Georges Laraque was one of the great heavyweights in hockey.
At the 2007 trade deadline, Penguins GM Ray Shero traded for Laraque to protect the likes of Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Jordan Staal, among others.
One year later, Laraque laid this elbow on Sabres defenseman Nathan Paetsch:
Laraque received a five-minute major, and game misconduct for knocking Paetsch unconscious. He then received a three game suspension for the hit to the head.
This might be something to look at when trying to figure out the length of suspension for the Sabres John Scott's hit to the head on the Bruins' Loui Eriksson.
The Laraque incident was early in the process of the NHL cracking down on hits like that. Three games seems minimal considering it looked as if he was trying to take Paetsch's head off.
Fast forward to 2013, Alexander Edler went cross-ice and landed a shoulder-to-head hit on Sharks' rookie Tomas Hertl knocking off his helmet:
Edler was considered a repeat offender, which Scott is not, and received a three game suspension.
Regardless of what the league and fans think of Scott's "skill-level" and regardless of how the 1-9-1 Buffalo Sabres are perceived, the hit is the hit.
If Scott receives more than three game for the hit it would be wrong.
Scott should receive three games for the hit, one game for being frustrated that none of the Bruins tough-guys would fight him and one game for trying to take on the role of Patrick Kaleta.
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