The Smoke Around McSorley

Well, you cannot really think that Marty McSorley
does not regret his two-handed slash on Donald Brashear the other
night. He apologized right away. You may think that means nothing,
but not all players will swallow their pride and do that. He is
sitting out the rest of the season, possibly the rest of his career
all because of one swing. Now, this was one huge swing. I am not
defending McSorley’s swing. I am defending McSorley as a player.
This past week he has been absolutely crushed by the media. Did they
remember about the rest of his career or watch the rest of the game?
I doubt it.

For one thing, you must define both players
involved in this. Brashear and McSorley are both enforcers. The job
they do is mainly defined by their fists. McSorley has had a long,
and mostly respectful career. Known for protecting Wayne Gretzky on
the Oilers and the Kings, and doing his job pretty well. He also
assisted Gretzky on the goal that broke Gordie Howe’s all-time
record. That could be McSorley’s biggest point, and possibly what he
would have been remembered for the most if it wasn’t for this slash.

Brashear is also a protector. Currently for the
Vancouver Canucks, although there have been many rumors over the
last few weeks of him being traded to playoff-contending team in
need of some toughness. Until now, I think most people watching NHL
games would agree that Brashear does not have anywhere near the
respect that McSorley does. He is not known for fair play, or
following the usual unwritten code of fairness that many of the NHL
enforcers follow.

During the game involving this incident Brashear
and McSorley fought in the first period. Brashear clearly won the
fight. No knockout, but a clear decision. McSorley tried to goad
Brashear into dropping the gloves again later in the period, but
Brashear just skated away and McSorley wound up with a double-minor
and a misconduct. Within two minutes of this penalty Brashear
charged into the Boston Bruins net falling on goaltender Byron
Dafoe’s leg. Dafoe left the game on a stretcher.

The rest of the game McSorley tried to get Brashear
to go again, and again. Brashear would not. Fine, he is not required
to fight after all. Of course after everything that already
happened, it may have been expected. With little time left in the
game, Mark Crawford, coach of the Canucks put Brashear on the ice.
With the time frame left in the game, and that out come already
decided, coaches usually have only one thing in mind when sending
out a player such as Brashear. Pat Burns, coach of the Bruins
responded by sending out McSorley. Was there really a question as to
why they were both out there? Well, Brashear thought so, and refused
to pay any attention to McSorley. Out of frustration, McSorley took
a two-hander and landed it on Brashear’s temple. Fights then broke
out everywhere, the ice, the stands and probably somewhere in Boston
where there was some lonely Canuck fan wondering what just happened.
It was uncalled for, it was cowardly, it was a mistake.

Many players have spoken out on this incident. They
have all said it was horrible. There is a split on McSorley’s
reputation though. Many of the veterans, Mark Messier and Gretzky,
both former teammates of  McSorley’s both publicly condemned
McSorley’s actions, but defended the man. Both repeated how he has
had a long and mostly respectful career and that they could not
believe what happened. Many of the younger players, Todd Bertuzzi of
the Canucks for instance, have just blasted McSorley saying he
should never be allowed to play again. He may just get his wish.

McSorley was given the suspension of the rest of
the season. That’s 23 games. If the Bruins can creep into the
playoffs, it’s even more. This is the longest suspension in NHL
history. At least two more games then the suspension handed down to
Dale Hunter when he hit Lady Byng winner Pierre Turgeon from behind
after he scored a goal. Does that sound right? Not really. Hunter’s
hit was after Turgeon just scored a goal. Therefore, play was over,
at least for the moment. Turgeon was a Lady Byng winner. That trophy
is given out to the league’s most gentlemanly player. Therefore, he
is not even close to the player Brashear is. Of course, this should
not matter when handing out suspensions, but if you look at the
NHL’s rulings over the last few years you will see biased towards certain
players. Superstars and scorers are usually protected on either side
of the suspension, whether they were hurt or they did the hurting.
Suddenly, now, maybe because of the media publicity surrounding this
event, the NHL had to come down hard, the hardest they ever have on
Marty McSorley.

This is not the end either. This probably would
have been McSorley’s last year in the NHL. His agent is now trying
to convince him to play again. There are a few obstacles though.
First is the NHL, before next season he has to sit back down in
front of the league officials and be given clearance to play. I
think he can get past that considering the rest of his career.
Second is getting a contract. Will any team sign him now? I doubt
it. I do hope he finds some other way to end an otherwise decent and
respectful career as an NHL enforcer.