Paille/By S. Bradley
WILMINGTON, Mass. — Without naming names, Bruins winger Daniel Paille responded today to a question about a teammates’ comments that the hit from Thursday night’s game that cost Paille a game misconduct and an ensuing four-game suspension was a “bad hit” and the type of play that the league is trying to take out of the game.
“I think to who said it, I think that if that’s what they see that’s their opinion,” said Paille after practice today at Ristuccia Arena. “But for me, I felt that it was a clean hit. But it’s too bad. I know most of the guys in this room would disagree [with ones that thought it was an illegal hit]. And for those that didn’t, it’s understandable with how the issue is with those types of hits. But I know a lot of the guys on the team here know me and understand me, agree with me.
“Just looking at the replay over and over, I feel that I see the shoulder hitting the shoulder … I think I won’t focus too much on those guys and just get the support from everybody else.”
As previously stated, Paille wasn’t asked about anyone in particular. But defenseman Andrew Ference famously had this to say after the game:
“I mean it’s a bad hit, right? That’s what they’re trying to get rid of and you can’t be hypocritical about it when it happens to you, and say it’s fine when your teammate does it. It’s a hit they’re trying to get rid of. I mean you hear it from every player after they do it, they feel bad, and same thing, I talked to Danny and he feels bad. It’s tough, that backchecking forward, to make those kind of hits. It’s so hard to do it in a clean fashion, with the new rules. It is what it is. He hurt the guy, and I’m sure he’ll have a conversation [with the league].”
That conversation didn’t go the way the Bruins hoped, as both Paille and Chiarelli classified the four-game suspension as “stiff.” Whether the hit and postgame comments about will cause a rift in the Bruins’ dressing remains to be seen.
[...] players are still concerned about the issue — although public criticism of a teammate is bound to cause friction within a team, especially — as Bob McKenzie mentioned this morning on Montreal radio Team 990 — when it comes [...]
[...] are still concerned about the issue — although public criticism of a teammate is bound to cause friction within a team, especially — as Bob McKenzie mentioned this morning on Montreal radio Team 990 — when [...]
I agree with Cherry that Ference saw an opportunty and maximized on it for the media attention. In no way is this guy a team leader he is a whistle blower and damaging to the intergrity of the team. Anyone is entitled to their opinion but he’s a media seeker. In all honesty this media attention is exactly what he’s after the truth of the matter is that his personality shows and he didn’t expect to have any repercussions, he thought he would be “glorified” and used an controversal hit with a lower paid player to get attention. In all honesty who cares what he thinks anyways, the organization, many fans and media supports Paille and understand alot of it has to do with timing in the NHL and thats all that matters.
[...] player, who pronounced he suspicion Ference should have kept his perspective in the sauce room to avoid potentially causing the rift. TAGS: Andrew Ference, Blindside, Broken Nose, Bruins, Cbc, Concussion, Criticizes, Daniel [...]
[...] Scott Morrison of the CBC wrote that he supported Ference for his honesty and for speaking out respectfully against the action of his teammate. But Morrison also cited his CBC colleague Brad May, a former N.H.L. player, who said he thought Ference should have kept his opinion in the dressing room to avoid potentially causing a rift. [...]
It was a bad hit in a high emotion, blood and guts battle of a game. Love hard hits, but to complain about being suspended for a hit like that is retarded. Paille or Julien or any other Bruin player would s*** their pants if they watched a hit like that on one of their sons. Straight up hit from straight in front on a guy who isn’t already distracted by 2 other opponents is a good hit, because it is earned and the result of good positioning. that hit is very similar to cookes hit, pretty cheap, relying on opponents vulnerability as opposed to your own positional and defensive skill.
Ference and Stuart have been mentioned by reporters on a number of occasions as the guys who teammates look up and realte to. There were other guys on the Bruins who said it was a “bad” hit but they didn’t think Paille acted out of malice. Everything the team has said so far sounds about right and doesn’t seem to be earth-shattering.
Lost in all the muck when people start talking about the good ol’ days is the difference in equipment. McSorely basically wore a pair of waffles for shoulder pads, held together by jock straps. We all know that modern shoulder and elbow pads are much bigger and shelled in unforgiving plastic, but we don’t know what that does to the forces. Two things: I’d be curious to hear from Sawada if the brunt of the force was felt on the hit or the landing. I’d also love for some college sports therapy/medicine program somwehere do some force testing with modern equipment to see what we’re dealing with.
Does anyone hear really know AF? He has all this great character you talk about. Have you known him all his life personally. Is it because he recycles and goes to Africa?Is it because he played a roll in helping his fellow players lose a years salary that can never be realized? Did he vote Liberal or is he being claimed as one because he’s intelligent. Is he intelligent because he gives a good interview? Is he intelligent because he turns the puck over and gets pushed around? I can’t make a full judge of someone’s character without knowing them all their life. There’s not many people I could bet my life on.
God I love Andrew Ference. He’s one of the most principled men in the league. We all bust on Sidney Crosby for not coming out against HIS teammate when it came to hitting Savard, but now some of us are going to criticize Ference for doing what we wanted Crosby to do? Weird. Paille’s hit wasn’t intentional but it was a “bad” hit, just as Ference said and hopefully as Paille understands. Paille is a good kid. He’ll learn from it and move on.
