Whoa.

[InsanityCubed 0]

Considering Simon's a really good scrapper, I woulda just liked to see him drop his gloves and land a nice haymaker (even if it was a sucker punch) before Blahweger was ready, because the punishment wouldn't be nearly as severe. Too bad he made this mistake. As much as I like the guy, I think they have to come down hard. Could be game over.

I remember hearing something when Simon was playing for the Flames about him having genius-level intelligence and being one of the smartest players in the NHL. Just goes to show that anyone can snap and do something really, really stupid.I always liked Simon too, even if he does currently play for the Islanders.

[fryer98 30]

Considering Simon's a really good scrapper, I woulda just liked to see him drop his gloves and land a nice haymaker (even if it was a sucker punch) before Blahweger was ready, because the punishment wouldn't be nearly as severe. Too bad he made this mistake. As much as I like the guy, I think they have to come down hard. Could be game over.

Classy. Muuuuuuuuuuuuuuuch better.

[BigDMcGee 3,352]

I'll start off by saying that I'm not a hockey fan. I'm not anti-hockey by any means, I've enjoyed every hockey game I've gone too, even went to a couple blackhawks playoff games ( can anyone remember that far back?). But I'm no where, by any stretch of the imagination a hockey fan.I found this thread to be a little shocking, maybe I don't know the back ground story on Simon. But I can't believe some of the posts. People who feel sympathy for Simon, because he did something incredibly heinous. People condemning Hollweg for taking a dive. The man got hit in the throat with a freaking hockey stick. On the you tube clip, the third replay shows how vicious the strike was, how quickly his head snapped back. The reason he stayed still on the ice was he was probably in tremendous pain, and may have been worried about neck injury. As I understand it, if you've had a neck/spine trauma, it's important to lay as still as possible. As a hockey outisider, I find the violence of that hit to be absolutely shocking. They must suspend him for the rest of the year at minimum. You just can't let people in hockey go up high with sticks like that, you have to make the punishment as severe as you can. The game is a very violent game, with hot tempers flaring all the time. Because of this, you have to imprint it into the players minds that there are incredibly stiff penaltys for using the stick as a weapon like that. Also, I think because Hollweg was uninjured, there is possibly a tendency to reduce the penatly for what happened, results oriented thinking, if you will. If Hollweg's throat had been crushed by that blow, Simon would never be back in the league. Personally, I think the league should ignore the fact that Hollweg got lucky and didn't get injured, and punish the act reguardless. That type of blow has a high probability of injury, if injury occured or not should be irrelevant. IT's the act that should be punished, and I wouldn't cry any tears if Simon got a life time ban.

[XXEddie 0]

I like what Melrose said tonight. 40 games, regardless of whether or not the islanders make it. (to the playoffs that is)The NHL needs to take a stand on these things, like Bertuzzi's hit and Brasher incident. 20 games is NOT ENOUGH.I agree with Melrose, only 50 games. The league needs to announce that this is NOT OK AT ALL and show them they will make you sit for months.And anyone saying Hellwog was faking it is just retarded....BigD already mentioned that he could have had a neck problem, but also, Hellwog felt he was cut, although it wasnt that bad he doesnt know that right away. He was correct to stay down until the trainers could tend to him.

[Vertigo 0]

Classy. Muuuuuuuuuuuuuuuch better.

Well lol, I just mean it would have been better than two-handing someone in the face. And BigDeeMcgee, he got hit in the chin, hence the cut, not the throat. Whether this results in a neck injury? I guess we'll know soon enough. But from what I've heard, he'll be playing Saturday. I'm not saying he shouldn't have stayed down, and I'm not saying he embellished it. Just saying, although it was a ridiculous attack from Simon, fortunately it's not as bad as it looked.As for feeling sympathy for the guy, knowing his past struggles with substance abuse, and the difficulty he's had in the past, it's hard not to feel sympathy for the guy. But I don't feel sympathetic because he's being punished. As I said, I think this might end his career, and rightly, it should.

