have that handful of jarheads willing to step over the line over and over again.
The NHL must be willing to look to the future.
Actually, the game must go back to its roots. The idea of a body check is to separate a player from the puck. Too often, the interpretation is to separate the player from his brain, and some day it will happen right before our eyes.
FLAMING C-NOTES
As good as Michael Cammalleri has been, it's surprising he's averaging around 16 minutes and 21 seconds of ice time per game. After all, he does play some first-line powerplay on the blueline and is second on the team in points. Being a pending unrestricted free agent, maybe it would be a good idea to turn him loose a little more ... Is today the day Curtis McElhinney finally gets to play? It sure sets up for it with a game tomorrow in Anaheim. You can't help but wonder how a month without game action affects the netminder who is looking for his first NHL victory ... Is that the same Alex Tanguay playing for Montreal who spent last season in Calgary? For a guy who was leery about playing in his home province, Tanguay sure has a spark he didn't display with the Flames. It helps he's shooting the puck more often, too. It took only eight games for Tanguay to score six goals in Canadiens' colours, a mark he needed 25 games to reach last season with the Flames.
HOCKEY TALKEY
The Florida Panthers laid off 10 employees this week, according to the Miami Herald, and that's not a good sign for the league. The economic downturn, especially south of the border, is going to cause problems for the NHL and its players -- whose salary cap is dictated by the revenue in the next couple of years. Hate to be all doom and gloom, but the league will be forced to act fast for those teams that aren't currently working out in Florida, Atlanta, Phoenix, Nashville and the New York Islanders. Here's a bold prediction, within five years, maybe even three, at least a trio of teams will move. New locales to go to have to include Kansas City, Portland, Las Vegas (still don't think it would have a chance there, but sure would love the road trip), Houston, Toronto or even Winnipeg ... Speaking of the players and their cut of the pie, shouldn't they be more upset about the NHLPA not immediately agreeing to extend the CBA, which has impacted the amount of money teams can spend? By having to keep all potential entry-level-contract bonuses within the US$56.7-million cap, clubs haven't had to spend as much on their players ... From the stats pack, here are some shockers: Nikolai Zherdev of the New York Rangers leading the league at plus-11; The top-three rookies in scoring are Chicago's Kris Versteeg and a pair of Columbus Blue Jackets, Jakub Voracek and Derick Brassard.
You don't say?
"I roomed with him for five years and he was a great roommate. He'd fluff my pillow before I went to bed and order me ice cream."
-- Eric Staal of the Hurricanes, lamenting the loss of Erik Cole to Edmonton.
