Claude Giroux delivers the Best Headshot in the World

By Finesse

If we had to choose between the Flyers losing or world peace, we'd actually have to spend some time thinking about it.  That's how important world peace is to us.

In this spirit, we'd like to take this morning to weigh in on yet another flash point in the twice-daily string of headshot debates, which all follow the same predictable pattern: 1) headshot delivered; 2) immediate Twitter outrage; 3) sarcastic hashtags on Twitter about the TV announcers' reactions to the headshot; 4) watching the hit on Puck Daddy; 5) complaining about Shanahan's inconsistency; 6) next headshot delivered; 7) wash; 8) rinse; 9) repeat.

It's not that we don't care about headshots -- let's just ban them all already to save us the aggravation -- it's the comparative moralizing and faux outrage sparked by each hit that bores us.  James Neal headshots a Flyer? Philly fans call for his head.  Claude Giroux, The Best Player in the World, throws a tantrum on the ice, headshots Dainius Zubrus? He just grazed the head, right?  Pens fans are as guilty of this as anyone, so here's the bottom line: with some minor exceptions, everyone is the same.  Your best player will get hit in the head, and he will hit someone in the head.  Your dirtiest player will do the same.

Instead of recognizing this, many fans feign "objectivity" when analyzing these hits to support what we want to be true, i.e., that our star player is not just more talented than your star player, but also plays the game in a more dignified manner.  Or they get all Jay Bilas-y and overcompensate for their perceived biases by being overly harsh on the team that they are supposedly biased for.

Duke sucks.

Because we have no interest in that charade, and we recognize that all teams have employed, do employ, and will employ guys that deliver illegal checks, we usually sit on the sidelines and watch Against the Odds clips on YouTube (John Steigerwald apparently doesn't age) while others debate whether Raffi Torres deserved a 25-game suspension, how Matt Cooke should be put down, and whether Mario is a hypocrite or the world's worst hypocrite.  Except for today.

Our analysis of the Giroux-Zubrus hit after the jump...

Last night in New Jersey (<-- rarely followed by anything good), Giroux hit Zubrus square in the head well after Zubrus had gotten rid of the puck.  Thankfully, because we're rooting for New Jersey, Zubrus was uninjured.  It wasn't the most vicious headshot we've ever seen, but it's among the most intentional.



You can't analyze the Giroux hit without the context of what was going on before it.  For about 10 seconds leading up to the hit, Giroux was engaged in an embarrassing hissy fit directed at the officials (leadership, not whining, of course).  He was gesticulating wildly and when he didn't get his way, he did what most babies do.  He acted out.  But instead of laying down on the ice, kicking his legs in the air and dirtying his diaper, he hit Zubrus in the head.  Anyone who has ever played hockey can tell you -- hell, anyone who has ever been pissed off can tell you -- that Giroux's headshot was deliberate.



There is too much hockey left to play in this second round.  The series is far from over.  The Devils have outclassed the Flyers over the first 4 games of the series, but we know first-hand how dangerous Philly is.  But we also know they're a little less dangerous if Giroux is out of the lineup, which is why WE ARE SO OUTRAGED BY THIS HIT GET THIS BUM OUT OF THE LEAGUE IF SHANAHAN DOESN'T WE WILL DO IT OURSELVES.

The verdict: a one-game Timeout for the big baby.

Go Devils.