Jeff Carter Hits Anssi Salmela

Kristina Shands on Mon, 8th Feb 2010 10:08 pm 



I agree. It looks like a clean hit with very scary results. I had a hard time watching the replay. Have you heard anything about Salmela’s condition?

Kyle on Mon, 8th Feb 2010 11:11 pm 



Guys don’t get wiped out like this if they see the hit coming. Carter blindsided him. Hockey used to go on and on for long stretches without incidents like this, especially in the days before the ridiculous instigator penalty. Now they are an almost weekly occurence. Of course, I will never stop watching hockey, but it’s absurd and I’m frankly growing sick and tired of it. I suppose Mike Milbury would just as soon tell me to go watch curling or something without contact, but there’s no way I can see that hit as acceptable.

From the camera angle at the other end of the ice, you can see Salmela’s number has he cuts to the middle. Carter was coming down the slot, out of Salmela’s view. Though Carter seemingly used his shoulder, he still caught Salmela’s head. Just as a player has to be in control of his stick at all times so must he be in control of his body.

There’s no reason for that hit. None. Zero. That’s not finishing a check. That is another shining example of the type of hit that hockey does not need. Apparently players today do not understand that separating the man from the puck doesn’t mean blasting him in to oblivion.

Our buddy HockeyJoeGM agrees. http://twitter.com/HockeyJoeGM/status/8833976492

I don’t know what the purpose of that hit would have been. The puck was gone, and I’m sure someone is going to try and trot out the “he had already committed to the hit by the time he shot” defense. Garbage.

That Carter’s teammate Mike Richards laid a similar hit on David Booth earlier this year is curious. The Flyers have always been known for roughhouse hockey, but one wonders just what is being preached there. Do you think it’s possible that the Flyers would have spoken to their players about such hits??

As the NHL sits and does nothing, or worse yet, justifies these types of malicious, unnecessary hits, more guys hit the disabled list with head injuries. I guess the only time they’ll actually do anything is when a star gets whacked and knocked out for a couple months. Sad.

Tyler on Mon, 8th Feb 2010 11:46 pm 



Kyle,
I’ll bite on Carter already being committed to the hit.
Part of it stems from our upbringing as hockey players and our conditioning to finish checks.
This is something the guys at the Hockey Zen talked a lot about last week.
How will we get it to change?

Ted on Tue, 9th Feb 2010 12:25 am 



Kyle is right. No professional gets his brain splattered like that if he sees the shot coming. It was similar to the classic Scott Stevens hit, except that Stevens victims would have seen the shot coming at them if they weren’t engaging the other defenseman 1 on 1. Salmela could not reasonably be expected to see that coming. Now, is that illegal? No, but it is dangerous and fans who say that’s always been part of the game need to understand that the speed and size of the players makes for a lot more high impact 30 mph collisions. Eventually, we will see a player killed by a catastrophic head trauma on a perfectly “legal” hit. We have to review our priorities and ask ourselves if a “legal” hit absolves everyone from worrying about peoples lives. As a doctor and a former college player, blindside 30mph collisions to the head will eventually result in someone’s death, pure and simple.

AaronMatthies (Aaron Matthies) on Tue, 9th Feb 2010 1:41 am 



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Reading: ” Jeff Carter Hits Anssi Salmela | NHL Digest”( [link to post] )

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Craig Gallant on Tue, 9th Feb 2010 8:17 am 



This his is borderline but indicative of hitting today. Regardless of where he hit him I would like to see this type of incident removed from the game. I agree with Kyle on this one.

Bobby Orr talked about incidents like this years ago on hockey night in canada in a special segment (I wish I could find the video). It was about changes in how hits are executed from his time vs now. What he was talking about was the angle of the hit – i.e. back in his day he said most hits were executed on the horizontal –> you line someone up with your shoulder and follow through sideways –> where as today most hits have players bracing themselves and extended upwards on a diagonal. I can see how this would have a huge impact on the player being hit.

Justin Kendrick on Tue, 9th Feb 2010 8:39 am 



Looked “clean” to me, in the sense that it wasn’t and elbow and it looked like a shoulder on shoulder hit.

Salmela had no idea the hit was coming and went for a spin. It’s too bad that the outcome was what it was, but I think if you ask Carter if he had the chance again he would say he would hit him again.

BTW – Worst goal celebration ever…too soon?

Cheers,
Justin
@hockeycardshow

hockeycardshow (Justin Kendrick THCS) on Tue, 9th Feb 2010 8:44 am 



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Just left a comment on @nhldigest’s post regarding the Carter hit on Salmela [link to post] (worst goal celebration ever)

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Chris Wassel on Tue, 9th Feb 2010 8:47 am 



It was a clean but late hit. The bottom line is I am angry at the Devils for not at least going after Carter at some point. Even if it was just a fight.

That hit actually changed the game. The Devils folded up like an accordion after that.

