Let me see if I follow this. Last season, Patrice Bergeron was hit from behind by Randy Jones of the Philadelphia Flyers so hard he sustained a concussion a broken nose, and never played another game until this season. Randy Jones’ suspension? 3 Games. This season, Tom Kostopoulos hit Toronto’s Mike Van Ryn from behind giving the man a broken hand, nose, facial lacerations and a concussion. Van Ryn has just started skating again after missing almost a month of action. TK’s suspension? 3 Games.
So the other night while in Calgary, Dallas Stars forward Sean Avery made an off color remark about players in the NHL getting his sloppy seconds with regards to dating Elisha Cuthbert. Cuthbert just so happens to date Calgary Defenseman Dion Phaneuf. What is the reaction of the NHL? They suspend Sean Avery for 6 games. Unpaid! I am not defending Sean Avery here. What he said was in poor taste, and showed a lack of good judgment. Having said that, if the NHL was an organization that knew how to market itself, they would have plastered Avery’s comments all over the internet, radio, and television, then immediately starting a marketing campaign for the Stars at Calgary the next night. It would have been a great way for the league to get a casual fan to watch what could have been a very exciting hockey game. The NFL does it all the time by letting players air their trash talk. It gives the opposing team’s locker room bulletin board material, and when it happens, it’s all the press can talk about. Oh, look what so-and-so said about so-and-so. We better watch this matchup this Sunday! Don’t miss it. Instead, the NHL suspends someone for a non violent act off the ice, that really probably only hurt the feelings of Elisha Cuthbert because Mr. Bettman says I wanted it to be clear to the fans that this isn’t something that we tolerate — particularly fans with children who might have to explain to them what this statement was,” Bettman said.
We do tolerate violent hits from behind that would be a lot harder to explain to a child if and when someone gets killed on the ice, but we do not tolerate the use of the term sloppy seconds by a known agitator (who, by the way, had never been suspended by the league until today) who was just trying to get a rise out of the opposition? Really? It’s times like this when I am embarrassed to say I am a fan of the NHL.
I wholeheartedly agree with you Chris. The NFL uses stuff like this all the time to their advantage and that’s why the ratings of the NHL are terrible. MTV2 was capitalizing on it yesterday, they showed Sean Avery’s cribs all day long, it’s kind of funny because they show him cuddling with Cuthbert in the commercial. I hate how the media is blasting Avery for this and then when Chad Johnson or T.O. pull one of their stunts they defend them. Bettman and company need to get their acts together and start using stuff like this to build rivalries, otherwise, what casual fan is going to watch a Dallas vs. Calgary game during the middle of the week. The NFL manages to get millions of people to watch Cincinatti play Cleveland.
Exactly! The NHL has never been a good marketing machine. This incident is further proof thereof.
This is exactly why the Players should be allowed to police themselves. Dion Phaneuf tunes up Sean Avery and then all is right end of story.
Yup, and if the NHL were smart, they would have found a way to get it on National television.
I agree with all but Avery is such a douche hole that he called the media over to make that announcement, he was basically saying to Dion that he will be throwing a hot dog down the hall way.
Avery should have been a man and said it on the ice to Phaneuf and drop the gloves and settle the score.
I dont agree with six games but i don’t agree with his commments either. 2 games max and then send Avery back on the ice to get his clock cleaned.
I can’t help but think there is something more to this story…..
http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=398063