Ryan Letts

[amsfan05]

All of last year this guy gave me the impression he was a no talent goon who was always up to something mischevious. Granted I saw him play a total of 19 games counting playoffs, but I just remember he usually had a dirty hit in each game and ran Pickard a few times.

This year from what I had seen he had changed his role majorly and was playing good, hard-nosed hockey. Until tonight.

what kind of player runs a goalie well after the whistle in a 5-1 game, and has the nerve to even throw a solid elbow at the goalie on top of it. To make matters worse, after the refs cleaned up the line brawl and were escorting him off the ice HE TAUNTS THE TRI-CITY BENCH?

what a class act huh?

can't wait for March 13th & 14th

ps McColm's little incident with Wahl was a bit uncalled for as well, but at least he didn't hurt anyone.

[Pete76]

No need to run Pickard on purpose ... game was clean up until that point ... chiefs were just getting their a s s es kicked all night ... I am waiting to watch the replay on-demand on comcast as it is not in the system yet ... at the end of the game the chiefs had 6 guys on the ice and 2 on the bench ... McColm should have left Wahl out of it ... tri is a better/more consistent team this year ... but damn you guys can't fight .... this game is different if we are not down 3 of our top 6 defenders ... but I am sorry Pickard got run ... the live version seemed pretty bad ... I bet the replay will look worse



342 Penalty Minutes in one game!

Penalties
1 - T.C Toll, 4:01 - Tripping , 2 min (PP)
1 - SPO Johnson, 10:03 - Hooking , 2 min (PP)
2 - T.C Reese, 7:13 - Holding , 2 min (PP)
2 - SPO Koper, 8:47 - Interference , 2 min (PP)
2 - SPO Wahl, 10:32 - Slashing , 2 min (PP)
2 - T.C Lazo, 19:05 - Interference , 2 min (PP)
3 - SPO Roman, 0:28 - Tripping , 2 min (PP)
3 - SPO Baldwin, 2:42 - Hooking , 2 min (PP)
3 - T.C Served By , 3:20 - Too Many Men , 2 min (PP)
3 - T.C Macek, 6:33 - Major-Fighting , 5 min
3 - T.C Macek, 6:33 - Game Misconduct , 10 min
3 - T.C Messier, 6:33 - Major-Fighting , 5 min
3 - T.C Plouffe, 6:33 - Major-Fighting , 5 min
3 - T.C Plouffe, 6:33 - Game Misconduct , 10 min
3 - T.C Shinnimin, 6:33 - Major-Fighting , 5 min
3 - T.C Shinnimin, 6:33 - Game Misconduct , 10 min
3 - SPO Donaghy, 6:33 - Major-Fighting , 5 min
3 - SPO Donaghy, 6:33 - Game Misconduct , 10 min
3 - SPO Koper, 6:33 - Major-Fighting , 5 min
3 - SPO Koper, 6:33 - Game Misconduct , 10 min
3 - SPO Letts, 6:33 - Major-Charging , 5 min (PP)
3 - SPO Letts, 6:33 - Major-Fighting , 5 min
3 - SPO Letts, 6:33 - Game Misconduct , 10 min
3 - SPO Reddington, 6:33 - Major-Fighting , 5 min
3 - SPO Reddington, 6:33 - Game Misconduct , 10 min
3 - T.C Schmidt, 11:24 - Slashing , 2 min (PP)
3 - T.C Reddick, 13:12 - Slashing , 2 min (PP)
3 - T.C Served By , 16:42 - Game - Coach , 10 min
3 - T.C Procyshen, 16:42 - Roughing , 2 min (PP)
3 - T.C Procyshen, 16:42 - Slashing , 2 min
3 - T.C Procyshen, 16:42 - Major-Fighting , 5 min
3 - T.C Reddick, 16:42 - Major-Fighting , 5 min
3 - T.C Reddick, 16:42 - Game Misconduct , 10 min
3 - T.C Sutherland, 16:42 - Major-Fighting , 5 min
3 - T.C Sutherland, 16:42 - Game Misconduct , 10 min
3 - T.C Toll, 16:42 - Major-Fighting , 5 min
3 - T.C Toll, 16:42 - Game Misconduct , 10 min
3 - T.C Zimak, 16:42 - Major-Fighting , 5 min
3 - T.C Zimak, 16:42 - Game Misconduct , 10 min
3 - T.C Zimak, 16:42 - Game Misconduct , 10 min
3 - SPO Baldwin, 16:42 - Major-Fighting , 5 min
3 - SPO Baldwin, 16:42 - Game Misconduct , 10 min
3 - SPO Baldwin, 16:42 - Game Misconduct , 10 min
3 - SPO Baldwin, 16:42 - Game Misconduct , 10 min
3 - SPO Conrad, 16:42 - Major-Fighting , 5 min
3 - SPO McCrae, 16:42 - Slashing , 2 min
3 - SPO McCrae, 16:42 - Major-Fighting , 5 min
3 - SPO Roman, 16:42 - Major-Fighting , 5 min
3 - SPO Roman, 16:42 - Game Misconduct , 10 min
3 - SPO Spurgeon, 16:42 - Major-Fighting , 5 min
3 - SPO Spurgeon, 16:42 - Game Misconduct , 10 min
3 - T.C Lazo, 17:11 - Slashing , 2 min (PP)
3 - T.C McColm, 19:45 - Major-Fighting , 5 min
3 - T.C McColm, 19:45 - Game Misconduct , 10 min
3 - SPO Bartman, 19:45 - Game Misconduct , 10 min
3 - SPO Gal, 19:45 - Game Misconduct , 10 min
3 - T.C Schmidt, 20:00 - Slashing , 2 min

