Boychuk Hits Raymond Late; Raymond Out 3-4 Months

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Jun 142011

First, our thoughts are with Mason Raymond and his family as he suffered a suspected fractured vertebrae on a hit from Johnny Boychuk and may be sidelined for four-to-six months.

Here’s the video of the hit:

For now, I’ll ignore the chants of “Diver” from the ever-so-classy Boston fans as Raymond lies down obviously hurt and being attended to on the ice – their douchebaginess speak for themselves.

But pay attention to when Boychuk hits Raymond. The puck is nowhere near him; Kesler had it and even had time to make a play. It was a late hit – almost 2 seconds late – on a player who was in a vulnerable position.

When the NHL suspended Aaron Rome for four Stanley Cup Finals games for his hit on Nathan Horton, Mike Murphy called it a hockey play – “a hockey play went bad”. The hit itself was only a fraction of a second late, but then he also admitted that the length of Rome’s suspension was for “the lateness combined with the injury”.

Raymond was hit longer than a fraction of a second late. Like Horton, he was in a vulnerable position. And like Horton, he was seriously injured.

If Rome’s hit on Horton was deemed worthy of 4-game suspension in the Stanley Cup Finals – for a hockey play gone bad – why doesn’t the NHL think Boychuk’s hit is even worthy of a review?

Or has the standard changed again?

Update:

The Canucks have issued a press release. Mason Raymond sustained a vertebrae compression fracture. He is expected to be out of the lineup for 3-4 months.

Fissha11

I totally agree. I think the NHL should be embarrassed if
they don’t suspend Boychuk for at least four games as they did with Rome.
Raymond never touched the puck and if you watch the play, Boychuk scissors
Raymond and then, while Raymond is in a vulnerable position, drives him into
the boards. Horton at least had a chance to defend himself and had touched the puck.( if he would have
kept his head up and quit admiring the pass he would have been fine. )

However, I’m not holding my breath on a suspension. We
saw how much the league likes to suspend Bruins players when Chara intentionally
drove Pacioretty into the glass.

I was also interested in how quick the refs called the
Horton hit, but neither of them called the interference on Raymond. There have
been rumours for years that the league does not want Canadian teams to win the
cup and non calls like that seem to add fuel to that fire.

Hopefully the league will do the right thing for a
change.
http://twitter.com/davel3 David Levesque

My biggest issue with the whole thing was that he was not secured and placed on a board. Moving someone in that condition is a huge deal.
Guest

He was tangled in him. You people are absurd. At least you all lose with class…oh wait.
Guest

The announcer says “Boychuck doing what he is supposed to do”
Kevin

This is why 95% of hockey fans (that don’t have a team in the series) are rooting for the Bruins.. You complain/whine and make up stupid arguments. In no way is this play even close to the Rome hit. (Even the clearly bias Canadian Media are saying that). The 2 players were tangled up, Boychuk didn’t viciously take Raymond into the boards. They ended up in an awkward position and there was nothing to be done at that point to change that. Honestly anyone who has ever played hockey would realize this is not a dirty/cheap play.

Where’s the mention of Edlers hit in the same game? That hit was 100% dirty and deserves a suspension. It was an icing and Edler could’ve went for the puck but decided to take leave the puck, jump in the air and throw a high hit on (I believe Peverley).. 90% of the time Perverley would’ve been injured on that play but luckily he wasn’t.. Also it was a boarding. I saw Canucks fans nonstop defending that play but this should be a 4 game suspension? Please…

To the Boston chanting. I agree it was wrong. when he got up they should’ve cheered. But you should also see where they were coming from. He didn’t go hard into the boards and was laying down on the ice. The Canucks have been, almost nonstop, diving and embellishing on another level during this series. The Sedins flopping, Burrows and Max doing their thing. But when it was clear he was hurt they should’ve shown some respect to him.

Also to the last comment. It’s kind of like the CBC announcers at the end of the Game saying the Canucks should take a run at Thomas. It’s their chance to do something. Some real sick shit..

I understand being passion about your team but this is embarrassing.
Bill C

Boychuk finished his check, Raymond put himself in the unfortunate position. Nothing at all like the Rome hit on Horton. These two players were tangled up going for the puck, Raymond ended up against the boards and Boychuk finished his check. If he hadn’t lost his balance and hunched over, Boychuk would have still planted him into the boards and play would have continued, and nobody would have noticed. This injury happened because of the unfortunate position Raymond was in. Not a bad play by Boychuk, but an unfortunate one by Raymond.