Ference didnt cross any lines by saying what he did, he’s only being honest. If thats too much for ol’Cement Hands to take, then thats his issue. I don’t think there was ANY malicious intent on the part of Danny Paille, but I do think it was another example of dumb hockey. Same deal with his hit earlier in the year against ATL- wasn’t malicious, but just a dumb play that could’ve been avoided (or better executed) if DP stayed conscious of modern NHL rules and regs. Maybe boarding like that ATL incident, or lateral/blindside open ice hits like we saw Thursday, were OK back in the day, but like it or not the rules have changed and players are responsible for adapting. I’m sure Paille feels a bit bad about hurting the guy, as he should, but beyond that its in his best interest to keep his mouth shut and suck up the 4 game suspension.
seems to me that this is blown out of proportion. sounds like all ference is saying is this is the new rule, it was being followed by the refs, therefore a bad hit. you cant disagree with the rule now that the shoe is on the other foot. its not like every nhl player doesnt know the rule now, much like a parallel stick is an automatic hook.
although, this isnt the first time ference is at the center of locker room “controversy”
by the way, if boychuck doesnt make a terrible turnover, and ference forced to make a bad defensive play, paille never has to try to hit him anyways… not that he had to, at the speed he was going he could have took a better angle and position on him
http://www.cbc.ca/sports/blogs/scottmorrison/2011/02/ferences-honesty-on-blindside-hit-should-be-applauded.html
Ference is not a fair-weather teammate. He has a brain in his head and answers questions honestly. I know, what a liberal wimp, right?
I think what Ference was saying was that it was a bad decision to go for that hit…the results speak for themselves
The Savard hit was directly to the head as he was prone after taking a shot. Paille’s hit was not targeting the head because it was not the first point of contact. I’m not a hypocrite but not laying any blame on the puck CARRIER is hypocritical. It was a violent hit in a nasty game. Dallas is not Detroit and I’m sure some Western teams were quite pleased with the spanking they incurred.
I think Ference was right.
I don’t think Paille intended to injure, but in the end the hit was a bad one and I don’t think the 4 games is unfair or unreasonable.
Hits to the head are something the league wants to eliminate and the Bruins have seen up close what happens when a player gets hit in the head, I think it would be pure hypocrisy to turn around and defend this hit.
For 85 some odd years Paille’s hit was perfectly within the rules. Comparing it to McSorley’s ,I’m sorry but I’m still laughing and it’ s hard to type. There never used to be a rule 48 because rule No. 1 was keep your head up and it was generally followed. If you’ve got your head down for 3 steamboats there’s a chance one of the 3 guys behind you might want to seperate you from the puck. The D were backing in but you’ve still got fourth line players on the ice that are supposed to play physical. Don’t you think that players a few years ago would look and see that Scott Stevens was taking a shift. Most players identified that and kept an eye out. Sure you might not make a cute play but lived to take another shift. I realize that part of the game is being fazed out and don’t really have a say on the matter. I do know that Danny hit his shoulder which followed through to the next impact point. In college hockey with facial protection the player may have a dinged shoulder but his beak is alright and the band plays on.
I think if you read the sub-text of what AF is saying it isn’t as critical as it appears. The way he finishes the first sentence with “right?” As if to say well that hit is NOW illegal so it is what it is. If we want to have those calls go our way then we have to be willing to accept the calls that go the other way. I hope this is something that gets straightened out over a beer ( or a non-dairy smoothie for AF) and is forgotten by the time Danny comes back…unless of course Hamill lights it up and then I’m afraid Danny might be expendable.
Ference should save his preaching for Africa. I guess we should ask him if the suspension is enough? I don’t want a fair weather team mate.
The problem is it was a shoulder-to-shoulder hit that became a shoulder-to-head hit. It reminded me of McSorley’s stick hit on Brashear, which barely grazed DB’s shoulder before hitting his head. Paille got more of Sawada’s shoulder but still carried through to his head.
What is the result? We waive or trade Paille? good
digger, af saw the replay of the hit before making the comment. garden hdx kept replaying it and the zebra used it to throw out paille.
i wouldn’t worry about what af has to say. didn’t he canned as the union rep?
and who knows the context of Ference’s quote. Had he seen the replay, was he told it was a hit to the head?
he may just be saying a penalty is a penalty.
Personally I think it was a blindside hit but I don’t believe the head was targeted or the initial point of contact. there’s some grey area there.
Was it a blindside hit? Yes. Was it a hit to the head? NO. It was shoulder to shoulder. Did Paille leave his feet to make the hit? No. His feet left the ice due to the hit.
What Ference said is absolutely right. Some players are just to sensitive about others voicing their opinion.
I see your point Sam, but do you think that the Pit sports media harps on things, like this, as much as the Boston media can, has and unfortunatley most likely will?
I mean, I get it. This sort of thing generates hits, readers, watchers, and listeners, and to some, this sort of story is more interesting then the sport itself.
But, IMO, it can not and will not help this team. It may not be a huge deal right now, but harped on for a week will do nothing positive for this team working towards the greater goal.
Keep your head up kid! Especially while crossing the blue line.
I don’t see this as a thing causing a rift anymore than teammates sometimes calling out each other after weak efforts etc. Not sure Guerin calling out Cooke last year causing a rift on that Penguins team, but who knows.
Yup.
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Matt Kalman, Jim Lyons. Jim Lyons said: RT @TheBruinsBlog: New blog: Paille doesn't sound pleased with Ference's comments http://bit.ly/fwH6qa #bruins [...]
Hey PCL – Does Donkey = Felger??
Great! Now there will be another thing for that donkey on an afternoon sports radio show to rail on this team about.
Boston media, please, for the love of a long post-season, let this die right now. Before it creates bigger problems then it probably already has.
Andrew Ference was absolutely right. It was a dirty hit by Paille, period!
awkward