Nashville Predators

ON NEW YEARS DAY…THERE COULD MORE FOR HOCKEY FANS IN THIS CITY TO PAY ATTENTION TO…THAN JUST A HANGOVER…
THAT’S THE DAY THE CANUCKS RETURN TO NASHVILLE…
THE STAGE WAS SET TUESDAY NIGHT WHEN THE CANUCKS PLAYED ONE OF THEIR MOST PHYSICAL GAMES OF THE SEASON…
ALEX BURROWS…RYAN KESLER AND ROB DAVISON ALL DELIVERED BIG HITS…
AFTER THE GAME NASHVILLE HEAD COACH BARRY TROTZ RIPPED INTO THE CANUCKS…
TROTZ CLAIMED THE CANUCKS…QUOTE…”CROSSED THE LINE”…
VANCOUVER CANUCKS ALAIN VIGNEAULT DID NOT SEE IT THAT WAY…
IN HIS WORDS…”THERE’S NOT A RULE IN THE BOOK THAT SAYS WE CAN’T HIT A NASHVILLE PREDATOR”…
LASTNIGHT ON THE BLAKE PRICE SHOW…DARCY HORDICHUK TOOK IT A STEP FURTHER…
HORIDCHUK MADE REFERENCE TO THE 9 GAME SUSPENSION SCOTT NICHOL OF THE PREDATORS RECEIVED 2 YEARS AGO WHEN HE SUCKER PUNCHED JAROSLAV SPACEK…
IN HIS WORDS…“WHERE WAS BARRY TROTZ”???
“I JUST DON’T THINK HE HAS CONTROL OF THE TEAM”…
DOES ANY OF THIS SOUND FAMILAR???
CERTAINLY…THIS SITUATION IS NOT AT DEF-COM 4…AT LEAST NOT YET…
BUT THIS IS EXACTLY THE ATMOSPHERE THAT EVENTUALLY LED TO THE TODD BERTUZZI…STEVE MOORE INCIDENT…
AND ONCE AGAIN WE ARE FORCED TO QUESTION THE LOGIC BEHIND THE NHL’S “INSTIGATOR RULE”…
A RULE THAT DOES NOT ALLOW THE PLAYERS TO POLICE THEMSELVES…
SO WHEN THE LEAGUE FAILS TO PROTECT THE PLAYERS…THE END RESULT IS TOO OFTEN “FRONTIER JUSTICE”…
WHAT DRIVES IT ALL IS LACK OF RESPECT BY THE PLAYERS…FOR EACH OTHER…
BUT LET’S BE CLEAR…THE ANSWER IS “NOT” MORE SUSPENSIONS…
8 OF THE 10 LONGEST SUSPENSIONS EVER HANDED OUT BY THE NHL…HAVE COME IN THE LAST DECADE...AND THE PROBLEM IS NOT GETTING BETTER…IT’S GETTING WORSE…
IN THE MEANTIME…MARK…JANUARY THE 28TH ON YOUR CALENDAR…
THAT’S THE DAY NASHVILLE IS IN VANCOUVER…
WHO KNOWS…MAYBE THE NHL WILL GET LUCKY…MAYBE A HOCKEY GAME WILL BREAK OUT

Sean Avery

WHY ARE WE SURPRISED???
NOT THAT SEAN AVERY IS AN IDIOT…
WE KNEW THAT!!!
THE QUESTION IS…WHY ARE WE SURPRISED THE NHL AND THE DALLAS STARS ALLOWED THIS PROBLEM TO GET TO THIS POINT???
THERE WERE PLENTY OF WARNINGS…
THE FIRST CAME IN OCTOBER WHEN THE STARS MADE THEIR FIRST TRIP TO NEW YORK…
BETWEEN THE FIRST AND SECOND PERIODS…AVERY WALKED OUT OF THE TEAM DRESSING ROOM AND BEGAN YELLING OBSCENITIES AT THE TELEVISION HOST “JOHN GIANONNE” FROM MSG…
FINALLY AVERY DIRECTED HIS PROFANITY AT GIANONNE’S WIFE…
AND THAT’S WHEN GIANONNE FIRED BACK AT AVERY…
THE WHOLE INCIDENT WAS EXTREMELY UGLY…AND THE NEXT MORNING…IT WAS ALL IN THE NEW YORK PAPERS…
YET…THE NHL AND THE STARS DID NOTHING…
LAST MONTH DALLAS WAS IN BOSTON…
IN THE THIRD PERIOD AVERY WAS TOSSED OUT OF THE GAME FOR UNSPORTSMAN LIKE CONDUCT…
AS HE WAS LEAVING THE ICE…AVERY GOT INTO ANOTHER YELLING MATCH…
THIS TIME WITH A FAN…
ONCE AGAIN IT ESCALATED…
AND ONCE AGAIN IT WAS LACED WITH OBSCENITIES…
THIS TIME AVERY TOOK OUT HIS FRUSTRATION ON A FEMALE COMPANION…WHO WAS STANDING NEXT TO THE FAN…
THERE WAS A POLICE OFFICER ON THE SCENE…
THERE WERE COMPAINTS SENT TO THE NHL…AND THE BRUINS SENT THE LEAGUE A COMPLETE REPORT…
NEVERTHELESS…THE NHL AND THE STARS DID NOTHING…NO FINE…NO SUSPENSION…NOTHING…
HOW’S THAT FOR A MESSAGE???
TOMORROW MORNING AVERY AND DALLAS GENERAL MANAGER BRETT HULL WILL MEET WITH NHL COMMISSIONER GARY BETTMAN…
TRUST ME…AVERY WILL NOT HAVE A FRIEND IN THE ROOM…
THERE WILL CERTAINLY BE A SUSPENSION BY THE LEAGUE AND AVERY MAY HAVE PLAYED HIS LAST GAME FOR THE STARS…
BUT IN THE END…THE NHL IS LEFT WITH ANOTHER BLACK EYE…
AND ONCE AGAIN IT HAS ONLY ITSELF TO BLAME…