"The verdict's still out if it's broken. It's just always looking a little messed up. I think [the hit] was late for sure. My back was to the wall so definitely not a clean hit."
- Darryl Boyce via @JonasTSN1050
If Darryl Boyce was a movie character, he would be a more talented Rudy. The local good Canadian boy played his junior hockey with Toronto's St. Michael's Majors before joining the University of New Brunswick's Varsity Reds. He signed with the Toronto Marlies out of school and worked his way to being a fourth-liner with what I will assume has always been his favourite team. Tonight he was the victim of the kind of hit that can potentially end a career.
You know, the kind of hit that Brendan Shanahan featured in a video with numerous examples. Interestingly, Jody Shelley getting smoked in the head is highlighted in the video as illegal. Good luck watching that video if you're drowsy. Maybe that explains why some players didn't understand the message. The top stated goal of his new role is to protect the players. One might argue that the best way to protect players is to get rid of garbage players like Jody Shelley. Naw, that'd be crazy.
That is local reporter Tim Panaccio. He's better known as being one of Dwayne Klessel's facilitators which speaks to his ability to judge character. No doubt, Shelley is a good person off the ice, accommodating of the media, and probably does a lot of charity work. Unfortunately, none of that means that players of his ilk deserve to have a spot in the NHL.
Here's a video-based look at Shelley's handiwork but Dirk Hoag of On The Forecheck also delved into one of his databases to pull information on Shelley's penalties over the last two seasons. Taken with his time-on-ice per game over that period - 9 shifts and 6:10 per game last year and 6:45 and 10 shifts two years ago - they paint a picture of a player that brings nothing to the table on the ice. Here's a selection of his achievements:
- 25 fighting majors (check out SkinnyFish's Good Study for more)
- 5 roughing
- 3 misconduct penalties
- 1 checking from behind
- 1 kneeing
- 1 match penalty
This will be among the first big tests for Brendan Shanahan. Considering the climate around the league, the anticipation of the league moving beyond Colin Campbell's Reign of Error, and how recently that DVD of unacceptable hits was disseminated it is important that he get off on the right foot and crush Jody Shelley.
Game In Six
Ron Wilson Post-Game
Ben Scrivens Post-Game
