A Genuine Disincentive
When Willie Mitchell stepped into Jonathan Toews, I didn’t say anything. It’s not my place on this site, neither Toews or Mitchell are prospects. I felt much the same when Mike Richards hit David Booth. Both were hockey plays, neither were charges, neither were elbows, neither were interference. In the context of hockey, they were within the regulation hockey plays. What happened Friday night in Kitchener, Ontario was not a hockey play.
On a routine clear behind the Kitchener Ranger goal, Ranger rookie defenseman Ben Fanelli moved the puck up the boards off his backhand. Then the lights went out. Fanelli was the recipient of one of the most disgusting hits I’ve ever seen in fifteen years of watching OHL hockey. With his elbows up, with his stick up and with seven strides worth of momentum, Michael Liambas of the Erie Otters ran the Kitchener rookie’s head into the glass. Fanelli’s helmet broke and flew off his head, causing his head to strike the ice. For context of how bad Liambas’ hit was, two Kitchener Rangers, Jeremy Morin and Gabriel Landeskog neither know for their physicality, both lept at Liambas. Morin had to be physically pulled off the Erie player by both linesmen.
What came next made many in the arena sick. The Rogers TV replay, in the interest of good taste, didn’t show it. Watching as blood pooled around Fanelli’s head and as his legs thrashed about wildly on the ice, was enough to put the game truly in context. Full credit to the OHL referees who removed Liambas from the game and the ice surface immediately to limit the possibility of any retaliation. For ten minutes, the Dom Cardillo Arena which is widely reputed as the OHL’s loudest, was eerily silent with all eyes pointed intently at the young man lying prone behind the Rangers’ goal.
The OHL has a rule against head shots. It wasn’t enough to protect Ben Fanelli. It’s too early to think what may yet become of Ben Fanelli’s season or hockey career. Those things are so minor in the context that they’re barely worth mentioning at all. For the next few days, the prayers and thoughts of many in the OHL community will be directed to the Fanelli family and the young hockey player lying in a hospital bed at Hamilton General Hospital. Let me tell you that it’s a scene I hope to never again witness in a hockey rink.
There was a little awe to go with all the horror. Watching the two teams gather on the ice for prayers was certainly touching. Watching young leaders like Jeff Skinner, Gabriel Landeskog, John Moore and Jason Akeson lead their shaken teammates back on to the ice was definitely inspiring. But the mental images of the hit on young Fanelli seemed to hang over every bodycheck that followed for the remainder of the game.
There needs to be a genuine disincentive against reckless physicality which has no other intent than to injure an opposing player. David Branch, the OHL Commissioner, has a chance here to add a little bite to all the barking that the OHL has done thus far about checking to head. Far be it for me to tell an experienced professional how to do his job. But if Mr. Branch wants to send a message that says the OHL wants this kind of crap out of its league and that it wants to prevent more families from going through what the Fanellis no doubt are right now, then Michael Liambas should never play another OHL game.
That was by far the most biased, least educated blog I’ve ever read. Thank you for your lies and for wasting my time.
Chris
I think I can say safely that objectivity is not the better part of virtue with regards to acts like this. I don’t think a single thing I said was factually incorrect having seen not only the initial play but the replay as well and from several angles. As for bias, this is an issue where fence-sitting is cowardice.
Not going to make this a argument but you need to check the replay a few more times if you think this was dirty. This wasn’t even a head shot, Fanelli hit his head on the boards after getting hit in the shoulder by Liambas. Fanelli was clearly faced toward Liambas as Liambas when in for the hit and he moved at the wrong time and the force of Liambas hitting Fanelli’s shoulder is what turned Fanelli around and into the boards.
Liambas also had his elbows tucked by his hips, along with his stick down. Wasn’t cheap. It happened so quick the refs didn’t even see anything other then Fanelli going head first into the boards and called a boarding. It was the wrong call but it still needed to be made.
On top of that Morin didn’t have to be pulled away from Liambas in fact it was almost the opposite. Liambas knew he would have guys coming after him and shoved off all the Kitcherner players (they no longer have a enforcer) and the refs grabbed Liambas and got him off the ice.
