Chara Hit Highlights “Lack of Respect” Culture in the NHL

Tuesday night’s Original 6 battle between the Boston Bruins and Montreal Canadiens made a turn on to scary street for those in attendance. Bruins defenseman and captain Zdeno Chara rode Canadiens forward Max Pacioretty in to the stantion between the benches.

The result was disturbing. Flashbacks to young Mikael Tam are understandable.

Instead of battling for the position and run the risk of taking a 2 minute minor for interference or getting back to a center position defensively, supporting pairing partner Johnny Boychuck who was already retrieving the puck, the 6’9 behemoth of a hockey player forced Pacioretty in to no man’s land. Using his size and brute strength advantage to edge a much smaller opponent in to an incredibly dangerous end game. A train about to run out of track and slam in to the mountain side.

Habs fans can yell and scream that the intent to injure is clear. Bruins fans can counter with “he isn’t that kind of player”. Let’s just call a spade, a spade. While doubtful Chara intended to injure Pacioretty in the nature he did, Big Z made a woefully reckless decision. The wrong decision.

A decision to “send a message” to a long time, bitter rival.

Since when is risking serious injury to a peer that could end their career (and possibly their life) the right scenario to “send the message”? If such risk is “required” to ensure delivery, is it truly worth sending?

No, it’s not. It takes not just a higher level of common sense, but a real respect for the game and those who play it to see why.

The lack of respect is not limited to Chara, the Bruins, the NHL or hockey in general. Permeating everyday life, homes and work places, are choices and actions that lack a fundamental respect for someone not yourself. In the high stakes and high speed game the NHL has created following the lockout, more attention comes their way because the outcome can be catastrophic.

Existence of the problem outside the league doesn’t preclude responsibility. Everyone from coaches to the players understand the changes to the game. Their livelihood depends on knowing it inside and out. Yet, some cannot seem to help themselves. The temptation to grab a purse left on a bench is too much to resist.

They know they shouldn’t hit the guy with his back turned, but they do it anyways.

Trevor Gilles on Eric Tangradi.
Matt Cooke on Marc Savard.
Sean Avery on anybody.
Chris Pronger stomping on legs.
Ryan Hollweg boarding Alex Peitrangelo in a pre-season game.
Jordin Tootoo sucker punching Ryan Reaves.
Cam Janssen on Matt Bradley.

The list goes on and on. Players that don’t seem to care about the repercussions of their actions. All’s fair in love and war is their mantra.

Those are the usual suspects though. The greatest risk seems to now come from bad decisions like Chara’s, not calculated attacks.

Andy Sutton boarding Pascal Dupuis.
Alex Ovechkin kneeing Sergei Gonchar.
Ryan Getzlaf slewfooting Barret Jackman.
Mike Richards on David Booth.

How many times have we seen skates poked out from under someone when contesting an icing? How many cross-checks in the back in to the boards with extended arms (like Steve Montador on James Neal Tuesday)?

There is no longer a problem with a sub-culture in the NHL. A few skilled skaters with ulterior motives and goons at the end of the bench barley seeing 5 minutes a night on the ice with one thing on their mind. The lack of respect is now part of THE culture of the NHL. The pace of the game and size of the players the scapegoat.

There can be no excuse when careers and lives are at stake. If the league and union are serious about protecting players, Chara must be suspended.

Is it a Gillies level offense? Even with questionable circumstances (the score, team history, time of game), it’s not. At least in intent. In the final result, Pacioretty’s injury, it’s close. Does it compare to a Rick Rypien level of thoughtless action? Probably, just with far more dire consequences. Gillies received a nine game suspension and Rypien earned six games off.

Does Chara fit in the middle with a seven or eight game suspension? Leaving that question to Mike Murphy. Although, Bob McKenzie makes a solid argument for a two game suspension.

The slippery slope arguments about ruining the game and removing hitting need not apply. Curtailing dangerous hits along the boards (and promoting better decision making) won’t prevent the big, clean hit. Like Mike Weaver on Patrick Sharp or Marc Staal on Matt Stajan. It will prevent guys going headlong on to the boards.

We’ll all find out Wednesday what will be Chara’s fate. Surely, very few will like it. Maybe that means they’ll get it right.

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