Class Is In Session At The Jamie Benn School Of Keeping Your Head Up
Andy Cross/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post via Getty Images. Getty Images.You want to know the worst thing to ever happen to player safety in the National Hockey League? All the dorks who have been crying about big hits over the years.
These idiots have done so much more harm than good. But they're all such little whiny pricks about the whole thing that they'll never stop to recognize the monster they created. Because the more you try to take hitting out of hockey, the less prepared these guys get to take a massive hit behind the net like the one we saw last night with Jamie Benn barreling through Devon Toews.
When you spend so much time trying to take big hits out of the game, it gives guys a false sense of security out on the ice. They don't have to constantly keep their head on a swivel because they never had to worry about a guy like Scott Stevens coming across the ice to end their career. You see so many guys turning their back away from contact in the corners that it makes my skin crawl thinking about what could possibly happen if they end up going head first into the boards. Whether they never learned how to take a hit, or they just don't think that massive hits are a part of the game any more. The dorks tried to take the violence out of hockey, but all they've done is make it so guys don't know how to defend themselves anymore.
There's not a single thing wrong with that hit from Benn. Keeps the elbow tucked, initial point of contact is through the shoulder. Devon Toews has the puck in his feet, but unfortunately his eyes were glued down there as well. That's just not a spot on the ice you want to forget there are 5 other guys wearing a different colored jersey who are trying to get the puck off of you.
And luckily Devon Toews was able to return to the game last night. It was a brutal hit for sure. Clean as could be, but brutal. You'd expect the night to be over for most guys after taking a hit like that, but Devon Toews is a tough son of a bitch who just happened to get caught with his head down. Taking one hit like that can teach a lifetime worth of lessons. Or at least you'd hope. It took Eric Lindros a few extra times, but I have to imagine that Devon Toews stays on high alert the rest of the series.
Now Jamie Benn just needs to teach Biz how to breathe.