Todd Kellmans bitter pill.....

[Matt]

Although he accepted Matt Myers`s apologie,Mr Kellman is obviously not happy with the league`s decision.This was taken from A Belfast newspapaer recently....

Ice Hockey: Adding insult to injury
I find the Elite League decision hard to accept

By Todd Kelman

28 November 2004
IT was announced this week by the Elite League that no further action would be taken against the Nottingham Panthers player Matt Myers, who high-sticked me in the face in the November 20 match at the Odyssey Arena.

Apparently the League has warned him about his frequent lack of control of the stick during that match and as far as this matter is concerned, the case is closed.

Now I don't want to beat a dead horse, but a stern warning isn't exactly going to teach anyone a lesson is it?

Now by no means do I think that this kid meant to stick me in the face. At worst he wanted to put his stick up to keep me from legally body-checking him, which is what I was about to do, but we play a game where we are carrying around weapons that if not controlled could do some serious damage to a player.

Trust me, I've got the pre-surgery pictures to prove it, and your average run of the mill accidental high stick doesn't do that kind of damage.

So the question remains, shouldn't players be responsible for those weapons?

Leigh Jamieson and Myers are good friends, and from what I understand he was quite upset about the whole situation.

He did come down after the game and apologise, and I have played the game long enough to know that these things happen.

However, I still think whether it's accidental or not, you have to be responsible for your own stick.

You can't say his stick was deflected up in the air or that we were fighting for a puck and the stick was lifted into my face.

No I skated straight at him and ran into the blade of his stick when I was still probably three or four feet away from hitting him.

Even if it was the shaft of his hockey stick that hit me, then it might make a little more sense, but it was clear that it was the blade, the furthest point from his body, the part that is normally sitting on the ice, that was up around head level.

Did anyone consider that? What was he doing bringing his stick up that high or skating around carrying the blade of his stick that high in the air, or pointing the blade of the stick directly at an oncoming player?

And it's not like I just skated by and got clipped by it, no it was direct impact, right to the face.

I spent three days in the hospital, went through facial surgery, was out of commission for 10 days, missed three big games, and will likely have to wear a full face shield for quite some time.

He missed one period of play. Clearly a warning against future conduct with his stick hardly seems to be the proper disciplinary actions for such an incident.


There I said it? Case closed.

[heja]

There I said it? Case closed.

your right there.

they obvously saw no intent to injury him and relised it was just an accident, so why wouldn't 5 +game be enough??

its kind off like say he injured me so he deserves to be out as long as i am???

[Milkman™]

'Now by no means do I think that this kid meant to stick me in the face'

yet he follows with

'a stern warning isn't exactly going to teach anyone a lesson is it'

So what you saying Todd that even accidents require bans and hefty fines.

You know the score mister you said as much in the article, you also add that you have seen many types of incident like this......so dude wear a full mask

[heja]

so dude wear a full mask

i was going to say that, if they are there use them if you don't want to get injured by an accident like that.

if he had been wearing that he woud of got up and carried on playing un hurt

[Milkman™]

CRITIC said:

i was going to say that, if they are there use them if you don't want to get injured by an accident like that.

if he had been wearing that he woud of got up and carried on playing un hurt

All juniors wear them, so somewhere along the line he chose to stop wearing one?

Bet he always wears a cup

[texpef]

now theres a nice thought therapy thanks for that!!
...................NOT..

[gisland]

Tat2Matt said:

Although he accepted Matt Myers`s apologie,Mr Kellman is obviously not happy with the league`s decision.This was taken from A Belfast newspapaer recently....


Apparently the League has warned him about his frequent lack of control of the stick during that match and as far as this matter is concerned, the case is closed.

** would this not suggest that hes not as clean as the "no further action" would appear,it may have been accidental,fair dues, but he was carrying his stick high throughout the game


So the question remains, shouldn't players be responsible for those weapons?

What was he doing bringing his stick up that high or skating around carrying the blade of his stick that high in the air, or pointing the blade of the stick directly at an oncoming player?

**i think this is a fair comment to make,why was his stick so high.Maybe if the refs called more players,from all teams,for skating with high sticks it might prevent injuries.I know its easy to comment after the event,any one can do it and i dont want to start a "hes at fault,no hes not" session but this type of injury could and will cause major problems unless its dealt with fair,firmly and sooner rather than later.
Should it be compulsary to wear visors?Should the penalty for injury be increased to maybe a match ban to try and force players to keep the sticks low?
just some thoughts

[Cunndies]

CRITIC said:

your right there.

they obvously saw no intent to injury him and relised it was just an accident, so why wouldn't 5 +game be enough??

its kind off like say he injured me so he deserves to be out as long as i am???

I believe Kellman's point was that it was irresponsible and dangerous of Myers to be carrying his stick so high. I didn't see the incident, but I think his point is that a sterner punishment might deter Myers from being so careless next time.

[heja]

Should the penalty for injury be increased to maybe a match ban to try and force players to keep the sticks low?

for an accidental injury no. for deliberatly causeing an injury you get much worse that that anyway.

Maybe if the refs called more players,from all teams,for skating with high sticks it might prevent injuries

you can't just call them for having there stick high.

you also say he was carrying his stick high all game

did he hit anyone else in the face or any part of another players head or neck during the game??

If not it was not high.

[Cunndies]

Heja, carrying your stick high is not strictly against the rules, but it is dangerous. If you go to hit somebody with it that height, you could cause them a lot of damage, and I think Kellman believes that a sterner punishment would cause Myers to be more careful next time.

[belly]

CRITIC said:

for an accidental injury no.

Why not? While there may have been no intention, he was being reckless with his stick and surely a fairly experienced player such as Myers could have foresaw the consequence of having your stick that high while a player is about to check you.

