NHL Department of Player Safety issues embarrassing statement after its announced Andrew Cogliano broke his neck
The National Hockey League has been mired in controversy for some time, most recently after no supplemental discipline was handed out to Jordan Eberle after he hit Andrew Cogliano from behind and fractured his neck in the process.
According to Meghan Angley of DNVR Avalanche, when asking the Vice President of Communications John Dellapina, who is the contact for the Department of Player Safety, about the Eberle hit and the lack of discipline, he had this to say:
Asked NHL Senior VP of Communications John Dellapina (a contact for Department of Player Safety requests) for insights into Jordan Eberle's hit on Andrew Cogliano:
�We don't comment on plays on which we don't assess supplemental discipline.'
"That has been standard policy since the inception of the Dept. Of Player Safety in 2011. We make videos to provide detailed explanations of suspensions." He explained that every hit in every game is reviewed.
When asked if a hit can ever receive supplemental discipline after the initial review once new information comes to light (like an injury in this case):
"Injury only comes into play AFTER a hit has been deemed suspension-worthy on its own."
�We don't comment on plays on which we don't assess supplemental discipline.'
"That has been standard policy since the inception of the Dept. Of Player Safety in 2011. We make videos to provide detailed explanations of suspensions." He explained that every hit in every game is reviewed.
When asked if a hit can ever receive supplemental discipline after the initial review once new information comes to light (like an injury in this case):
"Injury only comes into play AFTER a hit has been deemed suspension-worthy on its own."
To me, this doesn't sound like the Department of Player Safety taking any accountability, in fact, quite the opposite. This injury highlights the lack of accountability the Player Safety Department has, because there is no hockey fan that can watch Eberle's hit on Cogliano and think it was clean.
Instead Cogliano suffers a nearly life altering injury and Eberle gets to play in Game 7.
| POLL | ||
Did this hit deserve supplemental discipline? | ||
| Yes, that's the most dangerous hit possible | 517 | 78.7 % |
| It deserved to be reviewed | 111 | 16.9 % |
| No, it's clean | 29 | 4.4 % |
| List of polls | ||
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