Having to write this post over and over again sure gets frustrating but the first three weeks and change of the 2013-14 NHL season has featured more headshots than a talent agency. The latest occurred in yesterday’s game between the Sharks and Bruins when Zdeno Chara, less than 24 hours after witnessing teammate Loui Eriksson fall victim to a vicious elbow from super-goon John Scott, administered a late, high hit on Tommy Wingels. Here’s the video evidence, courtesy CSN Bay Area:
The puck has long left Wingels’ stick when Chara comes in for the hit and the principal point of contact is clearly Wingels’ head. This is as close to a textbook violation of Rule 48 as it gets and essentially a more egregious version of Brad Stuart’s hit on Rick Nash earlier in the season for which the Sharks defenseman received a three-game ban. Like Nash, Wingels didn’t return to the game following the hit. Chara deserves at least that long of a suspension for this check but he’s a marketable star, the best defenseman in the league and the captain of an Original Six team while Wingels is a third-liner so he won’t get one.
As many of you know, Fear the Fin is an independent site run by Sharks fans for Sharks fans. Help keep Fear the Fin independent by contributing to our