Shanahan Right to Suspend Carcillo and Bourque for Separate Hits

Daniel Carcillo of the Chicago Blackhawks and Rene Bourque of the Calgary Flames are watching their upcoming NHL games from the stands.

Carcillo was suspended seven games for running Edmonton Oilers defenseman Tom Gilbert into the end boards on Jan. 2, while Bourque was sidelined for five games after elbowing Washington Capitals forward Nicklas Backstrom in the head on Jan. 3. Backstrom later left the Calgary game with a head injury, while Gilbert appeared to have injured his knee.

The decisions were handed down by NHL discipline czar and career 500-goal scorer Brendan Shanahan, who took into account the fact that both Carcillo and Bourque were repeat offenders. Bourque had actually been suspended just 16 days before, for his hit from behind on Chicago's Brent Seabrook.

Bourque forfeited over $203,000 in salary for his suspension, while Carcillo lost over $66,000 for his sidelining. Carcillo also injured his leg on the play, and thus would have been out even if he wasn't suspended by the league. There's some karma for you.

Looking at the replays, Carcillo didn't even try to play the puck after dumping it into the corner and chasing down Gilbert. He just hung back, and then shoved Gilbert hard into the end boards.

Likewise, Bourque could have put a shoulder into Backstrom, but instead conked him with an elbow as Backstrom skated by. Bourque claimed it was a reflex reaction—but the league has been coming down harder on players who target the head, intentionally or not.

It's the same with players who get beat by a puck-carrier and then stick out a knee to stop him, which can also cause serious injury. That stuff has to be taken out of the game.

And while the league is at it, it can also eliminate touch-up icing. It will speed up games a bit and also take away the risk for players who go back into their zone to retrieve a puck without knowing who's coming up behind them, or how fast, or with what intentions.

Bourque can at least play, as the former Wisconsin Badger has tallied more than 100 goals and 200 points in his NHL career. Carcillo has always struck me as someone more adept at causing trouble than actually playing hockey.

Now they'll both have some down time to mull over their most recent actions.