Does the NHL need to make an example of Georges Laraque?

Lastly, is George Laraque’s knee on knee hit on Niklas Kronwall Saturday. Laraque has a very clean discipline record with the league, only three fines/suspensions in 13 years. While this will get taken into the equation at his hearing with the league on Monday, this hit is reprehensible.

I know the game moves so fast,and there is no way Laraque had time to think “I am going to stick out my leg and hurt Kronwall”. However, that is exactly what happened. Again, look at the play. Laraque’s leg was off the ice, that meant he could,and did, stick his leg into Kronwall’s path.

This will be suspendible, but for how long? Kronwall will be out anywhere from four to eight weeks with a sprained MCL. With my history of knee problems, I’m guessing it is closer to eight weeks than four weeks.

To me, it appears that the message a suspension is supposed to send often gets lost on the players. Anything less than five games for this play is, in my opinion, too light and no deterrent at all. Most NHL viewers usually agree on what is suspendible, but I want the suspensions to be more firm.

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