3/18 Notes

Posted by on . 11 comments

… The Wings blew their Division/Conference/League lead last night when they lost 4-1 to Vancouver while Nashville and Jordin Tootoo were beating up Dallas to win 3-2.

I missed the first period, which I see was penalty-ridden, but I got to see the second and third periods and it didn’t seem much better. I haven’t got much more to say, except that they need to stay out of the box better than that. When they’re getting bench minor penalties for having six players not just on the ice, but in the zone playing, something’s wrong. They were obviously not on top of the mental game.

Anyway, if you didn’t read the liveblog from last night, read it now.

… I had a reason to mention Tootoo above and the reason is this:

For that disgusting example of disrespect, Tootoo was given a roughing penalty while Robidas was called for charging. Did I mention that Robidas had to be carted off the ice on a stretcher? No? Oh. Well, he did. How, exactly, does that work?

Now, Barry Trotz obviously isn’t going to throw his own player under the bus, but his defense of Tootoo sickens me:

“Toots obviously hit their top player, and the current response in hockey is someone has got to get over there and defend your honor. Robidas was really charging at Toots, and he just reacted. I give him a lot of credit – he kept his gloves on.”

“The current response in hockey”? That’s how it’s always been, Trotz. Robidas was going in to defend Modano, which is exactly what he should have done.

I’m not convinced Robidas was technically charging, but all Tootoo had to do was sidestep it or absorb it (Robidas wasn’t going that fast). If he had a chance to swing, he had a chance to step aside instead. I don’t know what condition Robidas is in, but had Tootoo had a chance to drop his glove, Robidas might have been seriously injured. Oh, and Tootoo would probably have a broken hand, so I guess Trotz is right to give him credit for that.

Robidas obviously has a concussion, but it doesn’t seem like the League is looking at a suspension. If there isn’t some kind of disciplinary action, the League is going to look incredibly stupid. That kind of stuff has no place in the game, whether it’s Tootoo or anyone else doing it. The kid’s had a red-letter week, that’s for sure.

… Apparently, this is the week that Todd Bertuzzi will return to the ice. He’s had a number of pain-free practices and should be good to go Thursday or Saturday. I’m definitely looking forward to it. I want to see what he’ll do for us in the Winged Wheel.

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Comments

  1. Justin says:
    March 18, 2007 at 2:17 pm

    No no Matt, Tootoo was given a DOUBLE minor for roughing. Oh yes that's right. While Robidas gets a visit to the hospital, Tootoo gets an extra 2 minutes in the box. The refs and the league are really cracking down on dirty plays now.

    By the way, check out this article written by a Preds fan (apparently they do exist) about the whole incident:

    http://www.predzone.com/article.php?id=556

    It's worth a good chuckle; and also provides realization of the fact that there really are fans who are big enough homers that they'll write something so disgustingly one-sided, biased, and stupid.

    About the Wings @ Nucks game…it was a farce. The parade to the penalty box was disgusting to say the least. In the first 40 minutes, I think there was more special teams play than there was 5 on 5. Whether we won or not didn't matter…it just wasn't a good game to watch. How can it be when after every other pass and every few strides someone takes you hear the whistle blow?

    Other than the penalties, it was another sorry game by the Wings. We only scored 5 on 3. In the third we had a flurry of great chances but Luongo stood on his head to keep the Wings down. You know, after beating the Preds twice in a row, I was pretty confident about our playoff chances. And then it's games like this and the Boston game that kill any hope I have.

    And to make things worse, I'm hearing that Zetterberg might not even be back for the playoffs…

