November 13, 2009
Tucker wants game to remain physical

[DENVER, CO] -- The NHL’s general managers are taking their most serious look yet at hits to the head and how to curtail them without impacting the physical nature of the game.

The issue was discussed during their Nov. 10-11 meetings in Toronto, and they decided to put together a small committee to study it before meeting again in March.

Colorado Avalanche left wing Darcy Tucker can attest to the danger of head shots, having been the victim of one in an Oct. 23 game against the Carolina Hurricanes.

Tucker lost consciousness and was wheeled off the Pepsi Center ice on a backboard after being smashed into the glass by Tuomo Ruutu. Tucker suffered a concussion and needed about 40 stitches to close a nasty gash on his forehead.

Tucker missed eight games. Ruutu, who was assessed a major penalty for boarding and an automatic game misconduct, was suspended by the NHL for three games.

But Tucker said he holds no ill will towards Ruutu, who telephoned him the day after the incident.

“He called me the next day,” Tucker said. “I have the utmost respect for that, for (Hurricanes coach) Paul Maurice and the way he handles his players and for getting a phone call from a player that knew he was probably in the wrong.

“When I talked to Ruutu, I don’t think he had the intention to hurt me. He had the intention to finish his check on a feisty player. The way I look at it, he played the game hard, he finished his check and I was in a spot where I was vulnerable. I hit the glass with my face in the wrong spot and it knocked me out.”

Tucker said he hasn’t “put much thought” into how the NHL might limit the number of incidents in which players are hit from behind while in vulnerable positions, or what kind of punishments might serve as a deterrent to such actions.

“I’d have to think about it more,” he said. “I have full faith in the NHL and what they try to accomplish with their players and keeping them safe. Whatever they mandate, it’s up to the players to follow the rules.”

The irony is that Tucker has a reputation for playing over the edge and long has been accused of going after opponents’ knees. He’s still reviled on Long Island for his hit in 2002 against Michael Peca, who needed knee surgery (Tucker wasn’t penalized or suspended), and there have been more recent incidents.

As for Ruutu, Tucker said he wasn’t interested in discussing the suspension.

“I think things in the game happen,” he said. “It’s a fast game, a fast-paced game. My No. 1 goal from the time it happened was to try and get as healthy as quick as I could. It was a scary moment for my family and my friends, but everyone who’s called me and I saw in the street wished me all the best.

“Last year, I didn’t quite feel comfortable a lot of the time,” Tucker added, referring to his first season with the Colorado, when he had eight goals and eight assists in 63 games. “But living in Denver, you see how much people care about the players. I had neighbors bringing me chicken noodle soup. It was nice to see how much people care about the hockey players.”

Tucker said he didn’t lose consciousness after suffering the only previous concussion of his career, and he doesn’t remember “some of” what happened on the Ruutu hit.

“That part is the most scary part, I guess, for my family,” he said. “I don’t recall a lot of it. I never really had a concussion like that before. I felt pretty good two or three days after. I didn’t feel any real symptoms, so I was very fortunate from that aspect. I feel very fortunate to be able to get back this soon.”

Whatever the general managers discuss regarding head shots during their meetings, Tucker said, it’s imperative that hockey remains a high-speed game.

“You don’t want to take the speed out,” he said. “It’s a high-paced game. I hit hard and I get hit hard. I don’t disagree with the pace of the game and how hard guys hit. You just hope you don’t put somebody in a vulnerable spot where you’d hurt them.”

Rick Sadowski is a columnist for TheFourthPeriod.com and the Colorado correspondent for The Fourth Period Magazine. He has covered the NHL since 1981, most recently for the Rocky Mountain News in Denver. He writes for several publications and web sites, including NHL.com and Real Clear Sports. Be sure to check out his blog.