Matt on Tue, 9th Feb 2010 8:53 am 



I’m glad that no one’s making the “late hit” argument at least. Big hit? Yeah. Unnecessary? Maybe. But we’re not talking about a boarding situation. This is the kind of big open-ice collision that guys like Scott Stevens were worshiped for. It was a shorthanded goal that put Carter’s team down 2-0 and we have a player trying to send a message that he’s going to have to look over his shoulder and that no goals will come easy.

IMO, this is a classic example of reaction to the result, not the hit itself. If he got knocked off his feet and jumped right back up, no one would be talking about this. Are we really making the argument that big open-ice hits are a shining example of what hockey doesn’t need? Is this new? Are we now going to go back and say the hit that destroyed Eric Lindros’ career was dirty and unneeded in the sport?

Kyle on Tue, 9th Feb 2010 10:56 am 



I just go back to something I wrote back on a column I wrote on this site some time ago, that column can be found here: http://www.nhldigest.com/was-branch-too-harsh-on-liambis/. I asked the question of whether or not what is still considered “clean and legal” should now be labeled as “mean and lethal”.

It appears that we continue to chase our tails in this discussion, as more devastating hits, of the needless nature (but gee whiz are they ever fun to watch, right?) continue to take place, with more and more frequency.

I’d like to meet the person who will shrug and say “it’s a tragic accident” when someone eventually loses their quality of life, or life entirely from these killshots.

As Tyler rightly pointed out, these players are merely playing according to the way they are coached. That said, hockey is becoming bloodsport, and there needs to be a re-education at all levels.

JC on Tue, 9th Feb 2010 11:09 am 



That hit is flat-out wrong….it’s an attempt to injure….Carter (and other players who hit opponents when they KNOW the opponent is in a vulnerable position) KNEW that Salmela would not expect the hit….he KNEW the puck was looong gone off of Salmela’s stick (yeah, in hockey, that puck is looong gone)….the hit is WRONG….and the hit is EXPECTED by hockey culture in Canada & the US. It’s ridiculously called “finishing your check” and it’s nothing but testosterone-driven bullspit that gets ingrained into hockey players froma young age. If they don’t make the hit, they are called “soft”. The CULTURE has to change. Good luck with that.

Tyler on Tue, 9th Feb 2010 11:35 am 



I hardly think the puck was “looong gone” it was at most 1 second. Try stopping inside of one second when you are committed to a hit. What are you supposed to do? “Oh, he might shoot the puck, so I better not hit him”. Please; that negates the entire point of body contact. I agree with your point about changing the culture, but this is not the hit to use as an example. It was shoulder-shoulder and within the guidelines of all current NHL rules.

Ted on Tue, 9th Feb 2010 1:25 pm 



What are you supposed to do, Tyler? How about playing better position so you don’t have to take the killshot while looking at the number on his jersey? Sometimes in hockey you get beat or your partner gets beat and they score. It happens. You move on and play better the next shift. You DON’T try to unleash on a defenseless guy and end his career. Carter caught nothing but Samela’s head. If Carter was trying to play hockey there, He should have played the body, You know, the part without the shiny helmet. All these La-Z-Boy Tarzans out there who think playing high school hockey is expert experience amuse me. If you played with 200-225 pound professionals all going 15-20 mph all the time and this happened to your teammate and the coach sent you out next, you’d wet your pants.

Evan on Tue, 9th Feb 2010 4:58 pm 



Carter a dirty player? Get real. How bout KEEP YOUR HEAD UP IN THE SLOT! looks more like a Defender learning a lesson the hard way to me.

J.J. on Tue, 9th Feb 2010 5:46 pm 



bottome line. Carter and most of the Flyers do not play with respect for other players. He was not committed to the hit he was coasting and yes hit him blind, shoulder to head. I’ve played hockey for 30 years and there is no need for this type of hit. Selmela had position on the defenseman. Does that mean Carter has the right to blind side him. NO!! Until the NHL get its head straight on being consistant with dishing out punishments for garbage like this, it will get my respect. What has to happen someone to get killed.

Dana Fosburgh on Tue, 9th Feb 2010 7:39 pm 



Tyler! Buddy! Dude! I’ve watched this clip 20 times and there is nothing “obvious” about Carter’s actions. I still can’t tell if he’s attempting to throw an elbow, and succeeded, or trying to throw a shoulder, and failed. Salmela took a peek,and probably saw Carter bearing down on him, so I’m not going down the “defenseless player” road. As you know, I’m a big “open ice hit statement” guy (as opposed to fighting) so this is a tough one for me. I feel badly for Salmela, but zi don’t think you can throw anything else at Carter. It’s a really close call. Recent related events have been much more “obvious” (imho)

Tyler on Tue, 9th Feb 2010 7:49 pm 



You mean the body that includes the shoulder which Carter clearly hit on the replay? As stated in the post watch 4:30-4:31.

