Cam Janssen Suspended 5 Games

The NHL met with Blues Tough Guy Cam Janssen on Thursday to discuss his late hit on the Caps’ Matt Bradley. The conclusion? A Five Game suspension.

Woah…5 Games?! Not fair!
Ridiculous. Pure BS.
This is hockey, its rough.

This is the type of response I’ve seen from Blues fans today.

I’ve got to be honest, I have to say I totally disagree. This suspension has really progressed my belief that Cam Janssen shouldn’t be on this roster.

Let’s review the hit.

In the video we can see Bradley make a play and is marked by a Blues player. As Bradley moves the puck he is looking at the play infront of him. That is to Boyes (marking him, it looks like) and back to the slot area of the ice where the pass went. Cam Janssen is coming in from his blindside (around the blue line), totally outside of the play. Janssen clearly leads with an elbow to the head of Bradley.

To recap, this is what we have.
- The offender is a repeat offender. (ask Kaberle what he thinks of Janssen)
- The offender was not in the play being made.
- The victim was blindsided.
- The victim was hit in the head directly by the elbow.

I’m sorry folks, I don’t know what part of the world that type of play is allowed. Sadly, Cam thinks it should be. The St. Louis Post Dispatch quoted Janssen as saying “He had his head down and I was doing my job.”…”The bottom line is, I’m going to play the same way.” News flash Cam, if you watch the replay his head isn’t down. Bradley’s head is turned to the play in front of him.

Cam Janssen - Image via blues.nhl.com

Cam Janssen came in with zero attempt to play the puck and hit Bradley in the head. Dare I say that a player skating out of his way to hit another player in the head is similar to what Patrice Cormier did to Mikael Tam? The outcome was different, Matt Bradley wasn’t on the ice in convulsions. However, I would argue that the play was similar. The offender came in to the play and made a path straight to the puck carrier and elbowed him in the head.

This is the play that scares me. Anytime you hit someone in the head, you are not only threatening their career, but also their way of life. There is no need for that type of physical play in the game of hockey. Players like Janssen are out on the ice for one purpose, stir the pot. Sometimes its a fight, sometimes its a big hit. These types of players walk a very fine line. The line between defensible and reckless. Some hits you can justify, this one can’t be. Can we justify this hit in hockey, can we defend it? I can’t.

The Blues are currently evaluating their roster going in to the deadline and for their off season plans. Both Janssen and DJ King are up for new contracts this summer. Both fill a similar role, Tough Guy / Enforcer. Can the Blues afford to pay two of these players when they are trying to raise the skill level of the NHL roster? Many fans may have forogtten King Kong and his brutal punches. This fan has not. I remember seeing him work hard and not look out of place on his shift. King can skate and play a game that is above average for the run of the mill “goon”. Janssen worked hard this past off season and looked to be a new improved Cam at Camp. However, that still doesn’t put him above a healthy King. Cam was brought in as a player to add “toughness” to the roster while not losing longtime Blue Bryce Salvador for nothing come unrestricted free agency in spring/summer 2008. When DJ King went down with injury to open the 08-09 Campaign, Cam became the full time #13 Forward. When DJ re-injured his hand this season, Cam’s spot was solidified again. Now DJ is healthy and playing again. Cam’s roster spot is now called in to question.

I know that he is a local boy. I know he has a big smile, big personality and seems to be a nice face to market for the Blues. Sorry, TJ Oshie and David Backes to a better job of marketing this team. They help this team win nightly without the antics. If Cam is here and his only benefit is PR, why is he on the roster? This suspension has to be the giant red flag that warns Blues fans to question Cam’s spot here. If DJ is back and Cam can’t match his play (or plays so poorly its a negative impact), is he worth keeping around?

My answer is no and has been since King returned. This is just my icing on the cake to hammer my thought home.