Chris Pronger to Sit a Game

Chris Pronger has been suspended one game by the NHL. League disciplinarian, Colin Campbell handed down the suspension, one that he called "a tough decision to make."

The NHL has become increasingly sensitive to head shots midway through the season when Thomas Kaberle and Chris Drury were hit with elbows in very close incidents.

I believe that some of these suspensions have been completely unwarranted. I hope that the league will one day learn that they have tall athletes out there and that keeping your elbows low and close to your body is clean play, and certainly not one that should be punishable.

If you haven't seen the hit, take a look:



As with the Drury incident, players need to learn to skate with their heads up. Even Brett Hull stated that McAmmond "admire(d) his shot a little too long."

But what is really bothersome to me is that the NHL obviously hasn't considered postponing suspensions until the start of next season. Why not give Pronger two games next year? Why take one of the top two most recognizable names on the Ducks out of the Stanley Cup finals? Why facilitate what would be called another black eye for hockey by handing down a headline Stanley Cup suspension?

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Update - And as was noted in the TSN article, why wasn't Chris Neil suspended?