Jr B linesman kicked in head during brawl

[caps05]

http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/news/sports/story.html?id=f43edb36-b9d7-4d54-8da8-639c95dea33a (http://)

Anyone hear about this?

[ihlemic10]

http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/news/sports/story.html?id=f43edb36-b9d7-4d54-8da8-639c95dea33a

Here is a fixed version. Sounds like a brutal fight. I however didn't like the bit about Kelly Hrudey, he seems to be opening his mouth alot lately about whats 'good' and 'bad' for Hockey.

[Wildeyes]

The only thing i can say is WOW

[neutral]

http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/news/sports/story.html?id=f43edb36-b9d7-4d54-8da8-639c95dea33a

Here is a fixed version. Sounds like a brutal fight. I however didn't like the bit about Kelly Hrudey, he seems to be opening his mouth alot lately about whats 'good' and 'bad' for Hockey.

This is the quote from Kelly Hrudey:

"I like the direction hockey is going in doing things like this," he said after hearing about the suspensions yesterday. "I would suspect years ago, whether you're going back 20 or 30 or 40 years, there were other cases similar to this, yet the leagues didn't react in the same way. It's a good progressive sign."

Kelly's quote in this case could not raise much concern. I completely agree with him on both his points. Knowing the way media interviews are reported, only selected quotes would have made it to print, so it is difficult to know what else he may have commented on.

The concern you express is likely linked to his comments on national TV with respect to a suspension handed to a WHL coach. Whether or not he went too far in those comments, opinions will differ. Again, I tend to agree with his comments relative to that situation as well.

Please remember, Kelly lives in Calgary and is a well known hockey celebrity, so it is only natural that the local media would approach him for his comments. Now that he has been associated with these views on cleaning up hockey, he will be contacted more often in the future. Therefore we can anticipate more quotes if similar situations arise in the future.

[Jimmypop316]

Hrudey is very very opinionated, probably wants to be the next Don Cherry; but regardless, like every other commentator who is very vocal in the media, you can choose to not listen to them and dismiss it as garbage.

He does raise some good points though.

[peatfan]

All the players & coaches from both team are indefinately suspended. Once it is determined who were the main culprits and who were innocent players than the suspension will be lifted or extended. Police have also indicated that charges are pending. It's not known if there is any film taken of the incident. Hopefully some parent were taking pictures of their son. And the league has taken great steps in the last few years to clean up their image of goon hockey and now this happen.

[neutral]

From the Calgary Herald web-site. Odd that one of the players has 2 names and is 21 yrs old. In the end, 2 players suspended and one parent banned from the rinks. All other players and both sets of coaches were not to blame.



Hockey player charged in attack
Parent banned from arenas for one year
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The Junior B Canucks get ready to play the Blazers on Monday night after a charge was laid against one of their teammates for assault.
Photograph by : Leah Hennel, Calgary Herald
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Font: * * * * Sarah Chapman, Calgary Herald
Published: Tuesday, October 31, 2006
A junior hockey player accused of kicking a linesman in the head during an off-ice brawl is now facing a criminal charge and has been suspended for the rest of his minor hockey career.

Canucks player Robert Joseph Simard, also known as Rob Zakrajsek, 21, was charged with assault on Monday.

Simard and another Junior B Canucks player, William LeBlanc, were handed two-year suspensions by Hockey Calgary and Hockey Alberta, which also banned LeBlanc's father from city arenas for one year for his involvement.

"Hopefully, this is a signal to the players, coaches and everyone involved, primarily the spectators," said Murray Briceland, general manager of Hockey Calgary.

"This whole incident would not have occurred if a spectator had not chosen to get involved where he shouldn't have been. If he had stayed out of it, this whole thing would never have happened."

The Oct. 22 incident began during the game when Junior B teams, the Canucks and the Bruins, were playing at Stu Peppard Arena.

An on-ice altercation spilled off-ice after a player was sucker-punched on the ice, witnesses told the Herald.

One witness said a referee grabbed a Canucks player and slammed him to the ice. The player's upset father then waited for the referee at the rink exit, the witness said.

A linesman who stepped between the parent, the governor of the Calgary Junior Hockey League, and the players, was kicked in the head and knocked unconscious in the altercation.

The suspension and subsequent ban of LeBlanc's father from all city arenas hosting sanctioned hockey games stemmed from a shoving-match with the governor, Bob Eacrett, said Briceland.

Hockey Calgary's decision to suspend the players -- ending their eligibility to play junior hockey -- was lauded by the president of Hockey Canada.

"These are things we don't want to see in the game, but I think they've given a strong message that they don't want to see it happen at any level in Calgary minor," Bob Nicholson said.

"I credit Calgary minor for not just reacting to the (police) investigation, but conducting their own investigation. It looks like they've done a very good job."

The suspensions were issued after a three-hour hearing was conducted by Hockey Calgary and Hockey Alberta to discuss the fight and determine the punishment for those involved.

During the hearing, several senior hockey administrators heard testimony from witnesses and those directly involved in the incident.

"The parties involved can forget about hockey for the next few years and take out a library card or something, but (they do) have the right to appeal," Briceland said.

Briceland said the hearings allowed Hockey Calgary to exonerate the coaching staff and the rest of the Canucks and Bruins of any wrongdoing.

"They did their jobs, and we're very pleased with the coaching staff and the rest of the players," he said.

Canucks coach Bruce Cowie said he supported the suspension of two of his players.

"They both got what they deserved," he said. "Basically, you're taught as a five- or six-year-old that you do not touch an official. . . . I don't know what it takes to get it through to them."