No suspension for Johnny Boychuk for his hit on Mason Raymond

Image by Getty Images via @daylifeFirst off; Vancouver Canucks forward Mason Raymond it out for 3-4 months after suffering a compression fracture on his vertebrae as the result of a Johnny Boychuk hit during the first period of last night's game 6 of the Stanley Cup Finals. Second; I would like to wish Mason Raymond a speedy recovery and that he will be able to make a return to play hockey next fall.

James Mirtle; Globe and Mail --- The Vancouver Canucks are down another body, but their opponents in the Stanley Cup final won't be for Wednesday's Game 7.

The NHL's acting disciplinarian, Mike Murphy, confirmed Tuesday that Boston Bruins defenceman Johnny Boychuk will not be suspended for his hit on Canucks winger Mason Raymond in the opening seconds of Monday's Game 6.

According to Canucks GM Mike Gillis, Raymond “sustained a vertebrae compression fracture” on the play and is expected to miss three to four months.

Murphy said via email that the league's hockey operations department reviewed the play but deemed it an "awkward collision" and not worthy of a suspension.

"[It was an] awkward collusion between two players battling for space/room," Murphy wrote. "[You] rarely see a player bumped when in the position Raymond was in (bent over forward)."

Asked about the review process, Murphy said the league reviews "all plays, especially when there is an injury."

There has been some discussion in another post on whether Boychuk should have been suspended for his hit on Mason Raymond. I just don't know? I am glad that I don't have to make that decision on whether a suspension is warranted or not.  I don't think it was a malicious hit with an intent to injure and it appeared to me that Boychuk was just riding Raymond off of the puck.

Related articles

• Mason Raymond will miss Game 7, could be out several months with fractured vertebra (prohockeytalk.nbcsports.com)
• Canucks forward Mason Raymond out at least 3 months (ctv.ca)
• Bruins Vs. Canucks, Game 6: Mason Raymond Injury Follows Johnny Boychuk Hit Early In First Period (sbnation.com)
• Mason Raymond Injury Could Reportedly Sideline Canucks Forward Several Months (sbnation.com)

Canucks: 'We thought it was a clean hit'

Image via WikipediaBut of course they see nothing wrong with the hit that sent Nathan Horton to the hospital and ended his season. What a buffoon... I wounder if the tables had been turned; say that one of the Sedin sisters twins had been injured with a illegal hit like Horton was; I can't imagine the whining we would hear from the Vancouver Cancucks fan base, but also from the Canucks front office and their coaching staff.

While there is no winners in this incident, the Canucks got the better end of this deal, the Canucks lose a mediocre defenseman from their third defense paring while the Bruins lose one of their best forwards from the top line it's hardly a fair trade off in my opinion, I believe the four game suspension is about right. 

BOSTON -- The Vancouver Canucks disagree with the NHL's decision to suspend Aaron Rome for the rest of the Stanley Cup Final for his tardy hit on Nathan Horton that left the Boston winger with a concussion.

"It was a little bit late, but anybody that's played this game knows that you have to make a decision in a fraction of a second," Canucks coach Alain Vigneault said. "He's engaged in the hit. I don't know how the League could come up with that decision really."

NHL Senior V.P. of Hockey Operations Mike Murphy made the call to suspend Rome for four games after talking to the Canucks defenseman Tuesday morning. Rome, who was issued a five-minute major for interference and a game misconduct 5:07 into the first period of Game 3, is done for the Stanley Cup Final, and if the series ends early his suspension will carry over into the 2011-12 season.

Related articles

• Aaron Rome Suspended Four Games, Will Miss Remainder Of Stanley Cup Finals (sbnation.com)
• Stanley Cup Finals: What to Expect from the Vancouver Canucks in Game 4 (bleacherreport.com)
• Nathan Horton Injury Will Keep Him Out For Rest Of Stanley Cup Finals (sbnation.com)
• Bruins' Horton out of Stanley Cup final with severe concussion (thestar.com)