This hit will be reviewed by the OHL and Liambas won’t even get suspended. It was a freak accident. Nothing more like your trying to make it into. Maybe you should really look into something before you write about it. Especially the facts like it being a head shot or him having his elbows/stick up.
you are absolutely 100% wrong! assuming you know something about hockey, take a look at the replay a couple more times…show me where the elbow was?the seven strides?and the ramming head into boards?
This was the most bias thing I have ever read. Witnessing this hit at the Rangers game, as a Rangers fan and after looking at the replay…I came to a conclusion that it was just a unfortunate outcome. The hit was clean, and the outcome wasn’t. Even Sportsnet said so. My prayers are with Ben.
I watched the replay a few times but couldn’t watch more than that because it was so sad. Liambas I’m sure feels awful and I don’t think he intended to cause as serious an injury to Fanelli as what happened. I did not see an elbow or stick involved – looked to me like a shoulder hit. However, he did run at him from between the face-off dot and the icing line, and he did leave his feet, which meant a LOT of velocity coming at Fanelli. Ben also turned as the hit came towards him. By the time the hit came, he was almost fully with his back to it. We see a lot of players turning into hits these days – almost as if they are trying to go for drawing the penalty. I don’t think that was Ben’s intention here, but more to try to protect the puck and clear it in the other direction. In my opinion, Liambas did run at him, and left his feet, with Fanelli in a vulnerable and dangerous position in terms of proximity to the boards. Sorry Chris but I think that does warrant a suspension. And Liambas will probably be the poster boy for trying to get the head checking out of the game, so it will likely be a hefty suspension.
Mitch H you have to be blind.where do you see liambas’s elbows and stick up.watch the replay again.It was shoulder to shoulder.And fanelli started to turned his back to liambas.It was a good hockey play that went horribly wrong.Our prayers go out for Fanelli and his family/teammates.If u ever followed liambas u would know that when he checks he uses is upper body.not elbows.And have the things u said are factually incorrect.I dont think it warrants a suspension.Maybe a 2 game at most.
Disagree with you. I believe there will be no suspension like Chris said. A hit is a hit and I no something horrible happened. The hit was clean. There should be no reason to make an example of him as he did not really do anything wrong. He shouldnt have to worry about who he hits. I know he is 20 and the kid was 16. It’s not like he knew going into the hit that the kid was 16. Those are the age groups of the OHL and I feel for Ben and Mike. Ben and his family for what they are going through and Mike for what he is too. I’m sure he feels horrible and worried about this kid. It will be hard for both of them to get over this, not just Ben.
Watched the replay.
Flat out a dirty hit on multiple levels that should lead to a suspension.
Looked at the replay a few more times and looked around for news coverage on the hit.
From my perspective:
1.) Sticks and elbows were up
2.) He took enough strides to qualify as charging
3.) He went for Fanelli’s head
Consensus among coverage:
1.) Fanelli did, in fact, have his head slam into the glass as a result of the check.
It’s not like Liambas is an otherwise clean player. He’s dirty as they come.
I would suggest that he may not be worth anyone’s defense.
i hope the kid will be ok….its horrible what happened but nothing really wrong with the hit….the kid turned as he was being hit…he didnt target the head….just cause the kid got hurt doesnt mean the hit was dirty… a few of you should stick to womens hockey or european hockey
They just didn’t a little segment about this on CBC and they said Fanelli is in stable condition with a broken orbital bone & a fractured skull.
They also said Liambas felt very bad of the situation and didn’t get sleep last night. He is suspended indefinitely until Branch makes a decision they are reviewing the video.
