Wow. I just watched the video. As a Canucks fan I have followed both the Bertuzzi-Moore thing and the McSorley-Brashear thing but this one is in a league of it's own. Just considering this incident, without comparison to other incidents, I can't imagine anything more blatant. It was flat out a deliberate attempt to use the stick as a weapon to hurt Hellweg. Simon lined him up and sung hard at him with the shaft of the stick. It wasn't like the stick came up along with hands in a punch. It was like he was swinging a kendo stick. It was vicious. I would go out on a limb and say it was more deliberate and more vicious than Bertuzzi's attack on Steve Moore. The difference is that I really don't think Bertuzzi meant to cause the degree of injuries he did. I think he meant to beat Moore with his fists.

What should happen to Simon? He should definitely be suspended for the rest of the season and beyond, including the entire next season, at a minimum. A lifetime ban from NHL hockey? Probably. I don't think that has ever been done before. McSorley's suspension pretty much ended his career due to his age but that doesn't count. If the NHL is going to ban someone for life, is this the incident that should set the precedent? I don't have an answer. I'm just thinking out loud. As far as criminal charges go, that's another ball of wax altogether.

Thoughts?

__________________

I agree with everything you said.

__________________
You have your way. I have my way. As for the right way, the correct way, and the only way, it does not exist.

Longest suspension in NHL History 25 games.


http://tsn.ca/nhl/news_story/?ID=199699&hubname=nhl

__________________
You have your way. I have my way. As for the right way, the correct way, and the only way, it does not exist.

No way you can defend what Simon did, but that puke Hollweg has a history of hitting from behind.

Anyone see the hit he put on Umberger last year when he almost broke his neck?

KARMA has funny was of paying you back.

IMHO, Hollweg's hit on Simon was clean.

1 hit on RJ Umberger does not mean he has a "history" of hitting from behind, as in he does not do it all the time. Right before Hollweg hit Umberger, Umberger turned his back, was it a bad penalty? Sure, and Hollweg took the suspension and it was over.

Neither of those 2 things warrants Simon swinging his stick at him.

Hollweg is one of the cleanest and hardest hitters in the game, pound for pound. You're the first hockey fan i've ever spoken to that takes issue with him and I'm surrounded by Philthy, Swamprat and pIsles fans every day

__________________
You have your way. I have my way. As for the right way, the correct way, and the only way, it does not exist.

I thought Paula and Randy are gonna have to go it alone for awhile!

Chris Simon used to be a Capital and he was the enforcer then, but never as nasty as this incident

__________________
JV

What gets us into trouble is not what we don't know...it's what we know for sure that just ain't so

Again I can't condone what Simon did.

There's just no way to excuse it, but Flames fans and players out here in Calgary don't exactly think Hollweg is the "cleanest and hardest hitters in the game."

http://calsun.canoe.ca/Sports/Hockey...36358-sun.html

Don't forget that we have Dion Phaneuf who hits them "Face to Face".

When the author of that article correctly identifies Hollweg as being on the RANGERS, I'll take him and his opinions seriously "That said, they weren't nearly as condemning as the NHL brass that banished the New York Islanders tough guy for at least the remainder of the season and any playoffs -- miniumum 25 games -- for his vicious high slash on New York Islander Ryan Hollweg Thursday night ."

I watch almost every Rangers game either live or on "Rangers in 60" replay, and I watch the Islanders, Devils and Flyers as often as I can, , and I have center Ice so I watch a fair amount of hockey, it's safe for me to say that Hollweg is not a dirty player (i've watched him his entire career) Trust me I'm a fan of the game, I'm no fanboy, I'm too old for that crap. Was 25 games a lot? Yup. But that was one dirty play by Simon, and the fact that Hollweg wasn't more seriously injured was just damn lucky for Hollweg AND Simon. Would you and the Calgary fans have the same opinion or think the suspension was more justified if Hollweg had been more seriously injured?

Just some food for thought...

__________________
You have your way. I have my way. As for the right way, the correct way, and the only way, it does not exist.

UPDATE: No criminal charges to be filed against Simon, Chris Simon that is. :p

__________________