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Thursday, 03 March 2011 06:00

Written by Seth Rorabaugh

In his first game back following a nine-game suspension, Trevor Gillies managed to something Mario Lemieux couldn't do.

He did a better job of proving Lemieux's point about violence than Lemieux himself.

Early in the second period of last night's game against the Wild, Gillies struck Wild forward Cal Clutterbuck in the side of the head near the boards:

Gilles was given a major for checking from behind and a game misconduct.

Gillies was suspended for elbowing Penguins forward Eric Tangradi in the head of a fight-filled debacle, Feb. 11. After delivering the hit, Gillies punched Tangradi in the head and taunted him from the runway leading to the locker room:

Tangradi has not played since that game due to a concussion.

Two days after Gillies' hit on Tangradi, Lemieux issued the following statement (emphasis added by us):

“Hockey is a tough, physical game, and it always should be. But what happened Friday night on Long Island wasn’t hockey. It was a travesty. It was painful to watch the game I love turn into a sideshow like that.

The NHL had a chance to send a clear and strong message that those kinds of actions are unacceptable and embarrassing to the sport. It failed.

We, as a league, must do a better job of protecting the integrity of the game and the safety of our players.  We must make it clear that those kinds of actions will not be tolerated and will be met with meaningful disciplinary action.

If the events relating to Friday night reflect the state of the league, I need to re-think whether I want to be a part of it.”

EN Says: This is exactly what Lemieux was talking about. Gillies missed nine games following the hit to Tangradi. It was assumed, not by Lemieux obviously, that Gillies would've learned his lesson having to go nine games without getting paid. Obviously, Gillies and Lemieux proved that mindset horribly wrong.

Individually, Gillies needs to be hammered with further discipline. It obvious he just doesn't get it. He sees a young teammate in Justin DiBenedetto getting hit by an agitating player like Cal Clutterbuck and his FIRST instinct apparently is to hit Clutterbuck in the head. He seemingly learned nothing in by sitting nine games. The league should have suspended him 20 games after the Tangradi hit. Anything less in this instance would be a joke.

Overall, Gillies managed to embarrass the NHL and its chief discipline czar Colin Campbell last night. Forget about Gillies not getting it. It's pretty clear the NHL and Campbell don't get it whatsoever.

If Lemieux really wants to make a statement much stronger than a four paragraph release on the team's Web site, he should lead a movement to revamp how the NHL doles out discipline. That begins and ends with finding a replacement for Campbell who, as Lemieux said, failed to get a message across to Gillies and the league as a whole that actions such as these are unacceptable.

Comments (15)

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written by Bones, March 03, 2011 - 09:30 AM

Gillies doesn't seem able to see the line that separates physical hockey from dirty hockey. Or worse yet, he sees it but doesn't respect it.

And you're right, this is a slap in the face to the NHL. How dumb does it make them look that the guy spent all of 1:51 on the ice after serving a 9 game suspension before going psycho again? Clearly the message didn't get through. More egg on the face of Colin Campbell and his cronies.

Had an Islander fan tell me after the WWE brawl that was the last Pens-Isles game that Gillies and Konopka were the only 2 players on the team that played with any heart. Is this another display of heart? Is acting like a lunatic a good way to vent the frustrations of a team that seems to be forever stuck in neutral?

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written by Boom Shaka, March 03, 2011 - 09:35 AM

Seth,
Don't you realize that because the Pens have Cooke, your post is meaningless... (dripping with sarcasm)

I'd like to think that the NHL will now bring the hammer down on Gillies for embarrassing the league. However, given the NHL's extraordinary ability to shoot themselves in the foot, I see something more like another small suspension.

This would be followed by comments from Colin Campbell similar to those he made last year where answered criticism of the league's discipline policy by saying other people shouldn't have an opinion on hockey do's and dont's unless they've "played the game"

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written by gamecockfn, March 03, 2011 - 10:37 AM

A colleague of yours from the Washington Post agrees. A good point is brought up by a post there though, Clutterbuck might also need to be suspended...bad angle from that video though.

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/box-seats/2011/03/trevor_gillies_has_no_place_in.html

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written by gamecockfn, March 03, 2011 - 10:42 AM

Nevermind on Clutterbuck...probably should have been a penalty, but not a suspension. Interestingly he was kicked out later himself for challenging DiBenedetto to a fight. Even Mike Millbury wants this guy gone.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/blog/puck_daddy/post/Trevor-Gillies-ejected-for-Cal-Clutterbuck-hit-f?urn=nhl-328912

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written by Bones, March 03, 2011 - 10:48 AM

I still think the best way to have handled this would have been to hit the Isles with a fine AND take away a 5th round draft pick after the Feb. 11 debacle. Snow and Capuano are ultimately responsible for the behavior of their players and what better way to get a team to get their house in order than to hit them where it hurts. And if they fail to do so then take away the 4th and so on. Nothing hurts a team that is perpetually rebuilding than to take away their draft picks.

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written by chuckinrlp, March 03, 2011 - 10:53 AM

Just goes to prove the NHL doesn't get it, especially Campbell. SEND A MESSAGE with this suspension. If it is less than the remainder of the season, we should all call the NHL offices and demand the resignation of Campbell. I guess he is going to wait until someone get seriously hurt before letting other players know that this kind of action won't be tolerated. Then again, Clutterbuck did skate off under his own power so Gillies will probably get a token slap on the wrist until he kills someone.
I've said it once and I'll say it again, do not allow the team to dress a player in place of the suspended player. Make the team play shorthanded by one player off the bench. The NHLPA would not allow this, but teams would pay for the roster spot, they just wouldn't be allowed to dress the player. This will help alleviate the bs that went on the the Pens game vs. the Isles.

