Marc Savard Taken Off On Stretcher

by Mike Chen on Mar 7, 2010 4:32 PM CST Comment 25 comments

Here's another ugly hit that will re-open the hits-to-the-head debate. No video yet, but Matt Cooke's shoulder clocked Marc Savard on the head in this afternoon's Pittsburgh Penguins/Boston Bruins game. Savard's head was down, and Cooke was coming in from the side, so I'm guessing Savard couldn't/didn't see him. Some reasonable comparisons to Mike Richards' hit on David Booth. No penalty on the play.

No video available yet, though I'm sure it'll be up soon. Savard was taken off on a stretcher with his head/neck immobilized. He waved to the crowd as they wheeled the stretcher out the zamboni entrance.

For those of you that saw it, what do you think? Should there have been in-game discipline? And can we expect a suspension after the fact? Remember, Maxim Lapierre got four games for his hit on Scott Nichol even though there was no penalty on the play.

Update: Video of the Cooke/Savard hit is up. Thanks to reader NTB for the link.

Also, reader ScottyMac provided a link to the Richards/Booth hit for comparison.

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hit to savard

no penalty ? it was an elbow to the head from the blind side, not a shoulder. matt cooke is a gutless bum, and the bruins are just as bad for not retaliating

by davray on Mar 7, 2010 4:47 PM CST reply actions

Head Shots Bad For the Game

It was a blatent and horrible elbow that was blind sided to the side of his head. I am a die hard Pens fan for 23 years and he should be suspended. It also was completely unecessary as we were up 2-1. I just hope Savard is OK.

by powerplay on Mar 7, 2010 5:28 PM CST reply actions

Video Link

Found this link on youtube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Z1vJrIAg-0

Cooke==Dirty.

by NTB on Mar 7, 2010 5:33 PM CST reply actions

Got the link up now, thanks!

by Mike Chen on Mar 7, 2010 6:02 PM CST up reply actions

Elbow to the head after the shot. Cheap and dirty. Should be at least 5 + suspension.

The Richards hit was a shoulder, finishing his check after Booth admired his drop pass. Savard didn’t see Cooke coming from behind.

Richards and Booth –
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cIXcGOr4-04

by scottymac on Mar 7, 2010 5:58 PM CST reply actions

Thanks! I’ve added this for reference.

by Mike Chen on Mar 7, 2010 6:02 PM CST up reply actions

I’m not condoning this, Cooke should be suspended but the part of his arm he hit Savard with clearly was above the elbow.

There is a knack to flying: it's learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss.

by Sid the captain on Mar 7, 2010 7:09 PM CST up reply actions

If anything I thought Richards lined Booth up further back and got his arm up much higher.

Both hits should be penalties though, IMO. Striking a vulnerable player directly in the head shouldn’t be condoned.

Pensburgh.com

Wayne Gretzky had it wrong: 100% of the shots Gary Roberts doesn't take DO go in.

by Hooks Orpik on Mar 7, 2010 8:27 PM CST up reply actions

I hate seeing crap like this happen

in our game. This particular game was a very good one, but this put a hamper on it.
The hit reminded me of the Richards hit, except the Richards hit was at a much higher speed and Richards actually moved his shoulder up to hit Booth’s head (link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Z1vJrIAg-0 ). It’s sad because Matt Cooke should and probably will get a 5+ game suspension, but Richards didn’t because he’s the star of the Flyers. That and the headshots is what’s compeletly wrong with our game. People should stop comlaining about the marketing issues the NHL has and start comlaining about headshots.,,this safety issue needs to be addressed before anything else.
I do, however, think that the Cooke hit was a shoulder and not an elbow; regardless, it was a nasty hit that Savard didn’t see coming.

871

by PensFan8725 on Mar 7, 2010 6:00 PM CST reply actions

I was watching the NESN broadcast, and from the high angle, I thought it was a shoulder to the head. I could be wrong but I’d need another angle to see. I’m sure we’ll get plenty of additional views in the coming 24 hours.

by Mike Chen on Mar 7, 2010 6:03 PM CST up reply actions

Yeah no doubt…to me, it looked like it was definitely a shoulder. Either way, Cooke deserves to be suspended.

871

by PensFan8725 on Mar 7, 2010 6:06 PM CST up reply actions

totaly shoulder, not an elbow

Cooke will probably get 4 games for this because he is Matt Cooke.

