I get what you're saying but incidents shouldn't be taken in isolation, otherwise it will open up all kinds of arguments. Is a check to head which doesn't injure a player worse than a legal check which does injure?
Should a slap shot aimed towards the goal where players are standing and results in a player being injured (like Mo) be considered reckless?
The type of contact Hotham made with Dimmen was so innocuous the ref didn't even see it as 2 minute. Like Electro said, had Dimmen not been injured then Nottingham would not have reviewed, does that make the play any more/less worthy of a ban? I really don't think it does.
There needs to be comparison and consistency, Hotham's play was definitely well below the severity of that of Rutherford on Hagos and Neilsen on the Fife fan yet all get the same punishment.
The thing is a player is responsible for his use of the stick. Hotham probably wasn't trying to injure the player but by making contact like he did he could have done so; on this occasion he did. The rule he broke is pretty clear (it also states that contact to the opponent is not necessary for the penalty to be assessed);
The only time it isn't a penalty is if it is limited to hitting the stick of the puck carrier for the sole purpose of trying to make the opponent lose possession of the puck. I think this is what Hotham was trying to do. However, 'a player who injures or recklessly endangers an opponent by slashing will be assessed a major penalty and game-misconduct or a match penalty.
I was hoping for Game but they gave a Match. So that can't be argued against. It's a shame they did not explain the reason for the extra game given on top of the match as this is the grey area here.
I do think they also need to be more transparent on the tariffs handed out according to the severity of the offences assessed. I do think checking to the head is dangerous and the suspensions handed out this year are minimal. Also, how on earth a player that confronts a member of the public and allegedly makes contact with them is only assessed a 3 game suspension, with 6 games suspended depending on future conduct.
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