Via the Daily Herald

Seriously, what a dirty player Ovechkin is. What a disgrace his injurious hit on Blackhawks defenseman Brian Campbell was Sunday. What a pollutant the Capitals' scoring machine is to the NHL.

Man, what I wouldn't give to have him on my hockey team.

Who wouldn't want someone who isn't afraid to deposit pucks into the net and bodies into the boards? Hawks fans are lying if they say they wouldn't because of what happened to Campbell.  Mike Imrem, Reporter, Chicago Daily Herald

The NHL has decided to suspend Alexander Ovechkin for his push of Chicago's Brian Campbell.

NHL Senior Executive Vice President of Hockey Operations Colin Campbell ruled that it was a "reckless" hit by Ovechkin, who received a five-minute boarding major and a game misconduct on the play that occurred 12:16 into the first period.

Ovechkin, now considered a repeat offender under the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement, forfeits $232,645.40 in salary, based on the number of games in the season (82), rather than the number of days (193). The money goes to the Players' Emergency Assistance Fund.

Campbell reportedly suffered a broken clavicle and broken ribs after Ovechkin shoved him into the end boards. He was scheduled to meet with a team doctor Monday afternoon for further evaluation.

To me, the NHL in Toronto has sent a clear message to at least me as a fan.  The message is, the NHL has decided to make a top priority pushing, wow leaving head shots go.  Listen, if they want to suspend Ovechkin, fine.  I don't think it was a worthy suspension hit, at most, possibly a double minor, not even a major.  However, the Canada based NHL has decided to make an example of the Russian superstar.  Take that statement for what ever you infer from it.

The horrendous part of the suspension is not the fact that Alex the Great will miss two games.  The Washington Capitals are without the Great 8 a total of 7-1 .  The Capitals are not the same team as they were three years ago.  They have plenty of fire power without Ovechkin and have proven that goals and wins come easily, even without Alex.  Ask Chicago.   The unfair part of the suspension is the evidence of other, more brutal, more serious, and more intentional hits, as evidenced by the Steve Downie, Mike Richards, and Matt Cooke videos we POSTED HERE.  These hits were intentional and two of the three were aimed head shots.  No suspensions issued by the NHL.  None.  But, the push by Ovechkin and awkward fall by Campbell is suspendable.

Fact is, Gary Bettman and Colin Campbell are clowns who have failed to reign in intentional, injurious hits, and they are using Ovechkin as an example, while others are let loose.  Head shots like Matt Cooke and Mike Richards have no place in the sport.  Yet the NHL turned a blind eye.  Alex plays a fast, aggressive game, and sometimes these collisions happen. But, there was nothing intentional, the hit was not meant to be a vicious or punishing hit, Ovechkin was simply finishing off a fore check at a pretty decent speed.  That is suspendable, apparently.

One can say, well look at the damage.  Campbell is out for the rest of the regular season with broken collerbone and rib. Yes, that sucks.  If that is the reason for the suspension, then that's an issue.  Why?  Because I think David Booth and Marc Sarvard might have an issue with it as well.  Again, the message is clear, finishing off an agressive, perhaps a little too aggressive, fore check is not acceptable, but going for an intentional hit on the knee (Downie on Crosby)  and to the head (Booth and Savard), well, that is ok.  Nice job NHL.  Nice message.  Heard loud and clear.  When you look at the pure brutal nature of the Cooke and Richards hits and then realize there were no repercussions, there is nothing left to say but, Wow.  I am sure David Booth and Marc Savrad are feeling much better about their employer right now.

Here is the Washington Capital statement.

"We have no problem with the way Alex tried to finish his check," GM George McPhee said in a statement. "Unfortunately, an injury resulted. We are disappointed with the suspension but do not want to comment further."

Update, 5:50 p.m.: Tarik just spoke to Coach Bruce Boudreau at the team hotel in South Florida. Here's some of what he had to say:

"I've been pacing all day upstairs, waiting for the decision. It's a tough call for [NHL VP Colin Campbell]. I don't want his job today. ... The decision has been made. I don't agree with it. But maybe if I was [Chicago Coach] Joel Quenneville, I wouldn't think it wasn't enough. ...

"I watched [the hit] frame by frame, trying to think what they would think. To me, there's no way that was anywhere near a vicious as [Colorado enforcer David] Koci's hit on Mike [Green on Dec. 15]. Nowhere near. ...

"If you look at it, [Campbell's] skates were parallel to the net. Once Campbell dishes it off, he knows Alex is there. He doesn't hit him, he pushes him. As he's going, it looked to me like [Campbell's] left leg stumbled and he almost toe-picked the ice. He's one of the greatest skaters in the game. He's stayed healthy because he's able to avoid this. I'm sure he thought he was going to spin off it. ...

"The [refs] waited and waited. They didn't want to make the call. The last thing [referee] Dan O'Halloran wanted to do was kick Alex Ovechkin out of an NBC game. But he thought in his mind that, 'If this guy is hurt, I have to give him a five-minute major.' ...

"Alex pushed [Campbell]. He pushed him. If he doesn't fall awkwardly into the boards, a) Is it a penalty? b) Are we having this discussion? ... Alex is so much stronger than everyone else. So we're penalizing him for being strong. ..