I’d imagine they end up letting Liambas play but not tonight against Plymouth.
hey connor watch the video again and pay attention to it.not for one second did liambas lift his elbow.it was a shoulder to shoulder contact and fanelli’s head unfortunately hit the boards.it was in no way shape or form a dirty hit.just cuz a player got hurt doesnt mean it was dirty.hey chris if u can keep us posted on how fanelli’s doing
i Watched this replay a thousand times and being a friend of liambas and shit and not only that i kno how he plays hockey he is not even close to a dirty player hes out there to get his team fired up to win whats hockey without a little bit of fights and some big hits this is clearly a legal hit and should not result in a suspension, it was a shoulder to shoulder hit, but i still feel sorry for ben and his family are prayers go out to him but this blog is horse shit sounds like u want to turn hockey into god damn pussy sport i gotta be tough to be a hockey play that hit was clean
The clips that I have seen (and the rest of my family were at the game) it is hard to break down the hit as you need to play it in slow motion frame by frame to really see everything – I think that we should leave the cleanness of the hit to the OHL to decide. I think our energy should be used to pray and support the Fanelli family, Ben, The Rangers, and also Liambus and the Otters. No one will be the same after experiencing this sad event. But I truely hope that they can all find a way to get through it – and this will only happen with the support of fans, friends, family, and community- Lets just help for this to happen. – Lets just put what is important in the forefront.
I am going to grimace and watch the hit to see if it was really a deliberate attempt to maim the youngster. As it stands, I think Mr. Liambas’ career is in jeopardy – and things could grow worse than that. But I want to see the hit first: this is an emotional time for everyone and let’s focus our attention on praying (you can still pray for a fallen young man in socialist canada, can’t you?) for Ben Fanelli.
My guess is that if ben does not come back from this, Liambas will never skate another shift in competitive hockey – and that might not be the least of it, knowing how meddlesome the authorities are in this country.
they are both in a dark place right now but Ben Fanelli is obviously the person I am most concerned about.
We’re pulling for you, guy; pull through this
ive watch the video a thousand times.and even paused it as liambas was hittinh fanelli.it was a shoulder to shoulder contact.fanelli hit his head on the metal strips that hold the glass in place.a freak accident on a hit.liambas should not get punished for this.i hope fanelli is doing better.erie’s prayers go out to him and his family/teammates
I’m no forensic specialist, but I’ve looked at this frame by frame from four different angles, and in my opinion the checker’s body position prior to initiating contact, as well as upon impact, suggests an attempt to injure.Combined with the player’s history for questionable, borderline play, I believe he has forfeited his right to compete as an athlete, until the governing body feels it is safe and appropriate for him to resume his career.
Thoughts are with Fanelli, his team, and family.
owen by your theory every hit would be an attempt to injure (lets be honest when u hit someone u want to cause pain and discomfort obviously not to this level) it was a clean hit….it was a hard hit and forsure he could have let up but thats not against the rules and all hockey players are taught to hit and hit hard…the kid was just doing what every coach and parents teach….also cause of the way the helmet came off im questioning if fanellis chin strap was on proper
@ Matt
I respect your opinion on the matter but mine differs from yours. As much as players are taught to hit hard, they are taught to absorb hits as well. You cant absorb a hit safely to the head. Players are also taught to respect their opponent enough to play safely and that when an opponent is in a vulnerable position, they are responsible to land the hit in such a way as to not deliberately injure a player. Everything about that hit suggests to me that the checker was delinquent in that regard. The body language, from extending the arms out in order to make the initial contact, to straightening the back at the last second to re-align the elbow with the head shows a blatant disregard for the safety of, and respect for the opponent. Everything about this play was questionable. Players learn to mask their intentions while pushing the envelope with their actions, usually without such grave consequence. But every now and then someone gets seriously hurt, and the polarization of opinion that results may make for good chat material, but the harsh reality is there is a kid in hospital who may never be the same as a result of this avoidable misfortune which resulted in another kids lack of respect for his well being.
Well said, Owen.
owen,if u watch the replay and pause it when liambas first hit fanelli u will see that it was shoulder to shoulder contact.it was a hard CLEAN hit.and maybe fanelli’s helmet wasnt strapped tight.but fanelli hit the metal stips in between the glass.thats what caused all the damage to the skull and face.
Even if the contact itself was clean – which it wasn’t – it’s beyond argument that it was at minimum charging. Liambas had Fanelli lined up from the blue line.
