Flyers fans unhinged - Shanahan is the reason the Flyers lost series

I don’t like to use acceptable and coarse language on my blog but some of this stuff needs to be exposed because I think this type of "anti-social" behavior is unacceptable and almost as bad as some of the racial epithets that were posted on line after the Joel Ward goal.

Yesterday I illustrated lack of class by some Flyers fans – I know that there were quite a few of the Flyers fan base that was very upset with Brendan Shanahan because of Claude Giroux’s suspension. Personally, I think the NHL made the right decision in suspending Claude Giroux for his illegal hit to the head on Dainius Zubrus, what I found puzzling is some of the tweets directed at the VP of Player safety. 

Just for the record I think that Shanahan has done an inconsistent job but I don't know if he deserves some of this crap that has been directed his way. I know Shanahan is a public figures but this stuff is unacceptable. 

These people have to be proud of themselves; here we have homophobic slurs directed at Brendan Shanahan which again goes beyond the realm of what is considered acceptable and decent behavior.

I also think that we have a few conspiracy theorists that blame Shanahan for the Flyers loss because he once played for the New Jersey Devils. I guess it wasn't the Flyers fault for not playing better in the last four games. The Devils were better and the suspension to Giroux probably didn't make that much of a difference because the Flyers had nothing in response to the Devils in this series. 

Classy fan posts to Brendan Shanahan - No they're not fakes

There are fans that just take it too far – rewind to game seven between the Boston Bruins and the Washington Capitals – as soon as Joel Ward scored the game winning goal against the Boston Bruins racist tweets started showing up on twitter. 

Fast forward to May 7^th 2012 the National Hockey league suspended Philadelphia Flyers forward Claude Giroux one game for his hit to the head on Devils forward Dainius Zubrus. These are some of the tweets that I found on line as fans displayed their displeasure with Brendan Shanaha.  

I apologize for the coarse language on these tweets but I am using them to illustrate a point and I think it's necesarry and important to see first hand what kind of what kind of trash fans are posting on twitter and on the internet. Some of this stuff is down right disgusting and transcend normal and decent human behavior and in my opinion is almost as bad as the objectionable and racist tweets that were targeted at Washington Capitals forward Joel Ward.

I get it, people are upset with Brendan Shanahan but come on people, lets show some decency.  

NHL Suspends Claude Giroux for one game

The NHL Department of Player Safety has finally gotten it right, although late to the party the NHL has finally suspended a "star" player for committing a dirty hit to the head. Flyers forward Claude Giroux will miss the all important game five against the New Jersey Devils for his hit to the head on Dainius Zubrus.

I know that there are many Philadelphia Flyers fans that are upset with Shanahan's ruling, I don't blame them because Brendan Shanahan has been very inconsistent, but the fact remains that this was an illegal hit and a violation of Rule 48. Don't break the rules if you don't want to get suspended, it's that simple.

The fact that Flyers fans are defending this dirty hit is puzzling, especially since Giroux missed four games for a concussion earlier in the season. Since the Flyers forward Claude Giroux is not an "Uber Star" like Evgeni Malkin, Alexander Ovechkin the NHL used this instance to made an example out of Giroux for his hit on .

Here is an example of some of the anger that has been focused on Brendan Shanahan.

Related articles

• NHL suspends Claude Giroux for Game 5
• Claude Giroux Suspended One Game for Hit on Dainius Zubrus in Game 4 of Flyers-Devils Series (Video)
• Flyers' Giroux suspended one game for high hit
• Philadelphia Flyers' Claude Giroux suspended for Game 5 for hit on Dainius Zubrus
• Flyers' Claude Giroux suspended 1 game for head hit

Raffi Torres appeals his suspension

I was going to get to this story yesterday but a big bomb shell of a story emerged out of UND and this story kind of got put on the back burner. Big shock, NHL repeat offender Raffi Torres is appealing his 25 game suspensions, apparently unapologetic Torres feels that his 25-game suspension is excessive based on NHL senior vice president Brendan Shanahan's inconsistency in his previous ruling.

Kevin Allen, USA TODAY --- USA TODAY obtained a copy of the memo sent to players, and in it, NHLPA executive director Donald Fehr and general counsel Don Zavelo pointed out that Torres is only appealing the length of suspension, and not whether his hit violated the rules or whether he deserved to be suspended. The NHLPA positions spelled out in the memo: • The 25-game suspension is excessive and arbitrary — it is more than double the length of any ever issued by Shanahan and is one of the longest suspensions in the history of the NHL. • Shanahan denied Torres' request to show video evidence at his disciplinary hearing about how similar or worse hits have been treated in the past. He is asking for an in-person appeal hearing so that he can present this evidence to the commissioner.

Personally, I think that Raffi Torres should take his medicine and shut the heck up – he's a repeat offender that doesn’t seem to get it. I've suggested that Torres is an unapologetic sociopath and this suspension was a long time in the making.

The league is not picking on you Raffi – they're trying to send a message to him, telling him that they're sick and tired of your bush-league antics and that they no longer will tolerate them. Torres should have a talk with league bad boy Matt Cooke.

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The Coyotes response to the Torres Suspension

Phoenix Coyotes (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

This is what the GM of the Phoenix Coyotes had to say about his player Raffi Torres being suspended.