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written by larryp2, March 03, 2011 - 11:02 AM

both Keith Jones and Mike Milbury said Gillies should be booted from the league (on Versus)....but then the Islanders POV....wow


"I didn't think [Clutterbuck's] back was totally turned," Islanders coach Jack Capuano said. "It's obviously the league's discretion for those situations."

It was Gillies first game back after serving a nine-game suspension as a result of his role in the brawl with the Penguins on Feb. 11.

"I just went over and finished my hit," Gillies said. "I had no intention of hurting him. I'm not sure [about any disciplinary action]. It's up to the league."

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written by Boom Shaka, March 03, 2011 - 11:14 AM

Apparently Gillie's got a meeting with the league tomorrow. That's an encouraging sign.

You'd think that if he was so concerned about "the league taking his hard earned money to support his wife and kids" as Konopka so stupidly stated after the Pens vs. Isles game, then you would think he would reign it in a little bit.

Not an ounce of pity for the guy...

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written by Bones, March 03, 2011 - 11:23 AM

*t will be a slap on the wrist. 3-5 games. Won't be the last time he does this to somebody this year.

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written by Boom Shaka, March 03, 2011 - 11:29 AM

Bones, judging by the fact that it took him 1:15 to do it again after the 9 game suspension, I'd say your point is almost a guarantee...

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written by Bones, March 03, 2011 - 11:41 AM

He doesn't appear to have any self-control. The fact that his despicable actions seem to be supported by the coach and a portion of the fan base is disturbing. I don't remember any of us applauding Cooke concussing Savard. If Gillies' actions are an attempt to stand up for his teammates or some kind of display of "hey, we're tired of being kicked around" then they are misguided. A lot was made of Fleury being caught on camera laughing at Johnson KOing DiPietro and how disrespectful that was to the NYI. So what exactly was the motivation for last night's display of Islander toughness? I don't think there was anything wrong with Clutterbuck's hit and while he has a reputation for being a solid hitter I don't think he is known around the league for being 'dirty'. I think those who are trying to sell Gillies' latest hit as standing up for their teammates are reaching on this one. Looked to me like a guy that simply cannot control himself.

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written by Uli, March 03, 2011 - 02:03 PM

I agree with Mario, Seth and all the people here posting.

A guy like Gillies has to be banned from hockey and professional sports in general. He likes to retaliate and hurt other people. Go boxing or ultimate fighting, dude!

I wonder when the NHL will finally adopt the IIHf-rules.

And to anybody who still thinks fighting is a part of the game, how about this:

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=356264

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written by Ceanncait, March 03, 2011 - 05:30 PM

If anyone needs ammo to fight the "but the Pens have Cooke" argument, my husband crunched some numbers and posted the following to another board:

"Lets look at a few numbers, why don't we?

In 48 career NHL games, Gillies has 1 goal, 1 assist, and 220 penalty minutes. That's 0.021 goals per game, 0.042 points per game, and 4.583 penalty minutes per game. Extend that to his time in the AHL and ECHL and his pro totals are 9 goals, 32 assists, and 2,782 penalty minutes in 636 games. That's 0.014 goals per game, 0.064 points per game, and 4.374 penalty minutes per game.

Matt Cooke, on the other hand, has NHL totals of 125 goals, 173 assists, and 969 penalty minutes in 798 games. That's 0.157 goals per game, 0.373 points per game, and 1.214 penalty minutes per game.

Most of you already get my point, but wait ... there's more ...

In 33 NHL games this season, Gillies has been on the ice for 94 minutes and 36 seconds. That's right ... a whopping 2:52 per game. He has spent more time serving penalties than skating. Specifically, he has nearly 1 minute and 19 seconds of penalty minutes for each minute he has been on the ice.

In 60 games this season, Cooke has been on the ice for 942 minutes (15:42 per game). For comparison to Gillies, Cooke has been assessed 7 seconds of penalty time for every minute he has been on the ice.

In addition to the obvious discrepancies between their playing time and production in that time, Cooke is also one of his teams top penalty killers and sees a modest amount of ice time on the power play."

Me again...I've also noticed that Cooke has been physical, but much cleaner since his return from his suspension.

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written by bastage42, March 03, 2011 - 06:58 PM

Right on, Seth. I can't add anything more to your argument or the statements of everyone above. I'd love to see Mario take on that task. IMO it would take someone of his legendary status to really tear down the garage door.

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written by philmatt24, March 04, 2011 - 04:31 PM

(Late to the party, but...)

chuckinrlp - unless by "seriously hurt" you mean paralysis, dismemberment, or death, I'd say someone already has been seriously hurt. Savard missed more than a month, and probably shouldn't have come back in last year's playoffs, and has missed major parts of this season as well. Sid's about to hit 2 months. Just two examples of what I'd consider to be serious injuries... the league dropped the ball on this one.

Ceanncait - great stuff! I wish Cooke would not cross the line repeatedly, but at least he can play. (oh, and the league should just hit Cooke with a 15- or 20-game suspension next time, to "send a clear and strong message"...)

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