NHL Bans Raffi Torres 41 Games (Suspension History)

When I first saw this story emerge on twitter I thought it was a miss print. The NHL's Department of Player Safety has hammered on Raffi Torres, and rightfully so. The San Jose Sharks forward will miss the first half of the 2015-16 NHL season. Some feel Torres has been given enough chances and he should be given a life ban from the NHL. His next transgression might actually end his NHL career.

First, the standard has been set, targetting the head will not be tolerated this season. Right? We will soon see. I remain skeptical. This suspension should open some eyes. It should put the dirty players that have trouble playing within the rules on notice.

Now, will the NHL's Department of Player Safety remain vigilant against the dirty head shots or will they continue to pick and choose who they suspend. Below, I laid out Torres' suspension history.

May 28, 2013, Missed the last 6 playoff games (suspended by NHL).
May 16, 2013, Suspended by the NHL for the remainder of Round 2 against the Los Angeles Kings.
Feb 02, 2013, Missed 8 games (suspended by NHL).
May 22, 2012, Missed the last 13 playoff games (suspended by NHL).
Apr 21, 2012, Suspended by the NHL for 25 games.
Jan 02, 2012, Suspended by the NHL for 2 games.
Apr 17, 2011, Missed the last 2 games of the regular season and 2 playoff games (suspension).
Apr 07, 2011 Suspended by the NHL for four games.
(s/t TSN)

Long suspensions, not prospect of having to fight, is only thing that stops guys like Raffi Torres from doing what they do.

— Ken Campbell (@THNKenCampbell) October 5, 2015

Watch this @NHLPlayerSafety video from the two-minute mark on. It's unbelievable that teams keep signing Torres. http://t.co/xnqNUgyhC4

— Mark Lazerus (@MarkLazerus) October 5, 2015

The NHL is a better, safer place without Raffi Torres, writes @SportsnetSpec http://t.co/FzrYdhPKaA pic.twitter.com/1PhcNb21iO

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) October 5, 2015

Raffi Torres, "Social Media making Cooke out to be a serial killer"

I find this quote by Sharks forward Raffi Torres to be interesting. Torres much like Cooke has cleaned up his act and has been a major contributor to the San Jose Sharks.

Nicholas Goss, NESN ---  (Matt) Cooke’s history of dirty hits, fines and suspensions has made him one of the most hated players in the league among fans. San Jose Sharks forward Raffi Torres, who also has multiple suspensions on his NHL resume, doesn’t like all the criticism Cooke has received since Monday’s incident. “I think he’s done a heck of a job the last couple of seasons to re-establish his game,” Torres said.

Tuesday, per ESPN.com’s Pierre LeBrun. “But with the media getting involved and especially social media, they make him out to be a serial killer. It’s kind of painful when you have to read that kind of stuff. I’m sure his family and close friends have to read that kind of stuff.

r/

EDIT: Sharks' Torres Scheduled for hearing for hit on Kings' Jarrett Stoll

EDIT: I don't know... Raffi Torres doesn't leave his feet, he keeps his elbow in and he attempts to hit him in the torso, I think this call is based on reputation. Just for the record, I am not a Sharks fan by any stretch, I think the Chris Kelly elbow on James van Riemsdyk was worse and there wasn't a suspension for that hit. I am not saying that Torres doesn't deserve a suspension, but in this case I think the league is piling on and is going to make an example out of Torres like they did with Matt Cooke.

@goon48 25 games last yr for hit on hossa - same hit. he has a request for an in person hearing. minimum 5 games as such.
— HiMaui (@HiMaui) May 15, 2013

Based on his past history, you have to guess this hearing won’t end well for Sharks' forward Raffi Torres. In looking at the hit, while it's a hit to the head, and I can see a game or two suspension for this hit, I have seen worse hits not get scrutiny, this past season. I don't think that this hit is worthy of a big-time suspension. The fact that the hearing is in-person means that the suspension could be five game suspenior longer for this hit.

TSN.CA STAFF -- San Jose Sharks forward Raffi Torres is scheduled for a disciplinary hearing for his hit on Jarret Stoll of the Los Angeles Kings in Game 1 on Tuesday.

The league has offered an in-person hearing, meaning Torres could be suspended for five or more games.

Just for the record, I am no way an apologist for Raffi Torres, but I at like to see the Wheel of Justice spin equally for all involved. I am wondering what others think of this hit. Is the league going to throw the book at Torres?

NHL Hockey; Leave Fighting alone for the sake of the game

They say that those that cover hockey, in most cases never actually played the game of hockey. Before you jump on me, hear me out… I mean seriously, every time I see one of these articles that question fighting’s role in the NHL and or in professional hockey, it sends up a big flag.

I ask you to think about it this way. I am sure you can picture a player from around the NHL from your least favorite team that has no honor, these are the Ulf Samuelssons, Matt Cookes, Raffi Tores and Patrick Kaleta’s or whoever, I am sure that you have one in mind, but you know the type of players that I am talking about, they're the type of players that I would like to see taken out of the game of hockey long before fighting was ever banned.

These are the players that when they get hit with a big check you feel no empathy for them what-so-ever as they lay on the ice writhing in pain. When Evander Kane knocked out Matt Cooke I stood in my living room cheering, actually chugged a beer in celebration, ex-post facto.

Imagine these clowns, skating around the ice unchecked to wreaking havoc on NHL players and star players without the fear of ever having to answer the bell for a dirty hit. They would be able to do their trade without the fear of retribution. That sets a bad precedence.

