Raffi Torres Should Have Been Suspended Longer Than A Series!

Apr. 15, 2013; Glendale, AZ, USA; San Jose Sharks left wing

(13) hits Phoenix Coyotes defenseman

(3) during the first period at Jobing.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports

The Breaking news in the NHL is that Raffi Torres is suspended for the remainder of the San Jose Sharks vs Los Angeles Kings series after his hit to the head of Jarret Stoll.  The NHL acted quickly in suspending Torres for the series but did they correctly decide on proper length of his suspension.

Torres is the poster child for repeat offender and yet his sentence continues to get smaller.  He is a player that has no regard for the health of others and not just playing a physical brand of hockey.  The problem is he is a head hunter.  People will look at the video from Tuesday night and say that it was just a hard playoff hockey play but I disagree.  There is one thing to play physical but there never is a reason for the shoulder to connect with another players head.

The reason this is such a big deal is to me is because its been barely over a year since he sent

to the hospital ending his playoffs.  If you forget how bad the hit was here’s a reminder.

After that hit Torres was suspended for 25 games and you would have thought the message would have been sent, and  after multiple head shots that Torres would know that Brendan Shanhan was serious about player safety.  Torres was traded at the deadline to the San Jose Sharks from the Phoenix Coyotes and helped them finish in the #6 spot in the Western Conference and he was under the radar and on his best behavior.

Torres was solid in the opening series sweep against the Vancouver Canucks which led them to face the Los Angeles Kings.  Torres after almost a complete season of good behavior, was up to his old tricks with this Jarret Stoll hit.

These of course aren’t his only transgressions but they are his last two that have injured people in the head.  This is 2013 and head hunting and concussions are the worst terms any sports can face.  Instead of  a series long suspension, Ban Raffi Torres should have been suspended for a year MINIMUM!!

You missed the chance to send a message NHL, Torres is a repeat offender and will always goon it up when the chips are down. The NHL should have given  him a year off and maybe a season in the KHL to learn that the NHL is not going to deal with his antics.

The NHL missed the opportunity to put their foot down for player safety.  The sad part or question is in 2013-2014 who will be the next player injured by Raffi Torres because the NHL didn’t step up for their own players safety, and then we will be showing these two videos as proof he should be banned from the NHL.

What do you think? How long should have Torres been suspended?