OHL: Michael Misa suspended for throwing doggies into the stands

Dose
Crédit:

Ah, the famous doggie-tossing matches.

In the world of hockey, this is a time-honored tradition. Even if it’s not done in the NHL, we often see the concept in the AHL or in junior hockey: fans bring plushies, and when the home team scores its first goal of the game, all the plushies are thrown onto the ice.

They are then donated to charities that give them to needy children. It’s a wonderful tradition, really.

That said, in the last few days, one of the doggie games turned into a suspension. And it wasn’t just any player who was suspended: we’re talking about Michael Misa, one of the top prospects for the upcoming NHL draft.

The reason? While fans flooded the ice with stuffed animals, Misa took the opportunity to throw a few back into the stands.

Misa received a one-game suspension for her violent gesture.

Just as we don’t tolerate fans throwing things on the ice, we don’t tolerate the opposite either.

You might think that Misa, who was on the ice for the other team’s goal that led to the teddy bear toss, might have been a little frustrated at seeing his team concede a goal. Maybe that’s why he decided to throw a few doggies back over the boards.

Was it serious? No, especially as we all agree that no one was hurt. That said, he needs to be able to control his emotions, because throwing things back and forth across the boards is not accepted behavior.

It should also be remembered that in recent days, Misa’s name has been circulating as a player who could leave Canadian junior to be tempted by the NCAA, given that junior players in Canada now retain their NCAA eligibility. Is this on his mind in the midst of a season that isn’t always easy for his team? Possibly.

That said, it’s a reason for suspension that, quite frankly, is more comical than anything else. Let’s hope he’s learned from this little slap on the wrist.

Overtime

– Remember that he was drafted with the pick the Habs got for Alexander Romanov… who was then traded to Chicago for Kirby Dach.

– It’s the result that counts!

– The saga comes to an end.