[rinswun 6]

I'll start off by saying that I'm not a hockey fan. I'm not anti-hockey by any means, I've enjoyed every hockey game I've gone too, even went to a couple blackhawks playoff games ( can anyone remember that far back?). But I'm no where, by any stretch of the imagination a hockey fan.I found this thread to be a little shocking, maybe I don't know the back ground story on Simon. But I can't believe some of the posts. People who feel sympathy for Simon, because he did something incredibly heinous. People condemning Hollweg for taking a dive. The man got hit in the throat with a freaking hockey stick. On the you tube clip, the third replay shows how vicious the strike was, how quickly his head snapped back. The reason he stayed still on the ice was he was probably in tremendous pain, and may have been worried about neck injury. As I understand it, if you've had a neck/spine trauma, it's important to lay as still as possible. As a hockey outisider, I find the violence of that hit to be absolutely shocking. They must suspend him for the rest of the year at minimum. You just can't let people in hockey go up high with sticks like that, you have to make the punishment as severe as you can. The game is a very violent game, with hot tempers flaring all the time. Because of this, you have to imprint it into the players minds that there are incredibly stiff penaltys for using the stick as a weapon like that. Also, I think because Hollweg was uninjured, there is possibly a tendency to reduce the penatly for what happened, results oriented thinking, if you will. If Hollweg's throat had been crushed by that blow, Simon would never be back in the league. Personally, I think the league should ignore the fact that Hollweg got lucky and didn't get injured, and punish the act reguardless. That type of blow has a high probability of injury, if injury occured or not should be irrelevant. IT's the act that should be punished, and I wouldn't cry any tears if Simon got a life time ban.

good post, sums up exactly my feelings on this matter.

[mrdannyg 274]

Classy. Muuuuuuuuuuuuuuuch better.

yeah, that is much better. not a gloves-on sucker punch, just drop your gloves and grab the guy who just nailed you. they're both fighters, that kind of stuff happens every day in the NHL.

[pauld22 0]

In my opinion there is only one way to set a precedent on using the stick as a weapon. It doesn't matter where he tried to hit him with his stick - HE HIT HIM WITH HIS STICK is the only part of the equation that matters. Ban him for life. When players see that they will no longer be able to make money as an athlete if they act like this it will start ot sink in. Anything less than life and I will stop just short of saying that the NHL condones that typr of behavior.

[serge 904]

In my opinion there is only one way to set a precedent on using the stick as a weapon. It doesn't matter where he tried to hit him with his stick - HE HIT HIM WITH HIS STICK is the only part of the equation that matters. Ban him for life. When players see that they will no longer be able to make money as an athlete if they act like this it will start ot sink in. Anything less than life and I will stop just short of saying that the NHL condones that typr of behavior.

I agree..the man is a BOAR

[mrdannyg 274]

In my opinion there is only one way to set a precedent on using the stick as a weapon. It doesn't matter where he tried to hit him with his stick - HE HIT HIM WITH HIS STICK is the only part of the equation that matters. Ban him for life. When players see that they will no longer be able to make money as an athlete if they act like this it will start ot sink in. Anything less than life and I will stop just short of saying that the NHL condones that typr of behavior.

you never made a mistake?banning him for life is ludicrous. Yes it was premeditated and horribly violent, and deserves a lengthy suspension. but it was a reaction to an illegal hit, and there is not enough of a distinction between this, and lots of other incidents that suggests he should be banned for life, as opposed to a long suspension.banning for life suggests the incident is so horrific that there is no way the player can ever be trusted on the ice again. i don't think this incident does that.

[SBriand 4]

Mistake? How is that a mistake? You take two hands on your stick and INTENTIONALLY try to injure someone. That isn't a mistake. A mistake would be swinging your stick around not knowing that someone is standing right there. I am sooo tired of "Poor Chrissy made a mistake" so sorry of this comes off harsh. I would be against a ban for life IF he had a clean record in his time in the NHL, but he has been a problem child in the past. The guy is a goon, the guy has crossed the line many times. Time to shove his ass out the door.It's actions like this that play a part in the decline of the NHL. If he just turned around and threw his gloves off then everything is straight. But no, he snaps and tries to seriously injure a guy. Listening to the radio broadcast of the Wongs gmae last night, the play by play guy went on a tirade saying that people are making a big deal out of this. The guy was not hurt so they should just suspend him for the remaining 16,17 games and let him come back to the playoffs because "He was on a long shift and there was not enough oxygen in his brain and it made him make a bad decision". Are you F'in kidding me?

[fleung22 1]

Ya know this used to be pretty common violence in the old days. It's just a shocker in today's NHL.He deserves to be suspended no doubt but the whole thing with charging him for assault is ridiculous. If that's the case and he's found guilty then every player in the 60s, 70s, and 80s would be in jail.

