Tortorella slams the NHL for trying to move the game away from hard-hitting hockey
Near the end of the first period on Thursday night in a game between the Philadelphia Flyers and the New Jersey Devils, Flyers forward Garnet Hathaway was assessed a boarding major and a game misconduct for his hit on Devils defenseman Luke Hughes.
With Hughes trying to get to the line first for the icing and Hathaway trying his best to negate the call, the oft-controversial forward laid out a massive check with the official not blowing his whistle to deem the play dead. Even the broadcasters were a little shocked, thinking the officials had waved off the icing call.
Hathaway's check was hard and Hughes was down in a heap and was forced into the locker room before eventually coming back the next period. The officials reviewed the play and after a lengthy chat they came back and upheld their original decision of a major penalty.
Head coach John Tortorella was incensed during the game and his post-game comments reflected that feeling:
"I'm not going to give you names, the people that have talked to me – talked to the league – said it was a nothing play.
I'm glad [Luke Hughes] isn't hurt. [He's] a really good player, young man in this league, but that's a problem in our league right now. Our players in this league do not put enough emphasis on making sure you're protecting yourself from hits like that. Making sure you absorb hits like that. We've kind of tried to turn this league into a no-hit league. Now people aren't ready to be hit. I think it's a lost art in how you take hits.
I do think looking at the clip, I think [Hughes] thinks it's icing. A mistake was made. We've got good refs, we've got good linesmen. A mistake was made last night and what bothers me is we had to suffer for that mistake, losing a player.
There is nothing wrong with the play. It shouldn't even have been a penalty. It screams to the athletes in our game, be prepared to be hit because big hits are allowed. Nowadays, I'm not so sure because everyone puts their arms up when there's a big hit. It makes me sick what goes on in the league here on big hits. That's part of the game.
I'm not trying to run down the league, I just think we've taken away the policing of the game from the players. With all the new rules, we've taken away the policing of the game. It should belong to the players. It comes into how the game — it's a fast game, which is fantastic. The skill in the game is fantastic. I think some of the rule changes we've made have improved the game. But I just don't think we should take the foundation of the National Hockey League out. Hits are allowed. Back in the day, and I'm not trying to go way back, but you've got to learn how to take a hit. That's a big play in winning games is taking a hit to make a play, and being braced to take these hits. And if you do have a big hit you shouldn't have to fight someone two seconds later because it's a big hit. That's what I don't get.
Not blaming anybody, I just don't like where that part of the game is going It's a man's game. We've got it convoluted a little bit."
I'm glad [Luke Hughes] isn't hurt. [He's] a really good player, young man in this league, but that's a problem in our league right now. Our players in this league do not put enough emphasis on making sure you're protecting yourself from hits like that. Making sure you absorb hits like that. We've kind of tried to turn this league into a no-hit league. Now people aren't ready to be hit. I think it's a lost art in how you take hits.
I do think looking at the clip, I think [Hughes] thinks it's icing. A mistake was made. We've got good refs, we've got good linesmen. A mistake was made last night and what bothers me is we had to suffer for that mistake, losing a player.
There is nothing wrong with the play. It shouldn't even have been a penalty. It screams to the athletes in our game, be prepared to be hit because big hits are allowed. Nowadays, I'm not so sure because everyone puts their arms up when there's a big hit. It makes me sick what goes on in the league here on big hits. That's part of the game.
I'm not trying to run down the league, I just think we've taken away the policing of the game from the players. With all the new rules, we've taken away the policing of the game. It should belong to the players. It comes into how the game — it's a fast game, which is fantastic. The skill in the game is fantastic. I think some of the rule changes we've made have improved the game. But I just don't think we should take the foundation of the National Hockey League out. Hits are allowed. Back in the day, and I'm not trying to go way back, but you've got to learn how to take a hit. That's a big play in winning games is taking a hit to make a play, and being braced to take these hits. And if you do have a big hit you shouldn't have to fight someone two seconds later because it's a big hit. That's what I don't get.
Not blaming anybody, I just don't like where that part of the game is going It's a man's game. We've got it convoluted a little bit."
The hit was definitely hard but it didn't seem to deserve a major penalty - especially after such a lengthy review. Later in the game Devils defenseman Brendan Smith two-hand slashed Travis Konecny right in front of the referees but was only given a minor penalty. The following day he was handed a 2-game suspension.
| POLL | ||
DECEMBRE 3 | 944 ANSWERS Tortorella slams the NHL for trying to move the game away from hard-hitting hockey Do you think the NHL is too soft now? | ||
| Yes | 820 | 86.9 % |
| No | 124 | 13.1 % |
| List of polls | ||
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