The 2007-08 NHL Hockey thread

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BonoManiac said:


Well, it looked like the Penguins player was lying on the ice, and as Simon was getting on his bench he stomped on the Penguins' player's foot.

I remember the Malarchuk incident well. Goalies started to wear neck flaps after that, but there are still many that leave their throat unprotected.
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I remember that, too.

No comment on Simon. :)
 
Simon sucks. They should drop him already, but he's tight with Ted olan, so I doubt it will happen. Most Islander fans are indifferent to him at best. He's an enforcer, but he doesn't do much, really. Andy Sutton is I think being groomed for that role - he's an awesome ope ice hitter.

I didn't mind when Simon smacked Hollweg so much, cause Hollweg is a sneeaky little bitch and he had just boarded Simon, but tonight was just stupid. He tripped the guy first, I thought. Then stomped him. Jackass.
 
Okay im lookin at the blue jackets playin the bruins right now and i just saw sergie federov and adam foote on the same team for the blue jackets..

first of all how in the hell is this team not a fricken beast???

and btw to add i was in detroit a week ago and i ate at hockey town, and ive been there before too :)
 
Here's Simon's stomp:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3hKeVb_G-PI

Here's a comment that one of his teammates said after the game:

"They called what they called," Islanders centre Mike Sillinger told the New York Post after the game. "I think (Ruutu) may have faked it a bit, as well."


As long as there's apologists out there for this kind of behaviour it will continue to happen.
 
Isles give Simon time off to get help


Darren Dreger
12/17/2007 2:35:36 PM

Sources tell TSN that the New York Islanders and veteran forward Chris Simon have agreed that time away from the team is needed to come to terms with his recent on-ice behavior and potentially, his playing future.

Islanders owner Charles Wang met Simon earlier today to discuss the direction best suited to provide Simon with the support he deserves.

Simon has been granted time away from the team to seek counselling, or any other method to help restore his career.

"The Islanders and I agree that the right thing to do is for me to take some time away from the team" said Simon in a prepared statement.

"I have enjoyed a long career achieving my dream of being a player in the National Hockey League and I'm proud of my accomplishments. But I acknowledge that time and assistance is needed before I return to the game."

Wang also met with Islanders general manager Garth Snow, head coach Ted Nolan, captain Bill Guerin, the alternate captains and goaltender Rick DiPietro to discuss the matter.

"The actions of Chris Simon on Saturday do not reflect what the New York Islanders stand for. They were reckless, potentially dangerous and against our team concept of grit, character and heart," said Islanders owner Charles Wang.

"We know Chris as a respected teammate and as a gracious man away from the playing surface and believe strongly that he has earned our continued support. The Islanders are going to provide some time for Chris away from the team and give him the counseling he needs and the compassion he deserves. When Chris is completely ready, he will be a member of our team again."

The meetings stem from Simon's actions on Saturday night where he purposely stomped on Jarkko Ruutu's leg.

Simon was assessed a match penalty and awaits further discipline from the NHL.

"I want to start off by making clear that there is no excuse for my actions on Saturday night and I apologize to everyone involved," Simon added.

A breakdown of Simon's 7 previous suspensions:

25 games for a high stick on Ryan Hollweg
2 games for kneeing Sergie Zubov
2 games for cross checking Ruslan Fedotenko
2 games for elbowing Anders Eriksson
1 playoff game for cross checking Peter Popivic
3 games for verbal commentes directed at Mike Grier
5 games for slashing Dennis Vial
Click to expand...
 
We're going to miss Simon's awesome puck handling and blistering wrist shots from the top of the circles. That's for sure!

Granted, we no longer have that one guy that just scares people, so that sorta sucks. Maybe WANG can buy a machine that will combine Sutton and Witt. We will call him: ANDY WITT! or BRENDAN SUTTON! Yeah, I like that. Get on that, Wang....lol. Wang.
 
Simon has always had some issues. It just seems like he goes beyond physical/tough and tends to cross the line to dirty more often than you'd like in a supposed "tough guy". I also seem to recall an incident involving the N-word also, maybe to Mike Grier? Maybe somebody remembers...
 
