these ‘grown men’ need to take more accountability for themselves. I love the physicality and intensity of hockey, but there is a line that players know not to cross.
A player like Gauther, who obviosuly knows what he is doing, needs to be pulled aside and given disciplinary actions that will either make a difference to the player or just given suspensions on an escalating scale. 3 consecutive 5-game suspensions obviously wont make a difference, so take him out of 10-15 games at a time until this nonsense stops. There are too many ways for guys to get seriously hurt without players looking to intentionally hurt each other.

It baffles me how the league and Campbell can have such a ridiculously poor grasp on the ramifications of their decisions.

I really wish I could live in Bettman’s make-believe-land.

I think if the League is going to fail in its duty to come down hard on these repeat offenders, then NHL GMs are going to have to start making a blacklist. Treat these goons like radioactive waste; let them take their schtick to the beer leagues where this sort of stuff is appreciated.

I’d start with Gauthier, and add Ryan Hollweg for good measure. Any other candidates?

I think if you guys watched this play in the context of the game, you wouldn’t think it was a penalty, let alone a suspension. The suspension had nothing to do with it being a head shot (at least according to what they said on the Kings telecast today, they said Hextall said it was because it was on a potential icing play.)

Yeah, I don’t see how this is a suspension. Gauthier apparently got suspended because he didn’t try to play the puck (he couldn’t because Marleau already had control of it, but such is life), but if you’re upset because it’s a hit to the head then I don’t know what to say. He didn’t charge him, he kept his elbow down, he didn’t jump… it was a good hit. Just because Marleau happened to duck into the hit doesn’t make Gauthier a dick.*

*On this play. He’s a dick because he gives me ulcers, but that’s another matter.

It’s irrelevant here because there was no lag of time between Marleau touching the puck and being hit. And I’ll say it again: in my opinion there was a race. Gauthier deliberately lost so that he could line up his big hit – exactly what the rule was designed to prevent.

1) The ‘suspension’ had to be due to the icing issue AND Gauthier’s recent past didn’t help either.
2) If that hit takes place in a non-icing circumstance it shouldn’ t even be a penalty ket alone a suspension. This is NHL hockey folks. The hit was clean otherwise. Marleau ducked down makin git impossible for the shoulder of Gauthier to miss his head.
3) Geez, a guy like Chara couldn’t hit anyone if they start making it a rule that shoulder checking is illegal. Just keep the elbows down, and stay on your feet, and it should be legal