5th Flyer Suspended; NHL Finally Speaks Up
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With 2:14 remaining in the Flyers 4-1 loss to the Dallas Stars on Saturday, December 1, 2007, Flyers "enforcer" Riley Cote elbowed Stars rookie Matt Niskanen in the head. Cote was given a match penalty meaning he would be automatically suspended pending league review. Today the league suspended Cote 3 games for his actions.
However, the NHL did not end there. In 25 games thus far the Flyers have managed to lose 52 games to suspensions to 5 different players, with Cote being the latest. As a result of the latest incident, according to a report on ESPN.com the NHL warned the Flyers about any future altercations. Although what the NHL informed the Flyers is unknown, GM Paul Holmgrem confirmed that commissioner Gary Bettman "raised [the] ramifications if it happens again."
While I commend the NHL for finally taking action, it is coming a little too late. Many, myself included, believe that this warning should have come after Randy Jones dangerous hit on the Bruins Patrice Bergeron. What likely saved the Flyers was the perception that Jones hit, while illegal, was not intentional. The same can likely be said for Hartnell's ugly hit on the Bruins Andrew Alberts. However, Cote's elbow, like Downie's illegal check and Boulerice stick assault were intentional acts done with the intent to injure the other player. Only a quarter of the way into the season, the NHL could no longer swallow the argument that these were isolated incidents.
Each time a new Flyer gets suspended, I expect it to be the last. if I were commissioner of the NHL I would make it clear that the next Flyer suspended will result in a lengthy suspension of coach John Stevens and a significant hit to the pockets of the organization.
