Doug Weight said today there has been a pit in his stomach ever since he laid out Carolina rookie Brandon Sutter on Saturday night with a clean open-ice hit that was not penalized. It’s not the hit itself that troubles Weight; it’s the unfortunate result. Sutter suffered a concussion when he was knocked out.
But when Weight heard comments from Hurricanes general manager Jim Rutherford that criticized him for taking advantage of a vulnerable rookie, the veteran Islanders center reviewed the details and concluded he did nothing illegal under NHL rules or unethical in his own mind based on his 17 seasons of experience.
“I admire Jim Rutherford’s loyalty [to his player],” Weight said. “But [Sutter] wasn’t vulnerable. He made himself vulnerable after I committed to the hit. I don’t know what he was thinking, but I couldn’t change directions and go with him without blowing my knee out. He reached for the puck, and his head dropped eight inches. Look at the video. I didn’t come up with my elbow.”
Pressing both arms tightly against his sides as if in a shell, Weight added, “I was like this.”
The hit occurred in the third period of Carolina’s 4-3 win as Sutter was rushing up the left side across the red line. As Weight noted that night, the puck was “bobbling” on the ice and danced away in front of Sutter. Sensing a chance for a breakaway, he leaned forward to retrieve it a split-second before Weight delivered a check intended to stop his progress.
“I wasn’t licking my chops,” Weight said. “I was trying to stop him from going around me.”
Rutherford told columnist Bob MacKenzie of The Sports Network in Canada: “The league should stop saying it’s concerned with hits to the head because it’s not.”
The Carolina GM reserved most of his anger for the league, but he’s well-acquainted with Weight as one of the standup guys on the Hurricanes’ 2006 Stanley Cup champions. “I like Doug Weight,” Rutherford said. “He’s a good guy and a good player and we had him here when we won the Cup. So there will be a lot of people who will say Doug has no history of that type of thing, that he’s not the type of player to intentionally hurt someone and that’s fine. But you also can say Doug isn’t the type of player who hits a lot, anyway, and here’s this 19-year-old kid in a vulnerable position and Doug took advantage of that.
“It can cut both ways. I know Doug didn’t like the hit that separated his shoulder [in the Stanley Cup Final against Edmonton], and I don’t think, if he was on the receiving end of this one, that he would like it either. At this point, I just hope Brandon is going to be okay.”
So does Weight and the rest of the Islanders. But one player who asked not to be identified said it’s impossible for players to expect to differentiate between naïve rookies and a veteran trying to sneak a breakaway past a defender when play is moving at high speed. “This is the National Hockey League,” the player said. “Keep your head up.”
Islanders coach Scott Gordon offered this take on the play by Weight. “Two things come to mind,” Gordon said. “We’re obviously very concerned about Sutter and hope he's doing well. It's like I said to Dougie this morning, ‘It was a hard hit, but he did see you coming.’ I watched it and replayed it. He looked at Dougie. I can only imagine he saw [Weight coming]. He made the decision that, ‘If I get this puck by him, I’m going in for a breakaway.’ I think Dougie went into it with the mindset that, ‘If I don’t get the man, this guy’s going on a breakaway.’ They both probably went in with a good thought process. Unfortunately, you don’t want to see anybody get hurt. You want to see Sutter get healthy quick.”
ISLES FILES: Backup goaltender Joey MacDonald is prepared to start in place of Rick DiPietro, who is scheduled to undergo an examination of his surgically repaired right knee today. The club has indicated it will make an announcement about DiPietro’s status later today…Defenseman Brett Skinner will make his NHL debut in place of Freddy Meyer, who has an undisclosed injury…Yann Danis was on the ice and is expected to serve as MacDonald’s backup tonight…Making a sly reference to the Islanders’ non-disclosure injury policy, Daily News reporter Peter Botte said the new backup goaltender should be referred to as “Yann Da(lower body) because we’re not allowed to say, ‘knee.’” Ba-dum-bum. That’s a rim shot for Botte.