Chris Johnston, Sportsnet --- The message was clear: Let the debate happen elsewhere.

“I think you really have to understand the game and kind of understand the (dressing) room to know what it’s like to be on a bench when a guy fights,” Bruins forward Brad Marchand said before the 4-2 victory over Toronto. “For fans that think that fighting has no part of the game, they don’t really know what they’re talking about.”

And that was that.

Marchand’s comments were consistent with the general line of thinking that can be found among both of these teams. They also highlight a pretty glaring paradox that exists within the sport.

Even though the fighting debate is always just one incident away from flaring up for fans and members of the media, the majority of players seem reluctant to even chew on the topic for a minute or two. They simply accept it — the good, the bad and (occasionally) the ugly.

I have seen all of the arguments for banning fighting from hockey and you can’t count on the refs and the department of player’s safety catch all of the offenders and in many cases they let the offenders go with little if any punishment.

NHL goes light on Jannik Hansen

I am tired of watching the NHL Department of Player Safety go light on players that should be suspended for multiple games, this was a situation, that I believe warranted a 2-3 games suspension. By going light on Jannik Hansen you pretty much guaranteeing he's going to be a marked man in the next game between the Chicago Blackhawks and the Vancouver Canucks.

In summary, there is "no" justification for that dirty, bush league hit, and I don't care what anyone says,you can not defend that dirty hit either. I don't care what Jannik Hansen is doing. Everyone knows that Marian Hossa has just returned from a concussion and you can connect the dots, the Blackhawks are the best team in the Western conference. This was a definite attempt to injure another player.

Jannik Hansen hit to the head of Marian Hossa

During last night's game, Vancouver Canuck forward Jannik Hansen hit Chicago Blackhawk forward Marian Hossa's in the head  with this dirty hit. This play needs to be reviewed by the department of players safety. There is no doubt that this hit and should have been more than a two minute minor penalty, in my opinion.

Rule 48 - Illegal Check to the Head

48.1 Illegal Check to the Head – A hit resulting in contact with an opponent's head where the head is targeted and the principal point of contact is not permitted. However, in determining whether such a hit should have been permitted, the circumstances of the hit, including whether the opponent put himself in a vulnerable position immediately prior to or simultaneously with the hit or the head contact on an otherwise legal body check was avoidable, can be considered.

Jamal Mayers vs. Raffi Torres

This is one of the things that I like about the NHL. The players sort things out on the ice and settle things like men.

Last season, during the Stanley Cup Playoffs, Raffi Torres steam rolled Marian Hossa with a dirty and dangerous hit. Hossa suffered a concussion and Torres was suspended for 25 games.

Torres appealed the suspension, and the NHL reduced his suspension to 21 games. Torres is now back playing with the Coyotes after serving his long ban.

I guess you could say that we all knew that this day would come, and the first time that the Phoenix Coyotes played the Chicago Blackhawks, Torres would have to answer the bell against the one of the Blackhawks players. The hockey code demanded it. 

 Torres didn't turtle, he answered the bell, and did quite well against Jamal Mayers.

Gary Bettman reduces Raffi Torres suspension

s/t to George Malik of Kuklas Korner. This action by Gary Bettman really makes my blood boil. Raffi Torres is a multiple time offender and was given the correct number of games, now Bettman decides to reduce the Torres Suspension by 4 games.

From TSN’s Darren Dreger: It appears that Raffi Torres won’t serve the 25 games he was slated to sit out for concussing Marian Hossa:

Sources say Gary Bettman has reached a decision on Raffi Torres suspension appeal.

Expected to reduce suspension by 4 games. 12 down to 8. ... Torres was suspended 25 games after a hit on Chicago’s Marian Hossa in game 3 of 1st round of the playoffs. ...

To be clear, my math shows Torres had 12 games remaining in suspension. Reduction by 4 and 8 games remain next season

So the NHL is saying by reducing this suspension that they don’t care about “Player Safety.” If not, what statement are they trying to make? You have a player in Raffi Torres that is the poster boy of what is wrong with the NHL. Torres is a dirty player that skates all over the ice taking runs at players and many times making contact with the head.

Dustin Brown picture after hit on Michal Rozsival

I found this picture on my Twitter feed, this might not sit well with Phoenix Coyotes fans.

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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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Chris Neil will not meet the Shanahammer

I think this is the right decision, it looked like a good hit, Boyle had just released the puck and Neil kept his elbows down and didn't leave his feet to lung at the Rangers forward. In my opinion, the Chris Neil hit on Brian Boyle was a good legal red light hit. The New York Rangers coach John Tortorella was not happy with the hit last night and compared Neil’s hit on Boyle to the Raffi Torres hit on Marian Hossa.

Katie Strang, ESPN --- Well they have the blueprint," Tortorella said in his postgame news conference. "It's the exact same hit as Torres' -- a different part of the ice -- but he launches himself, head shot, (the) puck's at the goal line, and he's hit. So, the blueprint's there.

I'm sure he's a repeat offender, too. Not much research to be done there."Neil is not a repeat offender, however, a critical distinction between Neil and Torres. But Boyle suffered what could potentially be a very serious injury, a fact that will be taken into consideration when the league review the play. 

Related articles

• Senators top Rangers 2-0, take 3-2 series lead
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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 suspended 25 games for hit on Marian Hossa (with video)
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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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