Montreal Police Investigate Hockey Hit

[Gravekeeper]

I think Chara DID intend to hit the guy hard but I don't think he intended to plow him into the stanchion and mess him up that bad. You hit someone in any sport and they can land one of a thousand different ways resulting in wildly different outcomes.

This is the thing though, a professional player with his experience knows where that thing is. There's no way he didn't know. The angle he came in on the hit, it was in his field of view. I don't think he meant to fracture his neck or anything, but he certainly meant to lay him into it. If you stick someone's face into a pole then insist on driving 240lbs into the rest of his body, something bad is going to happen. >.>

And yeah, you can land 1000 different ways, which is why they drill it into your head *not* to check around that thing. Or run someone head first into the boards from behind. Or jump up when you check. Or take more than two strides before you hit someone.

He knew better.