NHL Thread: String Bertuzzi Up

[Guynemer]

As I stated in the Flames over Avs thread, I depise the Avalance and love to see them suffer.

This, however, is beyond all bounds.

12 games? **** that. I'm with cinch--suspend Bertuzzi until next season, assuming there is one. (I'd actually lean toward suspension for life, but I know I'd be in the minority.) A man his size could very well kill someone doing that ****. The NHL needs to send a crystal clear message about that sort of behavior. He ought to be done until 04-05, period.

As for Crawford... I wouldn't be terribly surprised if he did tell his players to attack. I need only think back to the beginning of the Wings-Avs rivalry to be reminded what a hothead he was as head coach of Colorado. That said, without proof, I don't think you can suspend him.

Do the Avs and Canucks play again this season? I think the NHL brass might want to attend that game... or playoff series... that could get nasty.

[Tingkai]

I'd say the rest of the regular season and the first round of the playoffs. What did McSorley get?

[Kontiki]

Canucks and Avs don't play each other again this year unless they meet in the playoffs.

Bertuzzi's my favorite player on my favorite team, but I gotta say he should be suspended for at least the remainder of the regular season, probably for at least the first round of the playoffs, and maybe even for the entire playoffs.

IIRC, McSorely got the duration of the season, including playoffs. Could be wrong, though.

[vlad]

Well I am not surprised it happened, but I am surprised it was Bert that did it. I am wondering what the reasoning was, perhaps some jabber during the game. I assumed it was May's job to be the goon and enforcer for things like that, but he was already involved in fights during the game. I agree Bert should be suspended, but I am guessing only 5 games.
What an ass whooping they took though, man they did not have a good day all around.
In trade talks, where is Ron Francis going? he waived his no trade clause now, perhaps Canucks???

[Guynemer]

The more I think about it, the more I think Gary Bettman and the NHL should look into criminal charges against Bertuzzi.

That sort of play is beyond the bounds of legitimate activity, and is without question assault & battery.

Needless to say, the NHLPA will apoplexy. Which is exactly why Bettman should do it.

With the work stoppage fast approching, it would give Bettman one more bargaining chip in the negotiations, something he didn't have 24 hours ago.



Sad, really. Bertuzzi is one of the best players in the league. But now he will forever be known as a thug, and rightly so.

[Kontiki]

One of Bertuzzi's biggest problems has always been his inability to control his temper. He and Naslund are extremely close friends, so I figure he was looking to go after Moore right from the get go. I'm guessing there was some trash talking at some point, and then Bertuzzi just snapped. Not excuseable, though.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Since this is a NHL thread:

When the HELL did Tampa have the most points in the league (ok, I now know it was since yesterday)

How did this happen? I hadn't looked at the standings in a while... Holy crap!

[Kontiki]

Even crazier is that Tampa clinched their division last night, meaning they've already clinched not only a playoff berth, but a guarantee on of at least one of the top three seedings. Just goes to show how much the rest of the Southeast Division sucks.

[Agathon]

Moore has a broken neck.

[Kontiki]

Leafs just got Ron Francis.

[Asher]

http://www.cbc.ca/pcgi-bin/templates/sportsView.cgi?/news/2004/03/09/Sports/avs-canucks0308

Police are investigating now.

Police investigate Bertuzzi for hit on Moore
WebPosted Tue Mar 9 14:02:51 2004

CBC SPORTS ONLINE - British Columbia Solicitor General Rich Coleman said Vancouver police are investigating Todd Bertuzzi for his on-ice attack of Steven Moore.

Late in the third period on Monday's game, with the Colorado Avalanche beating the Vancouver Canucks 8-2, Bertuzzi punched Moore, a rookie with the Avalache, from behind and pushed him down to the ice. Moore fell face-first and laid motionless for several minutes in a pool of blood before departing on a stretcher.

Moore was taken to hospital. According to reports, he has a fractured vertebra in his neck, a broken jaw and a concussion. According to the Avalanche, Moore will miss the rest of the season.

Avalanche general manager Pierre Lacroix is expected to address Moore's condition in a news conference in Vancouver on Tuesday afternoon.

The NHL suspended Bertuzzi indefinitely without pay. A disciplinary hearing is scheduled to take place Wednesday at the league's Toronto office.

While the focus is on Bertuzzi, Avalanche coach Tony Granato coach holds Canucks coach Marc Crawford responsible for the violence that erupted between the two teams on Monday night.

"(Crawford's) responsible for their players and their actions," said a seething Granato.

"I'm going to stand up for my players," Granato explained.

"I didn't like the body language, and I didn't like the way he was standing there. I didn't like the way the whole thing transpired. There's no need for that."

Defenceman Derek Morris accused Crawford of laughing about the incident.

"The worst thing about it is their coach is over there laughing about it and that just shows the class of that guy," he said.

Bad blood between the Canucks and Avalanche had been simmering since Moore's hit on Canucks captain Markus Naslund during a Feb. 16 game in Vancouver.

Replays appeared to show Moore swerving to hit Naslund on the side of the head with his elbow and shoulder.

The hit left Naslund bloodied and dazed. He needed 13 stitches to close cuts on his forehead and nose and missed three games with a concussion.

At the time, the Canucks were incensed by the hit, calling it a cheap shot at one of the game's best players.

Moore said he was just trying to do his job and not hurt Naslund.

The NHL opted not to take any action against Moore, but it was suspected that eventually the Canucks would.

After the Feb. 16 game, Canucks tough guy Brad May declared a bounty on Moore, but said after Monday's game that it shouldn't have escalated that far.

"This game took a life of its own; it shouldn't have," said May. "For two-and-a-half to three weeks there's been a lot of talk."

"It was an ugly incident and it really puts a damper on the whole game," said Avs captain Joe Sakic. "There's payback but that's not payback. That's going overboard.

"And I'm sure Todd feels bad right now about the result. No player wants to see somebody go down like that."

[Imran Siddiqui]

Even crazier is that Tampa clinched their division last night, meaning they've already clinched not only a playoff berth, but a guarantee on of at least one of the top three seedings.

They should if they already have 91 points, which is more than anyone else .

[Agathon]

Tampa and Calgary could be this year's Anaheim.

I'm surprised the Devils haven't done anything (still wish they'd sign Satan for the humour value). The Eastern Conference this year is way more competitive than it has been for some years now.

[Imran Siddiqui]

The Devils always make small moves rather than large ones. They are a team which is more built for the playoffs than the regular season, so they go after role players usually.

[Kontiki]

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui

Even crazier is that Tampa clinched their division last night, meaning they've already clinched not only a playoff berth, but a guarantee on of at least one of the top three seedings.

They should if they already have 91 points, which is more than anyone else .

Yeah, but they could put a minor league team out on the ice for the rest of their games (kind of like Pittsburgh ) and they still can't finish any worse than third. It's mathematically possible for every other Eastern conference team that's going to make the playoffs to pass Tampa in points, but they still wouldn't gain any ground on them.