Rangers legend Mark Messier can’t stand one trend in the NHL.
Capitals winger Tom Wilson received a boarding penalty during the team’s 3-2 win over the Rangers on Saturday for a hit on center Jonny Brodzinski.
Messier criticized Brodzinski, who went to the locker room after the hit, for being at fault for putting himself in danger.
“I’m just so tired of players putting themselves in vulnerable positions,” Messier said on ESPN’s broadcast. “This is crazy. I would’ve played five years in the league if I would have turned my back [like] that. I played 26 [years] because I never put myself in vulnerable positions for a player to make a mistake. …
“You can see [Tom] Wilson actually let up on him on the hit. [Brodzinski] is in a vulnerable position. … He put himself in a vulnerable position for no reason. He saw him coming, at least turn sideways to be able to absorb the hit and protect the puck if that’s what you want to do.”
Messier went even further, pleading with the next generation to ignore Brodzinski’s antics.
“Boys and girls, do not put yourself in that position,” Messier said. “It’s a learning skill. You gotta to be able to, self-survival out there.”
Ex-NHL defenseman P.K. Subban, now an analyst with ESPN, agreed.
“Everyone wants to give a hit, but you gotta know how to take one,” Subban said. “Sometimes a guy’s got you lined up, [Brodzinski] sees him coming, he takes a look, he knows Tom Wilson’s coming, you turn at that last second and then you try to draw the penalty. …
“This is where the refs gotta crack down on that, they gotta clean that up. As a D-man, you’re coming in to make that hit. A guys turns like that, this happens every game, and we just don’t wanna see these being called in important times in the game and being big decisions.”
