2012 NHL Playoffs: Shanahammer Nails Andrew Shaw for Three Games, Now What?

The Chicago Blackhawks will be without the services of rookie forward Andrew Shaw for the next three games after the NHL suspended Shaw for his hit on Phoenix goalie Mike Smith. Brendan Shanahan has finally spoken. Where does he go from here?

Moving away from the endless debate as to Shaw's intent (dumb but not malicious, in my opinion) and Smith's reaction (flopping was involved), the sentence has been passed on the Chicago forward. What should be scrutinized is the precedent set by the Senior Vice President of Player Safety and Hockey Operations.

If Shanahan has drawn his line in the sand, fine. The Blackhawks will have to live without Shaw for the immediate future. If Shanahan is ready to start punishing based on what he judges the act to be as opposed to the results of the infraction, I think the hockey world could accept that.

If he's planning on doing it consistently, that is.

I don't think Shaw should have been given three games on top of the half a game he already served. That said, if the first offense of running into a goalie outside the crease starts at three games, I guess the Shaw is as good a poster boy as any.

The trick is going to be when the next skater, be it superstar or role-player, commits a similar infraction.

As the video explains, Shaw was judged to have not done enough to avoid contact. Again, if Shaw is now the benchmark, terrific. What is going to give rulings such as this one justification is Shanahan and the NHL following up on rule breakers.

Tonight, if a goalie is run into outside the crease by a player not named Andrew Shaw (which would have to be the case since he is suspended) and contact is made to the head, the bidding starts at three games. If that player has previous infractions, I would expect the price to go up.

Shanahan has been hammered himself for what is viewed as a lack of consistency in doling out punishment. The most cited example being Shea Weber's attack on Henrik Zetterberg.

It's unfair to compare Weber's actions to Shaw's. They came in different situations and involved different positions on the ice. However, it is still fair game to wonder why a player who obviously intended to injure another player is skating free and clear while a player who makes a bad decision is subject to missing multiple games.

Shanahan may or may not regret not imposing further sanctions on Weber. That's water under the bridge at this point. What matters is what course Shanahan takes moving forward from his most recent decision.

Again, if stiffer penalties are going to be instituted I think everyone can live with the bigger consequences. The point is to reduce illegal hits. It is in this area that Shanahan is going to be scrutinized.

That scrutiny begins tonight. Let's see how the league handles the rest of the playoffs.