NHL Throws the Book at Bertuzzi

[hitmansb]

{from tsn.ca}

Todd Bertuzzi gave up the right to play the rest of this season and into the playoffs the moment he sucker punched Colorado's Steve Moore, driving his head into the ice during Monday night's game.

That's the rationalization used by the NHL in handing Bertuzzi a season-ending suspension Thursday, which includes the Stanley Cup playoffs and could carry possibly into next season.

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman will determine whether or not Bertuzzi will be allowed to play again next season prior to the start of training camp.

NHL Vice President and Director of Hockey Operations Colin Campbell said the league wanted to make clear that this type of conduct will not be tolerated in the NHL.

"It wasn't this time about whether it should be two games, four games, five games. We felt the player had given up his right to perform the rest of the season," said NHL Executive Vice President and Director of Hockey Operations, Colin Campbell.

"We had to address the fact should it be the playoffs; shall it be one round, shall it be two rounds. In our opinion, because of the act, because of the injury to the player, because of a number of factors and criteria, we felt that his right to perform the rest of the season, he had to give that up and we had to take that away from him."

When asked if the NHL should ban fighting to try and eliminate future instances of this type of on-ice conduct, Campbell denied it was a problem.

"I don't think that's the problem today in the year 2004. It might have been in the 1970's and 1980's."

Bettman said he felt the league did what it could to minimize any damage done to the game's image.

"I think ultimately we'll be judged on our response and the message that it sends,'' Bettman said. "The message that's being sent is this is not a part of our game, it has no place in our game, and it will not be tolerated in our game.''

Campbell said that Moore's recovery from his injuries will be a factor in the final determination of Bertuzzi's suspension.

"Mr. Bertuzzi will be required to meet with Commissioner Bettman prior to the start of training camp for the 2004-05 season, at which point Mr. Bertuzzi's eligibility will be reviewed in light of all the available facts at that time, including Mr. Moore's physical status and the progression of his recovery."

Campbell stated that the Canucks' organization bears some responsibility for what took place on the ice Monday night.

"In light of numerous player comments about Mr. Moore following the Vancouver-Colorado game of February 16, we believe the Vancouver organization ultimately bears some responsibility for monitoring and, to the extent necessary, attempting to moderate the focus of its team," said Campbell. "While the League provided appropriate advance warnings to both organizations... we believe that more could have and should have been done."

The Canucks were also fined $250,000 by the NHL.

The suspension will cost the Canucks one of their leading players this season. Bertuzzi, the highest paid Vancouver player at $6.8 million US, has 17 goals, 43 assists and 122 penalty minutes in 69 games this season. He has played 1,449 minutes and ranks 22nd in the league in scoring.

The length of Bertuzzi's suspension could range anywhere from 17 to 41 games. Hehas already sat out one game and will miss the remaining 12 games of the season. If the Canucks are swept in the first round of the playoffs, the total length of his suspension will be 17 games.

However, the Canucks are expected to go a long way in the post-season. Should they play through all four playoff rounds, the maximum number of games he could miss is 28, which makes the suspension a total of 41 games.

"It's severe," Campbell said. "We dealt with Todd Bertuzzi like we would any other player in this situation. Because Todd Bertuzzi is the impact player he is, the ramifications and severity of this will definitely affect and hurt the Vancouver Canucks' chances of being successful in the playoffs. But we couldn't consider that."

Bertuzzi's suspension, while not the longest in NHL history, could end up rivaling the sentence handed to former Boston Bruins player Marty McSorley. He was suspended for the final 23 games of the 2000 NHL season after swinging his stick and hitting Vancouver's Donald Brashear in the head. The Bruins did not make the playoffs and the suspension was subsequently extended to one year.

McSorley was eligible to apply for reinstatement after the one year ban but has not played in the NHL since.

Bertuzzi becomes the 32nd player suspended by the NHL this season and the fourth Canucks player to be disciplined for an on-ice infraction. His 13 game ban is the longest sentence handed out by the league this season. It's the third time in his NHL career that he has been suspended for an on-ice incident. Both of those previous suspensions totalled 13 games.

Vancouver police are still investigating the incident to see if criminal charges should be laid. Those charges could range from simple assault to assault causing bodily harm to aggravated assault, which involves endagering someone's life.

Maximum penalties range from six months for a summary conviction on simple assault to 14 years for aggravated assault.

Bertuzzi is the second NHL player in the last four years to be investigated by police for an on-ice incident in Vancouver.

On Wednesday night, Bertuzzi choked back tears as he offered a remorseful apology to Moore, who remains in a Vancouver hospital with a fractured neck, a concussion plus facial lacerations and abrasions to the forehead, right cheek and upper lip. He is expected to make a full recovery but will miss the remainder of the hockey season.

"Mr. Bertuzzi is forfeiting $500,000 of his salary and he's missing at least the rest of the season and all the playoffs," said NHL executive vice-president Bill Daly, the league's chief legal officer. "And in addition to that, the Vancouver Canucks are paying a significant fine.

