We'll know exactly what punishment the NHL metes out to Todd Bertuzzi by about 9:00 a.m. EST this morning. He offered a tearful apology during a press conference in Vancouver yesterday, and I have no reason to doubt his sincerity. For the latest, click on this link. It leads to a Google search that ought to contain the story once it breaks.
Meanwhile, here's the medical chart on Steven Moore:
He has spinal fractures, spinal ligament injuries, a closed head injury with a concussion, and facial cuts and abrasions, the Avalanche said.Moore's spinal cord and spinal nerves were not injured, Vancouver Coastal Health said in a statement released at the request of Moore's doctors.
Moore, who will miss the rest of the season, has no memory of the time just before and after the injury, the team said.
Incredibly, it seems none of these injuries will be permanent, and Moore will eventually return to the ice, though nobody knows when.
UPDATE: The verdict is in, and Bertuzzi will be suspended for the remainder of the regular season and the entirety of the playoffs. Further, he's going to remain in Limbo, and essentially have to apply for reinstatement before the start of next season -- whenever that might be due to the unsettled labor situation. The Canucks organization gets slapped with a $250,000 fine as well.
OT UPDATE: Busy day off-ice here at Off Wing, so be sure to check out Colby Cosh's roundup of all things Bertuzzi.
Bertuzzi is suspended through at least the playoffs and will forfeit some $500,000 salary through that period. Also, Gary Bettman will determine Bert’s future playing status prior to the opening of training camp next season.
The Canucks organization has been fined $250,000 as well.
Only place carrying it so far is the NHL.com website:
http://www.nhl.com/onthefly/news/2004/03/206088.html
Eric, methinks you owe a proper “fisking” to Christine Brennan’s hockey article in today’s USA Today, if you can find the time….I just hate the assumptions some reporters who’ve never played the game make. I am not by any means excusing what Bertuzzi did, but there’s an element of context needed here as well as the assumption that a.) every hockey is rich, overpaid spoiled athlete and b.) Olympic hockey is exactly what the NHL should be.
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/columnist/brennan/2004-03-10-brennan_x.htm
Even worse, I think, is her colleague Ian O’Connor’s ignorant column on the same page. Colby Cosh has done a little dissecting of the two of them already:
http://www.colbycosh.com/#fchw
I’d love to see Eric throw his two cents in as well.
The Passion of Todd Bertuzzi — it seems to me that Todd is being punished for not just his sins, but for those of a lot of other hockey players, if not the NHL itself. Todd’s act merits the ind of penalty he has received, but banning him from hockey forever seems a little over the top. I mean, it’s not as if the NHL were all sweetness and light and somehow one cheap shot has destroyed all the gentlemanly goodness that was sportsmanship in the NHL. Punish Todd for what he did, not for what the league has allowed to deteriorate down to.
I know the NHL didn’t intend this, but they have essentially suspended Bertuzzi for at least as long as Moore will be on the injured list.
It’s an imperfect solution, but just ponder it for a moment: you pull a Bertuzzi or a McSorley type of act, and you sit out for as long as the guy you injured.
He misses a game, you miss a game.
He never plays again, you never play again.
Absolutely, there a many flaws to this approach, but I just offer it as food for thought.
That, and while I think what Bertuzzi did was awful, the guy is getting completely scapegoated for the NHL’s failure to properly address these types of incidents earlier.
Sorry to hear that he’s hurt (steve moore) where was the league when naslund was hit with the I wasn’t trying to hit him elbow? It shows the fans that it is a lot of political crap. This incident wouldn’t have happened if the league had the balls to deal with it the first time. I blame that piece of crap Bettman and his weasel bum buddie Campbell, bettman is not welcome in our Canadian sport he has screwed it up from the time those clowns hired him he’s a born again basketball boy and that’s where he belongs. As for colin Campbell I don’t think I have ever seen A so called former player become so spinless that he needs help to walk to his chair. The NHL has become a joke, Blaming an organization for an on ice incident like what happened on monday is a copout , I have been playing and coaching for almost 35 years and I very nearly say that I would recommend young players not to try to play in the NHL. It starts from the top my freinds and that’s with these overpayed and overrated league officials. Bettman , Campbell, and most of the on ice officiating staff shopuld be replaced The rule book should be followed not interpetted, not added to but revised to make it the way that the game was intended. If the League doesn’t change these minor things , I am possitive that there will be more incidents like this. Gotta ask? Why is it that Vancouver allways ends up with being the scapegoat when something goes wrong?? Maybe think that if this happened in Toronto or Ottawa that there wouldn’t have been as a severe penalty?? And by the way Vancouver sport reporters…… You suck, allways , allways looking for the negative thing to come down on our Team. My opinion Reagan