Don Cherry shares controversial opinion on former Rangers enforcer's hit on Darnell Nurse
Photo credit: CBC / NHL.com
Don Cherry has always been known as an outspoken personality in the culture of hockey, since his Coaches Corner spot on Hockey Night in Canada.
With news of Ryan Reaves leveling Darnell Nurse on the ice, during the game on November 16th, he had to speak up regarding the situation.
The majority of those voices have pinned theblame on Ryan Reaves, and it's difficult not to considering the footage of "the play". Only a few would give tacit approval of the action of Reaves.
With news of the Department of Player Safety suspending Ryan Reaves for five games for being a consistent offender, well some believe Nurse is at fault.
One of those is hockey purist, and infamous personality Don Cherry who believes if you played like that "in my day" "you'd get flattened and would thank the guy for it"(this isn't something he's said).
"You know it's a funny thing," began Cherry on his most recent podcast. "Nobody [would] ever come around like that with their head down, because the wingers would leave and as soon as they saw you do that once they'd get you the next time."
The episode of his podcast was recorded prior to the suspension of Reaves but would correctly guess the punishment for the enforcer.
Cherry wasn't alone in this what many would construe as an orthodox, or purist viewpoint of hockey as Paul Bissonnette of Spittin' Chiclets would also voice an opinion along the same lines.
"A tough situation for Reavo," said Bissonnette on Hockey Night in Canada. "It seems like [Nurse] was still facing the corner which you know you're anticipating him to round the net and maybe hit them towards the front, in the crest, and [Nurse] just never really rounds his shoulder so it just leaves his head susceptible.
"It just sucks that he gets him right in the button," added Bissonnette."
"It just sucks that he gets him right in the button," added Bissonnette."
Cause, of course, Reavo is the victim!
Over the weekend, Biznasty would prostrate to Twitter and proclaim Reaves didn't mean it.
«I think that Reavo is going into that hit with no ill intentions,» Biz said.
«He thinks that Darnell will go around the net, with his head up, and he's going to bury his shoulder into either his shoulder or chest to make a big play. Reavo actually meets Darnell stick on stick, and I'm not sure if that's what causes Darnell to hesitate and not go around the net. He never gets his left shoulder around, and he also has his head completely exposed.
«But the reason Reavo gets the game is that he has the ability to get Darnell in the right shoulder. He misses it, and he gets him right in the button. And as a result, he's knocked out, he's bleeding, and what the f-k do you want the refs to do? At minimum, he should've gotten the game, because he missed the shoulder.»
«He thinks that Darnell will go around the net, with his head up, and he's going to bury his shoulder into either his shoulder or chest to make a big play. Reavo actually meets Darnell stick on stick, and I'm not sure if that's what causes Darnell to hesitate and not go around the net. He never gets his left shoulder around, and he also has his head completely exposed.
«But the reason Reavo gets the game is that he has the ability to get Darnell in the right shoulder. He misses it, and he gets him right in the button. And as a result, he's knocked out, he's bleeding, and what the f-k do you want the refs to do? At minimum, he should've gotten the game, because he missed the shoulder.»
But in a statement of irony, he'd claim the ejection was correct.
Paul Bissonnette didn't want to comment on Reaves' suspension, claiming that's «up to the league to decide.»
«But like I said, I don't think Reavo goes into that hit with ill intentions. Then again, it has to be the responsibility of the player-he missed the shoulder, he got him in the head, and he knocked him out. You can't just say, 'Ah, two minutes.' That's not where we're at. It sucks-I love Reavo, I don't think he's a bad guy, but he has to pay the piper sometimes.»
«But like I said, I don't think Reavo goes into that hit with ill intentions. Then again, it has to be the responsibility of the player-he missed the shoulder, he got him in the head, and he knocked him out. You can't just say, 'Ah, two minutes.' That's not where we're at. It sucks-I love Reavo, I don't think he's a bad guy, but he has to pay the piper sometimes.»
It's a complex topic, which fans and pundits have gone over millions of times yet headshots still haven't been removed culturally, or by regulation either. Though they should be.
It's interesting to see how many will still cling to beliefs, in spite of the fact that hitting someone in a vulnerable position, is considered a radical position.
Really telling.
| POLL | ||
NOVEMBRE 18 | 1126 ANSWERS Don Cherry shares controversial opinion on former Rangers enforcer's hit on Darnell Nurse Was Ryan Reaves hit on Darnell Nurse intentional? | ||
| Yes | 477 | 42.4 % |
| No | 649 | 57.6 % |
| List of polls | ||
MUST READ
TRENDING NOW
