Hey NHL-Let Ilya Kovalchuk Answer For His Actions!

Given how the Maple Leafs humiliated themselves last night in the worse possible fashion, Im going to choose not to discuss the score, and instead focus on something else in last night's game that deserves plenty of griping about.

It is pretty clear that the league is in love with Ilya Kovalchuk. The guy is a proven 50 goal scorer, and he is the sole entertainer for all 15 fans of the Atlanta Thrashers. Without him they would certainly have nothing to cheer for. Even so, the guy should still have to account for his actions on the ice. Why then, after taking a cheap shot at defenceman/forward/mustache conisseur Ian White, was he not allowed by the officials to be pummelled in a fight later in the game? When White tracked down the Russian sniper to drop the gloves in response to his dirty hit, the referrees jumped in almost immediately to stop the fight.

Had this been any other player in the Thrashers roster, they most certainly would have allowed this fight to continue. These same officials had no problem letting a fight go on between Leafs forward Jamal Mayers and Thrashers d-man Garnett Exelby. (In case you didnt see it, Mayers owned Exelby, and dropped him to the ice fairly easily). This type of double standard by the league is uncalled for, and it suggests to Kovalchuk that he can take a run at anybody he wants without being held accountable. This could end up being very dangerous for the next guy that Kovalchuk decides to throw a cheap shot at. While Ian White was't hurt by the hit, somebody else on another night might be. The NHL shouldnt be sacrificing the safety of other players just to preserve Ilya Kovalchuk's pretty face.

So I say this, the next time the Maple Leafs face Atlanta, let Ian White and Ilya Kovalchuk go at it. From the moment the fight started, it looked like Ian White had the upper hand. Here is some food for thought: If Kovalchuk had the advantage on White would the officials have jumped in to stop it? A fighting injury to Ian White certainly wouldnt cost the Toronto Maple Leafs any ticket sales.

A few home games down in Atlanta without their star sniper on the other hand.....

So it is pretty clear where the NHL's head is at. I understand they are trying to sell seats in Atlanta, but maybe they should have thought about that before they put a hockey team in one of the worse markets on the continent. My point is, if Kovalchuk is going to be making dirty hits on our players (or anybody else's players for that matter) the NHL officials should allow him to be held accountable on the ice when those players go to drop the gloves with Kovy.

Now having said that, Ilya Kovalchuk would look damn good in the blue amd white! He is and always has been one of my favorite players-I would just like to see him held to the same standard as other players who decide to take runs at the other team. Thats what hockey is all about. Brian Burke, do what you have to do to bring Kovy to the Toronto Maple Leafs! We'll certainly appreciate him more here than the 15 fans in Atlanta....