Romes hit on Horton was late because the puck was moved, and Horton was able to take 3 steps coming into the Vancouver zone. It was also from the blindside, as Horton was looking to his left, and Rome came at him from the right. Totally different situations.
Bill C

You are dumb
Briggs81

Bad hit, should have pushed him down instead of in the boards. Late hit. End of. Don’t argue it. It’s pretty simple. Interference too. Stop making excuses. Doesn’t matter what the Canucks did or didn’t do that was wrong, in this situation it was wrong. Simple as that. If you think otherwise, something is wrong with you.
JOHNDERBY

You are a complete idiot. Boychuk drove him hard into the boards with his head between his legs backwards when the puck was fifty feet away. Oh yeah, that was clean.

Rome’s hit was clean and a blink of an eye late (time it, it was 0.7 seconds from the time Horton passed to the time he was hit).

Boston is the most classless team in the league. So are their fans.
http://canuckshockeyblog.com/ J.J. Guerrero

Look at the replay again. The overheard angle clearly shows Boychuk drove him to the boards while Raymond was in a vulnerable position.

It wasn’t dirty, but it was late, reckless and caused serious injury.
JOHNDERBY

it was three tiny steps, barely a stride…
Schorert

oh brother, you compare a blindside hit to finishing a play? Nobody wants Raymond injured, certainly not Boychuck, but he passed the puck and Boychuck(who was carrying Raymond towards the boards already) finished the check. Raymond put himself in an unfortunate position, with the puck in Boychuck’s zone you expect him NOT to tie up Raymond on the boards? get real.
You know what vancouver, your team is a bunch of greasy sleazy whiners. Bruins fans were chanting “diver” for a reason, because your guys embellish every time they’re touched(and often when they’re not). You’ve got a loudmouthed seive of a goalie. If you win, it will be on one greasy goal, if you lose it will be another pounding by the better team.
That said, I think everyone hopes for a successful rehab for Raymond.
http://canuckshockeyblog.com/ J.J. Guerrero

Rome’s hit wasn’t blindside either. That’s been established by the league. But that’s a different point altogether.

I don’t agree with the argument that Raymond put himself in an unfortunate position. By that same argument, Horton shouldn’t have cruised down center ice with his head down.
http://canuckshockeyblog.com/ J.J. Guerrero

Rome’s hit wasn’t blindside either. That’s been established by the league. But that’s a different point altogether.

I don’t agree with the argument that Raymond put himself in an unfortunate position. By that same argument, Horton shouldn’t have cruised down center ice with his head down.
Bljowsey

How can Boston players hold their head up high and even begin to consider themselves professional hockey players….their style of hockey is GOON hockey and nothing less… Boston had a goal as they were heading for the ice walking out of their locker room, you could clearly see it on their smirky faces..they knew exactly how they were going to win the game …

Boston should also be ashamed of their preventing Vancouver Canucks fans wearing jerseys from being a patron at their public establishments restuarants and pubs etc ..Vancouver welcomes all fans …

Will we see and suspension for Boychuk NOT, the NHL should be ashamed , Bettman should stay home from GAME 7 ..Campbell too ….We on the coast appreciate good hockey and not goon hockey …officials are not calling fairly ….wonder who has lined their pockets this Stanley Cup series …

Having friends on NHL teams sometimes does let us know the inside scope …..

Mason Raymond your team will win …they will have STANLEY because they are professional hockey players …not GOON players ….

Go Canucks Go!
Bljowsey

How can Boston players hold their head up high and even begin to consider themselves professional hockey players….their style of hockey is GOON hockey and nothing less… Boston had a goal as they were heading for the ice walking out of their locker room, you could clearly see it on their smirky faces..they knew exactly how they were going to win the game …

Boston should also be ashamed of their preventing Vancouver Canucks fans wearing jerseys from being a patron at their public establishments restuarants and pubs etc ..Vancouver welcomes all fans …

Will we see and suspension for Boychuk NOT, the NHL should be ashamed , Bettman should stay home from GAME 7 ..Campbell too ….We on the coast appreciate good hockey and not goon hockey …officials are not calling fairly ….wonder who has lined their pockets this Stanley Cup series …

Having friends on NHL teams sometimes does let us know the inside scope …..

Mason Raymond your team will win …they will have STANLEY because they are professional hockey players …not GOON players ….

