• Home
• Schedule
• Roster
• Statistics
• Stars News Feeds & Links
• NHL News Feeds & Links
• Story Archive
• Message Boards
• Chat Rooms

 The Ott suspension

Wednesday, March 12, 2008

Stars forward Steve Ott will sit out the next three games for a hit to the head on Colorado defenseman Jordan Leopold, but he wasn't taking his punishment sitting down after Wednesday's practice. Ott stood before the media and said he simply delivered a good hit.

The league made the three-game suspension official Wednesday morning, shortly before Ott and his teammates took the ice for practice in Frisco.

After practice, Ott talked to the media about the league's decision and expressed surprise and disappointment over the suspension.

"I was surprised. I thought I went in there to forecheck and make a good hit. My one foot was on the ice and I finished my check hard," Ott said. "It was unfortunate that it resulted in a very, very minor injury. Talking to the league, he was OK. He was dizzy afterwards. He's fine, so that is great news. I am very surprised that I got three games."

Ott had a teleconference with NHL Executive Vice President and Director of Hockey Operations Colin Campbell on Tuesday and when the verdict came Ott was caught off guard and baffled, since no explanation for the ruling was offered.

"I was shocked. I really don't know the explanation," he said following Wednesday's practice in Frisco. "I don't know if it was charging or a high hit or what. I don't know what the explanation was."

There was no penalty called for the hit, which happened in the first period of Sunday's game between the Stars and Avalanche.

"There were two referees and two linesmen out there. Any major penalty, a linesman can call it as well. The fact that all four missed it, I don't know," Ott said. "During the review that's the league's discretion on what they are going to do. I am just very disappointed that I am going to miss these next three games."

When asked if he thought he might have gotten away with something after he hit Leopold, Ott said no.

"No, not at all. I just finished my check," said Ott. "I didn't know he fell. I turned around and was engaged in a fight. I didn't see it until I got the review."

Ott acknowledged that Leopold's injury played a role in the suspension.

"The result in an injury of a player is never good and that's probably what they look at first. I still think it looked as if it was a pretty good hit," Ott said. "If he gets up and starts skating around, everything is OK. Fortunately, he did get up and got to the bench. He just didn't feel right. It's unfortunate that he did get injured on the play."

Stars coach Dave Tippett thought Leopold getting injured played a role in the discipline handed out, but he was surprised at the suspension.

"It's disappointing. It's certainly something I didn't expect," Tippett said. "I didn't view it as a play that was that severe myself, but the league obviously thought different."

There was a sense of frustration that Ott's penalty was more severe than other suspensions that involved more serious injuries. But the league has targeted blows to the head and that's what it labeled Ott's hit on Leopold in announcing the suspension.

"We don't think it was a suspendable offense, but they are trying to curb blows to the head," said Stars goalie Marty Turco.

During the preseason Campbell addressed the issue of supplemental discipline and hits to the head in the wake of 20-game suspension given to Philadelphia's Steve Downie for a hit on Ottawa's Dean McAmmond. The league spelled it out in a news release:

"The following factors were identified as being relevant to whether a player should be subject to supplemental discipline when a hit to an opponent’s head is involved: (1) when a player targets an opponent's head; (2) when a player launches himself by leaving his feet to hit a player in the head area; (3) when the hit to the head is delivered to an unsuspecting opponent; and (4) the timing (lateness) of the hit. An additional factor in considering whether discipline is appropriate is whether the player is a repeat offender.

"When any or all of these factors combine to cause an injury to an opponent, it was agreed that a player would be subject to supplemental discipline in the form of a game-suspension.

Tippett said he believes there another side to the issue. He used an example from earlier in the season involving Stars defenseman Matt Niskanen and Philadelphia's Riley Cote, who ended up with a three-game suspension for elbowing the Stars' rookie in the head.

"There has to be an onus put on the player to protect himself. I go back to the hit by [Riley] Cote on Niskanen earlier in the year. Nobody likes to see one of your players get hit, but we had long conversations with Niskanen about the ability to protect himself and having the smarts to protect himself," Tippett said. "Players just can't put themselves in vulnerable positions for a guy to finish his check."

Ott's suspension will keep him out of three key games for the Stars: Thursday at Detroit and then home games versus Vancouver on Saturday and Anaheim on Wednesday.

"The hard part is that it is three big games," said Ott. "I am disappointed I won't be with my teammates in those battles."

Ott will eligible to return for the March 22 game when the Stars host the Los Angeles Kings and both Ott and Tippett said Ott will continue to be Ott.

"He's not going to change a bit of the way he plays. We expect him to be a hard, physical player. It's unfortunate this incident came up, but for as hard as Steve plays this is his first incident of anything like this," said Tippett. "He can't change his game for that. He's not going out there to hurt anybody, that's not who Steve is, but the fact is he plays the game hard and if he has an opportunity for physical contact then he's going to do it. That's part of his game."

Said Ott: "It doesn't affect me one bit. I am still going to play the same way."

Quotable

"It's a big blow for us. He's an important cog in our wheel, especially the way he plays the game and the teams we've got coming up. C'est la vie. That's the way it goes. I don't think it is going to change the way he plays. That's really the most important thing."

Stars goalie Marty Turco on the Steve Ott suspension