    Reply
  2. Megan Hirdes says:
    March 18, 2007 at 3:17 pm

    Wow, Justin, you're right. This guy is…well, let's call it special. First of all, anyone who defends Tootoo in this play is more than a homer. He's borderline delusional. He's trying to avert the attention and blame onto Modano. While Modano did hit Tootoo in the back with his stick, there's no way it was at all similar to Simon. That statement proves that this guy has no idea what he's talking about. It wasn't anywhere near Tootoo's head, it wasn't two handed. And Tootoo turned around and slashed him right back. The original hit was clean, I'll give him that. But to turn around and sucker punch a guy skating toward you to "defend" yourself is downright disgusting. I'm sorry, but if you're the one throwing the punch, it's not defensive. That's offensive right there. I also don't think there's any way that Robidas should have gotten a charging call. Yes, he took three steps. So did Tootoo. He took a lot of steps that night. See, you actually have to hit someone for it to be charging. Minor detail. Even if Tootoo hadn't tried to break his neck, I'm not convinced Robidas was gonna check him. He probably would have gone over there to rough Tootoo up a bit- just a little scrum. Tootoo's actions prove something I've suspected for some time now. The boy is a coward.

    Reply
  3. Matt Saler says:
    March 18, 2007 at 3:23 pm

    Justin,

    Oh wow, a double minor? It must have been like the double Tootoo got on Tuesday, where he only had to sit in the box for 2:00 with a teammate while the Stars had a power play. Some punishment.

    How any Predators fan could defend Tootoo is beyond me. I certainly wouldn't defend a Wing who had done the same thing, I'd say they'd done something stupid and deserved a punishment. I don't understand why they go to such lengths to defend the kid when he did such a blatantly dirty thing.

    I agree with Megan, Robidas was probably just going to get in Tootoo's face, not hit him. Besides, Modano was right there. Does anyone really think Robidas was going to "defend" Modano by knocking Tootoo back into him?

    As for the Wings game, I can't say the officiating was great, but the Wings didn't do themselves any favors either. Definitely one of the low points of the season (they've had a few of those lately). I can't say I was impressed with Hasek, either. I just hope he gets those bad games out of his system before the playoffs. It's nice that he nearly always rebounds with a strong outing, but a game like that against Calgary or that team from California and the Wings'll be in it deep.

    I don't want to blame it all on Dom, though, so I will say that I hope the whole team gets games like that out of their system. Mental break downs like that won't cut it. I didn't really see anyone in the Winged Wheel play all that well last night.

    Reply
  4. Justin says:
    March 18, 2007 at 9:59 pm

    Datsyuk was alright. But Lidstrom was an almost-unheard-of-for-him -4. Lang was a bum as usual. I think Morrison's breakaway shorty was the result of a Lang turnover. And Babcock kept Lang on the ice afterwards too…

    The article was right about one thing though – Modano did swing his stick. But the writer neglects to mention that Modano also realizes what he's doing and stops himself from giving Tootoo a full-on slash across the spine. Unlike Tootoo, Modano actually has some self-control.

    Keith Jones was on TSN today actually defending what Tootoo did, saying that he was right in defending himself. That's BS. You don't defend yourself by throwing a haymaker at a guy's head. Tootoo had plenty of alternatives – duck, or move out of the way. Or be smart: do nothing, let Robidas take a penalty, and draw a powerplay for your team. Or maybe do what Tootoo apparently doesn't know how to do anymore – drop the gloves and face off in a fair fight. If this kind of "defensive" behaviour was acceptable, people wouldn't be getting all over George Bush for Iraq.

    Reply
  5. Short and Fat says:
    March 19, 2007 at 7:00 pm

    I've posted the frame by frame at my place:
    http://shortandfat.blogspot.com/2007/03/tootoo-ha…

    Reply
  6. Kevin says:
    March 20, 2007 at 4:50 pm

    So, you're saying that because the guy described the incident exactly as it happened, that he is a one-sided biased homer? By the way, you're talking about Tootoo's lack of self-control. Let's face it, not all fights are started in the same fashion as the one between Imanans and Laraque a while back. But I'll pose the question. What would you have done with the split second you have to make a decision with someone skating full-speed at you from behind? There was no chance to get out of the way of Robidas. And if you just stand there, you risk getting yourself hurt. Basically, there was nothing wrong with the punch, other than the fact that Robidas' face was in the wrong place at the wrong time.

