Saturday, April 21, 2012

A brief history of playoff violence

"I sure hope Tucker was suspended for
that high hit!" said Brad Marchand.
The first round of the 2012 playoffs has been marked by wild brawls, questionable hits and an unprecedented string of suspensions. From Raffi Torres to Matt Carkner to Shea Weber to virtually the entire Penguins roster, it seems like each night of action brings another embarrassing incident to keep the referees and Brendan Shanahan busy.

But despite what some recent coverage might lead you to believe, playoff violence is hardly a new phenomenon in the NHL. In fact, the league has a long history of regrettable incidents in the postseason, many of which would put this year's displays to shame.

Let's take a look back through the history books at some of the other black eyes, literal and figurative, that the NHL playoffs have provided over the years.

May 16, 1987 - Montreal and Philadelphia engage in a wild pre-game brawl that all starts over the sight of opposing players shooting a puck into an open net, which come to think of it may also explain all the bad blood in this year's Flyers/Penguins series.

April 26, 2002 - New York Islanders star Michael Peca suffers significant ligament damage after being hit in the knee by Darcy Tucker. A defiant Tucker will later strenuously deny that the hit was low, while awkwardly refusing to answer reporters' questions about the shovel and mining helmet he's holding behind his back.

June 6, 2011 - Aaron Rome knocks Nathan Horton out of the Stanley Cup Finals with a late hit that the media at the time refers to as "vicious" and "an unprecedented act of horrific violence", and which the league head office now refers to as "the good old days".

May 22, 1997 - The Red Wings and Avalanche engage in a series of fights that only end when everyone gets sick of Detroit's Brendan Shanahan constantly skating around and telling everyone that they owe him $2,500.

May 3, 2001 - Tie Domi is suspended for the remainder of the playoffs after delivering a blindside elbow to Scott Niedermayer's head. A tearful Domi later pleads with his fellow players to never repeat his mistake, and instead suggests they just wait until Niedermayer isn't looking and then take a slapshot at his groin like a gentleman would.

April 28, 1993 - Dale Hunter's late hit from behind sidelines Pierre Turgeon and initially earns him a lifetime ban, although the league eventually agrees to reduce it to 21 games if he promises to also accept whatever terrible coaching job they want to stick him with over the next few decades.

June 19, 2006 - As the final seconds tick down on game seven of the 2006 Stanley Cup Finals, the Edmonton Oilers do something really terrible that earns the franchise a lifetime ban from the NHL playoffs, apparently.

Apr 12, 1991 - The St. Louis Blues and Detroit Red Wings combine for 298 penalty minutes, 18 fighting majors and multiple ejections, in what historians will later refer to as "pretty much the most easy-going Norris division game of all-time".

April 24, 1996 - Mario Lemieux is ejected from a game against the Capitals after slashing, cross-checking and repeatedly punching Todd Krygier, according to the videotape that's been thrown through Ed Snider's front window every day this week with a note reading "You're next, Flyer boy".

May 27, 1993 - In an unprovoked attack that horrifies onlookers and leaves the victim virtually unrecognizable, Kerry Fraser brutally assaults your childhood belief in the concepts of fairness and justice.

1995 - 2003 - Scott Stevens delivers a series of increasingly flagrant playoff headshots that make him easily the dirtiest and most dangerous player in the entire league, according to that frantic time traveller from the year 2012 that we all decide to just ignore.




17 comments:

  1. The St. Louis Blues and Detroit Red Wings combine for 298 penalty minutes, 18 fighting majors and multiple ejections, in what historians will later refer to as "pretty much the most easy-going Norris division game of all-time".

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  2. Speaking of Wings, I guess Nashville just had them for lunch. Perhaps Dale Hunter needs to skate a few shifts - I'm surprised the Caps are holding their own against Lucic and his merry band of mayhem.

    I don't recall anything dirty about Edmonton in game 7 of the 2006 playoffs being dirty - they did cheat on a goal at the end of the 1st period where they were about to be called for a delayed penalty and one of their players put his hand on the puck, which should have been a penalty shot. Since it was a delayed penalty though, it ended play and the Canes got an unsuccessful PP in a 1-0 game. Perhaps that is it.

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    1. The joke is that Edmonton hasn't made the playoffs since then.

      That's the joke.

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    2. yea lol, is this guy retarded or something...?

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    3. Is that you Mike?

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  3. "May 3, 2001 - Tie Domi is suspended for the remainder of the playoffs after delivering a blindside elbow to Scott Niedermayer's head. A tearful Domi later pleads with his fellow players to never repeat his mistake, and instead suggests they just wait until Niedermayer isn't looking and then take a slapshot at his groin like a gentleman would."

    Ahhhh, its always a good Saturday when you let your inner Leaf shine through............ I take it you saw that Krusty had been selected as the person who best personifies Ottawa this week?

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  4. My friend and I call him Bozo. I guess he just gave a general clown vibe. :)

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  5. Must we forget the leadership that Messier often displayed was with his elbows?

    Bravo (once again, DGB) Excellent blog.

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  6. May 27/93: Never Forget :'(

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  7. Still whining about a Leafs game in 93? Get over it already, there are teams that actually have legitimate complaints that don't cry this much. Ask the Sabres about Brett Hull's skate for example.

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  8. HAD bring up the alfie thing eh...

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  9. In Montreal, winning a series makes them feel a little like '93.

    Toronto? Blown call, favoritism toward a star, a Kerry Fraser sighting, or any mention of Wayne Gretzky that fails to emphasize the egregiousness of a two-time defending Byng winner awaiting a call before skating over to the box.

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  10. You Know I knew there was something wrong with the final minute of that 2006 Stanley Cup Final

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  11. The most easy going norris game of all-time. Great stuff

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  12. awesome as always.
    Fraser can DIAF

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    Replies
    1. I´m too old - I had to do that google-thing on DIAF...

      Also - very very funny Sean!
      Loved the Mario vs Snider funnie!

      And Let´s Go Rangers.

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  13. Really, Shanahan needs to retroactively suspend Stevens for 744 games and strip New Jersey of its Stanley Cups, according to current standards of what a "terrible, dirty, unforgivable hit" is. Also according to Shane Willis's corpse.

    Torres's hit would've been the bodycheck of the playoffs back then... sigh. Nostalgia.

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