No Suspension for Brown's Hit on Hudler

The NHL has decided not to suspend Ducks forward Mike Brown for his first-period hit on Detroit's Jiri Hudler in Game 1, which undoubtedly will upset the Red Wings and will lead to declarations that the league isn't being consistent in its discipline. After all, the argument goes, the league leveled a six-game suspension on Washington's Donald Brashear for a hit on Blair Betts of the Rangers in the first round.

Perhaps the NHL overreacted somewhat in that instance, but in this case, the decision seems warranted. After repeated viewings of Brown's hit on Hudler, I was not convinced it warranted a suspension, particularly a lengthy one.

My first reaction -- and this is speaking as a long-time Red Wings fan -- is that I've seen worse, and with no suspensions, sometimes not even a call.

I hate to agree with Mike Milbury, but the hit earned a game misconduct, and that seems about right. Hudler had his head down, the contact was almost immediately after the pass (although maybe not less than one second, as Randy Carlyle claims) and though these things shouldn't matter when it comes to leveling punishment, Hudler returned to the game. He needed stitches because he was cut by his visor. The visor did the real damage. I'm pro-visor, but that's what drew blood, not Brown's shoulder.

It was a hard hit, near the head area, on an unprotected player without the puck. Still, it's hard to say if Brown was head-hunting, per se, given the timing and the fact that Hudler was hunched over. The game misconduct for interference, as Bruce pointed out, is right on the money. Hockey isn't pretty, but I'm fairly certain Wings fans wouldn't want Nik Kronwall suspended for a similar hit.

At least the NHL is judging hits on an individual basis and not establishing unusual precedents as they go along. On its merits, and not considered as part and parcel with Brashear's transgression, this non-action by the league is reasonable.

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

5-02-2009 @ 4:35PM

rbcranson said...

Brown has to have a Bulls Eye on his back. Everytime he hits the ice there will be a Redwing looking for the slightest chance to level him.

5-02-2009 @ 4:49PM

michael said...

Wow. Terrible call not to suspend Brown. I thought the NHL was finally getting it right by suspending Brashear and making the statement that deliberate intent to injure will not be tolerated.

5-02-2009 @ 4:51PM

koolkatholic said...

The NHL was right he did not deserve a suspension

5-02-2009 @ 10:02PM

dlb0917 said...

Kool, You must be a Duck fan or a Wing hater?? Because You know that the NHL ruling was a bunch of hog wash..Brown deserved to be suspended for as long as Brashear...If this is going to be called on one player then it has to be called On ALL of them... Maybe Brashear will think it's because of his race??? There has to be some reason Brown got away with that cheap hit....

5-02-2009 @ 11:21PM

No I'm a long time hockey fan. I don't think race had anything to do with it. I've seen worse, I'm an Islanders fan and Ranger fans are still bellyaching over Denis Potvin (1979)

5-02-2009 @ 5:05PM

Wow. The NHL is stumbling all over itself on this issue. When they rightfully suspended Brashear, I thought they were finally making a statement that deliberately trying to injure someone will not be tolerated. Can somebody from the NHL stand up and unravel the twisted logic behind this decision?

5-02-2009 @ 5:11PM

John said...

"I'm pro-visor, but that's what drew blood, not Brown's shoulder."

It was the visor that drew blood, but ONLY because the hit drove the visor into his head.

5-02-2009 @ 5:15PM

plaudenbach said...

What a bunch of garbage! The NHL has clearly decided to undermine the Red Wings at every possible turn, in an effort to bring an end to their "dynasty". This lack of a suspension is inconsistent with current policies, and demonstrates the inequality of this league!

5-02-2009 @ 5:24PM

hafttwo said...

the wings still won and a suspension should have been given for the hit show some consistancy nhl

Niv said...

michael, the NHL has always been known for knee jerk reactions and inconsistency in rulings. Donald Brashear's hit didn't deserve 5 games but it was given. The other night in the Chicago vs Vancouver series Chicago tough guy Ben Eager blindsides Vancouver tough guy Rick Rypien almost 5 seconds after he touches the puck and no one even mentions suspension. Rypien got up and challenged Eager, Eager ended up with a 2 minute penalty and that was that.

