Perhaps Andrew Alberts should just sit out next time his former team is in town. In just the last few years, Alberts has been on the wrong end of two unfortunate incidents involving the Flyers and dirty play. In 2007 before he was ever a Flyer, he was on the wrong end of a nasty Scott Hartnell hit (video here, but Jack Edwards warning).
Last night in Vancouver, he found himself on the wrong end of Jody Shelley‘s misguided fist.
The obvious question: will Mr. Shelley be suspended? There are plenty other examples of similar incidents we can throw out here, including several incidents involving the Flyers and Shelley himself, but the most relevant example is the most recent example, since there seems to be no semblance of precedent in the NHL’s Wheel of Justice.
Let’s go back to just a few days ago. If Milan Lucic didn’t get suspended for his sucker punch on Freddy Meyer, Jody Shelley shouldn’t get suspended for his punch last night. Warning: more Jack Edwards (terribly unwatchable Jack Edwards, actually) after the jump.
Listen, just to clarify here. I think Lucic should have been suspended and I think Shelley should be suspended based on what they each did here. (Hell, I don’t like Shelley in the Flyers lineup, so there’s no bias here at all.)
And perhaps the NHL took into consideration Lucic’s reputation, and that Shelley’s less than glowing on-ice rep, not to mention that he’s already been suspended this season, will earn him a suspension. Fine, but let’s not pretend Lucic is a saint or anything.
The facts are simple: Lucic sucker punched Freddy Meyer, didn’t get a suspension. Shelley sucker punched Alberts. He’ll probably get a suspension. Welcome back, Dan Carcillo?
