Steven Stamkos went down this afternoon in Boston with what looks like a serious injury. He was taken off on a stretcher in obvious pain. This is just another top level player taken out by what could be called a borderline play. Looking at the play, it looks as if the Boston player gives a nudge on Stamkos( who was backchecking) into the goalpost causing the injury. It is a play seen many times in a game with players pushing defensemen into their goalies, croscheck a few feet way from the boards, etc..  With all the talk about trying to take fighting out of the game and penalizing fighters for taking off helmets(to save their hands and facial cuts from visors cutting their nose), they should be talking to the players about stopping the "questionable hits" that they put on players without a second thought.  There are a few teams that leave the bench door open longer than needed, and then play the puck in the area which leaves alot of chance for a hit into a sharp area of the open boards. The league has made the goalies equipment smaller, but what about looking into the players equipment on the elbows and shoulder caps? Too man injuries that could be helped and aren't, due to a combination of lack of respect for each other and there is no fear of the league to hand out any real suspension time.

Ole Time hockey of having a fighter go and "take care of business" when a player is cheapshotted or injured should still be what hockey is all about. Hold on and wait for the reasoning. When players had lesser equipment on their elbows, shoulders, and chest area along with no helmets, players seemed to keep their sticks down much more-kept elbows down more-and not stand in front of slapshots like a knight dressed in armour.  Players knew that if you gave a cheapshot or questionabale hit out, you were going to have to pay for it on th ice. With the crackdown on fighting along with 3 game suspensions for shoulders or elbows to the head with hard plastic in those areas (while the injured players are out for weeks if not longer), the players have no fear of repercussion. Here is a great idea, take off the plastic caps from the elbows and shoulders and use a type of kevlar (cloth like material that can stop bullets by dispersing the impact and catching the impact in the layers). Sure it will make the players alittle slower and after they sweat, it may help make it heavier causing the players to keep their elbows down somewhat.

The NHL offices need to clearly change the suspension rule for injuring players with illegal hits ruled bu the league. Common sense would say if the league deams it a "dirty hit" that should lead to a suspension, start it at 3 games and if the player injured is out for longer, so is the player that gave the dirty hit.  If the NHLPA is really representing the players as a whole, the players as a group should be on board except for players like Kaleta and Torres.  Players are bigger and stronger than they used to be no doubt! Players have better skates and equipment, no doubt! The players have alot less respect for each other, no doubt! You can force the players to wear a visor, you can force them to wear better equipment, BUT until they STOP targeting the head and looking for the EDGE at any cost, injuries to the better players in the league will happen and rob the fans from seing these players when spending their hard earned money.