Punishment for Todd Bertuzzi ??

[Trinity]

What should his punishment be?

[Trinity]

As reported onCNN (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2004/hockey/nhl/03/10/bc.hkn.bertuzzi.spunch.ap/index.html)
TORONTO (AP) -- Todd Bertuzzi will find out the length of his suspension Thursday morning for punching Colorado's Steve Moore.

Bertuzzi, an All-Star forward for the Vancouver Canucks, had an hour-long hearing at the NHL office in Toronto on Wednesday. He already has been suspended indefinitely, while Moore is out for the season with a broken neck.

Bertuzzi read a statement before the Canucks played the Minnesota Wild on Wednesday night and offered a tearful apology to Moore.

"These comments are for Steve," said Bertuzzi, who didn't take any questions. "Steve, I just want to apologize for what happened out there. I had no intention of hurting you. I feel awful for what transpired."

Moore also sustained a concussion and deep cuts on his face, and remains hospitalized in Vancouver.

Colin Campbell, the league's vice president and disciplinarian, will issue his ruling early Thursday morning.

"The decision has not been reached. Mr. Campbell is going to take some time before he reaches his decision," said Gary Meagher, an NHL spokesman.

Meagher said representatives of the league, Bertuzzi and the players' association watched videotape of the punch and discussed what happened.

Bertuzzi and Vancouver general manager Brian Burke returned to Vancouver after the meeting.

B.C. Solicitor General Rich Coleman and Vancouver police are investigating the punch, the second time in four years police have looked into an on-ice hit at an NHL game in the city.

Bertuzzi slugged Moore in the side of the head late in Monday night's 9-2 Colorado victory. He hit Moore from behind and drove his head into the ice. Moore landed face-first -- with the 245-pound Bertuzzi on top of him -- and lay in a pool of blood for several minutes before he was removed on a stretcher.

Bertuzzi's punch appeared to be retaliation for an open-ice hit Moore delivered to Canucks captain Markus Naslund last month, knocking him out for three games. Vancouver players vowed to get even with Moore for that hit, which wasn't penalized.

Naslund said he didn't believe Bertuzzi planned to hurt Moore.

In February 2000, former Boston Bruin Marty McSorley was charged for hitting then-Vancouver Canuck Donald Brashear with his stick. McSorley was convicted of assault with a weapon, but he received an 18-month conditional discharge, meaning no jail time and no criminal record after probation.

The league suspended him for a year, ending his 17-year NHL career.

When Moore's condition improves, he'll be transferred to Craig Hospital in Denver and evaluated by neurosurgeons, the Avalanche said.

"Steve knows he has the support of the entire Avalanche family and hockey fans throughout the world," said Pierre Lacroix, Avalanche president and general manager.

Bertuzzi was an All-Star last season when he was fifth in the league in scoring. This year, he was an All-Star again and has 60 points.


In my opinion Bertuzzi should be banned permanetly from all hockey, and he should be charged with attempted murder. He broke Moore's neck , He deserves the whole book.

I have a video of this attack, Just gotta fiqure out how to post it.

[WickedKiller]

Obviously a revenge thing and he needs to be prosecuted!

[Trinity]

Here is the video, right click on the link then click save target as.
Video (http://www.tdr-px.com/content/nhlhit.mpg)

[ThUmPeR]

If moore don't get hurt,.....it's just another game of hockey with some cheap shop thrown and would be considered the norm.It's a sport where fighting is not prohibited noe illegal unless with foriegn object.Like stick to the head or skate blade to the back of shin.So he not guilty of assault with any kind of foriegn object.He just threw a really cheap(and stupid)shot that inflicted much more damage than would be considered the norm.He just guilty of being a hotheaded and aggressive hockeyPlayer.Now if it be proved he meant to inflict this much or more damage intentionally.Well then he shud be banned for life from sport.But any sports fan will tell ya.These guys are proffessionals.ANd with the exception of few bad apples.Most are never really out to seriously injure or disable another player to the extent of career and or life threatning.Just another one of my dopey 2cents..{S}..

[WickedKiller]

Yeah I agree thump...i retract my previous statement!

[Trinity]

Well in my opinion any "Human" that takes a cheap ass shot like that, and breaks the mans neck,He is an adult and knows what can happen, so therefore he is not only a bad apple, but an asshole that has no regard for others. .So in my opinion he should be banned from all sports, and he should be charged with battery. I know sports teams go too far, they hit people, thats part of hockey. But what if the man had killed him on the spot, then what, fans would say hey thats just part of hockey.What would he say to the dead mans wife and kids, Opps sorry its just hockey we get rough sometimes. What he did was total bs and he needs to be made an example for all other players that may take this physical violence further.

[Jobuddha]

I would agree except for a few details. The Canucks had been warned before the game not to seek revenge on Moore for the shot he gave the Canucks captain a few days ago ( this was not a cheap shot unlike Bertuzzis). And the Canucks also had a players bounty out on Moore, meaning the attack from Bertuzzi was premeditated and the intent was obvious. I understand saying that if he had not been hurt nothing would have been said. My arguement to that is, a professional hockey player sucker punches someone from behind -- how could you NOT expect serious injuries??? Hockey or not the law is the law and Bertuzzi acted like nothing but a little bitch by taking the cheap shot..

[JoseyWales]

First of all, Nice sig Jo : )
I am a big hockey fan. Yes there is a lot of fighting and violence (in all sports nowadays). this does not make it legal to attack someone, whether it was a cheap shot or the guy saw ( and had ) it coming. Any one of us attacking someone else would be brought up on charges, fights, muggings, whatever you want to call it. Just because these athletes are in organized leagues doesn't make them untouchable to the long arm of the law. And that goes for drug use or any other illicit activity. Sex offenses, shotgun murders drunk driving deaths.

Laws are laws. An attack is an attack. We can't hide behind anything to avoid prosecution why should athletes be allowed to.

Now boxing...they know they are there to beat the piss outta each other.

my $0.02

[JoseyWales]

makes you wonder. Anyone see Rollerball/ the original or remake.

Violence brings ratings and revenue...if the owners and media were held accountable you know pressure would be placed and this sorta stuff could be signifcantly decreased or prevented.

sorry $0.02 more. Thats 0.04 total. I'm broke!

[knotybird]

One thing IMO that everyone is missing here.
The PUNCH didn't break Moores neck.
The FALL to the ice with Bertuzzi on his back did. IF anything got broken by the punch it was probly Moores jaw (if it did get broken).

Just look at the vid Trin posted Moores head was almost under his body when he hit the ice with Bertuzzi all over his back and the other Avalanche player crashing in to take Bertuzzi off from Moore probly didn't help much.

Now don't get me wrong Bertuzzi's shot was cheap and uncalled for and he got what was right.

Just my pennies. Now I'm broke too Josey. HEY Wicked got a couple dollars so Josey and I can go get some beers :D .

[JoseyWales]

hell yea, let's get some beers

woot!

[Trinity]

Did they say that the punch from the side of the head was not to blame for the fractured neck? Where did you read that?
If he broke his neck when he hit the ice, then the reason he did is because of some big puzz sucker punching him , knocking him out, and still causing his broken neck. I am glad to hear his seaon is over, and maybe his career. Dumb arse man.