OHL hands down a season suspension

Is this right? I saw the play, I thought it was a bit much, but nothing that warranted this kind of suspension.

Am I wrong?

No matter what happens from here on in, when this dude Branch admitted that it wasn't illegal, I think there might be some repercussions. This guy who got suspended sounds like a bad seed, but I still think he's going to hire a lawyer and win an appeal.

Way too harsh. The kid didnt take the other kids helmet off for him. I get, 15-20 games, that would be harsh, send a msg, w/e, but when is hockey going to make the other player accountable for haing his helmet not done up properly, not skating through the ice with his head down, so on.

This goes to show, once again, hockey players and the people in the game are the dumbest group of althetes on the planet. In football if you take your helmet off when on the field of play, the team is penalized... that's forcing guys to take responsibility for themselves. Hockey would never do that or something similar because they expect the rules to protect them.

Sorry the kid got hurt, sorry the kid's career and life could have been taken away, but when is there going to be responsibility on everyone, not just the guys that try to play within the rules.

Truth be told, that hit wasnt even that bad or dirty. Just take hitting out of the OHL already.

wprager wrote:Technically it wasn't illegal? Doesn't the distance traveled make it charging and therefore illegal? Ot is it the hit itself wasn't illegal? Citing the speed is really strange. Are they supposed to move slowly?

I think the best thing Branch could have done is also fine the team for having this guy out there -- the stats don't lie, he's out there for one reason -- intimidation. Just getting him out for a year does not send any message to the team that bullying tactics will not be tolerated.

And, yes, he did turn at the last second, but I can't believe that it's impossible to let up even a little -- at the very least don't follow through the hit by extending your arms to inflict more damage.

The distance has nothing to do with it. You have to stop your stride technically for it not to be charging... like it or not he did glide in there for the most part. You can def make an arguement it was charging but it has nothing to do with the distance travelled, and he didnt leave his feet.

Long story short, the hit wasnt that bad and if it was Taylor Hall giving it out, he might not even get a game for it. I said it before, I feel bad for the kid but that was a combination of bad luck and lack of common sense on his part. Ice hard, head important, helmet protect head.