Ruutu gets two for teething, Carkner recalled

Sens' superpest Jarkko Ruutu was suspended two games by the NHL for biting the finger of Sabres enforcer Andrew Peters on Tuesday night. Apparently if someone sticks a finger in your mouth, you've just got to take it? I don't really see why people are so outraged about this thing. Sure, it's a weird-ass thing to do, but let's get serious here: Far worse infractions have gone unpunished.

Anyway, as a result, the Sens have recalled Matt Carkner from Binghamton. Although Carkner has been playing defence for the B-Sens, I'd guess that he'll be playing wing on the fourth line when he's in Ottawa. He played forward in training camp, serving as an enforcer. On the plus side, Carkner is a point-per-game player in the NHL (one regular season game, one assist).

Shannon indefinite with concussion, Pock gets five games

A little fallout from the elbow Islanders forward Thomas Pock threw to the head of Senators forward Ryan Shannon came out today. TSN is reporting that Pock has received a five-game suspension for his part, and Michael Sharp has quoted Sens coach Craig Hartsburg in saying that Shannon's status is indefinite with his concussion.

Since Shannon will obviously not be in the lineup tomorrow night, Ilya Zubov has been recalled from Binghamton; no word where he'll fit, but he's an offensive player so he'll likely be placed with other offensive players.

I'm not sure how I feel about the suspension. It depends how much the injury is supposed to weigh in on the final verdict, I suppose. I guess five games is probably fair.

Will Ruutu get suspended? UPDATE: Yes, he will

Should Jarkko Ruutu get suspended for elbowing Habs' pest Maxim Lapierre to the head? Anyone who hasn't seen the hit, here it is:



I don't know what will happen. I have a feeling that given the league's emphasis on eliminating hits to the head Ruutu might get some sort of punishment, but I haven't heard any word yet.

Further on Ruutu, should he get any trouble for mocking the Canadiens faithful last night? Some people were disgusted by his antics, Glen Kulka on the TEAM 1200 being one notable name. I think it was hilarious. Waving to the fans as they booed him off the ice; what did they expect?

UPDATE: According to TSN, Ruutu was suspended for two games without pay. No word on who the Sens will be recalling from Binghamton yet, if anyone. I hope it's Ilya Zubov, give him some ice time with Jason Spezza and Dany Heatley.

Neil costs Mair some money

I guess Chris Neil was right when he said that Adam Mair just doesn't like getting paid. Mair was fined $25,000 $2,500 (EDIT: Corrected... Seriously? That's it?) today by the NHL for the altercation after the game on Monday.

Still don't get what he was trying to do. Neil wasn't even off the ice yet. Luke Richardson and Jarkko Ruutu, along with some coaches or trainers or operations staff, got in his way. Richardson told him, 'That happens on the ice, it doesn't happen out here' or something like that. Good for Richardson, he's like the dressing-room bouncer.

One game for Walker's headbutt

You've really got to wonder what goes on in the head of NHL disciplinary whatever Colin Campbell. He dishes out huge suspensions at the beginning of the season to set the tone, and then completely disregards that precedent when other stupid crap happens.

In the wake of Scott Walker's headbutt to the mouth of Mike Fisher, costing Fisher a tooth and a crown on another tooth, he received a 1-game suspension after a telephone call with Campbell. It's hardly even worth the call.

People might remember that at the start of the season, Philadelphia's Jesse Boulerice was given a 25-game suspension for cross-checking Vancouver's Ryan Kesler in the face. That was a good length, and certainly warranted. By handing only one game to Walker, Campbell is essentially saying that it is 25 worse to cross-check someone to the face than it is to head-butt them. How is that, exactly?

Some people (not Campbell) said that Fish deserved it, because he didn't remove his helmet and visor when the fight started. That's a ludicrous statement. First of all, nothing justifies a head-butt. Second of all, Fisher started shoving Walker after he ran over Martin Gerber; once Fisher shoved him, Walker dropped the gloves and started the fight. I guess Fisher should have allowed himself to take a few extra punches while removing his helmet before starting to throw his own haymakers? Give me a break.

