NHL Suspensions: League Must Make Example of Raffi Torres After Cheap Shot

When the NHL decided to let Nashville Predators star Shea Weber get away without a suspension for smashing Henrik Zetterberg's head into the boards on the first night of playoff action, it declared that cheap-shot season was underway. The league can't afford to make the same mistake with Raffi Torres.

The Phoenix Coyotes grinder crushed a defenseless Marian Hossa on Tuesday night, which forced the Chicago Blackhawks star, whose potential absence will have a major impact on the series, to be taken off on a stretcher.

Physical play will never be eliminated from hockey, but reckless plays must be. Hossa didn't even have the puck—which should have been an interference penalty—and Torres makes no effort to slow down his momentum as he proceeded to hit Hossa high with an elbow.

That type of play simply can't be deemed acceptable. Anything less than an extended suspension that would carry into next season if the Coyotes are eliminated before it ends will not accomplish the task of getting players to think twice before making questionable hits.

Torres has a previous track record for the league to consider as well. He was suspended four games for a hit to the head on Jordan Eberle last year, so he's not a first-time offender. If that's not enough to warrant a lengthy suspension, nothing will be.

Even though it's understandable the NHL doesn't want the playoffs to become a glorified All-Star Game with no hitting or defense, the people in power, namely Brendan Shanahan and Gary Bettman, can't afford for these hits to keep tarnishing the league's image.

If they decided to let Torres off easy like they did with Weber, things are going to get ugly. With seemingly no restrictions on what's allowed, players are going to keep taking advantage of the league's unwillingness to make a serious statement.

With all the concern about concussions in sports today, it's shocking the NHL hasn't done more to remove head shots from the game. But if players, especially those like Torres who rely on physical play, know they can get away with it, they won't stop.

The players are bigger, stronger and faster nowadays and if these hits are only punished with minor fines and suspensions, the risk for serious injury will continue to skyrocket. And the last thing the NHL needs after gaining some momentum recently is a black eye brought on by a life-altering hit.

It's time for the league to step up by making an example of Torres. Anything less than 10 games would be ludicrous and it should really be more.