Flyers Hosed on Niklas Kronwall Goal

I agree with former NHL on-ice official Kerry Fraser, I was surprised that this goal wasn't overturned by the war room. The goalie needs to be able to make a save. In this instance, Michal Neuvirth was interfered with and unable to make a save. Below, is the NHL goalie interference rule.

Rule 69 – Interference on the Goalkeeper

Goals should be disallowed only if: (1) an attacking player, either by his positioning or by contact, impairs the goalkeeper’s ability to move freely within his crease or defend his goal; or (2) an attacking player initiates intentional or deliberate contact with a goalkeeper, inside or outside of his goal crease. Incidental contact with a goalkeeper will be permitted, and resulting goals allowed, when such contact is initiated outside of the goal crease, provided the attacking player has made a reasonable effort to avoid such contact. The rule will be enforced exclusively in accordance with the on-ice judgement of the Referee(s), and not by means of video replay or review.

So, if you read the NHL's rule 69, was this the correct call? I don't believe it was.

I'm not surprised challenge did not reverse Det goal. Neuvirth's glove positioned outside paint. Helm's back to net engaged w/Gudas.

— Kerry Fraser (@kfraserthecall) January 18, 2016

Kronwall faces Player Safety hearing

It looks like Detroit Red Wings defenseman Niklas Kronwall might have finally earned himself a suspension after this hit on Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov.  I think that Kronwall might not be able to get out of this one.

NHL Department of Players Safety -- Detroit Red Wings defenseman Niklas Kronwall will have a telephone hearing Tuesday with the NHL Department of Player Safety for a hit against Tampa Bay Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov during Game 6 of the Eastern Conference First Round at Joe Louis Arena on Tuesday.

Kucherov was hit by Kronwall at 19:00 of the second period. No penalty was assessed on the play and Kucherov remained in the game.

The following grounds are being considered for supplemental discipline: charging/illegal check to the head. However, the Department of Player Safety retains the right to make adjustments to the infraction upon review.

Kucherov gets Kronwalled

The hit of the night. Detroit Red Wings defenseman Niklas Kronwall steamrolls Tampa Bay forward Nikita Kucherov. Get off the track if you don't want to get run over. I guess you could make the argument that Kronwall hits Kucherov in the chops with his elbow. That being said, I see nothing wrong with this hit.

Cody McLeod has in person hearing for hit on Niklas Kronwall

#Avalanche Cody McLeod has earned an in-person hearing with the #NHL for his hit on #Redwings Nik Kronwall. Date TBD.
— Nick Kypreos (@RealKyper) October 18, 2013

Here's the good news, Colorado Avalanche forward Cody McLeod is set to have the book thrown at him. The Colorado Avalanche forward has in person hearing for hit with the NHL Department of Player Safety, for his dirty, bush league, unnecessary hit on Red Wings Defenseman Niklas Kronwall. Logic is, with an in person hearing, he's going to get a least a 5-game suspension. If I was McLeod, I would be a bit worried. Buffalo Sabres "Rat" Patrick Kaleta was given a 10-game suspension after an in person hearing for his dirty hit on Jack Johnson. Of course, he's going to appeal that suspension.

NHL.COM -- Avalanche left wing Cody McLeod will have a hearing with the NHL Department of Player Safety for a boarding incident during Thursday's game against the Detroit Red Wings at Pepsi Center.

McLeod was offered the opportunity for an in-person hearing as required by provisions of the Collective Bargaining Agreement for any suspension that can exceed five games.

At 2:13 of the first period, McLeod was assessed a five-minute major and a game misconduct for boarding Detroit's Niklas Kronwall. Kronwall remained down and was taken from the ice on a stretcher. He did not return. After the game, the Red Wings announced Kronwall sustained a concussion and cuts to his right ear.

The following grounds are being considered for supplemental discipline: boarding. However, the Department of Player Safety retains the right to make adjustments to the infraction upon review.

Detroit won the game, 4-2.

Cody McLeod's inexcusable hit on Niklas Kronwall

There's no excuse for this duty, senseless, hit by the Colorado Avalanche hack Cody McLeod. This hit should garner McLeod at least five games, there is no way that you can defend this hit. If you watch the video you will see that McLeod targets the head of Red Wings defenseman Niklas Kronwall, with his elbow, knocking him out and sending him off the ice on a stretcher.

A Brief Redwing77 Season Review for the Detroit Red Wings

Detroit Red Wings won 62 games in a single season (1995-96) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Well, our season is over.  We lost in 7 games to Chicago in the second round of the playoffs.

To be brutally honest (and probably not the most ardent of Red Wings fan), I'm elated they went that far.  Let's face it:  Did ANYONE think the Wings would take the Hawks (who won the Presidents' Trophy this year) to the brink of elimination?