[amsfan05]

i definitely agree with you the game would have been better if you at least had glass. how did he get hurt? any idea on the length he's gone?

as far as us fighting, we don't have many truly skilled fighters. BUT look at the fights. Plouffe vs Letts (plouffe can't fight and letts is a bad ass imo) then 2 rookies vs Donaghy and Koper. I'd hope you won all 3 of those fights. then it was Procyshen, Reddick, Toll (3 finese guys) Sutherland (who's not too shabby) and Zimak (a rookie who's normally a scratch) with McCrae, Baldwin (pretty gutless jumping in after zimak, then saving spurgeon) Conrad, and roman (pretty sure they can't fight). McColm and Schmidt who are our 2 best fighters weren't out there for both incidents, yet your 3 toughest (from what I know of your team) were.

as far as the hit on Pickard, it looked very bad from the TV broadcast. It was a good 3 seconds after the whistle, and Letts clearly came through with a big elbow to the head. I wouldn't doubt if Pickard over exaggerated it but it was still an ugly play. What really got me though was Letts having the nerve to taunt our bench on his way off, I wish Schmidt would've jumped the boards and tuned Letts up when he was taunting.

either way, sad to see the game get THAT ugly. had to laugh at tokarski trying to go each time though. i was very surprised we didn't retaliate and run him too.

hey Pete are you going to be here for the game on the 14th?

[HAF]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9tnaeSOCKaI

[LinkGaetzFan]

I wish Schmidt would've jumped the boards and tuned Letts up when he was taunting.

I seriously doubt Schmidt would be the one doing the 'tuning' in that matchup.

I was sitting in 103 and saw it clearly. It was definitely an intentional hit. The Chiefs were expecting retaliation as they would clear out anyone remotely near Tokarski, and Baldwin was on the ice for a long period of time after the initial brawl up to the second brawl to provide insurance.

[Pete76]

Headed back from church today my son (4 1/2) says:

"Letts deleted the goalie. Why did Letts tackle the goalie?"

The keen observations of a kid who has seen 120+ games ... since he saw his first at less than a week old

I might try and get down to tri for the next game, I have to check my work schedule and see if tickets are available. Needless to say, we are headed to the rink to go skate.

[amsfan05]

link i hate to burst your bubble but Letts would likely have gotten tuned up by many of the Tri players after that hit. He looked kind of unimpressive against plouffe, who is by far not a fighter. either way, I wish someone would've jumped the boards and cleaned his clock after he started taunting the bench.

here's what nachbaur was quoted saying in today's herald:

"He's hurt," Nachbaur said. "A kid with no future in this game runs a kid with a future. (Spokane's Hardy Sauter) is a primitive coach who put the game right back to the 1970s. There was a plan behind that (hit). It was ridiculous. He was sending guys off the bench the whole night.

"In the Ontario Hockey League they give 15 or 20 games for a hit like that. I'm sure the league will take care of it."

here's my favorite part of it all though. the last sentence of the article is another nachbaur quote.

"We dominated the game," Nachbaur said.

