Suspension/Fine Brett Howden Suspended Two Games for Illegal Check to Head on Brandon Tanev

[Phil]

https://x.com/PuckReportNHL/status/1711973887242649653?s=20

[Ozzy]

Howden's not THAT kinda player.  I looked at it a few times and yeah he gets him in the head, but I really believe it wasn't a deliberate "go for the head" kinda check.  It looks like he was trying to get a little lower, and catch him in the shoulder,  but he's 6' 5".  Tanev also looks like he turned into him at the last second.

[BlairBettsBlocksEverything]

definite head contact and the body is not the primary point of contact. he targeted the head. maybe it wasnt intentional but definitely suspension worthy

[Pete]

21 minutes ago, BlairBettsBlocksEverything said:

definite head contact and the body is not the primary point of contact. he targeted the head. maybe it wasnt intentional but definitely suspension worthy

Primary point of contact is no longer the criteria, wasn't intentional but seems irresponsible as it was always coming from Tanev's blind side.

[BlairBettsBlocksEverything]

ah is it not? i missed that. so is it just any head contact now?

[Phil]

8 minutes ago, Pete said:

Primary point of contact is no longer the criteria, wasn't intentional but seems irresponsible as it was always coming from Tanev's blind side.

 

Agree with this. Not a predatory player, so not really a predatory hit in the way we presume it to mean, but definitely irresponsible/reckless given Tanev was blind to it the whole way.

[Pete]

1 minute ago, BlairBettsBlocksEverything said:

ah is it not? i missed that. so is it just any head contact now?

I think it's both, they are realizing head contact can also be unavoidable as well. Sometimes a hockey play goes bad. For this one, it's definitely one of those situations where it's predatory-ish.

I wish there were more angles/footage.

[Phil]

They definitely moved off of it some. A number of face-to-face plays where head contact was made were ultimately not suspended. I'm failing to remember a single one by name, but basically plays where the contact is two bodies, head on, often where the puck carrier is "lower" due to skating with the puck, and ends up getting hit straight on where the head is the PPOC, but clearly not the target. I think it's where they brought in the phrase checking "through the body."

[phillyb]

2 games. 
 

 

[The Dude]

5 hours ago, phillyb said:

2 games. 
 

 

They're either cracking down on this stuff or it's typical stupidity by the league. 

 

Players with a reputation and a history of cheap shots get 2- 3 games. 

[Zuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuc]

On 10/11/2023 at 11:12 PM, Phil said:

They definitely moved off of it some. A number of face-to-face plays where head contact was made were ultimately not suspended. I'm failing to remember a single one by name, but basically plays where the contact is two bodies, head on, often where the puck carrier is "lower" due to skating with the puck, and ends up getting hit straight on where the head is the PPOC, but clearly not the target. I think it's where they brought in the phrase checking "through the body."

Something like this?