tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5796383459721793585.post3146376276738324975..comments2023-10-23T15:54:13.715-04:00Comments on The Dark Blue Jacket: The NHL star system: A humble suggestionTomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03563836029433927521noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5796383459721793585.post-91253194554309724602009-12-03T20:03:40.308-05:002009-12-03T20:03:40.308-05:00I have to say no to the bigger fine thing. I think...I have to say no to the bigger fine thing. I think suspensions hit players harder than money. No player wants to sit out. I understand what you are saying about fans wanting to see the stars, but honestly what hockey fan is going to skip going to a hockey game because Ovi or Malkin or Iginla or whoever isn't playing? My point is that while a team's management/ownership or the NHL may want the stars to play every single game in a season, that doesn't happen anyway because of injuries. So foregoing suspensions for higher fines, doesn't really help the cause. I think the real way to stop certain behaviors is longer suspensions. I think suspensions should be a minimum of 5 games. None of this 2 game crap. Also, the suspensions should be levied based on the behavior so that the riskiest fouls garner the biggest suspension - i.e., head shots would be 20 games, hitting from behind would be 15 games, knee-on-knee would be 10 games. Or something like that - you get the point. To me, that's the best way to stop the dirty plays.<br /><br />As for the Ovi situation specifically, I was initially excited that he was being suspended. I thought FINALLY - the league is doing something. But then I realized that it was known he would be out at least 2 days with his injury anyway and I realized the NHL Powers-that-Be totally took the easy way out. They can say that they punished him, but we all know they really didn't. Frankly, I thought Ovi should have been suspended during the playoffs on his knee-on-knee hit to Gonchar. If you watch that play, there is no way you can say he didn't do it on purpose. No way. What will be interesting is the next time Ovi does something. Now that he's been suspended (whether a joke or not), he now has the dreaded "record" that is discussed a lot in the punishment realm. How will the NHL be able to justify no punishment next time with his record? It will be interesting, that's for sure.Your Friendly Pens Fannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5796383459721793585.post-9327236522543064642009-12-03T09:26:17.615-05:002009-12-03T09:26:17.615-05:00That's why I was suggesting that the fine be b...That's why I was suggesting that the fine be big enough to grab their attention. If the 2.5x multiple isn't big enough, bump it to 4 or 5. <br /><br />If it's the club that has to pay the fine, I say tack it onto their cap hit as well. THAT would grab some attention...at least on the non-budget teams...Dark Blue Jacketnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5796383459721793585.post-55901080136123932012009-12-03T01:23:05.994-05:002009-12-03T01:23:05.994-05:00Fining guys like Ovi is just a slap on the wrist, ...Fining guys like Ovi is just a slap on the wrist, and hitting a young turk playing on an entry-level contract can kill a young blue-chip player's livelihood. I say stop fining the individual players for offenses and fine the offending CLUB. If a player's lack of discipline starts hitting the higher-ups in the wallet, I have no doubt the hammer would come down on dirty players pretty quick; Clean up your game or clean out your stall.jjjhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07826206721049236610noreply@blogger.com