Athletes Being Stupid: Chris Kunitz

By Jeff

The NHL is anything but consistent when it comes to dishing out discipline for hits to the head. Some guys get suspended – and rightfully so – for 17 games because they're a repeat offender, while other repeat offenders get nothing for similar hits. Trying to predict what the NHL will do is very similar to figuring out if Brett Favre is coming back or not. It changes every week and the outcome always upsets someone.

But that uncertainty doesn't mean players should risk getting suspended in the playoffs with dirty hits to head, which is what Pittsburgh Penguins forward Chris Kunitz did last night when he elbowed Simon Gagne in the head. Gagne no longer had the puck and Kunitz clearly targeted the head with is his elbow. This is the kind of hit the NHL needs to eliminate and Kunitz should be suspended for two games.



What the heck was Kunitz thinking? His team was already down its two biggest stars and one of its top penalty killers, the last thing it needed was to lose another forward. While the Pens won the game and have a 2-1 series lead, that could easily slip to be down 2-3 with Game 6 in Tampa Bay if Kunitz is suspended for Games 4 and 5.

What's so frustrating about the hit is Kunitz is not a dirty player. He's a feisty guy that doesn't shy away from physical play, but he doesn't have the reputation of being dirty like Cooke, Steve Downie and others. He's usually smarter than this and doesn't hurt his team by taking stupid penalties. And he could have completely avoided this play. Gagne lost the puck and Kunitz could easily delivered a clean hit, rather than raising his elbow.

The incident is all Kunitz's fault, but the league could have created stricter rules to prevent these kinds of hits. How long will it be before stubborn general managers like Brian Burke realize that these hits require harsher punishments?

UPDATE:  Kunitz and Downie have been suspended for Game 4.

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