Thuggery INC.

Yesterday The Minnesota Wild proved you can ruin your image for only a 6th round draft choice, as the Minnesota Wild picked up Chris Simon at the trade dead line. While other teams in the Western conference were picking up final pieces for the Stanley Cup drive the Wild picked up another tough guy. I wonder if Chris Simon can put up the numbers of Marian Hossa or Peter Forsberg? It is doubtful.

Lets look at some of the accomplishments of Chris Simon. Here is Chris Simon slashing Ryan Hollweg last March, this landed him a lengthy 25 game suspension. So what did Simon do for an encore? Chris Simon tries to slice off Jarkko Ruutu foot off with his skate on December 15th, 2007. This cost Chris Simon a 30 game suspension from the league.

Wild acquires Chris Simon
By Michael Russo
Star Tribune
(Read the whole story here)

Everybody in hockey knows the New York Islanders' Chris Simon. He's that notorious.

One year after adding depth center Dominic Moore -- a player Wild coaches had never heard of -- on deadline day, the only move Tuesday by the sinking Wild's general manager was to add Simon, a longtime enforcer whose career has been stained with eight suspensions, including the longest in NHL history.

This move came as several Western Conference contenders powered up for the stretch run and the postseason with significant trades.

"I know he's had his issues," Risebrough said of the 36-year-old Simon, who will join the Wild, his eighth team, today in Tampa and will cost the Wild a sixth-round draft pick. "The type of player he is will help us. We're a team that plays in a very competitive, very physical division. We're probably one of the smaller teams in the division. Getting size is a factor, especially size that's proven offensively.

The Scrum: Bickel is a hack

Siouxdonyms posted this video over on Siouxsports.com My question is; could there be a bigger hack than Stu Bickel? While Gopher fans like to call the Sioux a bunch of goon's; this is a text book bush league move by the Minnesota defensman that has no room in college hockey, nor is it tolerated by the NHL.

Taking a page out of Matt Demarchi bag of tricks, Gopher resident hack Stu Bickel butt ends the Sioux forward Brad Miller in the head with his stick. True to form the WCHA offical doesn't see this act. Take note of Finley, does he whack anyone with his stick? Nope. All big Joe does is pull Blake Wheeler off the pile, making him look like a rag doll.

Ohlund gets 4 games for vicious slash

During tonight's Minnesota Wild XM radio broadcast Wild color commentator Tom Reid asked Minnesota Wild enforcer and resident tough guy Derrick Boogaard if there was going to be any carryover from the Ohlund's vicious slash on Koivu. Boogaard's answer was, "no". While I believe that Boogey wasn't being forth coming, I also believe he can't say, "sure we are going to take a pound of flesh from the Canucks". I can only predict how this game is going to play out, I have this game circled on my calender. I am expecting a bloodbath on November 21st when the Wild play the Canucks.

Looking at the suspension 4 games seems very light for a vicious slash that broke a bone in Koivu's leg. I think that fact that Ohlund isn't a goon probably played the reason for the rather light suspension. If this had been one of the league thugs performing this act it would have been a 20 game suspension. That being said, there is no excuse for a player getting away with a slash like that and Ohlund should have gotten at least a 10-15 game suspension.

TORONTO(November 18, 2007)– Vancouver Canucks defenseman Mattias Ohlund has been suspended for four games, without pay, as a result of a slashing incident during NHL game #277 against the Minnesota Wild, Nov. 16.

Under the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement, and based on his average annual salary, Ohlund will forfeit $74,866.32. The money goes to the Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund.

The incident occurred at 16:06 of the third period when Ohlund struck Minnesota player Mikko Koivu with a slash. He was assessed a slashing major and game misconduct. Koivu suffered a broken bone in his left leg on the play.

Ohlund will miss tonight’s game against Calgary, Nov. 20 in Edmonton, Nov. 21 in Minnesota and Nov. 23 in St. Louis. He will be eligible to return Nov. 25 at home against Chicago.