Comments (22)
Yan Da-lower-body.
Nice work.
Jim Rutherford is being ridiculous. If Sutter didn't get hurt, would he feel the same way? Of course not. No one likes seeing people get hurt, but it was a clean hit, the kid should have kept his head up.
Trust me....You're gonna be on my band wagon soon enough.
Snow is lost and Wang is a LIAR ...... They act like they care about the fans, but they do not.
No true hockey mind will come here while these complete BOBBLEHEADS are in power. No true talent will want to come work for them.
NHL is one big fraternity and the Isles are the Lamda Lamda Lamda and Omega Moooooooo's.
How is Wangs 15 yr deal with DP looking?
How is the new coach working?
How are the kids looking?
Where is Comeau?
How come the team looks ten times worse without Nolan?
How come the old men are on the PP?
Why is Hilbert and Park still getting so much ice time?
How is glass body MArtinek?
Did the team research Witt's injured knee?
Has DP lost interest in this organization?
Was Weight brought here for his talent or to keep Guerin happy?
Why didn't we take the sure thing in the draft?
Way too many negative things around this mgmt. They are CLUELESS....They are liars....They are insecure.
FIRE SNOW....WANG sell the team !
It is our only hope !!!
p.s The Oracle has picked two 6 game win streaks in the past two years....This year will be next to impossible without change. Warned you all they would fire Nolan and get a no name coach. That will haunt us as well.
Phillies in 6 the Oracle also told you.....LOCK !
Not really looking forward to tonights game.
The #1 ranked team in the league vs. the #30th ranked team in the league.
Yes I know it's early in the season but I did'nt imagine we'd look this bad- I'd feel better if we still had Dubie to backup DP.
Enough already with Nolan. Last season the Isles TANKED in the last 2 months under Nolan and the Nolan "bobbleheads" will tell you it was because of injuries. Have these same "Nolan bobbleheads" checked the Isles injury report lately? Is it OK to use injuries as an excuse the Isles TANKED at the end of last season but not the reason they are 2 and 5 now? I doubt if Nolan was still coach with all the key injuries the Isles have suffered so far this season they would be better than 2 and 5. The problem I have right now with this team and I don't know who is responsible but this team is way too soft. If anyone saw the Devils/Flyers over the weekend no way can this Islander team compete in that type of game.
Im sure the IR will grow more tonight with guys like Orr, Dubinsky, Voros and Callahan running us all game. This team sucks, the one time one guy doesnt do something pu$$ified hes crucified for it.
It's very hard to root for this mess of a team. What's the deal with not telling the truth on injuries. Looks like DP needed more time to get better. Why not just come out and say that he won't be back until December. John Tavares will look good in blue and orange if they don't mess htisup.
Let's see what we've got tonight. Watch, we'll have a lot of trouble getting any shots on goal.
How much it hurts to be out of the running in the first month of the season. I know there was not much hope here from the onset but my god this is just bad. DP should sit on his Hieny for the rest of the season.
MR.Wang first things first I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for saving our beloved franchise. Now it is time to face reality and sell the team. I sure would if I were you and can not understand why you would still be interested in keeping it.
If you were sitting around setting long term goals for one of your companies and then took the time to do a check and see where you stood you you would certainly get out of this mess.
Seriously thank you for saving the team that I have loved for over 30 years but I would get out the fans dont appreciate what you have done whats whats still in it for you?????????
So under the Isles' non-disclosure policy, young Mr. Sutter would be suffering an undisclosed upper body injury ...?
this made me feel a little better: ottawa is 2-5.
How about we (as Islander fans) just root for whomever suits up tonight.
Didn't we always wait until the opening faceoff when Jiggs or Eddie gave the injury reports? We had no idea that a player would or would NOT be playing until the opening face off.
Has the information age of the internet made us all such cry babies that if we don't know about something the minute it happens then someone must be lying to us or they are depriving us of our devine right to knowledge of everyones business?