[BigDMcGee 3,352]

Ya know this used to be pretty common violence in the old days. It's just a shocker in today's NHL.He deserves to be suspended no doubt but the whole thing with charging him for assault is ridiculous. If that's the case and he's found guilty then every player in the 60s, 70s, and 80s would be in jail.

If swinging the stick into peoples throat was common in the 60's and 70's, then hockey is the most barbaric sport ever.

[fleung22 1]

If swinging the stick into peoples throat was common in the 60's and 70's, then hockey is the most barbaric sport ever.

Wasn't it a cross check into the throat? I've only seen the replay once. I'm not saying it's right but it's not the same as swinging a stick like a baseball bat. I am not opposed to giving Simon a big penalty for his actions. However I believe this is an NHL issue and not one that belongs in court as some have suggested.

[Jason12 0]

22 game suspension....15 regular season games (the rest of the season) and 7 playoff games.EDIT: Now its just a "report" http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/article.jsp...310_134333_6260.

[digitalmonkey 929]

I like what Melrose said tonight. 40 games, regardless of whether or not the islanders make it. (to the playoffs that is)The NHL needs to take a stand on these things, like Bertuzzi's hit and Brasher incident. 20 games is NOT ENOUGH.I agree with Melrose, only 50 games. The league needs to announce that this is NOT OK AT ALL and show them they will make you sit for months.And anyone saying Hellwog was faking it is just retarded....BigD already mentioned that he could have had a neck problem, but also, Hellwog felt he was cut, although it wasnt that bad he doesnt know that right away. He was correct to stay down until the trainers could tend to him.

Please, quote just one post where someone claimed he was "faking it".

[digitalmonkey 929]

If swinging the stick into peoples throat was common in the 60's and 70's, then hockey is the most barbaric sport ever.

You continue to say throat, yet it was his chin. Big difference.

[BigDMcGee 3,352]

You continue to say throat, yet it was his chin. Big difference.

LOL I can't believe you're a Simon appologist, monkey. This really shocks me.

[digitalmonkey 929]

LOL I can't believe you're a Simon appologist, monkey. This really shocks me.

If stating the the facts makes me an apologist...

[BigDMcGee 3,352]

Wasn't it a cross check into the throat? I've only seen the replay once. I'm not saying it's right but it's not the same as swinging a stick like a baseball bat. I am not opposed to giving Simon a big penalty for his actions. However I believe this is an NHL issue and not one that belongs in court as some have suggested.

No, it was not a cross check. He raises his stick paralell to the ice, and hauled off at the guy's head. Watch the you tube clip, all the way through. The third replay really shows how vicious this attack was.

[InsanityCubed 0]

No, it was not a cross check. He raises his stick vertically, and hauled off at the guy's head. Watch the you tube clip, all the way through. The third replay really shows how vicious this attack was.

I don't think anyone is disputing how stupid, dangerous, and disgusting Simon's actions were. Considering his past record, I would not really have a problem with a lifetime ban, except that the league would then have to retroactively ban the Bertuzzis and Domis of the world. The NHL should consider itself incredibly lucky that Simon "missed" by an inch or so.

[serge 904]

I don't think anyone is disputing how stupid, dangerous, and disgusting Simon's actions were. Considering his past record, I would not really have a problem with a lifetime ban, except that the league would then have to retroactively ban the Bertuzzis and Domis of the world. The NHL should consider itself incredibly lucky that Simon "missed" by an inch or so.

excuse me......Why is Domi and Bertuzzi in the same sentence???Please dont compare Tie to that beast Bertuzzi

[InsanityCubed 0]

excuse me......Why is Domi and Bertuzzi in the same sentence???Please dont compare Tie to that beast Bertuzzi

Elbow on Niedermayer.I'd throw others on that list too, just the first two names that came to mind.

[serge 904]

Elbow on Niedermayer.I'd throw others on that list too, just the first two names that came to mind.

Tie's elbow on Niedermayer wasnt bad as Bertuzzi,Mcsorley and Hunter(against Turgeon)I happen to know Tie's family..He is a great guy...Bertuzzi is a brute

[InsanityCubed 0]

Tie's elbow on Niedermayer wasnt bad as Bertuzzi,Mcsorley and Hunter(against Turgeon)I happen to know Tie's family..He is a great guy...Bertuzzi is a brute

It wasn't quite as bad, but it was close. McSorley and Hunter have been out of the league for a while, Tie could still make an (ill-advised) comeback, so I mentioned him.And maybe I'm still a little bitter.Just a little.