Steve Ott should probably just chill out

Being an agitator in the NHL is a time honored tradition. Lots of players have made a name for themselves as pests and had long careers because of it. Steve Ott is one of those players and is somehow still playing at 34 years of age. Last night he speared Zdeno Chara, maybe, I don’t know, just chill out man.

For someone who has played in the league as long as Ott, you would expect him to have a better head on his shoulders. These types of moves are not only idiotic but are damaging to both the team and his own personal reputation. A career hasn’t been ended due to a spear, we know that to be true, it is just another action in a series of actions that could lead to something bigger.

Somehow, Ott didn’t get a five minute major and a match penalty for this incident. He ended up getting a matching unsportsmanlike conduct penalty with Chara. Only to make matters worse, this happened 43 seconds into the game! How could anyone be such a dunce?

Hockey is known to be physical and some of the hits the league has allowed are borderline at best. On that note though, they are trying to get rid of pointless hits. Hits where they are separating the puck and the puck carrier have mostly been let go even if it teeters on the edge of dirty. They want more consistent hockey plays, this spear from Ott is anything but that.

The league won’t suspend him, which is awfully sad considering the violent nature of the play. You can’t blame Chara for taking exception to it either. Ott was brought in to be a presence on the fourth line for the Wings, this can’t be what Ken Holland and co. thought they were getting from him when they signed him. For hockey to improve as a sport, this needs to go. Ott knows better and should be reprimanded accordingly. Hockey is just a game after all, no need to actively work on injuring someone. Just chill out man.