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| quote: | Originally posted by DOOMBOT
I can't watch that from work. Is this the incident where the player slams into the goalie? |
On February 16, 2004, during a Vancouver-Colorado game, Avalanche center Steve Moore injured Canucks team captain Markus Näslund by checking him in the head area while Näslund was reaching for a puck ahead of him with his head down. Näslund, the league's leading scorer at the time, suffered a minor concussion and a bonechip in his elbow as a result of the hit, knocking him out of the lineup for three games. Referee Dan Marouelli did not call a penalty, which drew the ire of many Canucks, but the league ruled that Marouelli was correct in his judgment; it was ruled a legal hit bearing no punishment.
Canucks head coach Marc Crawford publicly criticized the non-call, claiming that Marouelli and his partner, Rob Martell, needed to show "respect" for the league's leading scorer. General manager Brian Burke, the league's former chief disciplinarian, called the play "a headhunting hit."[3] Some Canucks players supposedly issued a "bounty" on Moore's head."[4]
During another Vancouver-Colorado game three weeks after the Naslund hit, on March 8, 2004, Moore fought Matt Cooke in the first period. Late in the third period, Bertuzzi began following Moore down the ice and tried to start a fight. When Moore ignored him, Bertuzzi grabbed hold of Moore's jersey, and punched Moore in the side of the head from behind. Bertuzzi then pushed him down headfirst into the ice.[5][6]
After lying on the ice for several minutes, Moore was removed on a stretcher. Moore suffered three fractured vertebrae in his neck, a grade three concussion, vertebral ligament damage, stretching of the brachial plexus nerves, and facial cuts.
Aftermath
On 10 March 2004, Bertuzzi scheduled a press conference where he emotionally apologized to Moore and his family, as well as to Burke, Canucks owner John McCaw, the Canucks organization, his teammates, and the fans. "I’m truly sorry. I don’t play the game that way, I’m not a mean-spirited person. And I’m sorry for what happened."[7]
Bertuzzi was suspended indefinitely by the NHL, and lost approximately $500,000 in pay. The Vancouver Canucks were also fined $250,000, on 11 March 2004 for "...failure to prevent the atmosphere that may have led to [the incident]."
Although Bertuzzi had played in a charity game in Vancouver that was arranged during the 2004-05 NHL lockout, the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) had extended his suspension to cover their jurisdiction. This meant that Bertuzzi could not play hockey in Europe during the lockout. It was felt that in the European leagues, Bertuzzi would have drawn too much negative publicity.
On 24 June 2004, the criminal justice branch of the British Columbia Ministry of the Attorney General announced that Bertuzzi was formally charged with assault causing bodily harm. On 22 December 2004 Bertuzzi pleaded guilty to the assault charge after arranging a plea bargain with prosecutors. He was given a conditional discharge and one year's probation. (Under Canadian law, Bertuzzi's successful completion of the probation means he has no criminal record from the incident.)[8]
On February 17, 2005, Bertuzzi was named in a lawsuit filed by Moore, who has not played at all since the injury. Also named were Brad May (who was quoted as saying that there would "definitely be a price on Moore's head" after the game), Brian Burke and the Canucks team. The lawsuit was thrown out in October 2005, as the Colorado judge felt that British Columbia was a better venue for the suit. Moore plans to appeal the lawsuit.[9]
On August 8, 2005, the NHL announced that Bertuzzi would be allowed to play again at the start of the 2005-06 NHL season.[10] In the league's decision, they cited many reasons for ending the suspension, such as:
* Bertuzzi serving a suspension of 20 games, which at the time tied for 4th longest in NHL history (13 regular season games, 7 playoff games)[11]
* Bertuzzi's repeated attempts to apologize to Mr. Moore personally
* Bertuzzi's forfeited salary ($501,926.39 USD)
* Lost endorsements (approximately $350,000.00 USD)
* Significant uncertainty, anxiety, stress and emotional pain caused to Bertuzzi's family
* The commissioner's belief that Bertuzzi was genuinely remorseful and apologetic for his actions
On August 15, 2005, Bertuzzi broke his 17 month long silence by once again admitting to his mistake and expressing a desire to move on with his life. "I'm sure just like Steve Moore and his family, it's been difficult for both parties. I know I wish that day never happened. It's been some tough times, but I've got good family and good friends and good peers in the league that have helped me get over the hump and move forward and come through it."[12]
On November 8, 2005, Moore's Toronto-based lawyer, Tim Danson, said that Moore was skating and doing regular workouts, but continued to suffer concussion-related symptoms.[9]
On February 16, 2006, Moore filed a civil suit in the province of Ontario against Bertuzzi, the Canucks, and the parent company of the Canucks, Orca Bay Sports and Entertainment. He is seeking CAD$15 million in pecuniary damages for loss of income, CAD$1 million for aggravated damages, and CAD$2 million for punitive damages. Moore's parents Jack and Anna, who were watching their son on television when the attack happened, are also suing, seeking CAD$1.5 million for "for negligent infliction of nervous shock and mental distress."[13] There was some question in the media as to the timing of the lawsuit, which was filed shortly after the first game in the Olympics for Team Canada and Bertuzzi, but Moore's lawyer Tim Danson said, "There's nothing to the timing other than the fact that there's a limitation period."[14] The statute of limitations he referred was based on linking the charges to the Näslund hit, and thus expired on February 17, 2006.
As of December 15, 2006, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman is attempting to get Bertuzzi and Moore to agree on an out-of-court settlement in the CAD$19.5 million lawsuit filed by Moore.[15] Bertuzzi offered $350,000 to settle the case, an amount which was called "an insult" by Moore's lawyer
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