What's with Havlat?

[NoBack]

Anybody else getting tired of this "kicking" from Havlat? Again in the 2nd period tonight he was kicking one of the Boston players in the groin? This is just wrong. How many games this time?

[LobWedge]

He deserves at least 2 or 3 for that, but I bet he doesn't get any.

[Michael]

He deserves at least 2 or 3 for that, but I bet he doesn't get any.

I missed the game but saw the highlights (or lowlights) of it on the coaches corner segment after the game. I am sure the Bruins will be sending the video into the league for review. It was interesting to hear Cherry say that they had a team-mate once who kicked somebody and they would not talk to him again, he had to be traded. That is a bit drastic I think and won't happen in this case but a couple of games off should be coming Havlat's way.

[dbleber]

You have to remember that like him or not Cherry is from the "Old School" of hockey, where most guys were tough and believed in there own unwritten rules. Kicking someone in a fight is like biting or pulling hair, you just don't do it! Havlat as far as hockey skill goes is one of the best, but he has no toughness within the game and even fancy scorers should at least be able to take a little S#$% if they are going to play this game. I think they will give him 2-3 games and make an example that the new NHL isn't going to put up with stupid crap like this, also Havlat is kind of known for this sissy behavior.

[powerlefty]

I heard somewhere (TEAM 1200 last night maybe?) he was suspended earlier in his NHL career for kicking and got 2 games then. He should definitely get suspended again for what he did, and given he is a repeat offender, 5 games. And I am a SENS fan.

[bbad]

i think what Havlat did is pretty reprehensible, and i would suggest that he get more than 2-3 games. Behaviour like this is just plain dangerious and should be treated with the severity it causes. 10-15 games might be just the message the NHL should send.

I am a huge SENS fan also, but my opinion of Havlat just went down huge after that....I don't care if it costs the SENS a few losses, but this type of behavour MUST stop.

[NoBack]

Agreed
my opinion of him had gone down two notches after last night. Yes he is a great player with loads of talent but that was just wrong. He should get minimum 5 games as a repeat offender. It was 2 times in two years (without last year of course) plus some before he got into the NHL and should be made an example of. That was embarassing as a Sens fan to watch

[Big Johnny69]

I agree with NoBack. And it is not like Hal Gill gooned him behind the net. He just pushed him into the back of the net. Not sure what Havlat was thinking but in this day and age of cameras everywhere there is no way it was going to be missed.

[Michael]

The NHL is now reviewing the incident (read it at TSN). Last time he got 2 games for kicking Eric Cairns from the Islanders. So as a repeat offender, he should be looking at something from 3 to 5 games this time around.

[broken27]

Just silly some of the stuff that has been fabricated about one of the best talents in the NHL...

Dan

[Michael]

Just silly some of the stuff that has been fabricated about one of the best talents in the NHL...

Dan

And what exactly has been fabricated about this???? Did you see the replay??? What do you think he deserves???

[el tigre]

Just silly some of the stuff that has been fabricated about one of the best talents in the NHL...

Dan

Gee Dan, not even Havlat is on your side this time:

http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Columnists...5/1264777.html

Yes, it truly is silly some of the stuff that is being fabricated...

[powerlefty]

Just silly some of the stuff that has been fabricated about one of the best talents in the NHL...

Dan

You must be referring to something else and not the kick. It was not fabricated, plain and simple he kicked Gill in groin/upper thigh. Was Havlat being mauled by Gill? Yes. But kicking an opponent is absolutely NEVER warranted in hockey and he deserves at least 5 games.

[jonf]

Send the guy to the minors when he's finished his supension (which is hopefully at least 8 games)...maybe that will teach him a lesson. There's no room for this kind of sh*t in the NHL. It's not even the first time he's done it. We've got plenty of depth here in Ottawa - I'd rather see him in the minors or traded than tarnishing the reputation of the Senators and the NHL. Absolutely unacceptable.

[moochie]

I think he will get at least 4 games as he received 2 las time and he is now a repeat offender. His one only defence was that he could say he was falling back and lost his balance.

To me, it looks like he is afraid of physical confrontations and defends himself anyway he knows how. He would be better off to pull a Claude Lemieux (turtle) and let the refs or Neil clean things up.

[dbleber]

Just silly some of the stuff that has been fabricated about one of the best talents in the NHL...

Dan

The scary thing is that you are supposed to be some kind of "reporter"! You may want to open your eyes and not be so bias. Everyone knows that he is very talented, that was never brought up. The fact that he kicked someone because he was being pushed around is why he WILL be suspended. If you can't see this one then I can assume we will be seeing you in the want ads looking for work.

[Wesvans]

Just silly some of the stuff that has been fabricated about one of the best talents in the NHL...

Dan

If I modded around here, I would recognize this as pure flame bait and smack the hammer of justice down on this guy. It seems like he jacks every hockey thread on here in the exact same fashion.

Now, with Havlat, I am not sure what brings him to kick people. And frankly, if I had a skate blade come that close to my junk, Chris Neil wouldn't have been able to pull me off of Havlat and get me to fight him instead. Given this is a repeat offender I think 5 should be the minimum and a warning that any more repeated offenses will carry a very long suspension.

[Kilroy]

I would recognize this as pure flame bait

It's an opinion. Debate it if you like, or ignore it.

If the thread degrades into another flame war then action will be taken. Just remember not to get involved in a flame war to avoid becoming collateral damage.