It was an illegal play that seriously injured a kid. To what degree it was illegal is irrelevant. These kinds of plays aren’t an inevitability in hockey, they’re a result of poor judgment on the part of players – and the only way that’s going to be fixed is if they flat out know they can’t get away with it.
Connor and Matt are wrong…You guys arnt looking at the hit, you are looking at the outcome. The question in this blog was the validity of the hit, illegal or legal. From the video shown, pro’s and sports analysts have also said it was a clean hit horrible outcome. Liambas will get punished due to the media attention brought on this. Ben is in my prayers and also Liambas, as his career can end due to the media outbreak and not the hit itself.
@Adam
You’re just looking at the mechanics of the contact on the hit, not what happened directly before. It was charging, plain and simple. Charging necessarily means that even if the contact was by the book, it was an illegal play — there’s a reason that the rule is in place (to make sure that players don’t build excessive momentum on hits, because it causes injuries just like this).
how am i wrong? it was a clean hit and not against the rules….i said that it sucks fanelli got hurt but that him getting hurt shouldnt change the fact the hit is within the rules
@Matt
I suggest that you look up charging.
if by charging u mean skating toward the player you are gonna hit then eveery hit would be charging …..he stopped taking strides way before he made a clean hit… the honest truth is fanelli shouldnt have turned like chicken… and he should have had his helmet and chin strap on proper….look at the video the guy skates in just like every other hit you ever see…
@connor
just watch any top ten hockey hits or top 10 nhl hits on you tube and you will see a lot of the same types of hits where the player comes from the blue line or side boards and crushes the guy behind the net
@ Matt
Sorry I mean connor is absolutely wrong.
@matt
i agree with you.if u look at the video in slow motion fanellis head hit the metal pieces holding the glass in.the hit was shoulder to shoulder.it was a clean legal hit with a bad outcome.and connor watch the replay again.liambas stops gaining momentum in the circle
For those interested, the NHL rulebook defines “Charging” as follows:
“Charging shall mean the actions of a player or goalkeeper who, as a result of distance traveled, shall violently check an opponent in any manner. A “charge” may be the result of a check into the boards, into the goal frame or in open ice.”
Liambas never changes direction to follow the puck. He’s got Fanelli lined up from the second he crosses the blue-line. Thus, he’s well within the NHL’s accepted definition of charging.
Boarding, as described by the NHL rulebook:
“A boarding penalty shall be imposed on any player or goalkeeper who checks an opponent in such a manner that causes the opponent to be thrown violently in the boards. The severity of the penalty, based upon the degree of violence of the impact with the boards, shall be at the discretion of the Referee.”
I think it’s safe to say that Liambas actions fall within the above description as well.
Thus, Mike Liambas has broken two rules. By doing so, his actions resulted in the injury which wouldn’t have occurred otherwise. If one breaks two rules, there’s no way it can be a “clean” action. Sorry.
For those interested, Ben Fanelli’s status has been upgraded by the medical staff at Hamilton General.
the suspension is a joke… liambas is getting screwed cause of the media aattention and the league knowns they can make an example out of him cause hes a fringe player….if it would have been a top player the suspension wouldnt have been half of what it is……its bullshit….again people go to you tube and look up top hockey hits or nhl hits and u will see a lot of hits like that and a lot worse…..any hit against the boards falls into “checks an opponent in such a manner that causes the opponent to be thrown violently in the boards” …so that argument doesnt fly with me
i agree 100 percent with u matt.and there have been a few players that hit dirty alot and only get a few game suspension when they should be gone for the year.as for liambas’s year long suspension it is a joke.even branch said it was a clean hit.and for all you crybaby’s that are whining it was charging-still doesnt warrant a year long suspension.and if u want to get technical when fanelli comes back(i have faith he will) he should be suspended for unsportsman like conduct for turning.thats happening alot in the ohl.players trying to draw the penalty.
now at today’s erie otters game baldassarra check mckegg in the head and mckegg didnt return to the game.branch should suspend this kid for the year.it was a flat out shot to the head
http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/cleanuptheohl
vote to get branch out