Steve Ott Attacks Cal Clutterbuck for Clean Hit

There is a new culture developing in the NHL, and it isn't necessarily a good thing. Lately, it seems to be stylish for a player to challenge an opponent to a fight after the opponent throws a clean hit on a teammate of the challenging player.

It's one thing to see a guy pulled into a fight because he threw a borderline or dirty hit. We expect that to happen, and it's part of the game's longstanding code.

7 months ago nathaneide 4 comments 0 recs |

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Defining Enforcer

Do you suppose if Ott was a real enforcer, Richards wouldn’t have been hit like that in the first place? I was reading through comments on another blog, and Dallas seems to have had similar problems against Calgary and the Rangers recently, too. Richards better keep his head up because no one is afraid of big-bad-Ott.

by Newnik on Feb 3, 2010 1:43 PM CST reply actions

In today’s NHL? Absolutely Richards gets hit like that. I don’t care if it is Derek Boogaard, Donald Brashear, or George Laraque skating for the Stars. What are they going to do? Fight Clutterbuck? C-Buck maybe answers the bell, most guys like him? No way.

Say for a moment that Boogey plays for the Stars and is on the ice for that hit. He grabs Cal like Ott did, and puts whooping on him. The refs don;t only give him two minutes for roughing, they give him 2 for roughing, five for fighting, a ten minute misconduct, two minutes for the instigator, and likely a game misconduct. Other enforcers, same deal.

So, Boogey and the others aren’t going to fight Cal in that situation. They aren’t going to be willing to take the extra penalties in order to enforce on a clean hit.

Richards needs to know who is on the ice, and keep his head up, as you said. I have no issue with guys standing up for their star player. I have an issue with it happeneing after every big hit, but in this case, I have little issue with it. I hate Steve Ott. In this situation, I put aside that hatred and commend him for standing up for his star player. I wish more guys would make it clear that the star is off limits.

BUt, I am in a very small minority.

Hockey Wilderness

by BReynolds on Feb 3, 2010 2:02 PM CST up reply actions