Last month, Calgary Flames defenseman Dennis Wideman delivered a nasty
crosscheck in a game against the Nashville Predators. This would have been bad
enough under normal circumstances, but Wideman's case is anything but. The
32-year-old veteran defenseman's target wasn't one of the Predators; it was
linesman Don Henderson.
Why Wideman chose to crosscheck Henderson is anyone's guess. Before the incident, Wideman was hit by Miika Salamaki along the boards, leading some to assume Wideman was upset that no penalty was called on the play. Of course, as a linesman, Henderson wouldn't have been responsible for the lack of call, but if Wideman was focused more on revenge than thinking clearly, anyone wearing zebra stripes could have been a target.
Henderson left the game and hasn't been on the ice since that January 27 incident. The linesman is apparently suffering from concussion-like symptoms. Of course, that was also the last game Wideman has played in since. The former Sabres draft pick bafflingly finished out the game without a penalty, but he wasn't as lucky after. The league slapped a well-deserved, 20-game suspension on Wideman for the hit. Wideman and the Calgary Flames have attempted to appeal the punishment, to no avail. Incriminating him even further, the league released a text message Wideman allegedly sent a fellow teammate stating "the only reason I’m here is cause the stupid refs and stupid media.”
Wideman's actions are particularly interesting coming off the heels of the NHL's treatment of John Scott last month. Scott was at the center of a controversy before the NHL All-Star Game, based predominantly around the league's perception of Scott as a "goon" player. Scott is hardly alone in such treatment; his case is simply the most extreme example. In an attempt to clean up the game, the NHL has put a target on the backs of enforcers and instigators. Fighting shouldn't be the league's top priority, though. Instead, the NHL should be focused on cleaning up the real dirty plays, and making sure that punishments are consistent with the crimes.
The NHL often seems to confuse enforcers with dirty players. The fact of the matter is that fighting is a part of hockey. From an entertainment standpoint, and from a strategic one, it's an invaluable part of the sport. Enforcers can turn the tide of a game. In Buffalo's two most recent games against the Montreal Canadiens, Evander Kane played a consistent role as an antagonist against PK Subban, one of the opposing team's best players. The two never dropped gloves, but Kane's role as an enforcer and nuisance was an integral part in both wins.
During Brendan Shanahan's tenure as the NHL's Director of Player Safety, players that were traditionally considered enforcers were often hit with stiffer punishments than others. As a result, certain players found themselves labeled as "repeat offenders" while those that the league perceived as better players seemed to receive preferential treatment. The Buffalo Sabres have found themselves on the wrong side of this type of justice all too frequently.
Just a few weeks ago, Tyler Ennis' brief return to the Buffalo Sabres after injury was cut terribly short. A hit from behind by Alexander Ovechkin landed the superstar in the box, and Ennis back in his familiar role off the ice this season. Ovechkin didn't receive more than a minor penalty for the infraction, and the Washington Capitals went on to defeat the Sabres handily. It's far from the first time Ovechkin's actions resulted in an injury for the Sabres. Ovechkin injured Patrick Kaleta on a dirty hit in 2009. Ovechkin received no suspension, despite the fact that Kaleta had been suspended for far less serious transgressions in the past.
In 2006, Ovechkin delivered perhaps his most notorious dirty hit, this time on Daniel Briere as the latter player was skating off the ice, similar to where Henderson was when Wideman crosschecked him. Unlike Wideman, Ovechkin received no suspension while the NHL's official commentators nearly tripped over themselves trying to excuse the player's actions. He "wasn't that type of player." Since then, Ovechkin has shown that this type of behavior is normal for him. The player has had numerous other, similar incidents with teams besides Buffalo, yet he never received the same "repeat offender" label that others have. Unfortunately, his status as one of the NHL's elite players means little has ever been done about it.
It's that type of inconsistency that has so often plagued the NHL, continually hurting the integrity of the sport. Players find themselves exempt from suspension, while others are labeled as repeat offenders. These types of actions are far more detrimental to the game of hockey than enforcers like John Scott.
The video of Scott embracing his family after the All-Star Game stands in stark contrast to Wideman's hit on Henderson. One of these players is a goon, the other is not. A goon isn't a player that instigates fights and draws penalties. A goon is someone that viciously and remorselessly crosschecks an official because he's unhappy about the call made on the ice. Wideman's suspension is at least a step in the right direction. It's a stiff penalty for someone that isn't typically considered a "repeat offender." If the league is serious about cleaning up the game, however, they need to continue to focus less on singling out certain players and more on punishing dirty plays, no matter who commits them.
