Absolutely Disgusting

In case you've been living under a rock, news came out today that Zdeno Chara will not be suspended for his hit on Max Pacioretty. If you haven't seen the hit, I suggest you take a look at it (you can watch it here).
The reasons Mike Murphy listed for not implementing any supplemental discipline included the lack of a previous record, the lack of intent-to-injure, and, based on the play, Chara made the correct play.

"I conducted a hearing with Boston Bruins' defenseman Zdeno Chara with respect to the major penalty for interference and game misconduct that he was assessed at 19:44 of the second period for a hit on Max Pacioretty of the Montreal Canadiens.
"After a thorough review of the video I can find no basis to impose supplemental discipline.  This hit resulted from a play that evolved and then happened very quickly -- with both players skating in the same direction and with Chara attempting to angle his opponent into the boards.  I could not find any evidence to suggest that, beyond this being a correct call for interference, that Chara targeted the head of his opponent, left his feet or delivered the check in any other manner that could be deemed to be dangerous.
"This was a hockey play that resulted in an injury because of the player colliding with the stanchion and then the ice surface.  In reviewing this play, I also took into consideration that Chara has not been involved in a supplemental discipline incident during his 13-year NHL career."  

Certainly most of the reasons listed are accurate, but I have to bring up one thing the NHL did not -- even if Chara had no intention to injure Pacioretty, he still did, did he not? Chara is a big guy at 6'9''. He ought to know his own strength. He is tall. He ought to have been able to see over Pacioretty's head, and he should have seen the stanchion, and when he saw it, he should have backed off on the hit.

Murphy also claims, "I could not find any evidence to suggest that ... Chara targeted the head of his opponent." If that is what Murphy believes, I'd like to know how he can say that when Chara had his hand pressed against Pacioretty's head as his head was shoved into the stanchion. It's worth taking a look at this photo (courtesy TSN and Puck Daddy). In the photo, Chara's left arm is elevated, his hand pushing Pacioretty's head. Given that the two of them skated along beside the boards for a good few seconds, it goes without saying that Chara could have altered his hit to make it safer. For one, do not be pushing on your opponent's head. Chara could have laid a completely legal hip check in this situation, and given Chara's size, that type of hit would still be effective -- and it would not cause the devastating injuries this hit did.

Last, the responsibility falls on Mike Murphy and everyone involved in the supplemental discipline process for the National Hockey League. Even if we were to view Chara's actions as both legal and without an intent to injure, the NHL still made a mistake in not assigning Chara a suspension or even fine. Suppose Chara did act legally and without intent to injure (I do not believe this to be the case, but suppose it for this moment). Even in that case, the NHL has to put a foot down and say, "Just because there is not rule concerning this very specific type of hit does not mean you will get off free of punishment." Chara may have acted completely legally, but that does not change the fact that what he did was very dangerous. There are currently no laws that require you to reduce the speed of your vehicle when conditions are dangerous, but if the speed limit of a road is normally 65 mph, in harsh rain one should not be driving 65 mph. While driving 65 would technically not be illegal, that does not change the fact that it is extremely dangerous. In the case of the Chara hit, the NHL must come in and say, "Chara may have acted legally under all rules currently governing play in the National Hockey League, but his actions were nonetheless reckless and dangerous, and we will not stand for such plays in our league." By letting Chara off free of punishment, the NHL is setting a precedent. Unfortunately, they are setting that as long as one acts within the technical definitions of the rules currently in place, they will not be suspended or fined, even if they injure another player to the point where that other player may never return to the game.

It is disgusting that the NHL did not suspend Zdeno Chara.

Absolutely disgusting.

This makes me embarrassed to be a hockey fan.