"Our power play was good, we were in synch, had a lot of energy and running Chet was their answer. (Today) will be a monumental task, strapping on the skates and doing it all again."


pete if you can manage to come down I'd love to meet up, maybe drink a beer or something.

[HomerSimpson]

Let's face it; as a fan of the Chiefs, mind you - I have lost a ton of respect for Ryan Letts. I don't care for Pickard; I think he's a showboat and tries to play things up quite a bit...but I wouldn't wish for that to happen to anyone. It was dirty, plain and simple. If Hardy Sauter had anything to do with it I would be surprised - I think Nachbaur's comment is a little off-keel there, but mainly because I know the rivalry between Letts and Pickard is an ongoing one.

As far as the fights, Donaghy vs. Shinniman was an ugly one, but at least Donny knew when to quit and let Shinniman go. I can at least respect him for that. Toll was also very sportsmanlike for not pounding on Roman, who clearly was in the wrong place at the wrong time. As far as the rest, from where I was sitting it was just a mish-mash of arms and equipment.

Very surprised that someone like Asuchak (who I know wasn't playing) didn't take another run at Tokarski like he has done before. The altercation in front of the Chiefs' bench the Ams brought on themselves IMO. McCrae through a clean hit on Fadden and was attacked by Sutherland. That was going to be the only fight until one of the Ams plowed Spurgeon over from behind (was it Reddick?). That's what had Baldwin so hot...he was trying to get after whoever through that hit, and the Ams didn't have an answer for the big man at the time. I do think it's quite comical that he got 3 game misconducts lol.

At any rate - suspensions (rightfully) should follow for both clubs, most notably to Letts for the cheapshot. I hope Pickard is ok...there is no excuse for doing that at all.

[amsfan05]

donaghy letting up shinnimin definitely showed some class, i really admire him for doing so. as far as toll letting up roman, that's because toll probably didn't know what to do.

that second incident was something we started, from what i had seen on tv it was pro that had jumped on mcrae and then all hell broke loose again. i did see reddick pounding spurgeon, but for baldwin to come be 3rd man in was uncalled for. which after he joined sutherland came cruising in as well. all in all, there was too much going on for the tv camera to show everything so my views are kind of screwy im sure.

as far as suspensions go, i can see Letts getting a 4 or 5 games. McColm will probably get 1 or 2 for his Kyle Beach impression. Baldwin will probably get one, maybe more depending on how many misconducts he's already had. and of course Schmidt will get one for his little slash/spear at Tokarski after the game. Then don't forget the fines for teams, if my memory serves me correct last night would have been Tri-Cities 4th & 5th Multiple fight situations of the season, with should be like 500 or maybe 1000. UGLY UGLY GAME.

the paper said today that pickard was indeed hurt, no idea on severity until today after someone besides the trainer looks at him.

as far as pickard being a showboat, i can see how you believe that being a chiefs fan and all. myself, i feel the same way for tokarski. look at the game last night for example, pickard is down in a heap and tokarski skates up ice like he's going to join the melee. then the next ordeal he's trying to talk martinyuk into going. then when mccolm pulled his crap, tokarski skates up ice and pops his helmet off to talk crap. oh yah and after the game he was running his mouth at our bench and had to get corralled by the linesmen. the kid is a great goalie though, i'd love to have him as our backup any day

[LifelongChiefsFan]

There's really not much that I can add that hasn't already been said. It wouldn't shock me at all to see Letts sit for the rest of the season (regular season anyway). There's two trains of thought here. The first is to suspend Letts at least through the next two games against Tri-City game so that heated emotions don't cause those games to get out of control. But on the other end maybe Tri-City would rather Letts plays so they can get some retribution. I'm not saying that I think the Americans are going to be out to do anything dirty against the Chiefs, but I'd be willing to bet McColm would like to have a shot at fighting Letts.

As for Nachbaur's comments I honestly don't have a big problem with them. Yes he is making assumptions and he could be wrong, but the guy is upset and frankly I can't blame him. His franchise goalie, one of the best in the CHL, was just injured and he has no idea how hurt Chet is or how long he may be out. He probably shouldn't have gone as far as he did with his comments, but like I said in the heat of the moment you speak with your emotions and that's what happened there. My guess would be he'll get a $250 fine at worst, which is more than adequate imo.

Here's hoping that Pickard does not miss significant amounts of time and that the final 2 games between these teams resembles hockey instead of the melee that occured last night.