Hard hitters take notice of NHL’s attitude and long suspensions

Clearly the NHL is in a new era when a 41-game suspension for a hit to the head is not appealed by the offender.

Perhaps Raffi Torres of the San Jose Sharks finally recognised that his reckless style will not be tolerated, since he issued an apology, not an argument, for his pre-season hit on Jakob Silfverberg of the Anaheim Ducks.

There have been two player suspensions that lasted longer, but this was the greatest number of games specified. No doubt Torres’s previous run-ins with the Department of Player Safety played a part. This is his fifth suspension. Silfverberg missed two days of practice but was not seriously hurt. He played in the Ducks’ opener against San Jose Sharks.

No matter. Over the past few years, suspensions for late, illegal and dangerous hits have been handed out routinely. Often, a team or a player will appeal the suspension and deny the intent, or argue the dynamics of the hit.

The only statement from the Sharks was from general manager Doug Wilson, who said the play was “unacceptable and has no place in our game”.

Former Philadelphia Flyers forward Zac Rinaldo, now with the Boston Bruins, lost 14 games to suspensions in his career. He told NESN.com that Torres’s half-year suspension has put him on alert.

“My family and friends told me, ‘You’d better watch out’,” Rinaldo said. “It really opened my eyes.”

Hopefully so. For some odd reason, the guys with multiple suspensions, who should know better, are the last ones to see.

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