Is Talent an Excuse for Shorter Suspensions in the NHL?

Chris Simon was always known as a dirty player—from his alleged racial comments towards Mike Grier in 1997 to his cross check across the throat of Peter Popovic in a 2000 playoff series against the Pittsburgh Penguins.

The year 2007 was record-making for Simon, but for the all the wrong reasons. First, he cross checked Ryan Hollweg of the New York Rangers in the face in retaliation to a good hit on Mar. 8.

A 25-game suspension followed, which included all five of the New York Islanders' playoff games, and five games into the 2007/2008 season.

With six suspensions on his resume, lucky No. 7 was still to come, and it brought a massive 30-game suspension. Jarkko Ruutu, who was playing for the Penguins at the time, was near his team's bench during a match with the Islanders in December.

Simon proceeded to skate by, pulled Ruutu down to the ice on his knees, and stepped on the back of his leg. A total of 55 games handed out in one calendar year to Chris Simon.

After playing only 28 games with the Islanders, and 10 with the Minnesota Wild, Simon's NHL career was all but finished. He has been playing in the Kontinental Hockey League since.

Each ban surpassed Marty McSorley's 23-game suspension in 2000 when he knocked out Donald Brashear with a swing of the stick to his head.

Let's focus on the Ruutu incident which resulted in 30 games. What about Chris Pronger stepping on Ryan Kesler's leg last season behind the net? He did appear to hit the shin pad with his skate, but it's no excuse, is it?

There's no denying Pronger's talent offensively, but he's one of the most dangerous players in the game. Only eight games were given to Pronger. This is a guy who knocked out Tomas Holmstrom and Dean McAmmond in back-to-back playoff series' in 2007 with the Anaheim Ducks. 

Each elbow was met with just a one-game suspension, and Pronger was there to hoist the Stanley Cup in the end. It just doesn't seem right to me.

Sean Avery may never return to the NHL due to a few unnecessary comments in front of the camera, yet Todd Bertuzzi is back on the ice after ending Steve Moore's career with a cheap shot in 2004.

Where's the justice there? It appears as though having talent or lacking a history of violence in the league is enough to warrant you less time off the ice.

You couldn't seem to watch the action last season without noticing a Philadelphia Flyers suspension. Randy Jones hitting Patrice Bergeron from behind, and Steve Downie and Jesse Boulerice receiving at least 20 games each for their handiwork.

Alexander Ovechkin, as much as I am a fan of his, should have been suspended in 2006/2007 for hitting Daniel Briere from behind when the Washington Capitals were hosting the Buffalo Sabres.

Perhaps Ovechkin was just trying to nudge him a little. I realize suspending the likes of Ovechkin or Sidney Crosby would hurt the NHL's rating. The fact remains that you have to do what is right in order to keep the game of hockey safe.

Star players should be punished  as harshly as the guys who don't put pucks into the net regularly. A 15-game suspension on Pronger last year would have sat fine by me. Good behaviour should cut you some slack, but it shouldn't make it a walk in the park.

If that begins to take place, then we will see safer play in the league.

This just in, Jarkko Ruutu has been suspended two games for biting the hand of Andrew Peters' yesterday during a scrum between the Sabres and Ottawa Senators. Things like this just make me ache for the name of hockey.

I was watching the match yesterday and laughed at the fact that Peters received a penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct. Meanwhile, Ruutu was on the bench as his team enjoyed a power play.

Are the two games enough?