Chicago's Niklas Hjalmarsson thrown out of Buffalo game, could be suspended for Wednesday vs. Nashville

by Dirk Hoag on Oct 11, 2010 8:26 PM EDT

The Nashville Predators may well face a short-staffed Blackhawks defense when they head to Chicago on Wednesday, as Niklas Hjalmarsson was given a major penalty and a game misconduct after a vicious, blind-side boarding of Buffalo's Jason Pominville. The following video was found at Kukla's Korner:

This will present the first major test of the NHL's supplementary discipline chief, Colin Campbell, during this regular season. We've already seen Mike Cammalleri get a one-game suspension for slashing Islanders rookie Nino Niederreiter during an exhibition game, while this shot represents a clear case where the league can "send a message" early on. The only question here is likely to be how many games Hjalmarsson will sit. 1? 3? 5?

Chicago is already missing Brian Campbell for the opening weeks of the season due to injury, and Hjalmarsson is expected to play a key role on the Blackhawks' blueline after signing a new 4-year, $14 million contract this summer.

For the Predators, this means that during Wednesday's game rolling the forward lines and putting pressure on their defensemen will be paramount. Dump & chase could be the formula to wear their big remaining two (Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook) down over the course of the contest.

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Should be 10 games

What a dirty hit from Hjalmarsson. Hope the NHL gets this suspension correct this time.

by HardCorePredFan316 on Oct 11, 2010 8:59 PM EDT reply actions

Sad. Just sad.

Let him come back on the Twelfth of Never.

by Hockey Hillbilly on Oct 11, 2010 9:06 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

I really hope we win tomorrow!

But not only win but punish them!

by preds4ever on Oct 11, 2010 9:12 PM EDT reply actions

tomorrow?

Did I miss something, I thought we play Wednesday. Don’t get my hopes up with early hockey. LOL

by HardCorePredFan316 on Oct 11, 2010 11:20 PM EDT up reply actions

I meant Wednesday. I forgot what day it was. Hump day games are weird.

by preds4ever on Oct 12, 2010 1:15 PM EDT up reply actions

I don't understand

how fans,coaches, and GM’s can support guys who play like this. If a Predator player threw a dirty hit/play like that i would expect disciplinary action from Trotz/Poile regardless of league action. But past incidents have shown that local fans and organization move on and never give a second thought to what the player did or has the propensity to do again.

"It's gonna be fun on the bun."

by flyalder on Oct 11, 2010 11:05 PM EDT reply actions

True.

We are nearly unanimous in support of Tootoo, after all these years.

by DontfeedtheBelak on Oct 12, 2010 8:02 AM EDT up reply actions

In his defense…he has become more of a hockey player in the last couple years. But, the NHL should learn to take action in these circumstances and be equal about it.

by DonBorvio on Oct 12, 2010 4:16 PM EDT up reply actions

Oh my. That was despicable. As flyalder mentions above, if a Predator did that I would be the first to call for a suspension.

If it were me, 5 games sounds right – but who knows what Campbell will do?

by Chris Burton on Oct 11, 2010 11:09 PM EDT reply actions

Really?

Most Nashville fans were defending Nichol for his sucker punch against Buffalo a ways back, and Tootoo for ‘defending’ himself with a punch to the head of Robidas.

There is nothing special about the water in Nashville that makes them immune to homerism.

Hjalmarrson is a decent young kid who plays physical with no history. One of his opponents (Vanek) acknolwedged that, too, though I didn’t hear what Ruff had to say. And it wasn’t a blatant hit to to the head. Just your run of the mill hit from behind. This falls somewhere between Radulov’s playoff 1 game suspension worthy hit, and Hossa’s hit on Hamhuis (no suspension).
I think he’ll get a game, max. No one would be talking about this if Pommer didn’t get concussed. Of course, he did, and that’s why a suspension has to be at least considered.
I would bet no Hjalmmer for the Nash game.

by DontfeedtheBelak on Oct 12, 2010 8:00 AM EDT up reply actions

This comment is so asinine it's an embarrassment

But let’s stick to the matter at hand: Pomminville was skating backward on the play and waiting for the puck. Hjalmarsson was going full bore at Pomminville from behind. He could have played the puck but he did not. No, he chose to bash Pomminville with intent to injure. Hjalmarsson could be St. Jude the rest of the season but on this play he was a headhunter. Colin Campbell should deal with this irresponsible play very harshly.

by Hockey Hillbilly on Oct 12, 2010 11:43 AM EDT up reply actions

I guess you are talking about the punch Tootoo hit Robidas with as Robidas was flying at him to take him out. Was that the punch? The one after the legal hit he threw on Modano, to which Modano responded by an overhand, overhead stick hit on Tootoo? No need for the quotes around the word defending. He WAS defending himself. Who knew Robidas was such a sissy, flying in from Tootoo’s blindside. Good thing Tootoo turned around, or Robidas would have gotten a suspension for the hit that was about to come, other than crumpling to the ice like a pansy.

by cisar on Oct 12, 2010 1:31 PM EDT up reply actions

Point made

Nashville fans are just as homeristic as any one else.
It was cut and dry overreaction by Tootoo. Instead of getting his arms up to defend himself from some one ’"flying" in (really?), he met him with a punch to the head.
Robidas is a sissy for getting cheapshot suckered by Toots. Sure.

As for Hjalmarsson: intent to injure? Arguable at best.
Intent to injure is more like the Wisniewski hit on Seabrook last year.
Head shot by a headhunter? Are you blind?
The concussion came from the impact on the glass. Hjalmarrsson clearly hit him shoulder to back/back of shoulder. This has nothing to do with headshots. This is more like Hossa/Hamhuis and Radulov/Bernier. A careless, overzealous hit from behind with a guy with no history of dirty play and no obvious intent to injure. Unless you think Hjalmarrsson wanted Pommer’s head to bounce off the glass.

by DontfeedtheBelak on Oct 12, 2010 3:39 PM EDT up reply actions

Well, well.

My favorite troll is back.

Ignore all else for a moment, and evaluate this hit by itself…because this hit, by itself, is all that matters in determining what actions to take.

Blindside hit: Check—P. did look up for a second, but apparently H. didn’t register as an imminent threat (and why should he have? Moderate speed, puck not involved, no significant legal hit possible, look back down, pow.)

Head shot: Check. Shoulder appeared to directly impact head, which then clearly impacted glass. Hitting a guy headfirst into the glass is not exactly polite, mind you.

Injury: Check. Like it or not, this is a significant criteria.

Recipient of hit not involved in play: Check and mate.

The hit clearly was outside the boundaries set forth as to what is an acceptable hit and what isn’t, so he got two games to ponder the error of his ways. That’s the issue in its entirety, and there’s no need to add anything or compare it to anything else.

Comparing this situation to previous situations is an exercise in subjective futility, as each situation is very much unique—when you consider the fact that different people will see even the same event differently, it becomes obvious how absurd it is to make comparisons between very different situations.

by Smashvillain on Oct 12, 2010 9:34 PM EDT up reply actions

Robidas was ‘met’ with a punch to the ‘face’. It wasn’t a blindside. It was straight on to the face. Robidas was second man in, as well.

by cisar on Oct 12, 2010 11:14 PM EDT up reply actions

Agreed!!!

Hjalmosson should get more games. I appreciate the honesty on this post but some fans (regardless of team) have no problem with the hit as long as it isn’t THEIR guy getting blasted. Then they want the book thrown at the offender.

by jmkiii58 on Oct 11, 2010 11:37 PM EDT reply actions