Tootoo many games

The verdict is out on Nashville Predators’ forward Jordin Tootoo who has made a living playing gritty hockey, but NHL executive Colin Campbell thought the “sucker punch” on Stephane Robidas was too much, as Campbell handed Tootoo a five game suspension Tuesday.

Contrary to the beliefs of most hockey analysts, this suspension was far too much, and was handled by Campbell in the wrongest of fashions.

First of all, put yourself in Tootoo’s position. He just laid out Dallas’ star player Mike Modano with a clean hit, and knowing that someone was going to take liberty on him, he defended himself.

That’s the problem with the NHL. If that hit were to be reversed and it was Modano finishing the check on Tootoo, nobody would have come to the aid of Tootoo, just because he doesn’t have the same “legend” status that Modano has.

It’s now embedded in the mindset of NHL players that if they lay a big hit on a star player, then they better get ready because someone is going to make sure that Tootoo doesn’t touch Modano again.

Second of all, when Robidas was stretchered out of the arena after being punched, there isn’t one person that could honestly tell me that it wouldn’t affect the number of games Tootoo would be suspended for.

And who knows, what if Tootoo decided not to punch the first player he saw coming for him? For all we know, Robidas could have lifted his stick up and cross-checked Tootoo in the face? Now we have another Chris Simon on our hands, and now Tootoo is the victim and Robidas is the bad guy.

So Tootoo gets suspended five games for making sure he doesn’t get hurt after laying a clean check on a star player. Doesn’t seem right.After the hit, Robidas had no intention of playing hockey.

All he wanted to do was hurt Tootoo and send him the message that no one touches his star player.

This is because it is Robidas’ so called “job” to defend his teammates. Last time I checked, players are paid to play hockey, and not to make sure nobody touches a single player. Isn’t this what the instigator rule was out in to prevent?

Tootoo had to defend himself for making a clean hit, and that’s what’s wrong with the NHL.

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