Comparing it to the Richards hit is pretty close, but Savard had the puck on his stick much closer in time to the hit.

by PhilG on Mar 7, 2010 6:33 PM CST up reply actions

Another dirty move by a dirty player

Shoulder..elbow…who effin cares?! A hit to the head is a hit to the head, no? This issue finally needs to be put to rest by making all hits to the head illegal. It’s just far too dangerous of a play to continue to be tolerated in this sport. We talk about ways to make hockey more popular and get more fans turned on to the NHL, how about we start by getting rid of barbarism like hits to the head? Who would want their kids watching grown men skate around looking for ways to knock out players on the other team?

I mean, there is obviously some debate on this instance in particular as to whether Cooke meant to make contact the way he did or not, but let’s just take a look at his track record. Wasn’t it just last fall that he was suspended for a few games because of a dirty hit to the head?? Some people just don’t learn.

And @davray: don’t knock the Bruins for not retaliating on this play. They were in no position to risk losing the balance of 5 men on the ice by chasing him down. 1. It wouldn’t have changed what had happened. 2. We would’ve been penalized harder for the retaliation aspect. And 3. We were down by 1 in the 3rd period and given our spot in the standings right now, we can’t afford to lose a game this close to the stretch because of a revenge task. I would not be the least bit surprised to see either Luc or Thorny going on a Cooke-Hunt when we see the Pens again on the 18th. Imagine the boost it would give the team after we get that $#!+head back at home?? Revenge is sweet, when served at the smartest time.

by Bruins08 on Mar 7, 2010 6:35 PM CST up reply actions

We’ll see how many people come out to defend it as a hockey play. Ultimately, any changes will come down to whether or not the league and the PA wants to allow the possibility of these without black and white rules OR to implement black and white rules but possibly impact the way the players play.

My opinion, for what it’s worth, is that some sort of rule is necessary. You’re taught early on that a textbook body check is when you compress your body in, lead your shoulder into the mid-chest, then springboard out/forward with your legs to knock the other player over. That type of hit will knock the wind out of someone, take them off the puck, but it won’t hit the head at all. Not to be a homer, but San Jose’s Douglas Murray does this really well.

I’ve seen plenty of interviews from junior hockey observers that say that there hasn’t really been much of a negative impact to checking but we don’t get enough broadcasts down in the states for me to say for sure. Anyone want to chime in on that?

by Mike Chen on Mar 7, 2010 6:44 PM CST up reply actions

Deserves a suspension.

I’m a huge Pens fan. That hit was a bad one – Cooke should not have done it. Totally deserves a suspension. Embarrassing to our team as well.

by gjhead on Mar 7, 2010 6:38 PM CST reply actions

It was a shoulder, not an elbow

I agree with Bruins08, it is time for the league to make hits to the head illegal. Until they change the rules this will continue. Does Cooke deserve a suspension? I say no, because there was nothing illegal about the hit. Had it been an elbow then heck yes, given his track record a 5+ game suspension would be in order because you could argue intent. Can’t argue intent on a legal hit that happens to cause an injury..

Until the NHL changes the rules the players have to police themselves. That means the Bruins should have gone after Cooke if they thought it was a dirty hit.

I hope Savard is OK.

by Ivan Oak on Mar 7, 2010 6:45 PM CST reply actions

Cooke never fronted him at all. It’s such a cowardly hit.

BTW, I also think Michael Ryder probably should’ve gotten a game for his hit from behind the other night. It was very Jones on Bergeron like, except the player (can’t remember who anymore) didn’t end up concussed for a year. He never saw anything but his numbers at any point.

But the NHL isn’t serious about this stuff. Lapierre deservedly gets 4 for hitting a guy without the puck from behind in a vulnerable position, but tons of hits from behind that are easily preventable don’t get reviewed. I assume Ryder’s was reviewed since he got a game misconduct, but for such a blatant one you’d think more would happen. Again, it comes down to the injury a guy gets it seems. Preventitve measures would be good, too.

Hockey blogging can't get any flatter.

by saskhab on Mar 7, 2010 7:07 PM CST reply actions

Savard Update

For anyone interested, the B’s released an update on Savard. According to the official B’s statement: “Marc lost consciousness briefly on the ice after being struck in the head. He suffered a concussion from the hit. He was not transported to a hospital, but will remain at the team hotel in Pittsburgh with a member of the Bruins’ medical staff tonight as a precaution.”

So it looks like he will be ok, but there is no telling what, if any, residual effects the concussion will have on his season. Patrice Bergeron a couple years ago ring a bell?

Once again, it’s time for the commish and the PA to get their collective heads out of their a$$es and put an end to this.

