Raffi Torres suspension – 25 games too many?

When the National Hockey League announced the suspension for Raffi Torres’ hit on Marian Hossa, some people were surprised by the length of the suspension. Was 25 games too many for that success? Was it enough? Will he send enough of a message to Raffi Torres and the entire National Hockey League about that kind of shot? Only time will tell, but this isn’t the first time the Department of Player Safety and SR Vice President Brendan Shanahan have imposed an extended suspension.

Matt Cooke came to this very crossroads in his NHL career last season when he elbowed Ryan McDonagh in the head and was suspended for the remainder of the regular season (10 games) and the first round of the playoffs. The National Hockey League and the Department of Player Safety made an example of Matt Cooke with that suspension to show the rest of the league that these deliberate hits were not going to be tolerated. In essence, they were challenging Matt Cooke to change the way he played hockey in the NHL.

After the suspension was announced, Mr Cooke sounded sincere when he said: “I realize and understand, more now than ever, that I need to change,” and while few thought he could change, he knew he had to find out. a way to change the way he plays or his career could be over.

Raffi Torres basically committed 3 penalties when he hit Marian Hossa in Game 3 of the Western Conference Quarterfinals between the Phoenix Coyotes and the Chicago Blackhawks, although nothing was called! It was interference, charging and an illegal check to the head. Mr. Torres is no stranger to this type of beating as he has been suspended many times in his NHL career. At some point, players who keep making hits like this have to realize that they have to change the way they play the game.

The National Hockey League and Brendan Shanahan had to come down hard on Raffi Torres and use this hit as an example for the rest of the league. Some people will disagree and that’s okay. The players will also disagree with the suspension. Everyone is entitled to their opinion. Raffi Torres knew exactly what he was doing and he has been suspended for the same type of hits before and hasn’t changed so that sent him a pretty strong message, take 25 games to watch his game and change him or his career may be over because if he does another coup like that in the future, who knows what the NHL will do.

There is another thing about suspension that most people might not realize. When the suspension was announced on April 21, the Phoenix Coyotes had a possible 24 games left in the playoffs if they won the Stanley Cup with each series going to 7 games. They could have played three more games in round 1, seven games in round 2, seven games in the Conference Finals, and seven games in the Stanley Cup Finals. They had already played Game 4 the night before, and Torres was suspended indefinitely at that point. That game still counts as part of the suspension, leaving a possible 25 games left in the playoffs for the Phoenix Coyotes.

Could it be that part of the reason for the 25-game suspension was to prevent Raffi Torres from playing the rest of the playoffs? Players are not paid in the playoffs and Torres would lose $21,341.46 for each regular season game missed due to suspension. He’ll also miss all of preseason, as we know he’ll have at least one regular-season game on him right now due to Phoenix winning their first-round series in six games.

So the big question is, will this change Raffi Torres and his scouting ways? You’d think if Matt Cooke can do it, anyone can do it. It has to be very difficult to change the way you’ve played your entire career. Every player has had to modify their game to accommodate the new rules that have come in the last few seasons, but modifying is very different from changing the way you play. Matt Cooke might be a good person for Raffi Torres to add to his contact list because he’ll probably need all the help he can get to trade to a different player.

The National Hockey League cannot afford to lose any player to injury let alone the best players in the league to stupid shots that don’t need to be made. Explosion hits are the hits you need to get rid of! Most fans enjoy some good physical play in the game, but it has to be done the right way. Yes, a big hit can change the momentum of a game, but it shouldn’t change a player’s life.

Taking hits out of the game would also have a trickle-down effect on the rest of hockey. The less kids see these hits, the less they’ll want to make them into their own games. Everyone is talking about changing hockey culture and how it can be done. Things can be done at all levels of hockey to improve safety in the game.

All players must learn to throw a check, receive a check, avoid a check, and always be aware of their surroundings when on the ice. “Keep your head in a twist” is the popular saying for playing hockey and perhaps it has become an afterthought in today’s game for some reason. Here’s a quote from hockey legend Reed Larson about how the game used to be played:

“But hitting, some guys just aren’t ready for it (at a younger age… spurts, peewees, bantams). They’re cracking down on that and trying to do the right thing, but these guys aren’t learning to drop, to get on the boards and to control correctly I can’t believe how many guys I’ve seen come to the middle of the ice and make a pass and not pay attention to what’s going on around them We never did that, we made a pass and then was “Who’s coming?!”

I’m not sure how much Marian Hossa could have prevented Raffi Torres’ hit because it happened pretty quickly, but there are definitely some injuries that could have been avoided or at least lessened if the players knew who was coming. Teammates talk all the time in attack and defense and on the bench. Do they ever give a “heads up” or “man in the know” about an upcoming check?

The National Hockey League has a lot of work to do in the offseason. A new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) must be agreed with the National Players Association (NHLPA) and I wouldn’t be surprised if there are more new rules regarding the discipline of greatest hits and illegal checks.

So… ClutterPuckers… what do you think? Was it an excessive 25-game suspension? good? is not sufficient? What will happen to the “greatest hits” in the future?