Go Canucks Go!
Schorert

The league also established that Boychuk’s hit wasn’t dirty, so if the league is the arbitor of the rules, there ya go.
Schorert

Uh huh, I’ve been in boston on game night and have seen absolutely NONE of this Fan on Fan nonsense that you guys talk about. Embellishing again?
Who has more dignity, a hockey team that plays tough, or a team that attempts to exploit physical play by DIVING. Blame the goons, blame the ice, blame the media, blame the bar owners, blame Tim Thomas, blame Boychuck…whine whine whine. It’s a soccer team on ice, they fall and cry, they double over and fake injury…yeah, that’s good ol west coast hockey alright.
Lu? gimme a break, that guys a total MESS. Hell, Canucks are so skilled they should have won in four, but you’ve got 15 total headcases on that team….the worst of which is that plonker you have between the pipes.
Paul

I am a Boston fan – 23 years and counting, but even I will admit that the hit was late and dangerous.

If you’ve played hockey for most of your life like I have, you learn how to tangle your opponent up and drive them hard. That was a cheap shot by Boychuk. He knew exactly what he was doing. I’ve seen it done hundreds of times but I have never seen it result in a fracture. Normally it will give you a really bad charlie horse and a bad face wash.

That being said, Rome’s suspension for his hit on Horton was a good call. It was late and he deserved 4 games. Boychuk’s hit on Raymond was a bad call. He deserved at least an interference penalty. Raymond had no chance. Any good defense man can show you how to tie up your opponent. It`s a prerequisite in this league. It’s hard to argue that Boychuk shouldn’t have been suspended for at least one game especially after Rome’s suspension. But being a Bruins fan I am glad that Boychuk is sticking around.

As much as I am a Bruins fan, I kind of hate how this series has turned out. Either team that wins the cup should be ashamed. They both make the game of hockey look bad. The NHL really needs to clean up this garbage.
nhler

This play was very late and totally unnecessary as the puck was nowhere near the players. This is in no way finishing your check. While not violent, or intending to injur it is simply irresponsible and cheap play.

It is by the rule, either interference or boarding. Both penalties. Add the injury and you have the same rationale that led to Rome’s suspension.

But of course hell will freeze over before consistency and honesty comes out of the NHL.
Guest

Oh, because the announcers are ALWAYS right. /roll eyes
Guest

Why, because he has an opinion that isn’t yours? Typical Boston fan who needs to give their head a shake and actually know which players do that sort of thing and which don’t. I’ve never seen Raymond take a dive, yet Boston fans are so ignorant, they wouldn’t know it if their life depended on it.
Guest

Don’t feed the trolls.
Bryan

So, should the league find that this hit wasn’t dirty but was late. Would you still complain… probably…
Rob

Lets face it the league wants US teams to win so they can market hockey in towns where the NBA and baseball are frontrunners, the calls have been brutally one way in every series the Canucks have played, how many times can you hit a star player after the whistle?? well if he plays for a Canadian team, the as many as you want too! if the league Doesn’t suspend Boychuck they might as well admit that they are going to call anything against the bruins cause they are trying to prop up another american team. the league is a joke, and when the Canucks finally win this despite the leagues best attempts to predetermine the outcome, I hope they get what is coming to them for once and for all! they are exposed!!!
OnePissed off fan
Charliejune1

From the word go the Canucks haven’t had a fair call. Most of what they are called for isn’t called agaimst the Bruins. I’m not even a big hockey fan and this is the first year I’ve really jumped on the band wagon. Boychuk has to go just as Rome did from his hit which incidently the Bruins player wasn’t hurt nearly as bad and Raymond. This should be in the light of the hit on Bertuzzi years ago. The Bruins have ridiculed the Canucks and yes even the Canadians themselves. They say they are so well behaved and then beat on Canuck fans in Boston and ridicule us when a few arrests are made in Vancouver. I Know our boys will win. We have people in various states rooting for them as well. Then again how can one forget the witch hunts. GO CANUCKS. YOU HAVE THE GAME IN HAND. YOU ARE THE BEST.
Schorert

And on it goes…blame the ice, blame the refs, blame the league, blame the goons, blame the fans, …that’s the difference.

after three lousy losses boston media and fans blast the bruins for playing so lame…after a canadian team loses, their fans just roll out excuse after excuse.
Schorert

oh, ok, so we’re not supposed to label the whole team a bunch of DIVERS, EMBELLISHERS, we’re supposed to select the HALF of the team that does it in every game and just slag on them? If the “culture” of your organization is to use embellishment to gain a powerplay, then your organization is a bunch of shameless divers.
peanutflower

and you are too. so there.
Hyperlink

First: Rome’s hit wasn’t blindside. The league said it was a clean hit but it was late. In fact, the actual quote is “Yes. The lateness combined with the injury.” (Mike Murphy when asked if the lateness was the cause of the suspension). Rome stood up at the line (meaning, not skating) and threw the hit at Horton who wasn’t looking down ice. Again, ” If it was immediate after he released the puck, it would be a legal hit. We have them all the time.” and “North/south play. And we viewed it as that, too.” – Mike Murphy on the Rome hit.