Kyle on Tue, 9th Feb 2010 9:43 pm 



I disagree that this hit was inside the NHL’s guidelines. Watch the video closely between the 3 and 5 seconds mark and look at the positions of the players. Carter creeps in behind Salmela before pulling even and blowing him up just after he releases the puck. While he may not have taken extra strides, or used his elbow, the puck was gone, and Carter had a better view of Salmela’s backside than his front.

I may buy in to the argument that the hit was delivered so quickly after the puck left, but you’ll never convince me that this sort of hit has any further place in hockey. Not while these beasts are flying around the ice at ludicrous speed and looking to get themselves on highlight reels.

Separating the man from the puck, finishing checks…these are quickly becoming silly crutches by the old guard that believes that launching a guy to the moon may convince him to never go to the net again. Excellent. And then when all of the players in hockey are literally afraid for their lives, the rock em sock em types will bask in their victory while the skilled players of the world cut and run for other leagues where they may make less money, but they keep their higher brain functions with them.

Perhaps that’s a little alarmist and an exaggeration, but what I’m asking is what do we prefer to see? Scorers doing their thing, or the continued pervasion of these predatory kill shots in the game that we all love?

Evan on Tue, 9th Feb 2010 10:28 pm 



Salmela did not drive “right to the front” in fact tries to cut up and across the slot. as a D he probably should have been looking to pass to the open man #19 Travis Zajac a center who was driving towards the net. Watch the replay at :05 or 4:16. Getting rocked like this for cutting across the slot with your head down isn’t surprising. Salmela learned a lesson this game and will play smarter hockey from now on.

Chris Nadeau on Wed, 10th Feb 2010 7:47 am 



First time I have seen this hit. Very strange angle, which Kyle brought up. I was trying to think back to when I played and I can’t recall ever delivering a hit from that angle. Not saying it is wrong or right, it was just really an awkward angle to come in from and deliver a hit like that, that looked legal.

As for positional play, I think Carter was in fine position coming back and he finished his hit when he and Salmela met after the puck was shot. Carter almost created an angle from behind to make it a clean hit. Whether there is another player defending you or not, in todays’ game if it is legal you can lay someone out.

Was it dirty? No. Was it clean? In todays rules/culture, yes. With all these head injuries occurring, I think we know that something needs to change if the players safety is important at all.

Budleigh Eggloll on Wed, 10th Feb 2010 10:34 am 



The idiots that think that wasn’t a cheap shot by that punk Carter should have me hit them like that. It’s absolute b.s. that he just hit with his shoulder. As far as i can tell, my shoulder only moves a few inches. The replay clearly shows an extended arm. As a Devils fan i am appalled that no one took his scalp. I am a true believer in an eye for an eye.

Brian on Wed, 10th Feb 2010 11:04 am 



Even if this hit was technically withing the rules the situation at least makes it a cheap shot (which the Devils themselves should punish if not the league) The puck was off the stick for at least a second, which may not be enough time to avoid all contact, but it’s enough time to stop yourself from loading up for a full on shoulder check and then springing into action. Im my opinion Carter was frustrated about getting beaten on the p.p and was being blindly aggressive to make up for it. Also, even if the shoulder was slightly contacted first, the check was clearly aimed in the general direction of Salmela’s lowered head, which obvious vulnerable no matter how you looked at it. I don’t think Carter is a dirty player, but I think he got sucked into the moment and committed a bit of a dirty play.

Jeremy T on Thu, 11th Feb 2010 6:24 am 



It’s Clean but scary. Now I wonder what would have happened if Salmela was wearing the m11 helmet made by Mark Messier? Apparently this helmet cuts down on the amount of concussions and concussion like symptoms. You also have to wonder to yourself…is the game going to fast? Do we need rules to slow down the game? I wish the NHL would take a page out of the NFL and take Concussions seriously or as seriously as the NFL does. A wake up call is needed regardless if you are a Flyers fan or A fan of hockey in general. I just love how people Bash Flyers fans and players and say it is dirty. What if it was a Hab who did that hit? I wonder what you guys would be saying now……

Russ on Thu, 18th Mar 2010 9:42 pm 



Salmela could not reasonably be expected to see that coming. Now, is that illegal? No,

There’s the problem right there. The player can’t reasonably be expected to see the hit yet it’s legal? That makes no sense!

The NHL for decades used to have a way of dealing with hits like that: 2 minutes for roughing. The play was a lot cleaner when roughing was called. It took a couple years but the NHL cleaned up the clutching and grabbing, they could clean this up too.

I think Carter’s hit is worthy of a roughing call. Make these calls and these types of hits will eventually stop, especially if you call them in the playoffs. Even if you call it in cases when maybe you shouldn’t, it’s better to call the penalty to stop the questionable hits than to let them go and just let things escalate. I’d rather have a bad roughing penalty called than the current situation of “kill ‘em all and let the league office sort it out.” All that is giving us is more injured players, more suspensions, more animosity, more politics.

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