Flyers' Zac Rinaldo Suspended Two Games for Hit on Jonathan Ericsson

by J.J. from Kansas on Feb 13, 2012 6:34 PM CST in News

NEW YORK (February 13, 2012)—Philadelphia Flyers forward Zac Rinaldo has been suspended for two games, without pay, for a charging incident in which he launched himself to hit Detroit Red Wings defenseman Jonathan Ericsson during NHL Game #829 in Detroit on Sunday, Feb. 12, the National Hockey League’s Department of Player Safety announced today.

Under the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement, and based on his average annual salary, Rinaldo will forfeit $5,885.88. The money goes to the Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund.

Key portion of the video:

Although Ericsson should have been more aware and prepared to face an oncoming check after reversing the puck, that still doesn't allow Rinaldo to launch himself to deliver such a high hit.

Shanahan mentions about three times that everything about this hit (including Ericsson's level of attention payed) is clean EXCEPT for the fact that Rinaldo launches himself five inches into the air to deliver this check.

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Cool I guess.

Maybe NBC didn’t spend much time showing the replay, or I just missed it – I noticed at the time that it was blatant charging, but wasn’t aware that the hit was a headshot.

Ericsson certainly deserved to get hit staring after his pass like that.

by Nim ~ on Feb 13, 2012 6:40 PM CST reply actions

I'm shocked

I never thought it would be worth supplemental discipline. I really thought it was just a charging penalty and that nothing more would come of it.

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by Amerinadian on Feb 13, 2012 6:48 PM CST reply actions

I think if it's a guy who wasn't fined twice for two fuck-ups in one game recently

that it’s not a suspension. Rinaldo’s history and attitude plays very heavily into this.

by J.J. from Kansas on Feb 13, 2012 7:00 PM CST up reply actions

So do I win the pool that no one set up as I suggested?

by Apocalyptic0n3 on Feb 13, 2012 6:48 PM CST reply actions

Yes

Mazel tov!

by J.J. from Kansas on Feb 13, 2012 7:00 PM CST up reply actions

Boo, Shanny

Don’t think he got this one right. It was charging, sure. His “launching himself” was incidental to his stopping and prepping to make contact. Kronner makes hits that, ignoring the “late hit” aspect, look eerily similar to this from time to time. I think the refs got it right.
He got his 2 minutes for it. 2 games? I don’t know…

"I'll smile in June."

by Lords of Olympia on Feb 13, 2012 7:02 PM CST reply actions

They have made it clear they want to remove charging from the game entirely. With that in mind, it was the right call

by Apocalyptic0n3 on Feb 13, 2012 7:09 PM CST up reply actions

that's a fair assessment.

i kinda forget they use bannings as a form of discouragement to the rest of the league.

"I'll smile in June."

by Lords of Olympia on Feb 13, 2012 7:17 PM CST up reply actions

I dunno…when you give four inches to a player and your heads are almost even at time of conact…sounds like someone has left his feet. (btw ive noticed more and more Kronwallings have been assfirst leadds rather than shoulder first leads….or am i just imagining thingss???)

by Hockey Hubby on Feb 13, 2012 7:41 PM CST via Android app up reply actions

You're not

Its his way of complying with the rules and still destroying people

by Apocalyptic0n3 on Feb 13, 2012 8:26 PM CST up reply actions

good im glad im not imagining things. i love a good kronwalling….in fact i was ice level at the sharks playoff game last year when heatley got Kronwalled…seriously i swear i saw his eyes light up. as long as its within the rules i have no problems.

by Hockey Hubby on Feb 13, 2012 9:56 PM CST via Android app up reply actions

Is the only difference between this and some recent Kronwallings the contact to the head?

Kronwall does come off his feet often, but rarely hits opponents heads.

by nickname1234 on Feb 13, 2012 7:59 PM CST reply actions

The difference with Kronwall

is that for the most part, his skates remain in contact with the ice until contact, at which point the force of the contact propels him into the air. Kronner did jump prior to the Kesler hit, but his feet were on the ice immediately prior to contact with Briere and with Hemsky (and with 95% of the rest of his hits).

Shanahan has made a clear distinction this year between leaving your feet in order to make contact and leaving your feet as a result of making contact. Here is the Ovechkin suspension video where he clarifies the issue (starting at 00:57)

Often on big hits or collisions, a player’s feet will come off the ice slightly as a result of the impact. This however is not one of those occasions.

I would say that the two most misinterpreted things in the NHL nowadays are people thinking that whether a player has a two-way contract has anything to do with whether he has to clear waivers and the concept of leaving one’s feet on impact. The league is clear on this. Rinaldo leapt five inches to make contact. Kronwall simply lightens on his feet to absorb the contact.

by J.J. from Kansas on Feb 13, 2012 8:37 PM CST up reply actions

for the Kesler hit, it looked like kronwall made a last second trajectory adjustment to avoid kesler’s big, fat head. Still managed to crank him right in the ego, but that is nearly impossible to miss.

by nickname1234 on Feb 14, 2012 11:29 AM CST up reply actions 1 recs

I understand they don't want head contact, but...

I’m not a fan of this suspension. i agree with the on ice call of charging, but I feel hit wasn’t targeting the head. There was head contact, but since there was no injury tells me most of the force went into Ericsson’s chest. Since Rinaldo is a repeat offender he was suspended. Its too bad really, I love hard hitting games and as long as nobody is trying to cause an injury or makes a stupidly dangerous hit, I can live with it.

by NorthbayWingsFan on Feb 14, 2012 1:33 AM CST reply actions

Even though Shanny said it was, I do not believe his status as a (recent) repeat offender meant anything in the ruling. Shanahan and the NHL wants charging out of the game. Period. They have said this many times and have suspended multiple people over this, including one of their biggest stars.

by Apocalyptic0n3 on Feb 14, 2012 2:24 AM CST up reply actions

Really want it out of the game

Turn it into an automatic double minor, or a major (with major+game misconduct being the up-step for egregous violations).

Make the team pay for players taking stupid runs.

Not saying suspensions won’t also help, but ensuring that when a player is called for charging they are hurting the team in that game will clean it up really quick.

I guess what I’m saying is that supplemental discipline should be used for acts which do more than just break the rules. This hit is already covered under the rule for charging and was punished as such in the game. If we don’t think the in game punishment for charging is strong enough to act as a deterrent, then make the in-game punishment stronger.

Dancing Datsyuk Decidedly Dazzles Dainty Defensemen

by Robocop on Feb 14, 2012 6:53 AM CST up reply actions

I would be inclined to agree, although they may be going this route right now to save face with the NHLPA. Double-minors and major penalties have severe repercussions in games and this avoids a player being given such blame. Instead, they sit for a game or two and the money they forfeit is given back to the players. With negotiations about to open up for the new CBA, I would imagine this might be a talking point for the league

by Apocalyptic0n3 on Feb 14, 2012 9:50 AM CST up reply actions