Tootoo Gets Five
Nashville Predators forward Jordin Tootoo has been suspended for five games, without pay, for striking Dallas Stars defenseman Stephane Robidas during Game #1074 at Nashville, March 17, the National Hockey League announced today.
Under the Collective Bargaining Agreement, and based on his annual average salary, Tootoo will forfeit $16,032.80. The money goes to the Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund.
I’m starting to think more and more that the NHL needs to start taking whatever it feels is “fair” punishment and multiply it by about 5 or so. Here’s why:
In the context of other suspensions, five games feels about right; it might even be considered a little harsh, given that Robidas was obviously on his way over to be less than cordial. However, let’s consider some other contexts.
How about the context of money? Tootoo forfeits $16,000 for the games he will miss. Great, except that Tootoo is currently making $600,000. Whoopee.
How about the context of impact? Tootoo - with all due respect intended - could miss the rest of the regular season and it would hardly have an impact on the Predators or anyone else.
How about the context of the purpose of suspensions? Suspensions aren’t only intended to punish players for their transgressions, they are intended to send a message across the league. They are intended to make other players think twice before being stupid on the ice. And the problem is that 1, 3, 5 games just doesn’t send that message. Players like Tootoo, Cam Janssen and even Chris Neil (not this season) get to sit in the press box for five game stretches even when they’re just not playing well.
Saying a suspension is ‘fair’ or ‘justified’ only takes into account the context of other suspensions. That’s simply not enough. For suspensions to be effective and worthwhile they must serve all of their purposes. They do not do so as currently handed out.
Come on, Colin. Add a zero to the end of that number next time you’re handing out a suspension.