Top 10 Times George Parros Was Horrible at His Job
For me the most glaring issue with the NHL is the head of the Department of Player Safety. His name is George Parros.
Who is George Parros? Parros was a former NHL enforcer who during his career played 474 games. During that time, he had 18 goals, 18 assists, and a whopping 1092 penalty minutes. While I have complete respect for the enforcer role, I find it hard to believe that this is the man best qualified to oversee player safety. It is a common joke amongst fans that whenever an incident occurs, he spins a wheel to arbitrarily decide how many games the player will be suspended. He has no consistency and constantly fumbles decisions, and it is my opinion that he is unqualified to continue in his role next season.
To prove my point, here are my top 10 examples in which Parros was incompetent.
10. Zdeno Chara cross-check on Brendan Gallagher
I’ve wrote about this play before. It is unquestionably violent, and Chara has a lengthy history. He cross-checks him hard in the face and that isn’t nice. This league makes me feel like I’m taking crazy pills.
My opinion: 2 games minimum
Parros: $5000 fine
9. Jeff Petry hit to the head on Alex Galchenyuk
The NHL claims they are trying to eliminate blindside body checks in which the head is the principal point of contact. This is a blindside bodycheck in which the head is the principal point of contact. What else is there to say?
My opinion: 2 games minimum
Parros: Nothing.
8. Torey Krug sucker punch on Michael Bunting
This might be a hot take, but I think sucker punching another a player in the head is bad. I also think if Bunting was injured on this play Parros would have had to suspend Krug for a while. The fact that this infraction went untouched by the Department of Player Safety is remarkable. I’m 98% sure that if an NBA player did this they would go to jail. Incredible.
My opinion: 1 game minimum
Parros: Nothing
7. Taylor Hall sucker punch on Ilya Lyubushkin
I hate to repeat myself, but I love being right more. Sucker punching a guy to the back of the head is bad! Taylor Hall legitimately injured Lyubushkin on this play with a blatant punch to the head. Sure, the punch might not look terrible, but Lyubushkin was concussed and had to miss several games. I have another little secret for you guys, concussions are bad. We should be trying to stop players from getting them.
My opinion: 1 game minimum
Parros: Nothing
6. Nikita Zadorov hit to the head on Luke Glendening
On this play, Zadorov jumps in the air to deliver a shoulder to the head of Luke Glendening. This hit has two obvious no-nos. 1. Leaving your feet to make a body check and 2. Hitting a guy with the head as a principal point of contact. This one couldn’t have been easier to get right but in the NHL nothing is easy.
My opinion: 2 games obviously
Parros: Nothing
5. Evander Kane hit from behind on Brandon Hagel
Who is Evander Kane? I’m glad you asked. Prior to delivering this blatant hit from behind, Kane had been suspended for most of the year and has been accused of the following:
· Domestic violence
· Sexual assault
· Regular assault
· Tricking a girl into getting an abortion
· Faking his vaccine status
· Having no friends
· Gambling away close to 60 million dollars in career earnings
· Betting on NHL games
Kane is a repeat offender, and this hit was violent, dirty, and a clear opportunity for the NHL to throw the book at a person very deserving of a book throw.
My opinion: 5-10 games
Parros: Nothing
4. Alexis Lafrenière hit to the head on Victor Hedman
This play features a blatant hit to the head on an NHL superstar and future first-ballot member of the Hockey Hall of Fame. We should be suspending people when they make a bodycheck with the head as the principal point of contact. But what about when the head is the only point of contact? This was a blindside hit directly to the head that should be put in textbooks so the youth can learn about how not to bodycheck. This occurred in the playoffs during the game in which the New York Rangers got eliminated. Parros could have suspended him for games at the beginning of next season. This would have been the correct ruling because the next time Lafrenière hits a guy in the head he will be viewed as a first-time offender when he isn’t one. This should have been as simple as not scheduling your wedding on a hot summer day.
My opinion: 2 games obviously
Parros: Nothing
3. Tom Wilson destroys the New York Rangers
I love Tom Wilson. He’s so hot. I don’t want to say anything bad about the guy and I won’t. Watch the clip for yourself and you will see he is legitimately attacking two players, one of them a superstar, completely unprovoked. I think the Department of Player Safety should protect the safety of players. Allowing a player to take liberties with stars from another team is a bad precedent to set. Tom Wilson is a repeat offender who should be on a much tighter leash.
My opinion: 1-2 games
Parros: $5000 fine
2. Brad Marchand sucker punch on Tristan Jarry
Okay this one is a little more complicated so stick with me. Brad Marchand is undoubtably a loveable rat scumbag beauty who everyone should either hate or love (but nothing in between). He’s a dirty player at times but he’s also one of the best wingers in the league. I love Brad Marchand and if you dislike him, you’re 100% right. Anyways, I believe this suspension was about more than the sucker punch to Jarry. Marchand had spoken out against the league several times in the months leading up to this punch and they were dying for a chance to throw the book at him. Here’s an article with some examples.
https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/bruins-brad-marchand-speaks-taxi-squads-olympic-decision/
This punch is lighter than the above by Krug and Hall yet why is the suspension so much greater? It’s because Parros and the league had a personal vendetta against Marchand, and this was their chance to get him back.
My opinion: 1 game
Parros: 3 games
1. Jared Spurgeon cross-check on Pavel Buchnevich
This was the dirtiest play of the year. If Buchnevich was injured by this cross-check the suspension could have been 10 games and everyone would have been okay with it. The fact Buchnevich wasn’t injured on the play is extremely fortunate and this was a clear attempt to injure.
My opinion: 5-10 games obviously
Parros: $5000 fine
I have been meaning to write this article for a while now.
Everything I can’t stand about the NHL starts with this jabroni. He is negligent and unqualified to protect the players. I read Brian Burke’s book a while back and I remember being irritated when he talked about how hard it is to run the Department of Player Safety. There is no reason for it to be difficult if you are consistent and fair. A committee should spend a weekend drinking Bud Light while laying out all the dangerous things a player can do and decide how many games they are worth. Then talk about repeat offenders and how to deal with them.
Head shot = 2 games
Biting = 5 games
Spitting = 5 games
Head butting = 3 games
Sucker punching = 2 games
Taking off your skate and trying to stab somebody = Lifetime ban
They need to make the rules as black and white as possible so they can be consistent. Hire a team of people to watch every game closely to make sure they catch everything. I want the league to be better next year, and an overhaul of the Department of Player Safety is the most obvious place to start.
Did I leave anything out? Let us know in the etc.