Also, as a general observation, it’s nice to see classy people posting on here. Bruins or Pens fans, just about everyone on here has had some expression of concern for Savard’s health. Very classy posts here, so thanks for giving me the peace of mind that ignorance isn’t as widespread as I was fearing. :-)

by Bruins08 on Mar 7, 2010 7:18 PM CST reply actions

I’m not even going to comment on the hit, since everyone here could probably predict exactly what I’m going to say at this point. Suffice it to say that I’m for a longer suspension than anyone here has yet suggested.

Instead, I’m going to say that, if Savard actually lost consciousness, then he needs to be out of the lineup for a minimum of two weeks. I don’t care whether or not he feels better before that. Regardless of symptoms, it takes at least that long to heal the actual damage.

As for the commish and the PA, my understanding is that the PA is doing its damndest to move on this, and that all of the foot dragging is on management’s end of things.

by J. Michael Neal on Mar 7, 2010 11:28 PM CST up reply actions

Cooke hit

I watched this game this afternoon and when I saw the hit I immediately began looking around my tv screen to see who had made the call on the illegal headshot by Cooke. When I realized that all 4 of the officials had ‘missed’ the hit, I went ballistic. This hit is every bit as ruthless and unnecessary as the Richards’ hit and deserved nothing less than a 5 minute head shot/hitting from behind penalty + a game misconduct ( the same ruling given to Michael Ryder following his hit on Blake Comeau yesterday in the B’s game against the NYI). Other than the hit (which was rediculous in it’s own right), I was appalled by the other Bruins on the ice in that there was no retaliation. What a bunch of gutless bums ( in addition to Matt Cooke).

by bradboyes26 on Mar 7, 2010 9:53 PM CST reply actions

The NHL ‘braintrust’ is again discussing the extent to which a possible automatic penalty on headshots should go. It is pretty eveident based on the way in which Colin Campbell spins the wheel of justice in the NHL that no such ruling would ever be uniformly enforced anyway. I’m sick of hearing about whether or not this should or shouldn’t happen. Make it automatic Game Misconduct (intent or not) and leave it at that. Just wait until this happens to a team/player that Bettman gives a rat’s ass about (Crosby/Ovi).

by bradboyes26 on Mar 7, 2010 9:59 PM CST up reply actions

Make it automatic Game Misconduct (intent or not) and leave it at that.

I hope the NHL won’t go this route. I don’t want to see any more of the Euro league crap of players crawling around trying to get their heads hit.

by Malurous on Mar 8, 2010 5:31 AM CST up reply actions

@Bruins08

Thanks for the update. I was concerned about him because he did not look good laying on the ice afterwards. Did this happen before to him, a concussion? I thought it did. I also do not see the point in comparing it to any other hit for any analysis as it was just aweful all on it’s own lack of merit.
In the context of the game both teams were giving their all to a very closely contested and very good game. This hit was blindsided and in the worst sportmanship you could imagine. It was just completely unjustified and unecessary. I ask all of you, what if it was you, your son or family member?
Ultimately when we see bullying and bad actors do crap like this we need to call them out for what they are, a bully and they deserve full punishment even if it hurts our team. I can handle fight ing but I can’t stand this crap!

by powerplay on Mar 8, 2010 6:06 AM CST reply actions

It happened pretty fast

So I’m not surprised the officials missed it.
But in the videotape era, we can slow it down and take a look.
Whatever body part Cooke used, he connected with Savard’s head. From the side/behind so Savard had no opportunity to evade.
Don’t care what body part Cooke employed. Or what his intent was.
It was a dangerous headshot.
If the NHL was a serious pro league with a strong PA and genuine management concern for the health of its employees, Cooke would be gone for the rest of the season.
However, b/c the NHL is a bush league with the health and welfare standards of Vince McMahon Wrestling, Cooke might get 2-4 games.
The only way anything will change is if a player tries to hold a perp, his coach, his team and the NHL responsible in a civil court. Getting Moore/Bertuzzi in front of a judge would be a good start.

by garth the hoser on Mar 8, 2010 6:55 AM CST reply actions

From behind. Well after the shot. Made an extra effort to contact the head. He should be done for the year. But the league isn’t serious about getting rid of this crap. So he’ll get a few games.

And with the 32nd pick in the 2009 NHL draft, the Red Wings select: Someone other than Ryan O'Reilly. LOL@Detoilet.

by Bob in Boulder on Mar 8, 2010 2:32 PM CST reply actions