Let's just all take a step back... see how the next 3-4 weeks plays out... see what happens when Sutton, DiPietro, Bailey(?), Comeau(?), Martinek and others come back from their injuries.
DOC
I cannot believe I am going to say this, but I agree with DOC.
No secret I hate Wang and Snow and want them gone.....BUT, as for this whole injury thing.....Please.
If the Isles were good, you would call them GENIUS for not giving any information.
Again, just look up North to New England.....Belechick tells the MEDIA NOTHING.....He puts the whole team on the Questionable list just to piss people off......He gets away with it...WHY....He WINS !!!!
This team has SOOOOOOOO many MAJOR problems, that I am baffled some of you only care about this trivial bs......Let's worry more about how our GM and OWNER are completely LOST !!!
I represent the CANIAC NATION and I think that hit was not necessary. Yes, Sutter had his head down but because he is still only a rookie, you don't need to kill him. Dougie Weight was a good player for us but hitting somebody this hard was not necessary. On Canes Country (click link) everyone else seems to have a similar opinion. And what do the above comments have to do with anything?
I represent the CANIAC NATION and I think that hit was not necessary. Yes, Sutter had his head down but because he is still only a rookie, you don't need to kill him. Dougie Weight was a good player for us but hitting somebody this hard was not necessary. On Canes Country (click link) everyone else seems to have a similar opinion. And what do the above comments have to do with anything?
I represent the CANIAC NATION and I think that hit was not necessary. Yes, Sutter had his head down but because he is still only a rookie, you don't need to kill him. Dougie Weight was a good player for us but hitting somebody this hard was not necessary. On Canes Country (click link) everyone else seems to have a similar opinion. And what do the above comments have to do with anything?
Unfortunately, things like this happen when you have athletes moving toward each other at high speeds. Most times, it's nobody's "fault." Just like the Jets' Eric Smith hit on Anquan Boldin. But, of course, in this day and age, everyone has to overreact. As players, media and fans alike, I think we all know a cheap shot when we see one and one where there is absolutely no malicious intent. Please.
Let me see if I get this right. A young kid that just out skated three islanders for a great assist. An over-the-hill veteran that knows he is two steps two slow and four years too old to keep up. The vet makes the decision to take the kids head off -- and knocks the kid lifeless. There is no attempt at puck or body -- just the head. Then there is the feigned "pit in the stomach" look and defense. Man up Doug and admit what we all know, you made the decision and took the kid out. No need to pretend, we all know. I hope you are looking over your shoulder the rest of the year.
wow, I always considered North Carolina one of the "smarter" souther states....Home of some of the best universities in the country... but obviously the lower 10 percent in IQ have internet access.
I can't see too much of an argument with "it's a violent sport, played at a high speed, and these things happen"
What I do have a problem with is Weight's penalty last night. He pretty much slapped the ranger in the face with his stick blade, while his blood brother fell into a 4 minute high sticking penalty (charged to bergenhiem, who got jacked TWICE for penalties he didn't deserve).
The Islanders actually looked pretty good last night... for a team missing their TOP FOUR defensemen. The three guys that looked the worst... yep... those "gritty ol' vets"... Weight, Guerin and the very un-gritty Comrie. comrie just needs to disappear. Well.. that is... PHYSICALLY disappear, becasue he's pretty much invisible on the ice except when he is giving up soft turnovers.
It's tiem to go full throttlw with this YOUTH thing and dump Comrie for a bag of pucks. He obviously is not going to recover from the shoulder injury which has caused his shot to be that of a 7 year old girl's. Bring up comeau.
What happened to Sugden? A pretty much give up game against the rangers (without Witt, Sutton, Martinek and Meyer did they really have a chance). No word about Sugden... did he re-retire? No Fritz? I don't care what Andy Hilbert brings to the table... he doesn't put anything on it! His spot should go to Fritz. Yeah... Hilbert is just not going to produce... in any style. At least Fritz would have knocked the crap out of Voros...