[Milkman™]

Belly said:

Why not? While there may have been no intention, he was being reckless with his stick and surely a fairly experienced player such as Myers could have foresaw the consequence of having your stick that high while a player is about to check you.

I believe had this been an amateur game then Todd's sentiments would be the best course of action.

However while these guys are earning reasonabley good money for playing and lets be honest here, checking Todd's stats on HDB hes been a pro for 7 or 8 years now, can he honestly say he does not know the consequences of not wearing a full face mask.

He makes the decision to earn his living this way, and if he is neglegent enough not to fully protect himself then he has no comeback i am affraid.

Like you said Todd 'accidents happen'.

[TomS]

CRITIC said:

you can't just call them for having there stick high.

Yes you can:

from the IIHF rule book:

530 - HIGH STICKING
a) Carrying sticks above the normal height of the shoulders is prohibited and any player
violating this rule shall be assessed, at the discretion of the Referee, a:
- Minor penalty (2’)
or
- Major penalty + Automatic Game Misconduct penalty (5’+GM)
or
- Match penalty (MP)
b) A player who carries or holds any part of his stick above the height of the shoulders
and causes an injury with the stick to an opposing player shall be assessed a:
- Major penalty + Automatic Game Misconduct penalty (5’+GM)
or
- Match penalty (MP)
c) However, if the high sticking action that caused the injury was judged accidental, the
offending player shall be assessed a:
- Double Minor penalty (2’+2’)

[heja]

530 - HIGH STICKING
a) Carrying sticks above the normal height of the shoulders is prohibited and any player
violating this rule shall be assessed, at the discretion of the Referee, a:
- Minor penalty (2’)

but have you ever seen a ref make a call about a player holding his stick above head height with nop players in sight? or with out making contact Above the shoulder?

No??

a ref will not call it (and will get slated by the league bosses if he does) unless it is in a threatening way.

if they did call that every player on the ice would get a penalty almost every game for high sticks

why do you think you don't get a 2min penalty for knocking a high puck down with your stick?? ( yes the play stops if it goes to a player on your team but that is it)

[TomS]

The key phrase is 'at the discretion of the referee'. If you're close to the ice you'll often hear the ref telling a player to keep his stick down. If the player persistently ignored those warnings then the ref would be perfectly justified in calling a penalty.

As for playing the puck with a high stick that's a completely different rule.

Here's a link to the rule book: try reading it before you next start quoting 'rules'

www.iihf.com/pdfRules/IIHFRuleBookeng.pdf

[lasttrainhome]

I never saw the incident, but reading what Todd said, I think Myers has got away with it. I tried to picture it. I see it that Myers was on the boards, and Kelman goes into check him? So what the hell was Myers stick doing pointing towards Kelman's face? I bet if it was the other way round, you would be calling for Kelman's head on a plate!!

[heja]

but they are not a completely diffent rule as they are both there to help stop injuries

and the stick on both occasions is above shoulder height (except when the puck goes in after it has hit a stick abobve goal height)

the only difference is that one of teh high sticks caught a player the other did not.

[LooseChippings]

CRITIC said:

but they are not a completely diffent rule as they are both there to help stop injuries ...

So you still haven't read the rules then?

Rule 492 - High Sticking the Puck

Rule 530 High Sticking

Tim, as TomS says read the rule book and people will accept your postings with a bit more confidence, at the moment it looks like you are guessing the rules as you wish to see them.

[Jo]

Just to clarify - was he really only wearing one of the perspex visors like the skaters wear? I just assumed that Matt's stick had somehow got through the same kind of mask that CC wears.

If that's the case I have a lot less sympathy for him now. If I was in the net i'd wear everything I was legally allowed to for protection!

[Deleted]

I spoke to matt myers after it happend and he said there was no way he meant to do such a thing so how can he be punished for an accident

[TomS]

Greeny said:

I spoke to matt myers after it happend and he said there was no way he meant to do such a thing so how can he be punished for an accident

Because his stick blade should not have been in a position to hit anyone's face, irrespective of whether he meant it. (See rule 530, quoted above)

[deanyoungblood]

I never saw the incident, but reading what Todd said, I think Myers has got away with it. I tried to picture it. I see it that Myers was on the boards, and Kelman goes into check him? So what the hell was Myers stick doing pointing towards Kelman's face?

You weren't at the game so don't criticise what you haven't seen. From what i was told it was more in center ice and not by the boards. And Myers was trying to cntrol the puck in the air when it happend like many other players do that is why his stick was in the air.

Because his stick blade should not have been in a position to hit anyone's face, irrespective of whether he meant it.

Like i just said he was trying to play the puck in the air, ive been watching hockey my entire life and ive seen many players play the puck in the air and yes this doesn't happen often thats why it was an accident. Are you trying to say that anyone holding their stick around head height should be called for high sticks if you are then the refs would be slated for that.

[TomS]

Dean said:

Are you trying to say that anyone holding their stick around head height should be called for high sticks if you are then the refs would be slated for that.

I refer you to my earlier posting on that point. I can't be bothered retyping it

[TomS]

stabbojo said:

Just to clarify - was he really only wearing one of the perspex visors like the skaters wear? I just assumed that Matt's stick had somehow got through the same kind of mask that CC wears.

If that's the case I have a lot less sympathy for him now. If I was in the net i'd wear everything I was legally allowed to for protection!

Kelman isn't a goalie.

[TomS]

Dean said:

You weren't at the game so don't criticise what you haven't seen. From what i was told it was more in center ice and not by the boards. And Myers was trying to cntrol the puck in the air when it happend like many other players do that is why his stick was in the air.

So you didn't see it either?