Red Wings defenseman Brad Stuart says players need to crank up the respect factor

Updated with a self-assessment from Stuart regarding his play: The Windsor Star’s Dave Waddell spoke to several members of the Nashville Predators and Detroit Red Wings about the levels of “cheap shots” and downright disrespectful play witnessed during the playoffs thus far, and Wings defenseman Brad Stuart not only called out Brendan Shanahan and the NHL’s department of player safety for their inconsistencies…

“I did read a comment right from Shanahan that mentioned discipline in the playoffs might be different than it was during the regular season because playoff games are more important to guys,” Stuart said. “They might take a one-game suspension in the playoffs that might be worth three or four during the regular season, which kind of sends mixed signals. If you can go after a superstar and get one game for it, knock him out for three or four games, whose got the advantage there? It does send a mixed message.”

Stuart said the only way the league is going to get a handle on this problem is by consistent enforcement.

“As players, I think consistency is something that would be more effective,” Stuart said.

But Stuart also told Waddell that players don’t like the fact that, as is predictable in these instances, the non-hockey media’s focusing on the rock-em-sock-em aspects of the game…

Source: http://www.kuklaskorner.com/index.php/tmr/comments/red_wings_defenseman_brad_stuart_says_players_need_to_crank_up_the_respect_/

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