Montreal Canadiens' Max Pacioretty Is Injured: Zdeno Chara Should Be Suspended

As a fan of the Montreal Canadiens, what am I supposed to believe?

I've listened to the Boston media warn me that bad things happen to people that upset Zdeno Chara.

I've seen Chara's name in the Norris Trophy mix year after year; I've heard about all the great attributes he possesses, including his fantastic awareness at all times.

I watched him as he forced Max Pacioretty's head into a slightly-padded steel stanchion when the puck wasn't even near the two.

I've been singing praise for Patches since his arrival from Hamilton this season—I know of his toughness, his drive, his zeal and his determination. It's quite evident that he loves playing big-game hockey and now he has to sit and watch his team compete without him.

The early diagnosis for one of the Montreal Canadiens' best forwards is a slight concussion.

Sidney Crosby was supposed to have a slight concussion, too. His season—possibly his career—might be in jeopardy.

Would you rather be hit by David Steckel or a combination of Zdeno Chara and a metal beam?

Perhaps I'm being emotional. As a fan of the team and its prospect-made-good, it may have pained me more than others to see Max in an unconscious heap on the ice after the brutal collision.

But I've since watched the replays—over and over again.

So what am I really supposed to believe?

If you're trying to tell me that what Zdeno Chara did was an accident, you need to get your eyes checked.

It's doubtful that he'll get a lengthy suspension, if any at all. He is, after all, an exemplary leader—the captain of the Bruins—and he's not a dirty player.

What he did looked pretty dirty to me, but what do I know?

I'm just a guy who wants to stop watching players—young and old—live their lives with questions about their health after being hit for no good reason.

I think that examples have to start being made in order to help the sport and the people that play it. I’m sorry if Big Z has never been implicated in anything like this before. I hate to be the one to tell you, but Max Pacioretty has probably never gone full speed and head-first into a post before either.

Is anyone with me, or am I alone here?

More than anything, I hope that Max can continue to play the game that he loves.