"None of that makes Steven Moore able to play today but at least he should, I would think, feel better about the fact that the league is doing what it can to regulate what goes on on the ice and to try to prevent this from happening again."

Denver newspapers, citing a Vancouver hospital spokesman, said Moore may issue a statement in the wake of the league ruling.

"Steve, I just want to apologize for what happened out there," said Bertuzzi, wiping tears from his eyes throughout his statement. "I had no intention of hurting you.

"I feel awful for what transpired."

Bertuzzi also apologized to the Canucks' organization and to hockey fans for his actions.

Avalanche general manager Pierre Lacroix issued a statement, saying the team was confident that the league would do the right thing when it came down to a suspension.

"Tuesday morning I said publicly there were people at the league level in charge of taking actions and making decisions in a case such as this and we trusted them to make the appropriate decision," said Lacroix. "I'm convinced the league was careful to take into account all the elements and acted with a clear sense of what was fair for all parties involved."

Lacroix added that Moore's recovery continues to be the team's primary concern.

[Gary]

Bertuzzi should be suspended for a year and charged with assault. He was stalking him.:mad:

[LORDBLiTZ]

I have to look at it in another way.


Moore took advantage of naslund in a vulnerable position and sent him to the hospital.

Bertuzzi took advantage of moore in a vulnerable position and sent him to the hospital.


Nothing happened to moore for taking out naslund. Bertuzzi gets a big suspension for taking out moore.

This doesn't make sense. Fuking hypocrites!!!!

[pucknutz78]

^^^^ wtf are you talkin about? I didnt think Moore's hit on Naslund was that bad. Naslund at least had the puck or had just gotten rid of it. Bertuzzi jumped him from behind and broke his fuckin neck...a lil more serious than a concussion. I thought Bertuzzi got off lite...i think he deserves at least a 1 year suspension

[hitmansb]

The Moore hit on Naslund was a legal hit: shoulder to head, which IS legal when a player is stooped down like that (it's only illegal if the player being hit is standing up and the player delivering the hit leaves his feet to deliver the hit). Naslund had his head down and got zonked...plain and simple...happens at least once a month during the season. What Bertuzzi did had nothing to do with the game of hockey...it was a mugging.

[Jackson19]

I live in Vancouver and I am an avid fan.

First of all the league is way out of line.

There was not even a call for the Moore hit or a penalty. What if Nasland got his fuckin neck broken.

There are a tonne of hits from behind in hockey every week and guys go flying in the boards head first and luckily no neck injuries most of the time. So many guys get nothing for the crazy stick action and hits from behind. Do you want to see a fuckin highlight reel and I can show you the damage.

Next the media is fucked. They have been running around his house and bothering his family. They have never played the fuckin game and don't know about sticking up for teammates or even getting mad in the heat of action. As Ty Domi says you blackout with anger sometimes. Sure Bert went over the line and the guy does not know his own strength and he is truly sorry and is paying the price now.

The coach should for Colorado should have pulled Moore from the game or Moore should have fought. Bertuzzi should have hit him from the front or just a clean hit. It was wrong and it was a bad incident. I think judgement was based on his injury and the media frenzy. In my opinion it was too much even the 250000 dollar fine. The NHL is fucked right now.

I think there are many people to blame here.

Whatever the case we are fucked for the playoffs.

[hitmansb]

^^^What Bertuzzi did transcends the implications of the suspension on the Canucks' playoff hopes. The Moore hit, whether or not it had some really bad intentions, was a LEGAL HIT! It's no different than when Scott Stevens catches guys with their head down crossing the blue line; sure, it's probably gonna land the guy taking the hit with a concussion, but it's within the rules (maybe they should change the rules...but that's speculation). Bertuzzi hit a guy from behind, then bulldoged him into the ice. So he blacked out with anger? Fine...then if he isn't mentally stable, perhaps the league should ban him forever. 'Blacking out' is bullshit and a cop-out. Bertuzzi went out on the ice with every intention of jumping Moore; it wasn't a spontaneous burst of anger, it was premeditated. He was out there with May and some other grinder rather than out there with his regular linemates...the intent was clear. Vancouver fans need to see past the playoffs and look at the big picture; what Bertuzzi did was CRIMINAL, and there's no room for it in hockey. Secretly, you can bet your ass that 2/3 of his teammates lost a lot of respect for him as a result of that incident. Also, I want to know why Brad May wasn't fined and suspended since he publicly announced a bounty on Moore's head?

[LORDBLiTZ]

A bro of mine posted this at AR, and it's right on the money.


IMHO...if Moore would not have been that injured Bert would not have gotten such a harsh sentence. Therefore, as I predicted...they punsihed the outcome not the action. They did not punish Bert based on his actions...they based their decision on the severity of the outcome (ie Moore's injuries).

[Gods Son]

This sport should be banned...If these guys think their so tough they should have played football.....oh sorry i forgot the NFL doesnt sign skinny guys.

[LORDBLiTZ]

Originally posted by Gods Son
This sport should be banned...If these guys think their so tough they should have played football.....oh sorry i forgot the NFL doesnt sign skinny guys.