Personally I thought that was the worst hit out of the dirty plays in the playoffs, but the NHL likes to penalize according to injury and not the action itself, personally I find this wrong.

Anyhow, as a life long fan I'll keep watching and keep screaming at the refs that make the weirdest calls in all of pro sports.

The NHL always talks big about removing fighting from hockey so it can be accepted in the US; what the NHL doesn't get is that fighting is part of the game and US fans aren't tuning out because of fighting, they're tuning out because it's hard to understand what is a penalty in the NHL as the calls have always been so inconsistent.

5-02-2009 @ 7:18PM

jkrdevil said...

It wasn't an intent to injure like Brashear was. First off if you look at the real time replay you can see that the hit came on the border of being late or not. I think it it was late but it was just late, not an obvious late like Brashear. The slow motion replay that VS and CBC showed make it seem worse than it was.

The is a textbook reason why slow motion replays shouldn't be used for hits like this. They distort reality.

I think they got it right. It was worth the penalty, which hurt the Ducks but not a suspension. Hudler put himself in that prone position by admiring his pass. The Ducks shouldn't be furthered punished for Hudler's stupidity.

5-02-2009 @ 8:07PM

rwing said...

It was a DELIBERATE SHOT TO THE HEAD of a player who was in a vulnerable position. SHOULD have been a suspension. CAN'T BELIEVE IT, but then again it not something that I HAVEN'T SEEN ALL SEASON from ole BUTTman and his ripping refs. When it comes to Detroit, the rules seem to be different. It it had been a DETROIT PLAYER who dished out the hit, THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN SUSPENDED NO QUESTION. Only again BUTTMAN'S BIAS AGAINST THE WINGS REARS IT'S UGLY HEAD.

5-02-2009 @ 8:25PM

But as hafttwo so aptly pointed out, the Wings won and that is ALL THAT COUNTS in the end. With this LOUSY AND INCONSISTENT decision by the NHL, I GUESS ANYTHING GOES NOW.

5-02-2009 @ 9:15PM

Brian said...

The NHL is the least consistent professional sport when it comes to officiating. That is why it will never be more porpular than the NFL,NBA,NASCAR or even college sports for that matter.
I thought the hit clearly warranted a suspension. If it were against any other team besides the Wings, there probably would have been.
Mark my words...a Wings player will deliver payback and the NHL will pounce on the chance to suspend him.
I love the game but CAN'T STAND the non-professional level of it's officiating!!! Maybe they should hire an outside company who can be consistent and non bias!

5-02-2009 @ 9:50PM

As a Wing fan we are use to the Refs showing favoritism ....They make bad calls on the Wings.. Call off goals in the regular season that were clearly goals... I think Refs need to be held responsible for their calls...
The Hit on Hudler was a DIRTY hit.. It's ok though... As Darren McCarty use to say... "Check out the back of the Jersey and store it in your memory" (not his exact words but you get the message) Wings will find a way to get back... It might even be by taking the Ducks out of this series....Randy is a joke of a Coach..he said it was a clean hit...Funny- none of the commentators thought it was a clean hit..

5-02-2009 @ 10:07PM

WINNING IS THE SWEETEST REVENGE....

5-02-2009 @ 11:58PM

The NHL dropped the puck on that one!

5-03-2009 @ 2:52AM

jckzamo said...

brown watch you back dumb a s s

5-03-2009 @ 10:27AM

JudKast said...

It all comes down to the money and for the league not to suspend a vicious hit like the this one occuring by Brown of the Duck's is absurd. The league needs to have a neutral committee with no affiliation in anyway to hockey or any other entity decide which warrants certain action on certain incidents such as this.

5-03-2009 @ 6:58PM

Dottie said...

rbcranson: No they won't becaue they don't have the testicles to do that; they also know the hit was legit. Here's the latestjoke on the internet: I went to a hockey game and world cup soccer broke out. Did you see the "BROKENWINGS" look at the refs everytime they got touched? The only legit penalty against the Ducks today was Niedemeyer's call in OT. Go cry in your milk "BROKENWINGS"!!!!

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