What made it even worse is that the headbutt was with the fight ended and the linesmen had started to separate the two. And as if a head-butt wasn't enough, Walker threw an extra left for good measure. He was just pissed because he got smoked and wasn't expecting to have to pay the price for running a Senators' goaltender. Although it might seem an arbitrary number, he should have gotten at least five games, if not more.

Six strikes before Philly's called out

One week ago, I posted a blog entry stating that the league has to reprimand the Philadelphia Flyers organization for their lack of respect for other players. My rant was precipitated by the fourth questionable hit and subsequent suspension of a Flyers player (where Scott Hartnell elbowed Andrew Alberts of the Bruins in the head). Instead of issuing any sort of warning, the league simply handed Hartnell a slap-on-the-wrist two-game suspension.

Then on Saturday night, Riley Cote added to the growing list of brutal hits from Flyers. After an elbow to the head of Dallas Stars' d-man Matt Niskanen, becoming the fifth Flyer to receive suspensions in just over two months of NHL hockey (Steve Downie, Jesse Boulerice, Randy Jones, and Hartnell being the other four). Cote jumped, led with his elbow, and knocked Niskanen's helmet off with the hit--luckily Niskanen had prepared himself to get checked.

What I said last week was that the league had to warn the Flyers that further infractions would be penalized with increasing severity. Instead, Cote--a career minor-league enforcer who is likely only in the NHL because of other Flyers' suspensions--received three games. There is no excuse for such a light penalty for such complete disregard for the rules of the game and the health and well-being of the other players. In fact, something should have been done after the third event committed by a Flyers player; instead league executives watched as a fourth and fifth infraction occured.

According to The Globe and Mail, the league--more specifically Gary Bettman and Colin Campbell--has spoken with Philadelphia GM Paul Holmgren and suggested that there will be ramifications in the event of further infractions.

"We were kind of put on notice more than anything and that's fine," Holmgren said from his Philadelphia office. "We understand the consequences and we've just got to be a smarter team."

Apparently in the NHL, it's six strikes you're out. The first five are okay, but God help you if there's a sixth elbow-to-the-head-wth-intent-to-injure committed by one of your players.

Something has to be done with the Flyers

One time it's simply an event. Twice it can be a coincidence. Three times is a trend. But four times? It's become a disturbing trend.

Fresh in the mind of all Senators' fans is the Steve Downie incident, where he threw a cheapshot breaking every rule in the book to give Dean McAmmond a concussion earlier in the season. Here is a list of the shit we've seen from this Philadelphia Flyers organization so far in this young season:

1. Sept. 25, 2007: Downie crushes McAmmond into the boards, jumping at him, leading with his elbow, and hitting Deaner from behind, is suspended 20 games.
2. Oct. 10, 2007: Jesse Boulerice cross-checks Canucks' Ryan Kesler in the face, suspended 25 games.
3. Oct. 27, 2007: Randy Jones hits Boston's Patrice Bergeron face-first into the boards, breaking his nose and giving him a concussion; suspended two games.
4. Nov. 26, 2007: Scott Hartnell elbows Boston's Andrew Alberts to the head while Alberts is in a vulnerable position, suspension hearing forthcoming.

Those four events, all from Flyers players, are some of the most gruesome acts that have happened in the NHL this season. They may even be the four worst, leading one to wonder what the reasoning is behind this trend.

It gets to a point where you have to question what to what extent Flyers' head coach John Stevens is accountable for the actions of his players. Not to suggest he's telling his players to injure their opponents with dirty hits, but inaction can also be a fault if you've got the chance to prevent something and you fail to do so.

I have to wonder what a skilled player like Daniel Briere thinks when he sees so many of his teammates suspended for such heinous demonstrations. Can't be anything good, that is for sure.