A collection of the latest news from around the world of hockey:
Andrew Shaw was caught on camera. He paid the price for that. I would imagine that a lot of other players use the same vocabulary but aren’t punished because there isn’t any proof. There is a culture in hockey where you can say whatever you want when you’re on the ice. But guess what? Everyone has control over what comes out of their mouth. It doesn’t matter how angry or frustrated you are. A one-game suspension won’t solve much, though it’s better than nothing. But players need to understand and be educated as to why the words they use are offensive.
Until there is a culture change, this isn’t going away. But the problem doesn’t end with homophobic slurs. Using feminine adjectives as an insult is probably the most common form of trash talk, but nobody really cares about that. In any case, we all understand that hockey is a macho sport and in between the whistles, different rules apply. Shaw was sorry. But probably more sorry that he has to miss a game. If he really understood why he’s in the wrong, he would have never used that word to begin with. [Chicago Tribune], [Toronto Star]
Now as for Kris Letang, I’ll say this. The slash was nasty. He said it was accidental, and he apologized to Stalberg after it happened. My first instinct was that it should have been a suspendable play. I don’t know what the intent was, only Kris does. But Rangers fans need to quit their whining about the NHL giving the Penguins preferentially treatment. It’s amazing how facts just disappear when we’re upset and trying to push an agenda.
Last year Marc Staal tried to decapitate Sidney Crosby and nothing happened. Guess what? Bad plays go unpunished all the time. Get off your high horse and stop crying. The department of player safety throws darts at a wall when it comes to suspensions. Every team falls victim. You’re mad the Rangers lost, I get it. But complaining to your 14 Twitter followers won’t solve anything. [Times Online], [Yahoo Sports]
In other news…
Are the Penguins better with Evgeni Malkin in the lineup? [Pensburgh]
Jaromir Jagr just keeps on rolling. [CBS Sports]
Islander fans weren’t too happy last night. [The Hockey News]
I picked the Kings to win the Cup this season. Now, with my bracket on the brink of destruction, I’m left to wonder if I overvalued L.A, or didn’t give the Sharks enough credit. They look hungrier. This might finally be their year. [Todays Slapshot]
The Flyers barely hung on to make sure the fans in Philly didn’t embarrass themselves again, and to let the Capitals win the series on home ice. [National Post]
Scott Laughton is okay after a really scary incident. [CBC]
The Wild are trying, but they now find themselves on the brink of elimination. [Hockey Wilderness]
When you play for the Oilers, you’re either loved or hated. And it goes back and forth. [Cult of Hockey]
And finally, the Marlies are making some noise in the AHL playoffs. [Globe and Mail]