Second: Boychuk drove a defenseless Raymond into the boards later than Rome’s hit. Raymond went to play the puck and Boychuk put his stick up in Raymond’s legs which put him into the spin (look at 0:29 seconds). Between 0:31-0:32 seconds off screen Raymond is driven into the boards. You then see at 0:37 seconds Boychuk pushes a Raymond while holding him at a dangerous angle to finish the check.

Here is the problem. The NHL established a precident with Rome. The suspension was for the lateness of the hit (which turns out to be 13 frames over the league limit…?) and the injury sustained to Horton. The question then becomes how in the hell is a hit which is even later, clearly intended to injure (shown by driving a bent over Raymond into the boards) and results in a major injury not going to be held up to the same standard as a “Hockey play that was late”?

You asked how you “compare a blindside hit to finishing a play?” That’s a strawman argument. The actual question you should ask is “How do you rationalize the NHL giving a hockey play that was 13 frames late a 4 game suspension while an even later hit with a player at an even more dangerous position results in absolutely nothing?”
Hyperlink

First: Rome’s hit wasn’t blindside. The league said it was a clean hit but it was late. In fact, the actual quote is “Yes. The lateness combined with the injury.” (Mike Murphy when asked if the lateness was the cause of the suspension). Rome stood up at the line (meaning, not skating) and threw the hit at Horton who wasn’t looking down ice. Again, ” If it was immediate after he released the puck, it would be a legal hit. We have them all the time.” and “North/south play. And we viewed it as that, too.” – Mike Murphy on the Rome hit.

Second: Boychuk drove a defenseless Raymond into the boards later than Rome’s hit. Raymond went to play the puck and Boychuk put his stick up in Raymond’s legs which put him into the spin (look at 0:29 seconds). Between 0:31-0:32 seconds off screen Raymond is driven into the boards. You then see at 0:37 seconds Boychuk pushes a Raymond while holding him at a dangerous angle to finish the check.

Here is the problem. The NHL established a precident with Rome. The suspension was for the lateness of the hit (which turns out to be 13 frames over the league limit…?) and the injury sustained to Horton. The question then becomes how in the hell is a hit which is even later, clearly intended to injure (shown by driving a bent over Raymond into the boards) and results in a major injury not going to be held up to the same standard as a “Hockey play that was late”?

You asked how you “compare a blindside hit to finishing a play?” That’s a strawman argument. The actual question you should ask is “How do you rationalize the NHL giving a hockey play that was 13 frames late a 4 game suspension while an even later hit with a player at an even more dangerous position results in absolutely nothing?”
Thevoicefromabove

Why are all Canuck fans idiots? You compare the two hits and find some sort of correlation? And if your idiotic team stopped diving long enough to actually play hockey, maybe they’d get some respect from the refs and the fans. A team that looks up to Kesler and Burrows has no business crying. Period.
Bill C

Edlers hit was a great point. That hit was thrown with intent to injure. The Bruins got called for contact on an icing play when Paille BARELY made contact on Pronger in the Philly series. Out of curiosity I looked up the NHL Icing rule which states:

“Any contact between opposing players while pursuing the puck on an icing must be for the sole purpose of playing the puck and not for eliminating the opponent from playing the puck. Unnecessary or dangerous contact could result in penalties being assessed to the offending player.”

Edlers hit is a direct example of that rule… He made absolutely NO attempt to play the puck whatsoever, and I would think this hit warrants a re-look by the NHL.
Bruinsfan

SUCK ON MY BALLS JOHN DERBY!
BRUINS WILL WIN
Tim Thomas’s Gooch

an organization with a bunch of “shameless divers” outclasses an organization whose fans chant “flopper” at an injured player.
JAC

I hope Mason Raymond has a quick speedy recovery.
Ok. When will the inflammatory and outrageous reporting/blogging end. Vancouver and Canuck fans DRAMA, DRAMA, DRAMA – The officiating is terrible, the Bruins are mean,our city is better than yours, I would have made that save, the ice isn’t good enough, what next the sky isn’t blue enough for you? Lets set this straight. The Canucks dive a lot, recieve penalties for it even – its a pretty sure bet when a Canuck is face down on the ice that its a dive, in this case it was not. The hit was not late, and it was legal, however terrible outcome. Smarten up Canuck fans and quit the whining its getting old!
http://canuckshockeyblog.com/ J.J. Guerrero

