March 9, 2007  -- It's up to Colin Campbell now. The league's chief disciplinarian usually fails to mete out punishment with any consistency, so it's hard to predict the length of suspension he's going to give to the New York Islanders' Chris Simon for his hit on Ryan Hollweg of the Rangers. Suspended indefinitely pending a hearing with league brass, the term could be the remainder of this season and playoffs, but that's not good enough by any means.

Chris Simon
New York Islanders
 

"The best retaliation is to score on that power play," Hollweg said. "I couldn't feel any better than when that puck went in," Hollweg continued, referring to the Rangers' game-winning goal scored during Simon's penalty. Hollweg's positive attitude is refreshing, but he'd be better off thanking the good Lord that he's not concussed, in a coma, or worse.

The best retaliation is for Campbell to ban Simon from the league for at least a year or two.

Suspensions for the types of actions that Todd Bertuzzi, Marty McSorley and Chris Simon took in recent NHL seasons should be measured in years, not games.

Steve Moore has been out of hockey since Bertuzzi drove his head into the ice nearly three years ago and likely will never return. He suffers from post-concussion syndrome and here's hoping that he soaks Bertuzzi for millions (Moore's case is in legal limbo). The former Vancouver wing broke Moore's neck, horrifying anyone but the most Neanderthal hockey fans. Bertuzzi should have been thrown out of the NHL until Moore is well enough to play again. The 13th of Never would have been a good date for Bertuzzi's return, in my book.

Players like Simon, Bertuzzi and McSorley are perfectly free to seek employment in the UHL, SPHL, Russia, Sweden, Britain, Czech Republic, Japan, anywhere there's a pro league willing to pay for their services. The NHL is not obligated to provide them an opportunity once squandered.

Therein lies the problem with Colin Campbell and his ilk: There's almost nothing that a hockey player can do that would amount to squandering his NHL opportunity.

Bertuzzi was suspended for thirteen games at the end of the 2003-04 season, plus playoffs, then was quietly reinstated after the league returned from the 2004-05 lockout. McSorley was suspended long enough to reach into his retirement, since he was at the end of his NHL days when he whacked Donald Brashear.

A better idea would be to suspend for years, not days or games, because banishment from the game should be defined as banishment, not a conveniently lengthy suspension, as in the cases of Bertuzzi (vis a vis the lockout) and McSorley by way of retirement.

The gravity of the situation is best described by Moore, now 28 years old, who suffered three fractured vertebrae in his neck, a concussion and other injuries, as quoted by the Canadian Press:

"From going to living out your dream . . . to not doing anything close to that and just trying to get healthy again. That's a pretty difficult shift in reality."

2009 Western Hockey Network

Email Us!

2009 Western Hockey Network