it’s hockey. a man’s sport. if you make it to the next level, and you have the puck, you better know to keep your head up.

how does this rule even account for height differential in the two parties involved?

how about they remove the instigator and watch all the high hits disappear …. and more fights which real hockey fans love

I fear something arbitrary up to the officials desecration a Gary Bettman favorite, which is bad they need to make the rule clear cut, I would just fine not suspend for hits to the head shoulder or not regardless of injury or intent 1st offense 25,000, 2nd 75,000, 3rd 100,000 and 3 games or something like that it has worked great in the NFL with helmet to helmets hits, all such hits are reviewed by the league and fines handed out regardless if a flag was thrown

I realize that this isn’t exactly a popular stance, but I’m so tired of the whole “you have your head down therefore it’s automatically ok to throw a hit to your head” idea. I mean, it’s highly subjective and hard to judge, but I absolutely feel that most of the time when people throw those hits to the head, they’re just trying to injure someone, and that’s bullshit. Now there are certainly times when a guy is just going to throw a hit, and the target puts their head down or squares themselves to the boards, and then it’s just unfortunate that they put themselves in a vulnerable position. But any time somebody comes flying in, leading with the elbow or forearm, and smashes a guy in the head- knowing full well that he had his head down the whole time (see: Scott Stevens’ entire career)- I personally don’t think “he put himself in a bad spot and I just did what I could to let him know that you don’t do that” is a good justification. Feel free to rip on me for not understanding hockey or not being a man now. It’s ok. Honest.