The American Hockey League suspended Shaone Morrisonn for three games for this hit on January 14th to the head of Brian Willsie of the Hamilton Bulldogs.  This is the second suspension of the season for Morrisonn which puts him on the repeat offender list.  He was also suspended for one game for a hit during the  Amerks vs Rampage game back on December 16th.
Watching the video even though Willsie had his head down I suspect Morrisonn was suspended because he didn’t keep his arm tucked into his body and in the end he did hit him in the head, something that is against the rules.
The Amerks have had extra defensemen for most of the season but heading into the game on Thursday they’ll only have five (as of writing this). Â Alex Biega, Dennis Persson, Drew Schiestel, Nick Crawford and Corey Fienhage. Â The other defensemen, TJ Brennan and Joe Finley are on recall to the Buffalo Sabres. Â Unless one of those guys is sent down the team will need to go hunting for someone in the ECHL to fill in the gap.
What’d you think?
Hockey is becoming such a pu**y sport. And it all comes from the NHL and their ridiculous paranoia about concussions. They’re overdiagnosing them–they’re telling guys they have a concussion when they don’t and now everyone is so paranoid about the “C” word that any time you tap someone else’s head its a 3 game suspension. It’s absolutely ridiculous, and it’s so sad to see this happening to the game I love.
A lot of people agree with you.. players should also police themselves. Keep their heads up and don’t hit each other in the head. Thanks for reading!
Players do police themselves but I agree with the call and the suspension, players have two responsibilities on the ice; 1) keep your head up 2) keep your hits below the head.
So if the players on Hamilton have an issue then they will take care of it during or after the game. But the league has to do what it did.
Bob,
Prior to a year or two ago, if you got hit in the head because your head is down, it was YOUR FAULT. Now, that culture is changing b/c of hysteria over concussions. And I think that the root cause of all of this is DOCTORS. Guys used to get hit in the head, feel a little woozy, shake it off, and go at it again next hit. Now, every time u get hit in the head, you have to see a whole TEAM of doctors and once you listen to them, you might be out 6 months. It’s all mental, just like Torts said on 24/7.
Morrisonn’s hot was nothing compaired to other hits I have seen in both NHL and AHL. He and Pat Kaleta have devloped a reputation and that will never end.
Pretty much. In the end it was a hit to the head and both leagues have told players that those hits will be punished. Every hit is different but that’s the way it seems as if it’s going to be.