It's a new feature article, and at times, it may be long, at times, just a sentence, but we will try and bring it daily.  It will be a wrap up of the updated that took place during the day in the Mock Databases. 

The NFL Mock Draft Database is obviously the big one right now with the coming NFL Draft.  Two of our Feature Partner Mocks, New NFL Draft and NFL Draft 101, were both updated today.  Check them out. 

We added two new mocks ot the Database today to bring the total to 341 mock drafts.  Amazing.  12 of the mock have been updated since 3/14.  Today alone, we updated 30 different mock drafts. 

What are we seeing?  The HUGE weekly mock munch will be published either WED or THUR.  We do that weekly and we munch about 90 mocks updated over the last 7 day and update the Top 9 pick projections.  Stay tuned for that.  Right now, more and more mocks are are updating, specifically mocks last updated in February, are flipping the 1st overall pick to Oklahoma QB Sam Bradford.  I would not be surprised to see Bradford approaching high 80% to 90% in this week's mock munch.  We are also seeing more and more of Bryan Bulaga, Trent Williams, and Bruce Campbell taking up spots 6 through 9, while seeing less Joe Haden and Rolando McClain.   Also, keep an eye on Tennessee's Dan Williams.  More than a few mocks are starting to slot him 9th. 

The NBA Mock Draft Database was updated today.  We added 1 new mock bringing the total to 67 mocks.  Of the 67 mocks, 22 have been updated in March.  Pretty damn good for this early.  No noticeable trends for now. 

As always, bookmark the Databases and visit often.  You can keep track of updated also by following the Mock Databases on Twitter. 

Here is the Ovechkin push on Campbell

Now, here is Steve Downie's hit on Sidney Crosby, which the No Hit League will NOT review

and Matt Cook's head shot on Marc Savard that caused a serious concussion, again, NO league action

And finally, Mike Richards brutal hit on David Booth, again, no League suspension.

So is the Ovechkin push on Campbell more seriosu than these incredibly dangerous hits.  yet each of these three went unsanctioned.  Come on NHL, get a grip.  Ovechkin pushed Campbell, Campbell awkwardly fell because of the ice.  It was not intentional, nor illegal.  Looking at it closely, the push was to more of the side of Campbell, not the back. 

The 0-10, oh wait, this really doesn't count, Washington Nationals, will reduce their roster by 6 more players today. The first one is in.  P Juan Jaime has been sent too minor league camp.  We'll have more as the cuts come in. 

UPDATE:  Bill Ladson reports that reliever Atahulpha Severino has been sent to minor leage camp.  Two down, four to go. 

UPDATE:  Three down.  Bye, bye P Aaron Thompson, acquired for Nick Johnson last year.  Ryan Mattheus also option to Harrisburg (AA).   According to Ladson. 

UPDATE:  P Colin Balestar  makes number 4.  He ha sbeen sent to minor league camp, according to Ladson. 

UPDATE:  Number 5 is a bit of a surprise.  The Nationals have released veteran reliever Ron Villone. 

Via our good friend Dan Steinberg at the DCSports Bog. 

The Washington capitals are being proactive when it comes to the push of Alexander Ovechkin on Chicago's Brian Campbell.  The Capos have formally asked the No Hit League (NHL) to rescind the major penalty on Ovechkin.  Unlikely. 

In fact, Bob McKenzie from TSN thinks Ovechkin will be suspended.   Kukla's JKorner thinks it will look bad if the No Hit League does notsuspend Ovechkin.  I beg to differ.  I think the NHL wouldlook silly suspending Ovechkin while head hunter Matt Cooke gets nothing. 

Ryan Kennedy's latest from The Hockey News believe the right call was made during the game. 

I can understand if Chicago fans want Ovie suspended, but I think the refs at the game handed out the perfect justice (though as a side note, I think I heard a couple NBC execs shriek when the marquee player in their Game of the Week was booted midway through the first period).

But suspension.  No. 

Ryan Lambert doesn't think so.  He thinks Caps fans are wrong.

But really, a play like this, and subsequent defense of it from Caps fans (hint: when you're on Mike Milbury's side of an argument, you're on the wrong side) is unconscionable. Someone's going to get seriously hurt one of these days, and it's going to put everyone -- especially Colin Campbell -- in a tough spot.

I will agree on the Milbury part.  But come on Ryan, go back and look at it.  It was a push, it was in the side, and Campbell stumbled.  Get over the Ovie hate.  Sorry.  I have watched the video over, over, and over again.  It was a push.  It was a fall by Campbell.  Is the NHL becomeing a NFL style protect the quarterback at all costs, even when a player is in mid-air trying to get the QB and a roughing the passer call ensues? 

For once I agree with Mike Milbury.  If players don't want to get hit, go play squash.  This is the NHL dammit.  Matt Cook's hit was blatant and dangerous and intentional.  No suspension.  Ovechkin was in the heat of the game, a push to the side and an unfortunate result.  Two totally diffferent scearios.  Two totally different intentions. 

Fact is, the Greatest player on the planet invokes alot of different emotions throughout the NHL and through NHL arenas.  Differing opinions are all over the board.  So what can we do....

We simply wait.