Hockey is unique as a team sport in that you can hurt people frequently while technically being within the rules. The rules don't always make sense and aren't applied consistently.

The league had previously ran Torres and Downie out of the league for making the kind of hits Tkachuk was pulling, and let's just say neither of these players were popular outside of their fanbase. If the league now decides running over players battling along the boards is OK, then how else are players supposed to deal with a player making these consistently dangerous hits? Wait until someone leaves the ice on a stretcher for the league to care? Kassian pummeling Tkachuk and taking the associated penalties is really players trying to injure the culprit before he does it to them.

All true. You can’t beat up an unwilling combatant. There have been several such suspensions THIS year, and so suspending Kassian is the correct move. It’s absolutely consistent with NHL punishment this year. Was fighting back the right thing to do? Probably, gotta stand up for yourself. But he was expertly and legally baited into it, so take the suspension, take the L you cost your team, and come to play next time.

He deserved it.

The pure truth

Lmao bro i watched this video i dont give a fuck what happened earlier obviously wasn’t that bad if both players were playing still

Aint gonna argue w a oilers fan about a oilers matter absolutely pointless.
Can safely say id want a flyer if he did this suspended as well

If you were Tkachuk why would you stop playing that way?

You got the Oilers of their game, are not being penalized for it, and did not have to fight anyone.

Hell you even got someone suspended for two games for retaliating against you.

Agree with it or not he is being rewarded for playing that way. He has no reason to stop until that changes and will be encouraged to keep playing that way behind closed doors.


The hits were on the line but clean imo. Your first point is incredibly accurate and I agree with it entirely.

It is a dilemma. Technically I think the hits were clean, but the message is mixed and inconsistent from the league. No question if guys run around like that throwing massive hits it will end with career, and most likely life altering injuries.

Some will revere those big hits that straddle the line between legal/illegal while also dividing us in terms if it is morally correct to continue to play that type of style.

Tkachuk and Kassian are both divisive players now. It goes beyond two teams. How this rivalry plays out and how the teams/ league responds down the line will change how the game is played when all is said and done.


It will come down to what is rewarded.

Will you reward a guy who throws borderline (but legal hits imo) that have a high likelihood to cause serious injury in an effort to win hockey games for his team.....

Or: Will you reward a guy who wants to stick up for his teammates and protect them preemptively by taking Tkachuk out illegally before that is allowed to occur?


The more I think about this scenario the more questions it raises to be honest.

Sorry for the text wall. I just think this will be a defining moment for the game when it is all settled.

This post was edited by Killingyouall on Jan 21 2020 09:37pm

They are gonna rematch

I'm fine with it as long as the nhl stays consistent with their decision. If Roussel or virtanen makes those kind of legal hits but it's on someone like McDavid and ends his career or injures him for half the season, the league better not suspend or do anything about it. I just don't see that though, I see parros having a change of heart and saying it's that kind of hit he wants to get rid of in the league

Just one more week until the rape of Kassian part deux