NHL Gets it Right

Chris Simon has been suspended for a minimum of 25 games, including playoffs should the Isles make the cut. If they don't squeak in or play fewer than 10 games, the suspension will continue into the 2007-08 season. Said Colin Campbell,

"The National Hockey League will not accept the use of a stick in the manner and fashion in which Mr. Simon used his Thursday night."

Exactly.

Meanwhile, Brashear had this to say:

"It's just sad. Things happen sometimes. I have lots of respect for Chris. He's an honest guy. I saw the hit he took [from Hollweg]. He was probably [angry]. He lost control, probably a little too much ... That's where it gets dangerous. A guy loses control and you don't know what's going to happen. You try to stay away from that ... I'm pretty sure right after he did it, he was thinking what the [heck] did I just do? It looked like he meant to do something else. But some guys have to pay the price for others to learn from it. And he's going to be one of them."

I couldn't agree more with Brash. As I mentioned before, this was clearly a split-second decision by Simon. A stupid, dangerous one to be sure, but not one he probably planned to make.

Can I get an "amen" for the NHL finally getting a punishment right and an "oy vey" that it took them so long? It's about damn time.