Bertuzzi Caught In An Avalanche Of Problems

Tyler Bertuzzi was suspended for two games Monday night by the NHL Department of Player Safety for a sucker punch on Colarados' Matt Calvert. This scrum ensued after Mike Green hit Calvert into the Detroit bench, resulting in Matt's twig hitting several Red Wings. Rasmussen and Bertuzzi proceeded to hold onto the opposing player's stick, forcing Calvert into a game of tug-of-war and leaving him with two options: passively skate away back to your bench weaponless or do whatever it takes to claim whats yours. Matty took the latter.

This use to be considered a hockey play. If you get hit into an opponents bench, expect bottom 6 forwards to mess with you, and if you mess with an opposing player -- expect some form of retaliation. That's why the refs made no calls after the scuffle. But unfortunately for players like Bertuzzi, social media justice warriors make these calls now.

Once the DoPS caught wind of these complaints, they responded Monday night to take action.

Sure, most new-age hockey fans are disgusted by this play, but they also think Tyler is the son of former NHL power forward Todd Bertuzzi. Although some found it refreshing to see shades of the most sadistic, savage rivalry in pro sport.

For nearly a decade, the Avalanche and Red Wings games were must-see TV. These two teams had handfuls of Hall of Famers engulfed in this rivalry. Times are different now and definitely for the better. But nothing is more captivating than witnessing legends exchange goals and fists for almost a decade. They also make what happened Sunday night look like a pillow fight. These two teams sincerely hated one another and it showed every time they hit the ice. Nowadays, you wouldn't be surprised to see opposing players tie each others skates before the games.

Earlier this season, Torts expressed his concerns on the current state of the NHL that resonated with many hockey fans.

It isn't exactly the National Hugging League -- yet, but if fans keep calling for players heads after every form of contact, we will turn hockey into the ice capades or even worse; beer league hockey. In terms of skill level, this is the greatest hockey that has ever been played. But feeling a little more animosity towards your opponents may bring out a little bit more fire in the players.

I am not here to encourage sucker punches on anyone. That's cowardly and deserves to be punished. But spearing someone warrants a sucker more than a trip to the doctors office does. No one was innocent in this play and no one was harmed, however, only one person is serving a punishment and facing ridicule. Calvert is certainly no choirboy with a history of suspensions involving stick infractions, meanwhile, this marks the first suspension of Tyler's career. Bertuzzi may have taken it a little further, but no skirmish is ever dead-even. I am positive that if both players could have it their way, they would move on from this completely and handle it however they choose to next time they play each other. But now, unfortunately for Tyler, he will be missing a few games as the 11th player to catch a suspension this year. Suspensions are currently at an all-time high, while PIMS and fighting is at an all-time low.

Should one of the NHL's primary objectives be the safety of the players? Absolutely. And I don't want to sound like a hardo hockey dad, but at some point, you need to let the boys play.

in his second year in the NHL, Bertuzzi leads the Red Wings in penalty minutes while remaining in the top 5 for scoring. So it's unlikely he will alter his playing style when he returns

That being said, if you're on the Avalanche and a Bertuzzi is on the ice, always remember to keep your head on a swivel.