More on Simon

Here's the Inquirer's Tim Panaccio on Chris Simon's suspension:

When a player swings a stick like a bat at the throat of another player, he can break the opponent's neck, collapse his windpipe, fracture the cervical spine, and cause paralysis or death. What Chris Simon did to Ryan Hollweg was criminal, regardless of the fact that Hollweg is a punk. Simon should be suspended through the next half-season. The level of violence in the NHL has reached the point where radical change must be implemented. Such as: League general managers should adopt a rule whereby the offending player gets an automatic 25-game suspension. Furthermore, if the harmed player is injured and forced to miss games, the offending player should remain inactive until the other player recovers. Under this rule, Todd Bertuzzi would be out of hockey, just as Steve Moore is right now.

Simon suspended 25 games

New York Islanders forward Chris Simon was suspended 25 games by the NHL for a vicious stick-swinging incident in a games against the New York Rangers on Thursday night.

Colin Campbell had this to say about the suspension:

"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," said Colin Campbell, NHL Senior Executive Vice President and Director of Hockey Operations. "As a consequence of his actions, Mr. Simon has forfeited the privilege of playing in an NHL game again this season, regardless of how many games the Islanders ultimately play."

I'm okay with the length of the suspension, though I would have preferred a longer one given the nature of the incident and Simon's past (five suspensions in 14 years).

For more on the suspension:

• Simon releases statement about hit on Hollweg -- Associated Press


• NHL should be ashamed of Simon's short suspension -- Kara Yorio (SportingNews)


• NHL sends right message with tough penalty -- E.J. Hradek (ESPN The Magazine)


• Simon may end up paying a far heavier price -- Eric Duhatschek (The Globe and Mail)


• The NHL got it right this time, but its haphazard approach to justice must end -- Damien Cox (The Star)


• Stick game is one NHL should avoid -- Helene Elliott (L.A. Times)


• Simon said wrong thing but was forgiven -- Victor Chi(San Jose Mercury News)