Justice is served. I doubt he'll be back at all after this.



NHL says Simon barred 30 games
19/12/2007 12:12:12 PM


New York Islanders forward Chris Simon again leads the NHL for the longest suspension after being punished 30 games Wednesday for stepping on Pittsburgh's Jarkko Ruutu in Saturday's 3-2 loss.

Simon missed the first five games of this season while completing a 25-game ban handed out in March.

That was the previous record for an NHL suspension.

This is the seventh time in Simon's career that he has been suspended.

Simon forfeits $292,683 US in salary and will be eligible to return Feb. 21 against Tampa Bay.

"Several factors were considered in imposing the longest suspension in NHL history for an on-ice incident," Campbell said in a statement. "While it was fortunate there was no serious injury to Mr. Ruutu as a result of Simon's action, the deliberate act of kicking an opponent with an exposed skate blade, especially where the opponent is in a vulnerable position, is and always has been a repugnant and totally unacceptable act in the game of hockey.

"In addition, while the act itself was extremely dangerous, the fact that this is the eighth incident requiring the imposition of supplementary discipline on Simon compelled me to impose a very severe penalty in this case."

Simon, 35, took a paid leave from the Islanders on Monday, agreeing with the team that he needed time away from hockey following his latest penalty for attempting to injure an opponent.

Late in Saturday's contest, with the Islanders trailing 3-2, Simon drew a match penalty when he pulled out Ruutu's leg, sending the forward to his knees between the team benches. Simon then stepped on the back of Ruutu's leg with his skate.

Simon was ejected and the Islanders were a man short for all but the final 54 seconds of the loss.

"There is no excuse for my actions ... and I apologize to everyone involved," Simon said Monday in a statement. "The Islanders and I agree that the right thing to do is for me to take some time away from the team.

"I have enjoyed a long career achieving my dream of being a player in the National Hockey League and I'm proud of my accomplishments. But I acknowledge that time and assistance is needed before I return to the game."

Simon also apologized last season after he retaliated to a hit from Ryan Hollweg by striking the New York Rangers forward in the face and neck with a two-handed stick swing.

The forward was suspended for the rest of the regular season and the playoffs, forced to serve a minimum of 25 games. He missed the remaining 15 games before the post-season and sat out New York's five-game playoff loss to Buffalo.

"Since Saturday night, the focus of the New York Islanders has been on Chris Simon the person, not him as a player or on his place in our lineup," Islanders general manager Garth Snow said in a statement.

"As we announced on Monday, the Islanders are going to provide Chris the time and support that he needs for counselling. For Chris right now, hockey must be secondary to the priority of taking care of himself.

“Chris has played 15 seasons in the National Hockey League, has won a Stanley Cup and just as importantly has won the respect of his teammates. He is an Islander, deserves our compassion, and we ask that all Islanders fans join us in supporting Chris every step of the way."

"Chris is a good guy, he's a great teammate, he's a good friend who did something wrong," added Islanders captain Bill Guerin. "He just needs a little time and a little support from his family, and friends and his teammates.

"He understands what he did, we all do. There'll be consequences, and that's not for us to decide, but we're here to support him and to make sure things get straightened out."

Adds to suspension list

Simon has been suspended five previous times for violent on-ice acts and received a three-game ban in 1997 after directing a racial slur toward player Mike Grier, who is black.

During the 2000 playoffs, Simon, then with Washington, sat out Game 2 after he cross-checked Penguins defenceman Peter Popovic across the throat in the opener.

In April 2001, Simon drew a two-game ban for elbowing Anders Eriksson of Florida. He was given a pair of two-game suspensions in 2004 for cross-checking Tampa Bay's Ruslan Fedotenko, and then jumping on him and punching him, and for kneeing Dallas defenceman Sergei Zubov. Fedotenko and Simon are now Islanders teammates.

Simon signed a one-year deal worth $475,000 US over the summer that includes another $325,000 in potential bonuses.

He had 10 goals and 27 points in 67 games last season, but managed only one goal and two assists in 26 games this season with 51 penalty minutes.

