Torres/williams Hit

[Golfbum]

After watching the replay of the Torres/Williams hit during last nights game in Detroit I bet Grapes is going to bring up the shoulder pad issue again on Coaches Corner. Good clean hit and Williams was down on the ice in a matter of seconds. The report this morning was he was not knocked out, but there sure was a lot of blood on the ice.
Cherry will go on about the hard plastic shoulder pads some guys are wearing, and I think he has a good point. Those things are like armour.
Your thoughts?

[Pinshark]

I think that hit first of all was AWESOME! I think the blood was from his head hitting the ice though not the shoulder pads. Last night the commentators on TSN were really getting on my nerves talking about the hitting and injuries....Hitting will cause injuries period. It is part of the game. A great part of the game.

[Golfbum]

Williams is currently on the DA list. No doubt for a few games. It's a miracle he did not get knocked out from that hit.
Torres said he felt sorry for Williams and hopes he recovers soon. He said he was not trying to injure him, just finishing his check. Babcock said he thought it was a clean hit, which it was.
Those guys gotta learn to keep their heads up when they are carrying the puck.
Right ERIC?

[Shivas Irons]

Bobby Orr is on the soap-box now about hits to the head. Says it never happened to him and there didn't used to be hitting like that. I say B.S.
I agree the hard shoulder pads contribute to head injury's but I'm not convinced any increase in concusions is due soley to hard shoulder pads.
Many of the players that seem to have a perpetual concusions are the ones that play hard, but are also the ones that play with their head down, a la Lindros.

[jonf]

I don't agree with Orr that they should penalize hits, but I also think there is something to what he says. People do hit a lot harder these days, and if Bobby Orr says players in his time didn't hit "up" (which they definitely do now), I believe him. There does seem to be a general consensus among those who have "been around" that hitting is different these days. Don't get me wrong, peope have to keep their heads up, but I think the fact that players have so much equipment (including helmets) gives a feeling of invincibility - and less concern for other players. You see it when a player loses his helmet...he's still fair game to be hit, but the hit changes - it's always right at the chest. Last thing I want is for them to reduce hitting, but at the same time, it seems obvious that there are more headshots these days. Tough question.

PS....wicked hit by Torres.