Kronwall, Kronwalling.

[Great58]

Not for nothing Great58, but "keep your head up" is kinda superfluous.

Yeah, but when you look at most of the big Kronwall hits, that's where the problem usually starts.

[youtube][/youtube]

[joopen]

The problem really starts when he launches himself off the ice at your head. Over half of those hits involved either leaving his feet or point of contact being the head.

[Pavel Bure]

I wish he was on our team.

[dman66]

The thing that bugs me most about Kronwall's hits is that he basically leads with his back all the time. Most of his bigger hits are like this and they look so awkward.

If it's effective, I'm not sure style points are important... amiright?

My question, building off the idea that his hits are often predictable and are all very similar in 'style', is how do you protect yourself as a forward? Go low?

No, I agree. I mean, I don't think he launches himself as much as people say (though he has in the past), but his hits are always so awkward looking and I think that plays a part in that thinking. It's not like Scott Stevens where the shoulder was going to your head, especially if it was down.

Edit - Just watched some of the top 10 and yeah, a good part of them show him leading with his back. There's nothing illegal about it, but it's just strange.

[shmenguin]

kronwall leaves his feet less than people think. he usually gets airborne after contact. which would be fine...except for the fact that he consistently makes people's heads the primary point of contact. whether or not the other guy was appropriately defending himself by "keeping his head up" couldn't be less relevant in terms of right/wrong.

[Idoit40fans]

The whole before/during/after distinction is all BS anyways. If you target a guy's head, who cares when you left your feet?

Ok then I agree with that. But if you guys are telling me that you can distinctly tell he left his feet prior to the hit I am going to have to say its inconclusive.

Fair enough. I still say it doesn't matter. NHL has let him go after guys' heads for years. Then they showcase him when he's a bottom feeder who hides behind his teammates or the refs like Sean Avery.

Or like Rick Nash.

[Great58]

kronwall leaves his feet less than people think. he usually gets airborne after contact. which would be fine...except for the fact that he consistently makes people's heads the primary point of contact. whether or not the other guy was appropriately defending himself by "keeping his head up" couldn't be less relevant in terms of right/wrong.

Keeping one's head up has no bearing on the right/wrongness of Kronwall's hits. It's just the best defense to avoid the hit, or minimizing the damage.

[Faubert5]

kronwall leaves his feet less than people think. he usually gets airborne after contact. which would be fine...except for the fact that he consistently makes people's heads the primary point of contact. whether or not the other guy was appropriately defending himself by "keeping his head up" couldn't be less relevant in terms of right/wrong.

Even if it's less than people think, it's still a lot. Not sure how he consistently gets away with it.

[brwi]

I wish he was on our team.

Yeah, I do too. He's a good dman without the wipeout hits, but I can't say his hitting is a negative to me either. Love to see him in a Pen's uniform.

[Pitt87]

kronwall leaves his feet less than people think. he usually gets airborne after contact. which would be fine...except for the fact that he consistently makes people's heads the primary point of contact. whether or not the other guy was appropriately defending himself by "keeping his head up" couldn't be less relevant in terms of right/wrong.

Matt Cooke elbows people in the face less than you think, too.

"Less than you think" is more than you're allowed.

[DelPen]

The whole before/during/after distinction is all BS anyways. If you target a guy's head, who cares when you left your feet?

Ok then I agree with that. But if you guys are telling me that you can distinctly tell he left his feet prior to the hit I am going to have to say its inconclusive.

Fair enough. I still say it doesn't matter. NHL has let him go after guys' heads for years. Then they showcase him when he's a bottom feeder who hides behind his teammates or the refs like Sean Avery.

Or like Rick Nash.

In Nash's defense, he just sat down, you don't expect him to be able to stand back up that soon do you?

[letsgoalpens]

I watched some of that it highlight tape and more than half of the hits I watched had him leaving his feet or targeting the head. Many had both. It is the way he keeps his left arm tucked but his elbow out that makes me uncomfortable. I, for one, loved seeing Laraque take his knee out. This guy has no respect for other players. Taking a run at a player with 2 seconds left to go in the period is pretty gutless. Has he ever been suspended?