Zdeno Chara and the NHL’s big problem

I’m sure you’re sick of it already, the whole Zdeno Chara/Max Pacioretty thing. I’m getting there too. You’ve heard just about everyone’s opinion on it.

In today’s age of technology, reaction is almost instantaneous. When the ruling came out yesterday, I decided it’d be better to wait out the storm and sleep on it. I’m trying to be as objective as possible here, despite the fact that the ruling has a direct impact on tonight’s game between the Sabres and Bruins.

Steve Montador, a former teammate of Chara, was on WGR yesterday and talked about the hit. Montador said that Chara knew where he was on the ice. That’s incredibly damning, having a player who’s familiar with Chara suggest that he knew what he was doing.

Many of the arguments against supplemental discipline on the play were that it was a “hockey play” and Chara wouldn’t have known that the partition was there. Gary Green of On the Fly on NHL Network even suggested that Montador even had “ulterior motives” in those comments. Seriously?

Some players, speaking anonymously, think it wasn’t an unfortunate accident, as well. Pacioretty agrees. In an interview with TSN’s Bob McKenzie, he says there was intent.

“I heard (Chara) said he didn’t mean to do it. I felt he did mean to do it. I would feel better if he said he made a mistake and that he was sorry for doing that, I could forgive that, but I guess he’s talking about how I jumped up or something.”

“I believe he was trying to guide my head into the turnbuckle. We all know where the turnbuckle is. It wasn’t a head shot like a lot of head shots we see but I do feel he targeted my head into the turnbuckle.”

Looking at the still photo of impact, it would seem to support that claim. Chara’s hand is rubbing Pacioretty’s head right into the boards. Whether or not the partition gets him, Chara is obviously targeting his head.