Ryan Suter breaks out of the Wild’s zone Tuesday night at Consol. The Penguins won, 7-2. — GETTY
BY DEJAN KOVACEVIC
News: The Wild’s Ryan Suter has been suspended two games by the NHL for elbowing the Penguins’ Steve Downie Tuesday night at Consol Energy Center.
Here’s the official league explanation via video:
Views: Color me surprised. It’s very much against the dinosaur mentality to punish a player, during or after a game, for injuring an opponent with a rough reputation. And this goes double for when the offense is committed by someone with a clean record like Suter’s. This is his first suspension or even fine in a 10-year NHL career.
I genuinely thought the latter, in particular, would sway the league, even though I didn’t buy for a second Suter’s strange explanation when I asked him afterward why his elbow was raised. But the most compelling element to the above video, I thought, was the shift of Suter’s weight to his right skate. Because even if you bought what Suter told me about changing his hand position on the stick, that wouldn’t justify bracing his whole body that way.
Again, I’m surprised. Not because Suter didn’t deserve it. Even if the intent wasn’t 100 percent clear, the act and the result were. I’m just genuinely moved any time this league acts in a functional, responsible manner. Often to the point of tears.
Who’s got a hanky?
January 14, 2015
News/views: Suter gets two games for elbow 53
by Dejan Kovacevic • News/views • Tags: Penguins
Ryan Suter breaks out of the Wild’s zone Tuesday night at Consol. The Penguins won, 7-2. — GETTY
BY DEJAN KOVACEVIC
News: The Wild’s Ryan Suter has been suspended two games by the NHL for elbowing the Penguins’ Steve Downie Tuesday night at Consol Energy Center.
Here’s the official league explanation via video:
Views: Color me surprised. It’s very much against the dinosaur mentality to punish a player, during or after a game, for injuring an opponent with a rough reputation. And this goes double for when the offense is committed by someone with a clean record like Suter’s. This is his first suspension or even fine in a 10-year NHL career.
I genuinely thought the latter, in particular, would sway the league, even though I didn’t buy for a second Suter’s strange explanation when I asked him afterward why his elbow was raised. But the most compelling element to the above video, I thought, was the shift of Suter’s weight to his right skate. Because even if you bought what Suter told me about changing his hand position on the stick, that wouldn’t justify bracing his whole body that way.
Again, I’m surprised. Not because Suter didn’t deserve it. Even if the intent wasn’t 100 percent clear, the act and the result were. I’m just genuinely moved any time this league acts in a functional, responsible manner. Often to the point of tears.
Who’s got a hanky?
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