LAS VEGAS — Evander Kane has lugged a recovering wrist through most of the season and into the playoffs after Pat Maroon stepped on it back in November. Kane wears special protection over it in games, armour that both safeguards and advertises his compromised wrist.
You see, National Hockey League players have subtle, injurious ways of targeting an injury come playoff time. And they do it, in every series of every playoff season, since the Montreal Amateur Athletic Association beat the Montreal Victorias in the first NHL Playoff game back in 1894.
“In the L.A. series, on faceoffs,” began Kane. “As soon as they dropped the puck (the Kings) were slashing my wrist. I was telling the referee, ‘It’s happening every time.’”
Kane didn’t get any calls, because it is common hockey practice for a winger to bring his stick down over the opposing winger’s stick on a faceoff, preparing to win the puck battle that might ensue. The Kings were just a tad more diligent when Kane was involved — making sure to hack the proper wrist — just as the Oilers were consistent in laying the lumber on Mark Stone’s back in Game 1.
Especially after seeing a pre-series video of Stone leaving the practice ice with a wonky back.
“We did see it,” admitted Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. “But it’s not something that we talked about (before the game) or anything. I mean, he is a net-front guy, and a bigger guy. So the way that you move him is by getting your stick in there and (pushing him).
“I know if I stand in front of the net, I’m getting it. I don’t think he’s changing his game to avoid that.”
Do NHL players target injuries?
Yes, NHL players target injuries.
Do NHL players hit to hurt?
Well, they don’t hit not to hurt. Not in the playoffs.
“Jacob Trouba on Timo Meier,” said Kane. “Yes, the result isn’t great. But Timo Meier, who I’ve played with, knows that he shouldn’t have had his head down. That’s why he doesn’t have a problem with that hit either.
“Jacob Trouba, is he going to hurt somebody? Probably. But that’s a clean hit,” Kane said. “Everyone likes to use terms like ‘wearing people down.’ Well, what does that really mean?”
Kane saw nothing out of the ordinary when it came to Stone, who has missed major parts of the last two seasons and had two back surgeries. Every player in the NHL knows Stone’s back is punched.
“In my experience, when you go to the front of the net, usually you’re going to take quite a few cross-checks that go uncalled, because that’s just what is allowed to happen in the game hockey,” Kane reasoned. “If the storyline is out there, or people are thinking that we’re targeting Mark Stone’s back by cross checking him, I would disagree with that and say we’re just playing hockey like he’s any other player out there. As he is.”
Kane is right. Those cross-checks are as much a “hockey play” as clamping down on a winger’s stick off a faceoff.
A year ago, however, it was harder for the Calgary Flames to disguise their intentions as they went after Leon Draisaitl’s injured ankle. “After the whistle, skating by and just whacking at his leg. I mean, that’s pretty obvious,” said Nugent-Hopkins.
Last year Hockey Night in Canada aired a series of clips showing Flames players slashing Draisaitl’s injured ankle. During Game 1, our panel aired several Oilers cross checks to Stone’s back.
Everything is caught on camera now, which only increases that age-old practice of (cough) wearing the opponent down.
“I don’t think the video increases people’s awareness,” Kane said. “We live in a social media day and age, and hockey players are paying attention. Just like (a recent video) posted about Connor McDavid. It’s the same thing. Guys pay attention.”
That video showed McDavid at an Oilers practice, fussing over what looked like a painful left knee or leg. But before the video went viral, Kings defenceman Drew Doughty “kind of kneed him in that series,” Kane said. “Guys take notice of who that was, and the next thing you know his face ends up in the glass.”
For the record, we believe McDavid is nursing something. He lacks his usual explosiveness, and his signature ability to stop and start.
The Golden Knights, we will guarantee you, will pound McDavid, Draisaitl, Kane and every other Oilers player every chance they get. It’s the NHL playoffs — no place for a low pain threshold.
“Everybody’s dealing with something, and you want to be hard on guys at all times,” concluded Kane. “I don’t expect anything to change because of a video.
“Mark Stone is one of the best players on their team. We’re going to be hard on him.”
And hitters like Trouba will be free to throw clean, hard hits — whether or not the opponents have their heads up or not.
Personally, I kind of like that about our game.
Said Kane: “I think it’s a necessity.”