GLENDALE, ARIZONA --- Phoenix Coyotes General Manager Don Maloney has issued the following statement regarding Coyotes forward Raffi Torres’ 25 game suspension that was announced today by the National Hockey League.

“I want to thank Brendan Shanahan and his staff for their thorough review of this incident," said Maloney. “The ruling is very severe for Raffi and our Hockey Club. Raffi plays a hard, physical game yet this contact crossed the line on what is acceptable in our game today. We hope Marian Hossa makes a full and speedy recovery as we all enjoy watching him perform. The Club accepts the NHL's decision and will focus on our game tonight.”

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Raffi Torres Shanahammered - suspended 25 games

The NHL has spoken, they have made an example out of Raffi Torres, they have thrown the book at him. The NHL has also set a precedence, the question is, will the NHL be consistent in their ruling?. While I think that Torres deserved at least a 5-10 suspension this suspension is almost to the point of being excessive. My first question is, would the NHL give the same suspension for a star player? I am going to say not.

NEW YORK -- Following are statements from National Hockey League Senior Vice President of Player Safety and Hockey Operations Brendan Shanahan in announcing the 25-game suspension assessed to Phoenix Coyotes forward Raffi Torres:

"This is a violation of three NHL rules – interference, charging and illegal check to the head."

"In addition to the fact that three separate NHL rules were violated with this one hit, two other factors were critical in determining the appropriate length of suspension:

"First, this violent and dangerous hit caused a severe injury.

"Second, Torres not only is a repeat offender as defined by the CBA, his extensive Supplemental Discipline history consists mainly of acts very similar to this one – including two this season."

"Despite knowing that Hossa no longer has the puck, Torres decides to finish his check past the amount of time when Hossa is eligible to be bodychecked. That is a violation of the Interference rule."

"While we acknowledge the circumstances of certain hits may cause a player's skates to come off the ice, on this hit, Torres launches himself into the air before making contact. This is a violation of the Charging rule."

"The position of Hossa's head does not change just prior to or simultaneous with this hit. The onus, therefore, is on Torres not to make it the principal point of contact. By leaping, Torres makes Hossa's head the principal point of contact. That is a violation of the Illegal Check to the Head rule."

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Torres disciplinary ruling to be announced Saturday

Marian Hossa during pre-warm-up at HP Pavilion in San Jose, CA. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

This ruling by the NHL seems to be a bit of a head scratcher. Makes you wonder what kind of a ruling is coming down the pike tomorrow. I still think that Raffi Torres is going to get long suspension for his brutal hit on Marian Hossa.

NHL.COM --- National Hockey League Senior Vice President of Player Safety and Hockey Operations Brendan Shanahan will announce Saturday whether the NHL Department of Player Safety will assess further supplemental discipline to suspended Phoenix Coyotes forward Raffi Torres.

Torres was suspended indefinitely Wednesday, pending an in-person hearing held today at the NHL's New York Office, for a hit on Chicago forward Marian Hossa 11:42 into the first period of Game 3 of the teams' Western Conference Quarterfinal series in Chicago on Tuesday, April 17.

On the surface this decision would seem like a slam dunk, Raffi Torres is a repeat offender that has been suspended twice in the last 13 months. To me this case seems to be an easy 5-10 game suspension. Shanahan could easily suspend this guy and make it hurt, but maybe there is more to it than meets the eye.  Only thing I can think of is that NHL Vice President of Player Safety, Bredan Shanahan is consoling with other hockey minds from around the NHL.

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NHL's Bettman: Suspension criticism 'gamesmanship'

NHL Commisioner Gary Bettman in 2007. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw this one. I mean seriously, you can’t make this stuff up; this is the ultimate display of buffoonery in action. Does Gary Bettman not get it? This is why many people, fans, coaches and players look at the NHL commissioner and the NHL League front office as a gong show.

 NEW YORK (AP) - NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman calls teams' complaints about player suspensions during the postseason "gamesmanship."

Bettman said Friday that criticism of the league's disciplinary decisions as inconsistent simply reflected clubs disliking rulings that hurt them. He used the one-game suspension of Washington center Nicklas Backstrom for an illegal cross-check as an example. Bettman says of the Capitals' disagreement: "That doesn't mean anything; they didn't like it."

Bettman says he has confidence in league disciplinarian Brendan Shanahan. The commissioner spoke at an Associated Press Sports Editors meeting shortly before Shanahan was to hold a hearing with Phoenix forward Raffi Torres. Torres is suspended indefinitely for launching himself into Chicago's Marian Hossa on Tuesday.

Nine players were issued suspensions through the first eight days of the playoffs.

The reason the team’s management, the players and fans of various NHL teams are upset is that they see the current state of affairs in the NHL to be disgusting. I don't mind the rough stuff and the after the whistle stuff because it adds to the drama and the rancor, however, when a a player drive another players head into the glass and only get a $2,500.00 fine, you have to think that something is wrong here. Then other players get a random one game or a three game suspension, it's like the Wheel of Justice is back in the NHL.

Then we have star players getting off without even getting a fine for acts that would get other players a two to three game suspension.

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