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Centennials game on March 4th 2022.
Here is the press release from the BCHL website,
Ben Ward's Player Profile:
Merritt Centennials defenceman Geoff Bjarnason has been suspended one game for receiving a Gross Misconduct for undoing his chin strap before a fight.
Geoff Bjarnason's Player Profile:
Geoff Bjarnason - Elite Prospects
Vernon Vipers defenceman Cade McNelly has been suspended four games. Three games after his minor penalty and a misconduct for a Blow to the Head was increased to a mjor penalty and a game misconduct, and one game for receiving a Gross Misconduct for undoing his chin strap before a fight.
Cade McNelly BTH Mar 4 - YouTube
Cade McNelly's Player Profile:
12 comments:
I saw the video of Cade's hit. This hit was vicious and with bad intent. He clearly is a loose cannon with no discipline. Cade is a disgrace of a hockey player for his current behavior and as far as I am concerned should be barred from playing in this league and sent home. I truly am surprised that Jason the coach and his staff have not put down the hammer on this JERK.
Cade is not a hockey player he is a Bully and belongs somewhere else. ITS TRULY IS A SHAME.
Well said Bingo. This is also are reflection of the incompetent recruiting of players by Tom Glenn and Jason Mckee, especially 20 year olds that take up valuable roster spots.
I absolutely HATE what the BCHL has done to this league. As a hockey fan I want to watch hockey not basketball on ice!!! I am well aware of the modern information on concussions. Absolutely penalize and suspend players who TARGET the head. IF 2 honourable players want to fight and undo their chinstraps so they don't break their knuckles the league suspends them. One free fight and then suspensions, what a joke. I don't want to see hockey like the old junior b days where it was fighting before hockey but boys will be boys. Cancel the cancel culture please!!!! Otherwise we may as well just watch the adult drop in shinny at lunch hour...
I just watched the the fight in question and it looked to be okay until the end. I still think there is nothing wrong with 2 willing guys dropping the mitts. I will agree that McNelly is a POS. He kept on hitting the player after it was clear he should STOP. But what do you expect from this management group? This is on the BCHL for allowing shady owners into the league. Nepotism at it's finest. Anybody with enough money can join this league and do whatever they want apparently. Shame,Shame,Shame. I know exactly what would have happened under the old regime. McNelly would be working the drivethru at McDonalds...
Brutal!!! This was not an accident or a result of a glancing blow during a fight for the puck. Nor did it occur in a hard fought, intense game. It was away from the play and happened in a one sided blowout and was vicious and intentional. There is no place in hockey for a player so undisciplined who has no respect for the game or his opponents. It is also an embarrassment for the Vipers and I agree with BINGO that McNelly should be released.
The ultimate reason that there has been a move to reduce not just fighting and increase penalties for fighting, removing helmets, hits to the head and so on is MONEY. Organized hockey has to carry insurance in case a player is incapacitated during a game. The insurer insists that the league do its "due diligence" (geez, I hate that phrase) to prevent these injuries.
So we've had an increase in penalties for any behaviour on the ice that could lead to an injury claim. Imagine if the linesmen just stepped back and let helmetless players fight, and one of them fell, struck his head on the ice, and wound up incapacitated. The insurance claim or lawsuit would be for more than the league is worth. If the league let hits to the head go unpunished, there would be evidence of not doing "due diligence". Somebody may still be badly injured, but hockey has to demonstrate it's doing its best to control it and keep their coverage.
Can’t believe Vernon vipers traded away good players for Cade McNelly.
"Good Players Traded Away".....WHO ??????
The Vipers didn't trade anyone for Cade McNelly. At the BCHL trade deadline on January 10th the Vipers released defenceman Adam Bourgeois and forward Kjell Kjemhus and signed defenceman Cade McNelly and forward Copeland Fricker.
McNelly's not the league leader in games suspended this season. Jordan Chudley of Chilliwack just got a six game suspension to go along with seven games that he got in November. He, too, is a 20 year old ex-WHLer.
Yes, VDHF, you are correct. However, basically the Vipers released Bourgeois, who has since signed with West Kelowna, in order to add McNelly. In hindsight, what a horrible decision! To give up a skilled 17 year old with loads of upside for an undisciplined 20 year old with questionable skills & suspect defensive ability illustrates the poor decision making of the Viper GM/ownership. And it also certainly points out their bad scouting. They basically traded talent for toughness and this kind of toughness, thuggery really, has no place in todays BCHL. Perhaps McKee wasn’t willing to groom a young player with 3 years of eligibility. Who knows why the Viper brain trust continue to make poor decisions like this but it may be part of the reason longtime fans are leaving.
Marty, I’m not sure about your assessment on Bourgeois….to be clear, he signed as a AP in WK, definitely not on their regular season roster. As far as “Skilled” ? He had Zero goals / Zero assists in 18 games, I think Bourgeois has a chance to play in the league next year, but IMO much better off to develop at Midget, where he is more competitive. The present group of defence, are one of the major reasons the Vipers have been winning since the start of 22 !
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