Listening to his interview on NHL Network I have to say I'm impressed. He said "I wasn't trying to injure him. We were roommates at one point blah blah blah." He tried to sound sincere and perhaps he was. However, he's a repeat offender... wait... that's sounding more and more like COOKE.
Earlier this year he tried to be an NFL linebacker against Dallas' Morrow, a nice cross check to the mouth of a Red Wings player I can't recall... and I think there was one other.
Bettman says it is completely different. Cooke cheapshotted and blindsided a player who was around the puck and Wisnewski did not blindside Seabrook but took a flying cheapshot at him instead in clear retaliation. Oh yeah, Cooke wanted to "make his presence known." Both acts are reprehensible and both warranted suspension. So, yeah, Bettman is mostly right.
The Anaheim coach complained that it was too lengthy. Nope. He complains that Wisniewski was an easy target. Gee, coach, why is that? Campbell and his goons didn't throw a dart at the Ducks roster and say, "YES! Give that man an 8 game suspension!" He made a stupid hit and everyone in the world is rightfully blasting Campbell and Bettman that the league is starting to make the right decision.... Good decisions under duress... Wait a minute... I'm talking about the WCHA again, aren't I?
Who cares. 8 games is about right and about the same time Cooke should have been sitting.
So, justice is served....sorta. Booth and Savard are sitting at home going "WHAT THE ****!!"
LINK
P.S. Talk about an awkward wedding. Seabrook is standing up in Wizniewski's wedding this summer. I kinda wonder if there will still be an open bar after that forfeiture of $260,000?
ReplyDeleteWow. Didn't know that. It would be interesting to see what happens.
ReplyDeleteI really don't care to me what his relationship with Seabrook is. The reality is that friends or not, Wisnewski cheap shotted Seabrook.
I don't think much of thugs on the ice. Cooke is the head thug, but Wisnewski seems to have a thug streak in him. He's almost Downie-esque.
There's a difference between standing up for a teammate and trying to seriously hurt someone. James crossed the line. And, from what I've seen of Corey Perry, he could've stood up for himself pretty well.