    Now, if Tootoo really had the lack of restraint that you are crediting him with, Chris Simon's shot on Ryan Hollweg would have paled in comparison to what Tootoo would have done. But we didn't see that, now did we? The fact is, Tootoo has become a very smart player when it comes to keeping his cool and drawing penalties against the other team. Robidas also was clearly not going to slow down. And in fact, Tootoo was lucky he didn't just stand there, because if you watch the footage, you would see that he was about to be the recipient of a hard cross-check to the throat area. He did what pretty much anyone would have done with the hundredth of a second that he had to make a decision.

    Reply
  7. Kevin says:
    March 20, 2007 at 5:10 pm

    And by the way, Megan. I'm not convinced that you've been actually watching the games without those Red Wing colored glasses. Tootoo is far from a coward.

    Players like Mathieu Schneider and Chris Chelios have gotten by with elbowing people in the back of the head and high-tailing it when someone wants to confront them for years. To me, that is cowardice.

    Reply
  8. Matt Saler says:
    March 20, 2007 at 5:50 pm

    Keven,

    If you want a neutral party description of the incident, see what James Mirtle, who is neither a Nashville fan nor a Dallas fan, has to say.

    What was wrong with the punch is that Robidas had no chance to defend himself. Tootoo's preemptive strike was not self-defense so much as offense and is yet another example of his disregard for the safety of his opponents. There's a reason that there is a certain protocol for fighting and encounters like that. Tootoo apparently feels he is under no obligation to follow that protocol. If he doesn't learn his lesson from this suspension, someone will teach it to him, probably the hard way. I'd hate to see someone bigger and tougher seriously injure him in response to one of his ill-advised cheap shots. If he toned things down just a bit, he'd be an acceptable player and yet remain an agitator.

    As for Robidas, he wasn't going to defend Modano by hitting Tootoo right back into him. At worst, he was going to give Jordin a facewash or an earful of obscenities, both of which I'm sure the kid could handle. He had pulled up well before Tootoo's punch had landed and was not going to lay on the crushing blow you and other fans believe he intended to deliver. He is not that kind of player and deserves the benefit of the doubt.

    Schneider is not as nasty as you seem to think, unless someone like Tootoo has pissed him off. As for Chelios, he at least brings excellent penalty killing, great leadership, stalwart defensive play, and a veteran presence to the table. Tootoo brings none of those things and is purely an agitator. Chelios will go into the Hall of Fame as one of the best defensemen ever, while Tootoo may be forgotten in a few years. I haven't seen Chelios back down from a confrontation, so I don't know what you're talking about. Not fighting and backing down from post-whistle pleasantries are two completely different things.

    Reply
  9. Kevin says:
    March 21, 2007 at 4:59 pm

    I never said that Chelios didn't bring any of those things to the table, but a comparison between he and Tootoo in that regard is like apples-to-oranges. Tootoo is only 24, whereas Chelios is 45, so the veteran presence and leadership comparisons are unfair. Tootoo is a forward, whereas Chelios is a defenseman, which eliminates the "Hall of Fame defenseman" and PK categories. When Tootoo was a mere prospect, he was being sought after more for his offensive skill than for his ruggedness. But since the Preds do have players who have more skill and experience, he is relegated to the checking line. Therefore, he is currently a role-player. And he has become very good at performing in the role that he is playing. He may not have the high scoring numbers yet, but give him some time. And I'm not saying that he will be a Hall of Famer, but eventually he will be on a different type of line, where his offensive skill will become more utilized.

    Back to Chelios, as I said before, you make good points about what he does bring to the table. But none of that negated what I said about him. So I'll repeat it. He has gotten by with cheap shots for years, such as elbowing opposing players in the head from behind after the whistle has been heard. And I don't consider a difference between not fighting and backing down in these circumstances. If someone drops the gloves and he backs down, as you are suggesting that Tootoo should have done, that is one thing. But to cheap shot someone and then high-tail it away from them is another. But hey, it's part of the game and he is certainly not the only player who does it.