Oh yeah, football players are so tough. Big fat asses charging each other at 3 to 4 MPH. I'd like to see them take a shot to the face from a 250 pounder skating 25 to 30 MPH.

[Jackson19]

I completely agree with you on the comment above on the punishment being based on the injury, not the action. What a good way to put it in summary. That is bang on.

And as for football players your right. Let see them get there head smashed into the glass from a guy skating at full speed.

Some of the football players are a little light in their shoes anyway. Wearing those tight pants and checking each others asses out.

Remember tough guys do not need to be big and huge. I have seen some so called skinny guys kick the fucking living shit out of a big 290 pounder.

One thing you can tell from people commenting on sports is if they ever have actually played a sport in their life. It's like night and day. There is nothing more annoying that hearing media talk about a sport and know absolutely nothing about the game.

Take it easy Mr. Blitz
Your a righteous dude

[pucknutz78]

Originally posted by Jackson19
I completely agree with you on the comment above on the punishment being based on the injury, not the action. What a good way to put it in summary. That is bang on.

And as for football players your right. Let see them get there head smashed into the glass from a guy skating at full speed.

Some of the football players are a little light in their shoes anyway. Wearing those tight pants and checking each others asses out.

Remember tough guys do not need to be big and huge. I have seen some so called skinny guys kick the fucking living shit out of a big 290 pounder.

One thing you can tell from people commenting on sports is if they ever have actually played a sport in their life. It's like night and day. There is nothing more annoying that hearing media talk about a sport and know absolutely nothing about the game.

Take it easy Mr. Blitz
Your a righteous dude

omg...yer such a homer...you can cry about Naslund all you want, like hitman said, Naslund got caught with his head down and Moore made a CLEAN hit. What Bertuzzi did was the biggest pussy ass thing you can do. all you want to do is sit there and blame Moore cause he was on the ice. thats the dumbest thing i ever heard. I think the Canucks deserved the fine, and I think Bertuzzi's suspension should go well into next year if there is a season. oh and b4 you say that no one here played the game and doesnt know what they are talkin about, i've played hockey for 20 years.

[LORDBLiTZ]

Originally posted by pucknutz78
omg...yer such a homer...you can cry about Naslund all you want, like hitman said, Naslund got caught with his head down and Moore made a CLEAN hit. What Bertuzzi did was the biggest pussy ass thing you can do. all you want to do is sit there and blame Moore cause he was on the ice. thats the dumbest thing i ever heard. I think the Canucks deserved the fine, and I think Bertuzzi's suspension should go well into next year if there is a season. oh and b4 you say that no one here played the game and doesnt know what they are talkin about, i've played hockey for 20 years.

Like i said....

Moore took advantage of naslund in a vulnerable position and sent him to the hospital.

Bertuzzi took advantage of moore in a vulnerable position and sent him to the hospital.



Any qusetions??

[Jackson19]

Hey pucknut

This is the first time I have heard you on this thread so I was not referring to your credibilty on the game.

Bertuzzi's act was gutless, your right. We are saying that the league based it's decision entirely on the severity of the injury and all the little fuckin fag media attention. There are a tonne of hits from behind that go unnoticed. Go watch and see every fuckin week. They get nothing.

Let's change it around. Let's say Moore got up after the hit and fuckin spat in his face and skated away unharmed.

Then what would have transpired. Maybe Bert would have got a game or two.

I hope Moore gets better.

I think the guys running the league are idiots.

Bert is learning his lesson now.

There is more than $500,000 in lost wages and the 13 regular season games. Those are not insignificant, but the real penalty for him is to miss the time that matters most in the NHL -- the Stanley Cup playoffs -- and what value can you put on the tarnishing of his reputation and the intense emotional upheaval he's enduring now.



In the meantime, he is still the subject of a police investigation that could lead to criminal charges. Whether he will face any civil legal proceedings down the road may have a lot to do with how quickly and completely Moore recovers from his injuries. That, too, will be the basis for commissioner Gary Bettman's decision on whether to reinstate Bertuzzi next season.



And what was a given before -- Bertuzzi's inclusion on Team Canada for the World Cup -- is now up in the air. Team Canada can name Bertuzzi as one of its players on may 15th and Bertuzzi will be able to apply for reinstatement prior to the World Cup training camp. If cleared by Bettman, he can play. If not, Team Canada will be permitted to add a replacement.

Anyways, everyone got what they wanted and now some people on this board want him banned for life.

Go watch some more hits from behind and see what they get, nothing and it will never ever come close to what he is getting.

Now fuck off and leave him alone.

[pucknutz78]

Originally posted by Jackson19


Now fuck off and leave him alone.

obviously a lot has to do with the severity of the injury, Moore has a broken neck. what part of that are you not understanding. i'm sure if someone hit someone from behind and brke the opposing players neck, there would be suspensions. All you homers in Vancouver were crying about Moore's hit and how he wasnt suspended. At least Moore hit him head on and it was a clean hit. Body checks are part of the game, lynching someone from behind is NOT.