Charlie McAvoy offered an in person hearing by Player Safety

[Brawndo]

 

[Trettioåtta]

Good. The league needs to ahve zero tolerance for people using the stick as a weapon. It's incredibly dangerous, even if Benson was dirty with the slewfoot.

[quill]

The way he went after Benson it looked more like intent to murder with a deadly weapon. Good thing that crazy pisspot was restrained.

[Second Line Center]

Better be 5 games to start 2026 minimum.  
 

Not just a horrendous look for McAvoy but it makes the league - which is on fire right now - look bad too.   
 

As to all the slew foot talk regarding Benson - not sure that’s what he was doing as much as just bracing himself for some dirt bag move he’s seen in this series by Boston or just what’s been done to him.  

[LGR4GM]

12 minutes ago, Brawndo said:

 

[SabreFinn]

Offered a hearing? Offer him a shrink!

[DarthEbriate]

A baseline 5-game suspension (equivalent to missing 1 NFL game, schedule-wise) would clean much of this up around the league. That way, there's no worry about "is that suspension worthy?" It simply is, and you sit. The league could always have escalators for repeat offenders and seriously egregious things (McSorley, Bertuzzi, betting on games). And a slate wouldn't just wipe clean when a new person took over the DOPS office.

That way, they can save that ridiculous $5k fines for all the random slashes and such after the whistle. One donation per slash. Crosby/Sanheim would've each donated $15k to charity at the end of their Game 1/2/3 kerfluffle, whichever it was.

That would significantly clean it up.

Would hockey fans want it cleaned up?

[Porous Five Hole]

18 minutes ago, Second Line Center said:

Better be 5 games to start 2026 minimum.  
 

Not just a horrendous look for McAvoy but it makes the league - which is on fire right now - look bad too.   
 

I believe the minimum suspension for an in-person hearing in the NHL is six games.

[Taro T]

37 minutes ago, Brawndo said:

 

Figured he'd get a suspension, but was expecting just a game or 2.  Here's to hoping he gets a long sit down before getting his season rolling.  AND here's to the Sabres having a H&H with them while he's out of commission.

[RETURNTOGLORY]

40 minutes ago, Second Line Center said:

Better be 5 games to start 2026 minimum.  
 

Not just a horrendous look for McAvoy but it makes the league - which is on fire right now - look bad too.   
 

As to all the slew foot talk regarding Benson - not sure that’s what he was doing as much as just bracing himself for some dirt bag move he’s seen in this series by Boston or just what’s been done to him.  

Do I hear 10 games?

[oddoublee]

What Zach Benson did to Boston mentally is simply a thing to behold. They lost all mental discipline this series thinking of ways to kill Benson. 

That's what I call a pack of mental midgets. 

[Dude]

1 minute ago, oddoublee said:

What Zach Benson did to Boston mentally is simply a thing to behold. They lost all mental discipline this series thinking of ways to kill Benson. 

That's what I call a pack of mental midgets. 

They went mental over the midget?

[rickshaw]

I still don’t believe Benson made a kicking motion to him. He looked to be hustling to beat the icing, McAvoy cuts across him and he braced both his feet and caught him. I don’t think there was intent.

Idc how McAvoy feels. He was extremely dirty on more than one occasion and his response was not of sound mind. The fact he jumped up and immediately had his stick raised and ready to chop is a clear indicator of intent. There is no place in the sport for that.

[Captain Caveman]

That seals it, just bought my Benson jersey

[SJSabres Fan]

I’m not sure I understand “offered”.   I would think you get called in front of the board or not. Are they “hoping” he has a good explanation?  

[...]

4 hours ago, oddoublee said:

What Zach Benson did to Boston mentally is simply a thing to behold. They lost all mental discipline this series thinking of ways to kill Benson. 

That's what I call a pack of mental midgets. 

 Benson and Dahlin.

 

[Spoonman]

4 hours ago, RETURNTOGLORY said:

Do I hear 10 games?

41 - he could’ve ended Benson’s career if he hit him in the right place

Edited May 3 by Spoonman

[Spoonman]

4 hours ago, oddoublee said:

What Zach Benson did to Boston mentally is simply a thing to behold. They lost all mental discipline this series thinking of ways to kill Benson. 

That's what I call a pack of mental midgets. 

Basten fans are mental midgets. I despise them & Dallas twinkles & cow fans - *****.

[rickshaw]

5 hours ago, RETURNTOGLORY said:

Do I hear 10 games?

The league has a very good opportunity to sen a clear message with a double digit suspension.

The only thing different than the Mcsorely slash was it wasn’t in the head. McAvoy immediately raised his stick and skated 12’ to lay the lumber. There is absolutely no place for this, as I said before. So 10 should be the minimum imo. Make players think about their actions.

[clink]

7 hours ago, RETURNTOGLORY said:

Do I hear 10 games?

1/2 season would be fitting IMO

a scumbag move, weaponizing his stick in such a manner 

amazes me that Bhawston plays the "victim" card while multiple examples of their scumbaggery can be called up from this series, including the high elbow to Doan's dome towards the end of game 6 

F*ck McAvoy

F*ck the Bruns 

F*ck Bhawston!!!

 

 

[shrader]

4 hours ago, SJSabres Fan said:

I’m not sure I understand “offered”.   I would think you get called in front of the board or not. Are they “hoping” he has a good explanation?  

He doesn’t have to actually attend. 

[#freejame]

It seems like some posters have a hard time admitting they actually do like dirty players. Benson is a rat. Embrace him and that part of yourself. Hockey is more fun because of guys like Benson. 

[Wyldnwoody44]

1 hour ago, #freejame said:

It seems like some posters have a hard time admitting they actually do like dirty players. Benson is a rat. Embrace him and that part of yourself. Hockey is more fun because of guys like Benson. 

Dirty is a tough sell. Kucherov is dirty but gets away with it.... Gudas is actually dirty. Benson plays on an edge. But taking a 2 handed baseball swing is unacceptable and not "dirty" it's worse, McAvoy deserves to be sitting for a while when the season starts, that's assault and not a hockey play. 

Malkin got a few games when he did similar to Dahlin and even his wasn't as egregious (though it was to the face), but the velocity and the overall event here is uncalled for and not in the spirit of the game. Not only does he deserve a suspension, but as soon as we see him again, he gets a can-opener or a spear, at the very least. 

[Archie Lee]

3 hours ago, #freejame said:

It seems like some posters have a hard time admitting they actually do like dirty players. Benson is a rat. Embrace him and that part of yourself. Hockey is more fun because of guys like Benson. 

Benson definitely plays to the edge. Most often at the net, where he borderline slashes the goalie a split second after the puck is covered. I think he is more of an irritating rat who has no fear of getting punched or slashed, than he is dirty. I think it is this lack of fear that drives other teams crazy. He will do something and then get cross-checked or punched, and then just do the thing again. I’ve yet to see Benson do anything unhinged out of anger (like McAvoy); his actions do always seem to be calculated.

Edited May 3 by Archie Lee

[JustOneParade]

So Benson will have drawn even more penalty minutes than we originally thought in Game 6?