Another dirty hit by a dirty player

Sabres d-man Chad Ruhwedel left the game last night early in the third period after a crushing elbow to the head by Flyers winger Zac Rinaldo.

In the still at the right, Ruhwedel releases his shot from the point. He's off-balance and clearly in a vulnerable position.

Rinaldo's got him lined up, shoulder tucked, elbow cocked and he's ready to unload.

And unload he does leaving his skates and burying his elbow in Ruhwedel's face (see video below.)




Rinaldo had a phone-hearing with the NHL today and a four-game suspension was handed down.

Doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure that one out.

Rinaldo has played in 167 NHL games which is roughly the equivalent of two full NHL seasons and this is his second league suspension.

Back in 2012 he launched himself into an unsuspecting Jonathan Ericsson as the Red Wing d-man was moving the puck from behind his own net.



The shoulder to jaw hit was termed "an illegal charge" by Brendan Shanahan.

Shanahan also noted that it wasn't the first time that Rinaldo's play was being looked at by the player safety department. "It's important to note," said Shanahan, "that Rinaldo was fined twice just eight days before for a late hit  and a slew foot in the same game [Feb. 4, 2012 vs. NJ.]"

Is Zac Rinaldo a dirty player? Yeah he is.

Does the NHL really care?

Not really. Revenue is at an all-time high and the owners are pocketing more than they ever have. So what if there are dangerous hits throughout the season. Some players may be dirty, but they "play a regular shift" so their not completely useless like, say, an enforcer like John Scott (who can't even enforce anymore due to the NHL and their referees.) And the NHL needs to fill 30 teams.

What it comes down to is, there are too many teams with too many positions to be filled by too many players who don't have the skill to play in the NHL. Most of the blame can be laid at the feet  because of a major expansion in the 90's. And by the looks of the two conferences, there's room for two more teams. That's 42 more skaters needed to fill the teams.

In 1992 Gary Bettman began his aggressive expansion that would see the NHL go from 21 teams to 30. It watered down the league. While thery were at it, the "instigator penalty" initiative was introduced in 1992. The theory was that fines and suspensions would help minimize fighting in the league.

Twenty-two years later, and with the NHL still seeing an overabundance of cheap shots, Bettman's "Player Safety Department" is still hell-bent upon proving that they made the correct call on policing the sport from an office building.

What most players will say, and have been saying for years, is that the instigator rule has allowed players like Rinaldo and the Sabres Patrick Kaleta more of opportunity to agitate to the point of being reckless. They will not be facing the wrath of an unchained Marty McSorely, Stu Grimson, Bob Probert, Clarke Gilles, or Dave Schultz, if they take their agitation to the point of physically doing another player harm.

The pests of the league are merely facing the "wrath" of a suitcoat handing out suspensions and fines from his office. To which the players scoff.

Former Sabre Steve Ott was on WGR earlier this year (for a link click here,) and the gist of the conversation was the elimination of fighting in the NHL.

If the league eliminated fighting, Ott said "You're gonna see a rise in bad things happening." And he points to the present, a present which includes the instigator rule, "I'm a true believer that [the instigator rule] is why we're seeing all these head shots now."

Asked by co-host Jeremy White the affect of league suspensions as a deterrent, Ott replied, "I don't really think the guys care [about being suspended.]"

Does a fourth line player like Rinaldo care that he might get suspended when a six-figure salary is on the line if he sticks with the team?

Do the Flyers care if he's suspended four games when they just snared a valuable two points in their quest for a playoff spot?

The answer is no.

The Sabres are on the right path to becoming a bigger, stronger, (hopefully) tougher team. Skill can only go so far if thugs are allowed to roam without repercussion.

Scott as an enforcer was a good idea who's time may have passed. And even if it was a good idea, the league and the NHL have neutered/neutralized his on-ice presence. Plus, no body really wants to fight Scott.

A pack mentality is the only way to go. And if it means more Kaleta's on the team then I'm all for it.

No one will help the Sabres--not the league, nor the safety department, nor the other owners.

Former Sabres' GM Darcy Regier was always about turning the other cheek.

Someone should ask Chad Ruhwedel what he thinks about that.