By Hockey5
Published: March 16, 2010
Print
Email
The Alex Ovechkin suspension is this week's media sensation only because it's Ovechkin: peerless scorer, face of the game, and man-crush of countless besotted hockey bloggers.
The case of his hit on Brian Campbell is about as straightforward as it gets in today's muddled NHL justice system.
The victim had his back fully turned, skating into the most dangerous area of the rink (four-to-eight feet from the boards).
While hardly vicious, Ovechkin could have easily avoided the healthy shove that sent Campbell tumbling into the wall, perhaps ending his season.
It's textbook checking from behind, and worthy of two games in the press box.
The rest is hyperbole. Labelling Alex a "dangerous predator" is a bit over the top. But neither is he an innocent victim, as his boss would have it.
When it comes to crime-and-punishment, the NHL is flailing. We all know that.
It's also true that incidents similar to Ovehckin-Campbell happen frequently, and no one gets suspended because no one gets hurt. NHL players get away with questionable hits all the time.
But if he's putting the health of other players at risk, a player also risks his right to play.
Ovechkin took his chances by pushing Campbell face-first into the boards, and deservedly forfeits that right for a couple of games. End of story.
(Photo: Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
The Cost of Crashing Campbell originally appeared on About.com Hockey on Tuesday, March 16th, 2010 at 08:10:13.Permalink | Comment | Email this
Read More... - |
 | |  |
|
