The NHL season begins tomorrow night as the Stanley Cup Champions, Boston Bruins begin the effort to repeat at the top of hockey. This season is going to be an interesting one, as it begins without its top star – Sidney Crosby – and welcomes an “new-old” team – Winnipeg Jets. Along with ushering in a fresh franchise, the league will be dealing with hits that target the head, thanks to newly placed rule enforcer Brendan Shanahan;
Brendan Shanahan’s stunning ruling on Thursday, suspending the Flyers’ Jody Shelley for 10 games — the rest of the preseason and five regular season contests – could signal the beginning of an era in which the NHL backs up its rhetoric about player safety with action. It is a sharp departure from the way discipline had been handled in the past, when the sort of hit that Shelley threw might earn a one- or two-game suspension, or even have not been subject to any supplementary discipline.
A quick search of stories on Shanahan’s ruling reveals widespread approval, which rarely happens in these matters. Shelley, who had five previous suspensions, told Sam Carchidi of The Philadelphia Inquirer he was “definitely” surprised at the length of the suspension, adding that Shanahan “set the tone in a sense” for how he will handle matters this season.
I must also say that the NHL and its Senior Vice President of Player Safety, Shanahan, are also doing a wonderful job (to this point) of not only leveling discipline but also being transparent about each instance. The NHL and Brendan Shanahan have been posting videos showing the incidents and rationale for discipline, a very refreshing transparency in sports, here is the Shelley VIDEO.
It appears that this will continue as the video section of NHL.com has a “Player Safety” tab, and I am assuming that Shanahan will be posting all season long. They even have made a video of the good clean hits and good player discretion in regards to contact.
The NHL does get an “atta-boy” from me, but it could be easier if they would just penalize on ice incidents as they occur as well. With the transparent oversight and an in-game penalty many more Crosby like instance may be avoided.
The Concussion Blog 
Hey Dueshbag .. just cause you were cut from the Wings is someone viciously goes after Zetterberg with a desire to end his career or his participatation in the palyoffs .. you are a F _ _ _ head … guts include interpreting the intent … too BAD you have a lack of courage and hold grudges.
If Zetterberg had a brain injury like Valdamir Konstantinov where would your head be .. probably still deep up your ass.
I figured you could not handle the comment !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Great no Reply …. go Valdamir .. no problem eh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Tail between legs I assume … no one except assasins like your gutless decision to not suspend.
Still here and still think you left you guts behind after being traded by the Wings.
Too bad you cannot see clearly about the WHY!
Coyotes’ Torres suspended 25 games for hit on Hossa..Off the wire
Hossa laying on the ice — Zetterberg having face smashed into glass
after the initial hit … when you do not punish one with such a violent action
you are responsible for the next act .. the next guy figures Hey if he
got away with it so will I … glad you went to a plastic surgeon
and had a fake set of balls installed too bad you didn’t have the operation
before the playoffs started…..