If Zdeno Chara could put his stick on Max Pacioretty, is this blog even being written?

I don’t want to even enter this conversation. Are we really suggesting that we go back to the dead-puck era? Where interference, hooking and holding is the norm? Then I might as well start watching basketball.

Chara interferred with Pacioretty. He knew he was beaten so he was determined to take a penalty to prevent a breakaway.
How about instead of trying to physically overpower him, he simply trips or hooks him? Chara would have achieved the same result with stopping the breakaway from happening. Instead he did what all hockey players are told to do - “Destroy!”.

I’ll continue saying this until I’m blue in the face, but if Colin Campbell was actually good at his job and the NHL was better at policing the game instead of allowing the players to do so, a lot of these dangerous hits don’t happen.

I don’t believe Chara intended to severely hurt Pacioretty. He was simply trying to rub him out. Unfortunately for everyone, it occurred at an unfortunate place near the boards.
But if the NHL was more adept at handing out worthy suspensions, perhaps more of the players today would think twice about annihilating their opponents.

P.S. I’m glad Freidman spoke about how equipment is not for protection anymore.
There’s absolutely no need for hard capped elbow or shoulder pads. None whatsoever.

Posted by Hank1974 on 03/09/11 at 01:43 PM ET