Filip Forsberg was suspended for three games on Sunday. He will be eligible to play against Montreal on Saturday.
We can all think of plenty of instances in which intentionally dirty hits were not called or punished by referees or DoPS. Some examples include Sidney Crosby’s assault on P.K. Subban during last year’s Final, Kevin Fiala taking post-goal punch by Nick Ritchie, Ryan Johansen getting knocked out by William Carrier…etc. The list goes on and on. The League absolutely has to get this right because player health depends on a reasonable standard, and currently, there is none.
Check out Cutler Klein’s assessment of the Forsberg hit vs. the Carrier hit on Ryan Johansen that put him on injured reserve for several games.
Just to be clear: the hit on the left resulted in a three-game suspension for Filip Forsberg. The hit on the right, which also caused injury, was not even worthy of a hearing. Let that sink it. #Preds https://t.co/WxN4Q6VaoF
— Cutler Klein (@CutlerKlein) February 4, 2018
There’s also this:
This is a joke https://t.co/LVbOHoorwI
— Mike Fisher (@mikefisher1212) February 4, 2018
It’s safe to say that most of the Predators Twitterverse was pretty upset over this poor decision by DoPS. I could spend most of the day ranting, but I’ll leave that for OTF readers in the comments section. Leave them below.
Nashville Predators News
How will Mike Fisher’s return impact Predators’ NHL trade deadline?
Here’s Adam Vingan’s take on how the return of Mike Fisher will impact the Predators.
Breakdown: Predators Acquire Mark McNeill from the Dallas Stars – On the Forecheck
Eric takes a look at the AHL trade that occurred Saturday. Many folks in Nashville had high hopes for Tyler Kelleher, but we wish the best for him in Texas.
The Disappointments: 31 NHL Players Who Need To Be Better | The Hockey News
I gotta agree with this assessment. Nick Bonino is a proven leader and goal-scorer. He seems like he’s on-again, off-again every other night and it’s not for a lack of effort. Perhaps with Fisher back in the mix, Bonino can be mixed with different line mates for better results.
How the Predators addressed their biggest problem from the 2017 Stanley Cup Final – SBNation.com
SB Nation’s Satchel Price has some thoughts on the Preds’ biggest issue: center depth. Hint: it’s no longer an issue.
Preds’ Forsberg suspended three games – Article – TSN
I’m willing to believe that no one in Nashville is happy with this decision. Forsberg’s hit was not dirty. He didn’t jump off the ice or raise his elbow or stick into Vesey’s face. This poor decision will not only make Vesey a little more loathed in Nashville, but will undoubtedly cause our Preds to play with a bit of fire this week. It honestly seems that DoPS can’t get any calls right regarding player safety, such as suspending Brad Marchand, yet allowing him to play in the All-Star Game. Make your decisions transparent, defendable, and repeatable, George Parros. This decision is none of those things.
Filip Forsberg Suspended Three Games For Hit On Jimmy Vesey – AtoZSportsNashville
I just can’t believe this nonsense.
Around the League
Rask extends success streak, Bruins beat Maple Leafs – Sportsnet.ca
Bruins are sorta-not-really sneaking into Cup contention.
Detroit Red Wings coach tossed after arguing goalie interference non-call – SBNation.com
Seeing as the League can’t get goaltender interference calls right either, I can understand Blashill’s frustration.
Soccer announcer Cantor breaks out legendary goal call for Staal
I was watching a bit of this game to study up on Minnesota and Vegas, and Cantor’s goal call was LEGENDARY.
Bailey the mascot assists with engagement of two Kings fans
This story briefly appeared on Twitter from Gnash. The proposal happened here in Nashville. Mascots make the world go round!
NHL Trade Buzz: Penguins could seek backup goaltender
I bet the Penguins miss the luxury of having both Marc-Andre Fleury and Matt Murray in their crease.
Golden Knights rally to defeat Capitals
Fleury setting records and the Knights keep winning. Excuse me if you’ve heard this before.
I’ll finish this D&C up with an accurate assessment of player safety standards in the NHL:
Welcome to the NHL, where we don’t know what the hell goaltender interference is and the Department of Player Safety is as inconsistent as text messages from my ex.
— Justin Bradford (@justinbbradford) February 4, 2018
Have a great week, folks.