This gets me in trouble all the time with how I see things with UND as well but... yeah, the Wings aren't going to hoist the Cup... but I think this season was an overwhelming success looking back on the issues the Wings had to overcome this year.  Babcock is truly a great coach. 

I thought that, defensively, the Red Wings weren't exactly a force to be reckoned with.  I really questioned depth all around at times this shortened season.  I also wonder if the season had been a full one, if the Red Wings would have even made the playoffs.

I still think that Datsyuk is one of the best players in the NHL.  I'm probably alone in this comparison but... I see a lot of Vladimir Konstantinov (who is probably my favorite Red Wing believe it or not) in Niklas Kronwall.  And it sucks to have the dagger that ended the season go off his skate and into the net.

I think Jimmy Howard has REALLY stepped up.  Goaltending was a huge concern of mine thanks to a lot of awfulness in the final years of Chris Osgood's career.

The Wings are YOUNG and they aren't as flashy as the young players on the Hawks (as an example).  However I think that, if they continue to progress and Babcock remains as effective as he has been, the Wings will be a force to be reckoned with.

And the best news is that the media won't know where they came from.  They'll be too busy fawning over the Penguins.

I know this is brief and kindof general but life's been hellish for me and I wasn't able to watch as many games as I would have wanted this year.

Go Wings and let's see a great draft and offseason!

I hope whoever wins, be it the Kings or the Hawks, hoist the Cup.

Niklas Kronwall's hit on Emerson Etem

s/t to Kuklas Korner... Last night was pretty tame night of hockey, compared to the night before. Obviously, the Montreal Canadiens and Ottawa Senators gave us a lot to talk about, but no one was suspended, ironically… I am not sure how that happened.

On Monday night, the other series just played hockey and scored goals, there wasn’t a lot of controversy. In the L.A. and St. Louis series, both teams kept hitting each other. According to Don Cherry of the Coaches Corner there was 92 hits in game three.

This hit is for my two delusional buddies Mafia Man and Redwing77, who for whatever reason enjoy watching paint dry… I mean, watching the Detroit Red Wings play hockey.

Niklas Kronwall double minor Charlie Coyle

I don't like this hit, Detroit Defenseman Niklas Kronwall hits Wild forward Charlie Coyle and  is known for these types of questionable, high hits, and he gets away with them on a regular basis. A lot of times, it's under the guise of him being a bigger player, than the players that he's hitting. In my opinion, it's because he tends to leave his feet.

In no way, am I suggesting that the NHL suspend him for this hit, because they wont, nor should they. Coyle also needs to be aware of what is coming in this situation.

It's official – NHL cancels the Winter Festival and the Winter Classic

National Hockey League Players' Association (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

This just got real…

Katie Strang and Craig Custance, ESPN.com --- The NHL also canceled all of the Winter Festival events scheduled for Dec. 16-31 at Comerica Park in Detroit.

The league was tasked with a unique challenge this year in building two rinks -- one at "The Big House" and one at Comerica Park -- and has a contract with the former that requires the NHL to pay for any expenses occurred by the university if the event was canceled later than Nov. 2. The NHL also owed $250,000 of the $3 million rental fee on Nov. 2.

This is not believed to be the biggest deal-breaker, however.

The league did not want to host such an event without the usual bells and whistles -- HBO's "24/7"show documenting the event would've been virtually impossible to pull off -- and it did not want the pageantry of the event tainted by the work stoppage.

"That's one of those things that you were really looking forward to this year," said Red Wings defenseman Niklas Kronwall. "Everyone here, not only the players but the fans. Everyone would be bummed out."

Can you imagine being one of the college hockey teams that was going to play outdoors in the winter classic for the Great Lakes Invitational? Actually, it would be a major downer to be one of those teams (Western Michigan, Michigan State, Michigan Tech) that was set to play in Comercia Park on December 28-29, 2012. Now since the NHLPA and the NHL Owners can’t settle their differences this will be all for not. Of course, they moved the tourney indoors but it won’t be the same.

Chris Stewart gets suspended for three games.

You would think that after the first three or four of these suspensions that the players in the NHL would get the message; if the player is facing the boards you can't hit him. Someone is going to get maimed for life by one of these checking from behind plays. 

I guess we are going to keep seeing these videos from the NHL until the players in the NHL get the message. In this case Chris Stewart absolutely destroys Detroit's Niklas Kronwall. 

Related articles

• Blues' Stewart Banned Three Games for 'Reckless' Hit (nytimes.com)
• Chris Stewart has a phone date with Brendan Shanahan this morning (prohockeytalk.nbcsports.com)
• Blues' Stewart banned 3 games for Kronwall hit (espn.go.com)
• St. Louis Blues Forward Chris Stewart Suspended Three Games For Hit on Nicklas Kronwall (tracking.si.com)
• Blues Beat Red Wings 2-1 (sports4stlouis.wordpress.com)