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Shanahan: Don't blame me
Weber fine didn't start violence
By
QMI Agency
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  Blackhawks forward Marian Hossa is taken off the ice on a stretcher after taking a hit to the head from Coyotes forward Raffi Torres during Game 3 of their NHL Western Conference quarterfinal series at the United Center in Chicago, Ill., April 17, 2012. (Reuters) |
NHL disciplinarian Brendan Shanahan disagrees with the notion that his failure to suspend Nashville Predators captain Shea Weber early in the playoffs opened the door to more violence.
Weber got off with a fine after rattling Detroit Red Wings forward Henrik Zetterberg's head off the glass early in round one. Since then, there's been plenty of mayhem on NHL ice and some blame Shanahan for what seems like an increase in thuggish behaviour.
"It's a convenient theory after the fact," Shanahan told USA Today. "We don't think people are way off base to think it should have been a one-game suspension because we considered that. (But) I don't think Andrew Shaw decided to run a goalie because of Shea Weber. I don't think he woke up that day and said, 'I think that decision means I can run goalies.'"
Shanahan has dished out nine suspensions in the playoffs, including an NHL-record 25-game ban to Raffi Torres of the Phoenix Coyotes for an illegal hit on Chicago Blackhawks forward Marian Hossa.