Do they teach BOARDING in the rangers system as a skill. they get rid of Hole Wig and they replace him with another jackass.
and that still doesn't excuse weight and guerin for their lazy play and idiotic plays last night. Okay, nice work by Guerin finally taking the stand that Bergenhiem has taken the past few times. About time the CAPTAIN manned up. But those two were on their last gasp... I really don't want to see what they look like at the END of the season.
Okposo, Bergenhiem and Park continue to impress in this system. Hunter, Nielsen, Campoli and Streit seem to like it as well. Comrie is lost... and so is the team without back line backbone.
This is gonna be a looooong season.
But let's root for two things. The crest on the front of the sweater, and the FOR SALE sign to go up!
Yes Doug, I did watch the video footage ... and maybe you did already commit to the check - but it was when you had shoulder to head contact, with your knees bent, and then stood up to really enforce and increase the power of that contact that probably caused a lot of the damage! You can't tell me that staying in that lowered position for a few milliseconds longer would "blow your knee out". And Brandon's dad, Brent, is right. Hockey has made changes - some for the better, but some that have really only increased the risk of injury to players. This is one of those instances. At one time, the players just knew if they laid a devastating hit on someone that the other team would be out for their blood. It made for a certain kind of control in the game. The same with taking checking out at the really young levels, so kids start out not learning to skate with their heads up. Then they bring the checking in about the same time these kids are getting testosterone - what a combination ... you've got injuries all over the place. At one time it was no big deal - all of a sudden it's "Wow, now I get to hit!" The lower leagues have made the rulings on no hits to the head. When these young guys get up to the NHL, are they really thinking about that any more? They've went through many of their contact hockey years with that rule in place - it's possibly not even something they think about. For Brandon, playing in Alberta, a hit to the head has been a major penalty in minor hockey since he was in Bantam's (13 years old). I am unsure of the WHL ruling on it (the Red Deer Rebels, where he played his major junior is a member), but some of the links I've seen suggest the OHL (another Canadian major junior league) has penalties for hits to the head. It's just bizarre how they change things like not allowing players to change when they ice the puck, they take out the center line for the two-line passes, and they make the rules on a fair fight so harsh you rarely see them any more, but leave in something as detrimental as hitting to the head. I'm not a fan of the fights, but still, give me a good old-fashioned fight any day over seeing someone blind-sided by a hit like this!
Yes Doug, I did watch the video footage ... and maybe you did already commit to the check - but it was when you had shoulder to head contact, with your knees bent, and then stood up to really enforce and increase the power of that contact that probably caused a lot of the damage! You can't tell me that staying in that lowered position for a few milliseconds longer would "blow your knee out". And Brandon's dad, Brent, is right. Hockey has made changes - some for the better, but some that have really only increased the risk of injury to players. This is one of those instances. At one time, the players just knew if they laid a devastating hit on someone that the other team would be out for their blood. It made for a certain kind of control in the game. The same with taking checking out at the really young levels, so kids start out not learning to skate with their heads up. Then they bring the checking in about the same time these kids are getting testosterone - what a combination ... you've got injuries all over the place. At one time it was no big deal - all of a sudden it's "Wow, now I get to hit!" The lower leagues have made the rulings on no hits to the head. When these young guys get up to the NHL, are they really thinking about that any more? They've went through many of their contact hockey years with that rule in place - it's possibly not even something they think about. For Brandon, playing in Alberta, a hit to the head has been a major penalty in minor hockey since he was in Bantam's (13 years old). I am unsure of the WHL ruling on it (the Red Deer Rebels, where he played his major junior is a member), but some of the links I've seen suggest the OHL (another Canadian major junior league) has penalties for hits to the head. It's just bizarre how they change things like not allowing players to change when they ice the puck, they take out the center line for the two-line passes, and they make the rules on a fair fight so harsh you rarely see them any more, but leave in something as detrimental as hitting to the head. I'm not a fan of the fights, but still, give me a good old-fashioned fight any day over seeing someone blind-sided by a hit like this!