Why Wideman chose to crosscheck Henderson is anyone's guess. Before the incident, Wideman was hit by Miika Salamaki along the boards, leading some to assume Wideman was upset that no penalty was called on the play. Of course, as a linesman, Henderson wouldn't have been responsible for the lack of call, but if Wideman was focused more on revenge than thinking clearly, anyone wearing zebra stripes could have been a target.
Henderson left the game and hasn't been on the ice since that January 27 incident. The linesman is apparently suffering from concussion-like symptoms. Of course, that was also the last game Wideman has played in since. The former Sabres draft pick bafflingly finished out the game without a penalty, but he wasn't as lucky after. The league slapped a well-deserved, 20-game suspension on Wideman for the hit. Wideman and the Calgary Flames have attempted to appeal the punishment, to no avail. Incriminating him even further, the league released a text message Wideman allegedly sent a fellow teammate stating "the only reason I’m here is cause the stupid refs and stupid media.”
Wideman's actions are particularly interesting coming off the heels of the NHL's treatment of John Scott last month. Scott was at the center of a controversy before the NHL All-Star Game, based predominantly around the league's perception of Scott as a "goon" player. Scott is hardly alone in such treatment; his case is simply the most extreme example. In an attempt to clean up the game, the NHL has put a target on the backs of enforcers and instigators. Fighting shouldn't be the league's top priority, though. Instead, the NHL should be focused on cleaning up the real dirty plays, and making sure that punishments are consistent with the crimes.
The NHL often seems to confuse enforcers with dirty players. The fact of the matter is that fighting is a part of hockey. From an entertainment standpoint, and from a strategic one, it's an invaluable part of the sport. Enforcers can turn the tide of a game. In Buffalo's two most recent games against the Montreal Canadiens, Evander Kane played a consistent role as an antagonist against PK Subban, one of the opposing team's best players. The two never dropped gloves, but Kane's role as an enforcer and nuisance was an integral part in both wins.
During Brendan Shanahan's tenure as the NHL's Director of Player Safety, players that were traditionally considered enforcers were often hit with stiffer punishments than others. As a result, certain players found themselves labeled as "repeat offenders" while those that the league perceived as better players seemed to receive preferential treatment. The Buffalo Sabres have found themselves on the wrong side of this type of justice all too frequently.
Just a few weeks ago, Tyler Ennis' brief return to the Buffalo Sabres after injury was cut terribly short. A hit from behind by Alexander Ovechkin landed the superstar in the box, and Ennis back in his familiar role off the ice this season. Ovechkin didn't receive more than a minor penalty for the infraction, and the Washington Capitals went on to defeat the Sabres handily. It's far from the first time Ovechkin's actions resulted in an injury for the Sabres. Ovechkin injured Patrick Kaleta on a dirty hit in 2009. Ovechkin received no suspension, despite the fact that Kaleta had been suspended for far less serious transgressions in the past.
In 2006, Ovechkin delivered perhaps his most notorious dirty hit, this time on Daniel Briere as the latter player was skating off the ice, similar to where Henderson was when Wideman crosschecked him. Unlike Wideman, Ovechkin received no suspension while the NHL's official commentators nearly tripped over themselves trying to excuse the player's actions. He "wasn't that type of player." Since then, Ovechkin has shown that this type of behavior is normal for him. The player has had numerous other, similar incidents with teams besides Buffalo, yet he never received the same "repeat offender" label that others have. Unfortunately, his status as one of the NHL's elite players means little has ever been done about it.
It's that type of inconsistency that has so often plagued the NHL, continually hurting the integrity of the sport. Players find themselves exempt from suspension, while others are labeled as repeat offenders. These types of actions are far more detrimental to the game of hockey than enforcers like John Scott.
The video of Scott embracing his family after the All-Star Game stands in stark contrast to Wideman's hit on Henderson. One of these players is a goon, the other is not. A goon isn't a player that instigates fights and draws penalties. A goon is someone that viciously and remorselessly crosschecks an official because he's unhappy about the call made on the ice. Wideman's suspension is at least a step in the right direction. It's a stiff penalty for someone that isn't typically considered a "repeat offender." If the league is serious about cleaning up the game, however, they need to continue to focus less on singling out certain players and more on punishing dirty plays, no matter who commits them.
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