With files from the Canadian Press
Click to expand...
 
OK I finally saw the clip, and a suspension was merited, but 30 games? I've seen way worse. To me the league bent to public outrage on this one, similar to the Bertuzzi incident. What Simon did was a dirty play but off the top of my head I can think of at least 10 worse ones in my hockey-watching experience (not including the Bertuzzi one).

I think Simon's past indiscretions were a big part of the punishment, and to be fair I think a habitual offender deserves worse than a first-timer.
 
If Simon had caught an exposed part of Ruutu's calf or ankle, you wouldn't be saying that. A skate blade is essentially a knife, and it could have caused major damage. Just ask Clint Malarchuk.
 
I think the 30 games was so high because this is his 7th suspension. Personally, I have problem with it, I think it's fine. If someone with less of a reputation had done it, I'm sure it would be far less.

What I found to be bullshit was the other night Brendan Witt and Sidney Crosby got into a "tiff" and Witt got sent off for two minutes, Crosby got nothing even though he cross checked Witt four times. Witt said the ref told Witt got the penalty because "he had been playing Crosby tough all night." That is ridiculous.
 
UberBeaver said:
What I found to be bullshit was the other night Brendan Witt and Sidney Crosby got into a "tiff" and Witt got sent off for two minutes, Crosby got nothing even though he cross checked Witt four times. Witt said the ref told Witt got the penalty because "he had been playing Crosby tough all night." That is ridiculous.
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See, that's the thing about Sid the Kid that the folks who tout him as the "Next One" seem to miss. Gretzky never did that crap (and yeah I saw him play in real life, with the Oilers). Granted he had guys like Dave Semenko and Marty McSorely doing it for him. But Crosby gives back when he gets it, and then hides behind his name when the whistle blows. You never heard opposing players bitching about Wayne the way they do about Sid...and that's not even mentioning the diving. Sid is a great talent but his playing style is pure Claude Lemieux; if he's lucky all it gets him is a reputation and not a serious injury somewhere down the road.
 
Apparently times in "Hockeytown" are much worse than I thought. At the game last night (and fyi, I am not a jinx - they won for the first game I've attended in who knows how long :hi5: ) there were so many empty seats it was unreal. I've never seen JLA so "empty". Yet, Ford Field draws em in every single Sunday. :scratch:
 
Still I'm surprised they're not selling out. They're still pretty good, not like the old "Dead Things" days in the 80s when it was 18 year old Steve Yzerman and a bunch of crap, and the highlight of the game was a Bob Probert fight.
 
Exactly.

So, the fact that the Lions suck at home for less games makes it ok for the stands to fill up? One would think that if the almost six year old stadium didn't sell out each and every game management might get a little concerned and actually do something to improve what they put out on the field every week.

But we're talking about Matt Millen here. :giggle:

PS - I sorta miss Probie :reject:
 
LarryMullen's_POPAngel said:
PS - I sorta miss Probie :reject:
Click to expand...

Everybody does. I recently downloaded a dvd off of usenet, about 3 hours of hockey fights from the last 20 years or so. Plenty of classic Probert, including maybe a dozen tussles with Tie Domi. Lots of Rob Ray also. Great stuff.
 
LarryMullen's_POPAngel said:
So, the fact that the Lions suck at home for less games makes it ok for the stands to fill up? One would think that if the almost six year old stadium didn't sell out each and every game management might get a little concerned and actually do something to improve what they put out on the field every week.
Click to expand...

It has nothing to do with the Lions sucking or not. The small amount of home games make it more of an event, therefore more people are willing to go. Miss one Lions game and that's 1/8 of the season right there.
 
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^ That is a valid point. It's easier for things like the NFL (or NASCAR, or PGA, or tennis) to draw because there aren't that many dates. Conversely, you rarely see MLB teams consistently sell out (except the Sox, and the small park helps there).

That said, I do think it's a bit of an indictment of Wings fans that they only draw when the club is a Cup favorite. You really can't call yourself "Hockeytown" when you only show up en masse when you're a favorite to win a championship. Hell, any old NHL city can manage that.
 
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