[broken27]

I'm not going to deny this is the second time he's kicked someone, but some of the things you're saying about Havlat are pure nonsense, and that's what I'm saying is being fabricated... Calling him a sissy is laughable if you watch this guy play. Seems like "Sens Nation" just wants something to be unhappy with.

Dan

[dbleber]

Where I come from kicking, biting or pulling hair when you are in a scuffle makes you a sissy. Maybe where Havlat comes from that's how grown men behave. I watch a lot of hockey and it is easy to see that Havlat is one of the fastest, shiftiest guys on the ice, but sometimes scoring goals isn't enough and if your going to charge the net to score then you better be prepared to take some medicine without kicking. Just watch some old footage of Gordie and you will see how great talent and toughness are the best combination.

[Colby]

I'm not going to deny this is the second time he's kicked someone, but some of the things you're saying about Havlat are pure nonsense, and that's what I'm saying is being fabricated... Calling him a sissy is laughable if you watch this guy play. Seems like "Sens Nation" just wants something to be unhappy with.

Dan

Dan,

No-one called him a sissy. There was a reference to sissy behavior, which kicking in the groin really is, but not to him being a sissy. He's got a bit of an edge, which is always good to see, I enjoyed watching Pavel Bure when he played for the Canucks. Lots of elbows thrown by Pavel to get a little room on the ice.

Havlat will continue to be pushed around by the big defencemen in the league. Chara/Neil/McGratton/Insert Name Here will sometimes come to his aid, but he needs to come up with an alternate plan to fight back when being abused. Bure used to bid his time and then strike, e.g. Hatcher in Dallas, and Havlat will be ultimately be more effective being on the ice then suspended, which he will be for this incident.

Is he a sissy, no. Did he perform a shameful act, yes. Will he pay for it, yes, along with the rest of the team when he is out for 5 games, give or take. Will he do it again in the future? Who knows. I hope not.

As for Sens fans looking for bad things, that's a bit over the top. Losing one of your best players for several games because of a stupid, shameful act is reality, and it doesn't take much searching to find the bad in it.

[Andru]

Dan,

No-one called him a sissy. There was a reference to sissy behavior, which kicking in the groin really is, but not to him being a sissy. He's got a bit of an edge, which is always good to see, I enjoyed watching Pavel Bure when he played for the Canucks. Lots of elbows thrown by Pavel to get a little room on the ice.

I'll call him a sissy. I'm waiting for someone to put a knee on him like he does to others.

[Michael]

I'm not going to deny this is the second time he's kicked someone, but some of the things you're saying about Havlat are pure nonsense, and that's what I'm saying is being fabricated... Calling him a sissy is laughable if you watch this guy play. Seems like "Sens Nation" just wants something to be unhappy with.

Dan

Can you be more specific about the pure nonsense???

By the way, I like watching Havlat play, especially killing penalties, he seems more dangerous with the open ice.

[Hank Hill]

I'm a big fan of "Mach 9" but what he did was petulant. At first I thought he was off balance and threw up a foot to steady himself, but there was a definate kicking motion when his foot was raised.

I hope he will get a fair hearing and that the NHL will not over-react. 3-4 games is plenty considering what Sutton did to Tucker (and got 4). I just hope it does not overshadow the Sens great start, or affect them unduely in the games that Havlat will miss.

[Wesvans]

I hope he will get a fair hearing and that the NHL will not over-react. 3-4 games is plenty considering what Sutton did to Tucker (and got 4). I just hope it does not overshadow the Sens great start, or affect them unduely in the games that Havlat will miss.

I hope he will get a fair hearing and that the NHL will give him more than the 3-4. Comparing him to Sutton v. Tucker does not work for me in this situation because this is the second time he will be suspended for the same thing. When a behavior becomes a pattern, extra measures need to be put in place to show the offending person that it will not be tolerated.

It's a shame because he is one of the best all around players on Ottawa, but there is just no place in hockey for stuff like that. Too many things can go wrong when you kick at somebody with a sharpened blade on your foot, much like too many things can go wrong if you take a McSorley-like swing at somebody's head with your stick, or you take a run at guys standing with their head down while facing the boards.

[Hank Hill]

I hope he will get a fair hearing and that the NHL will give him more than the 3-4. Comparing him to Sutton v. Tucker does not work for me in this situation because this is the second time he will be suspended for the same thing. When a behavior becomes a pattern, extra measures need to be put in place to show the offending person that it will not be tolerated.

He got 2 last time so (for me) 4 is plenty this time, I don't think it was malicious, just petulant.

Don't forget all the talk on this message board about the length of Bertuzzi's ban as to whether or not he caused the full extent Moore's injuries with the punch, and that his ban should relect whether he caused the injuries.

Havlat was stupid and a repeat offender but didn't cause an injury. I believe he deserves a ban (don't get me wrong) but I just don't want the NHL to go crazy and give him 10 games or more.

[dbleber]

Well it's 5 games for our starting kicker. Seems fair, not overly harsh but gets the point across.

[viper]

This just in. He got a five-game suspension [http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/news_story/?ID=140081&hubname=]...

[Hank Hill]

Phew, they didn't go crazy. 5 is one too many IMHO but gald it's not a silly number.

[LobWedge]

Perfect. Let the punishment fit the crime.

Now we'll see if the Sens have the character to continue to defend their perfect record with one of their best out of the line-up, or if it will be their excuse to try and justify their first loss...