Todd Bertuzzi Elbows Some Joke, No Suspension Because He's Not Matt Cooke

So Detroit Red Wings winger Todd Bertuzzi elbowed a guy right in the face over the weekend.  Perfect, I thought, this is a great way to see if the NHL is serious about headshots and ridding them from the game.  Did the NHL step up and deliver a Matt Cooke-like suspension for the Red Wings?

Of course they didn't.

This is the NHL we're talking about here, the poorest run league in the sports world outside of boxing.  They announced there will be no disciplinary hearing and no further punishment will take place.

What a joke.

So Matt Cooke gets tossed for 14-17 games for the EXACT SAME PLAY but a guy like Todd Bertuzzi, who almost killed a guy, gets nothing.

If you meet any Original Six fan who whines and complains about their treatment from the league, do me a favor:  Punch him as hard you can right in his left eyeball.  The double-standard here is completely ridiculous and the NHL should be ashamed that they allow it to take place.

Some people, like the moronic Pierre LeBrun, will declare that the elbow wasn't that bad because Bertuzzi "didn't mean" to do it.  Garbage.

If you high stick someone, it doesn't matter your intent, it doesn't matter if it was an accident, you are responsible for your own stick but Todd Bertuzzi isn't responsible for his own elbow?

Others have claimed that Bertuzzi has a clean record this season.  Oh, goodie.  He only broke a guy's neck a few years ago, ended his hockey career, and nearly killed him...but he's been a real nice guy this year.

Bertuzzi is yet another benefit of the NHL's favoritism towards the Original Six teams.  The Red Wings get a pass because they are the Red Wings.  Todd Bertuzzi is a dirty, scumming hockey player who deserves at least a 10 game suspension and yet he gets nothing.

How is any fan supposed to respect the NHL's disciplinary function when crap like this is permitted?  Matt Cooke deserved 100% to be suspended for his elbow, no question.  Todd Bertuzzi deserved just as much.

The bottom line:  It doesn't matter what you meant to do, if the player was injured, or if you're a nice guy.  Todd Bertuzzi viciously elbowed another player in the head and received no punishment outside of a 5 minute major.

The NHL should be ashamed of itself.