Suspend Mike Richards

by Munchausen on Apr 24, 2011 8:03 PM EDT

The NHL needs to step up and suspend Mike Richards for his disgusting hit from behind against Tim Connolly, where he viciously forced Connolly's head into the boards face first:

With his history of concussions, there is a significant chance that this hit will end Tim Connolly's career. How long will the NHL let this go on? How many more players need to have their careers ended by concussion before the league takes an appropriately punitive stance on shots to the head?

Some people think this sort of thing is part of the game. It isn't. Look at the picture. This is not hockey; it is assault. Just because it happened during a sporting event does not make it okay. I personally think Connolly should have civil recourse for a hit like this (he should be able to sue Richards in court for lost income, pain and suffering).

The league needs to settle this issue, and not only because it's the right thing to do in terms of player safety. If Richards is not suspended, Sabres players may take justice into their own hands. And that would be uglier still.

This is a fanpost written by a member of the community, it doesn't necessarily express the views or opinions of Die by the Blade

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Comments

Agreed

It should have been a game misconduct, not a 2-minute minor. And then Richards sets up the game-tying and winning goals. It disgusts me how corrupt the NHL is.

Reasons it was not called for misconduct:
1. Sabres were already on the power play in an important game, refs didn’t have the balls to call it correctly.
2. Richards is a “star player” on a large market team (also the reason there will be no supplementary discipline from the league).
3. God hats Buffalo.

by lassathrax on Apr 24, 2011 8:30 PM EDT reply actions

Hits like this

are proof that NHL players need to police themselfs, because the league isn’t going to do jack shit.

The player I would like least at #9 would be my sister’s cat, Captain Creamsicle. She does have a great work ethic and agility, but I’m really concerned that at 9 lbs., she’s too small to play safety in the NFL. She also bites way too often on play action and is easily distracted by someone waving string in the crowd. Lastly, her wonderlic score was pretty awful, answering "meow meow meow" for most of the questions- Dr. Brackish Okun

by mob16151 on Apr 24, 2011 9:36 PM EDT reply actions 3 recs

Well said.

Mobile rec’d

Lets Go Buff a lo!!!

by bflo on Apr 25, 2011 8:55 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions

Rec'd

Someone needs to kick the shit out of Richards on his first shift—end of story

"I wore my knees out praying we'd win the 1st choice and could take Perreault. I never wanted a hockey player more."--Punch Imlach

by Sabresfansinceday1 on Apr 25, 2011 11:31 AM EDT up reply actions

Don't think it was suspension worthy.

A game major, yes. But not quite suspension worthy.

Save Jenrry Mejia!

by Ogre39666 on Apr 24, 2011 11:35 PM EDT reply actions

What are you basing that on?

It’s a player being hit from behind and run into the boards headfirst, with his head being forced into the boards by the hand of the checking player.

What hit is worse than that? Seriously, short of a player hacking someone in the face with his stick, there’s not much that is worse. Just because it sort of “looks” like a check does not make it okay.

by Munchausen on Apr 25, 2011 12:14 AM EDT up reply actions

I didn't think it was from directly behind.

But looking at it again, and freezing it, I can see that it was. I stand corrected.

Save Jenrry Mejia!

by Ogre39666 on Apr 25, 2011 12:48 AM EDT up reply actions

A game major for Richards and there would be no game 7

eh?
Drinking the Pegul-Aid since 2011

by Jcksn22 on Apr 25, 2011 9:36 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs

If it should have been a game misconduct, and it was missed by the refs, that is the exact reason the NHL can issue suspensions.

by mxsd on Apr 25, 2011 12:43 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs

"Getting Away With Murder"

So apparently everyone in Philly thinks the Sabres are the dirtiest team in the league. However, game in and game out the Flyers are taking cheap shots on most of our players. Basically anytime Miller covers the puck there’s a Philly player slashing his glove hard. It’s getting a little ridiculous what they’re getting away with. And Mike Richards is the perfect example, if were on the ice when Connolly was hit like that I would have went straight for Richards and dropped the gloves. He is one of the dirtiest players on their team aside from Hartnell

by billsfan26 on Apr 25, 2011 1:38 AM EDT reply actions 1 recs

I say just a suspension from Game 7 should fit.

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by UZ on Apr 25, 2011 6:26 AM EDT reply actions 2 recs

There is no way Richards will be suspended

First of all Colin Campbell has a well established track record of using marketing criteria as a major factor, perhaps even the predominant one, in his disciplinary actions. Combined with the fact that the NHL has just signed a long term broadcasting contract with NBC/Universal, whose owners also own the Flyers, the marketing reasons for not suspending Richards become absolutely paramount. The NHL is not going to antagonize their most important business partner by taking one of their star players off of TV, even for one game. It would be too much of a blow to their revenue stream and create hostility between the league and Comcast, to whom they are now beholden. It is not going to happen. Richards could have decapitated Connolly and Campbell would call it a “hockey play.”

"I could have conquered Europe, all of it, but I had women in my life." - King Henry II of England

by Calvert on Apr 25, 2011 11:22 AM EDT reply actions 1 recs

This.

Pisses. Me. Off. (because it is so true).

by lassathrax on Apr 25, 2011 1:39 PM EDT up reply actions

I believe he should have been suspended, but that there was no way he would be or could be based on the prededent set in these playoffs.. Ruutu got 1 game for his blatant elbow to a defenseless player w/o the puck in the neutral zone. While reckless and dirty, this does not deserve the same is that. Colin Campbell has to go for this to become suspendable. He must have some pretty incriminating photos of Bettman to still have a job.

3 down, 13 more to go!!

by bluecollarbuffalo on Apr 25, 2011 10:22 PM EDT reply actions