Read my other comment. I already said the hit wasn’t dirty. However, it was late, reckless and caused serious injury – all of which were the league’s main criteria for Aaron Rome’s suspension.
http://canuckshockeyblog.com/ J.J. Guerrero

Read my other comment. I already said the hit wasn’t dirty. However, it was late, reckless and caused serious injury – all of which were the league’s main criteria for Aaron Rome’s suspension.
Rob

Sure we wont see you in here after the burins loose! your bullshit is old and just like in the Olympics Canada will prevail even in the face of elitis refs who only want american teams to win. That is all!!!
Schorert

Well, you won’t see boston fans here because we have other championship quality teams to root for in every major sport. So after the B’s win, we’ll start rooting for the sox, the Patriots, the celts(each of whom have one championships in the last decade and routinely make post season play).
All Vancouver has is this greasy hockey team, guys who can’t even play the game with dignity, but they bite and whine and dive. Win or Lose bruins fans will be proud of the way our team played.
So you canucks can go and work on your curling, because it’s the last thing you guys kick our asses at(besides health care!).
And get well soon Raymond.
Schorert

Well, you won’t see boston fans here because we have other championship quality teams to root for in every major sport. So after the B’s win, we’ll start rooting for the sox, the Patriots, the celts(each of whom have one championships in the last decade and routinely make post season play).
All Vancouver has is this greasy hockey team, guys who can’t even play the game with dignity, but they bite and whine and dive. Win or Lose bruins fans will be proud of the way our team played.
So you canucks can go and work on your curling, because it’s the last thing you guys kick our asses at(besides health care!).
And get well soon Raymond.
Schorert

Well, you won’t see boston fans here because we have other championship quality teams to root for in every major sport. So after the B’s win, we’ll start rooting for the sox, the Patriots, the celts(each of whom have one championships in the last decade and routinely make post season play).
All Vancouver has is this greasy hockey team, guys who can’t even play the game with dignity, but they bite and whine and dive. Win or Lose bruins fans will be proud of the way our team played.
So you canucks can go and work on your curling, because it’s the last thing you guys kick our asses at(besides health care!).
And get well soon Raymond.
Schorert

See you’re missing the point, they chant flopper because you guys are proven FLOPPERS! Sorry the guy is hurt, but you might want to do a little google search on “Canuck DIVE” and see what comes up….then try “Burrows Bites” and “Luongo Chokes”.
Tim Thomas’s Gooch is two days away from a Conn Smythe…enjoy!
GERALDTHIBAULT

you are not a hockey fan because u are home kniiting a sweater to stay warm in that awful climate go BRUINS KEEP THOSE SILLY CAUCK FANS WHINING AS USUALL JERRY BOSTON BRUINS FAN
jerry

WHINE WHINE WHINE
Lucky

When did the Bruins got renamed as the Saints? The only time I hear Bruins fans is when they win at home, and they come whine about us whining on a blog called CANUCKS BLOG. I guess if you’re outright rude to someone’s face, that makes it self righteous.

I am sure we’ll just be coined lucky by the Bruins fans if we win the Cup. The truth is Timmy Thomas will win that Smythe trophy regardless of the outcome of tomorrow’s game.
Guest

I am totally disgusted by this NHL (National Horrible League) that Boychuk can deliberatly injured best Canuck skater, Mayson Raymond in a defenceless situation and being patted by his coaching staff on the bench (watch the video carefully) for a darn good job he did, while Raymond was carried off the ice by his teammates.Why Boychuk was not suspended? Were the referees blind? There is no justice, Boston players are getting away with murder while Canucks are getting penalties for making any contact with these BB goons. This league/officiating sucks and I have no desire to watch this crap anymore. There is no more hockey, it is war which NHL is supporting by taking sides. Shame on the league by killing such a nice game. Skilled players have no chance to play in this league anymore unless they are supported by armed bodyguards.
Anonymous

Neither one of these teams deserve shit. They’re both playing dirty garbage hockey. I highly doubt anyone would want there kids taking sportmanship pointers from anyone on these teams. Im hoping Canucks win simply because they are canadian and id like the cup back. Thomas is the closest thing in this series to a worthy condender though even he is not without hacks and crosschecks.
Anonymous

All the best for Raymond’s upcoming recovery!! Horton too. Going to be some long recoveries
Rob

you forgot economy!!! my point exactly!! you are only a hockey fan because the Bruins are in it otherwise you would be watching Basketball, and lets face it no one likes diving!! bruins are equally as good at it as any team. bottom line, we are on home ice and not in the slush bowl in boston, and as you have seen,Boston cant skate with us on good Ice!!! good luck to you and your team( basketball that is )

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