You may have reccently heard/read about the Zdeno Chara hit on Max Pacioretty. If not, check out the video Here: Youtube
In most circles, it is believed to be a hit that went awry. In other circles it is believed to be vicious and intentional.
An Air Canada Exec with too much time on his hands has made his personal vendetta an NHL sponsorship issue. Denis Vandal, a resident of Montreal, sports fan, and director of Marketing at Air Canada has issued a letter to the NHL, requesting that NHL suspend Chara for his involvement in the incident.
"We are contacting you (Wednesday) to voice our concern over (Tuesday night's) incident involving Max Pacioretty and Zdeno Chara at the Bell Centre in Montreal," wrote Vandal. "This is following several other incidents involving career-threatening and life-threatening headshots in the NHL recently."
"Unless the NHL takes immediate action with serious suspension to the players in question to curtail these life-threatening injuries, Air Canada will withdraw its sponsorship of hockey."The funny thing is that Vandal didn't say Squat when Crosby was injured earlier in the season. Oddly enough Vandal also failed to react when one of his own Bleu Blanc et Rouge chased an opposing player down the ice swinging his stick like it was Paul Bunion's Axe trying to poke out eyeballs or chop down a tree. Video Here: Youtube
Why was nothign said in 2010 when Lapierre tried to cross check an unsuspecting player through the boards? Video Here: Youtube
Now, the MTL police are investigating the incident. Source Here: Canoe.ca Sports
Where were the Police and Vandal (Air Canada) during the above incidents? Why didn't the police investigate the UFC fight a few months ago. Weren't the fighters trying to injure each other? It's not like they're having pillow fights in the octagon.
I know that when a Leaf player is hurt, I'm upset. I'm even more upset when it's one of the stars. Even still, I'd think it's insane for Toronto Police to go after a player for an incident like this.
As for Air Canada, it's scary that one person has this amount of power. If I were Denis Vandal, I would concern myself with the abysmal consumer satisfaction rating of Air Canada (5th of 7 North American Airlines) instead of concerning myself with a single incident that happened in a hockey game.
I do believe that there are ways to make hockey safer, I just can't believe that this one incident has become the catalyst for so much hate.