    And as for Tootoo, his original hit on Modano was absolutely nothing but clean. I'm not being a biased homer when I say this. It was suggested on another blog that he likes to leave his skates and torpedo himself around when he lays a check on someone. The truth is, he is smaller than most other guys in the league and if he wants to hit a bigger player such as Modano properly, he does have to go in with what to him would be a higher shot. But he doesn't just skate up to someone and catapult himself into the air to hit them. His skates didn't even come off the floor during that hit. And as I pointed out before, Tootoo's back was turned when Robidas was skating up to him. Obviously you're right to say that he wouldn't have "punished" Tootoo by knocking him right into the very player that he is attempting to defend. But no matter what the intent, whether it be a violent hit, a facewash, or an exchange of phone numbers, when your back is turned to someone and you sense them coming without knowing who it is or why they are charging at you, you are inclined to defend yourself. I don't care who you are. If you are telling me that in that situation, you would just stand there and let come what may, you are lying. You wouldn't do it, I wouldn't do it, and Tootoo didn't do it. He had no time to get out of the way, and he certainly wasn't going to turn and just stand there and allow himself to be possibly hit OR facewashed. And for that matter, Tootoo's intent could have also ben to give a good facewash to whoever was coming at him for no reason. As you would notice from the footage, his glove was still on, which softened whatever blow he could have given. And even if it were a punch, Robidas' face was unfortunately in the wrong place at exactly the wrong time. Was the punch violent? Yes. Was it aggressive? Absolutely. But it wasn't the nasty cheap shot that it is being made to sound like. A cheap shot is when someone does something like Bertuzzi did to Steve Moore, without allowing him the ability to see it coming. And if you and I agree on absolutely nothing else, you must admit that Robidas should have been able to see it coming. After all, he was looking directly at it.

    As for this debate. I'm glad that you are accepting me as a Preds fan to converse with you on your Red Wings-related website, and that we can have a healthy discussion about this topic. Here in Nashville, we consider you guys as a VERY heated rival, even though you don't look at the Preds quite so hastily. Even though we're surely on opposite sides of the issue, I want to thank you for carrying the discussion without berating me. Most people think of us in Nashville as a bunch of stupid rednecks (apparently so does Tom Lites, Dallas' President). Anyway, hopefully as we go into the playoffs for our third consecutive year, we can gain more exposure and solidify ourselves as a competent franchise and as considerably knowledgable and sophisticted hockey fans.

    Reply
  10. Matt Saler says:
    March 23, 2007 at 9:43 am

    Kevin,

    There's a difference between cheap shots and a chippy style. Chelios makes wicked use of his stick, but what he does is not dangerous like Tootoo's constant hunt for the big hit is. Sure, it's not popular with the opposition or the fans of the opposition, but unless you watch up every night, you have no idea what he really does and now much of his style is more body and stick positioning than anything else. He is much less nasty than he used to be, but he remains one of the smartest defensemen in the League. Still, I can understand why he's so hated, because his slashes and retaliatory actions attract the camera. It also doesn't help his reputation when the young guys in the league try to take runs at the old guy and he responds in kind.

    Nobody's saying the hit on Modano wasn't clean. The issue is more that it was a bit rough for use on one of the game's elder statesmen. Tootoo knew exactly what was coming, so that excuse isn't going to fly. Once again, it comes down to his unwillingness to show proper respect to protocol and to his fellow NHLers.

    Robidas may have seen it coming, but you try to defend yourself against a punch like that. Unless you're trained in self-defense, it's unlikely that you'd have a chance. It all happened too fast. Thus, the argument that Robidas could have defended himself doesn't work either.

    Thanks for stopping by and providing your opinion, Kevin. It's good to have intelligent representatives from your fanbase getting involved in a debate, rather than some of the less so (believe me, we've had a number of those stop by). It's encouraging to know that Predator fans like you exist and that we can have a real discussion about the game rather than a flame war.

    Believe me, the rivalry is heating up here in Detroit. When the Preds weren't such a good team, the idea of a rivalry was laughable, but now that they're one of the best in the league, they pose a real threat and because of that, the rivalry is growing.

    Reply
  1. Tootoo Suspended at On the Wings says:
    March 19, 2007 at 6:52 pm

    [...] on yesterday’s Notes post: Jordin Tootoo was given a five-game suspension for this slug-to-the-face of Stephane [...]

    Reply

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