The Chara/Pacioretty Hit

Dear Habs fans,

I don't mean all of you... just the ones who are all up in arms over the Chara hit on Pacioretty... the ones who are saying that the LEGAL hit Chara made on Pacioretty was fully intended to cripple him.

Give me a break... 

1 - Chara was taking Pacioretty out of the play. The hit was legal. Watch it again.

2 - Anyone who doesn't think that a beast like Chara isn't going to cause pain to anyone (especially someone 50lbs lighter and 3/4 of a foot smaller than him) in a full contact sport is delusional. 

3 - It was more the location of the rink that the hit took place that explains why such an injury occurred. Pacioretty was in the wrong place at the wrong time. It happens. Had the whole ordeal happened two or three seconds later, it would have happened inside the blue-line, along the boards and the high glass. At worst, Pacioretty would have been temporarily shaken up by getting hammered into the boards.

I'm upset to see that this happened to Max Pacioretty and I wish him a speedy recovery; however, sometimes there are these things in life called coincidences.... and sometimes the outcomes aren't good, even tragic. 

Instead of wasting your time whining about Chara getting no suspension, you should be writing the NHLPA in regards to reviewing the restructuring of the rink at the Bell Center and maybe even demanding a review of the safety of other rinks around the NHL. 

The NHL "some" Star Game - 2011

Maybe it's because I was more impressionable and naive as a kid, but to me, the annual NHL All-Star game meant something.

Maybe it's the new set-up that has left a sour taste in my mouth. Who do I cheer for?! At least when the NHL used East vs. West, you knew exactly who you were cheering for. I was "lucky" in that Lidstrom was the only Detroit Red Wing player in the all-star game this year, (a captain, no less), so it was obvious where my loyalty fell. For many fans, players from their favourite teams were playing against each other!

Maybe it was the fact that Eric Staal was chosen as captain of a team over the many other deserving players that could have been chosen. That wouldn't have anything to do with the fact that the all-star game was held in North Carolina?!

MAYBE it was the fact that the all-star lineup lacked so many all-star players!!! A lot of star players are currently injured. I get that, but no Zetterberg? I'm not a big fan of Doughty, but not to be named in the line-up?!?!?! Instead Kessel, Hemsky, Karlsson!! C'mon!

I know they're injured, but an all-star game without Crosby, Datsyuk, Malkin just doesn't seem real. It's like an all-star game from my childhood without Yzerman, Gretzky and Lemieux.

MAYBE it was the lack of intensity and the overall choreographed plays. The defense barely moved and the goalies gave lack luster performances. The game was all offense, which led to such a high scoring game (most NHL All-Star games through the years have been FAIRLY high scoring, but the intensity of the playing was so much higher). I realize that the All-Star game is "for the fans", but it's like the players throw in the towel for a weekend and just do what they think the fans want to see. Point in case - this year's game had the first penalty shot during an all-star game ever (I think). Ovi's stick throw was obvious (ugghhh).

The skills competition was much more tolerable than the actual game. It was fairly entertaining. The NHL should leave the skills competition "for the fans". LET the goalies make weak attempts at saving on breakaway challenges! LET the choreography and conspiracies ensue for accuracy shooting competitions! LET Suban rile up the crowd by wearing a Carolina Hurricane's jersey! BUT for goodness sakes, LET'S see a real game on Sunday! As a fan I can tell you, I WANT to see the best of the best, pitted against each other in a battle for hockey supremacy!