February 15, 2006

Moore Files Second Suit vs. Bertuzzi, Seeks $15 Million : TORONTO -- Former NHL player Steve Moore filed another lawsuit against Todd Bertuzzi for the on-ice attack by the Vancouver Canucks forward nearly two years ago. Wow, is that in U.S. dollars or Canadian?

posted by wingnut4life to hockey at 07:36 PM - 43 comments

Its not like Steve needs the money but he shoud get something out of this whole thing,Dont get me wrong I like Todd as a player but he should pay up for his stupid mistake he made

posted by sirtt22 at 08:29 PM on February 15, 2006

I hope he gets the $15 million cause that was a retarded hit by Todd Bertuzzi

posted by houston9388 at 08:29 PM on February 15, 2006

Tim Danson, Moore's lawyer, said the suit was filed in Ontario Superior Court on Tuesday and that the timing has nothing to do with Bertuzzi's participation in the Olympics with Team Canada. Uh-huh.

posted by DrJohnEvans at 09:14 PM on February 15, 2006

What Todd did was stupid, but not worth anything close to $15mil! He just got carried away and I've seen much worse hits that barely drew a suspension of a game or two. I guess I don't blame Moore for wanting to get some bucks out of it since it got a ton of press, but $15mil? Not a chance in hell! Maybe if he killed someone sure, but not for this.

posted by commander cody at 09:33 PM on February 15, 2006

15 mil is probably a huge number intended to get knocked down some in a settlement. start at 15, maybe end up w/ 4 or 5. i don't have a problem w/ this as it was the only cheap shot i've seen i thought bordered on criminal and it sets a significant precedent.

posted by ninjavshippo at 09:36 PM on February 15, 2006

Think about it. Moore's career is over. He was a second round draft pick in '98. He never really looked like he would be a lifer in the league, but on the other hand we never really got to see if he could become a player after his first multi-game season in the NHL. That season was cut short. I hope Moore goes home with 3+ mill and is happy.

posted by Samsonov14 at 09:48 PM on February 15, 2006

He just got carried away and I've seen much worse hits that barely drew a suspension of a game or two. Cody, come on. This was an unforgivable hit, almost akin to the McSorely thing. If you can find 3 worse hits that "barely drew a suspension", I'll eat a leather shoe.

posted by Samsonov14 at 09:53 PM on February 15, 2006

One of the top of my head was Claude Lameiux on Draper in the Avs/Wings playoffs a few years ago. Hmmmm.....got to think for a min before the others.....

posted by commander cody at 09:56 PM on February 15, 2006

let me drink a few more beers and I'll 'member more.

posted by commander cody at 09:56 PM on February 15, 2006

Not that I want to eat a shoe, but a clue for your second one almost rhymes with "Drying Parchment."

posted by Samsonov14 at 10:17 PM on February 15, 2006

I remember a few years ago when Havlat speared Mike Recchi in the face and he only got like 3 games. Sometime around the same time as the bertuzzi/Moore thingie Wade Belak laid a two handed chop on the face of...Vaananen (had to look up the speeling on dat un 'dere) and got 8 games or so....hmmmm

posted by commander cody at 10:23 PM on February 15, 2006

I knew I should only drink Canadian beer when talking hockey....lol

posted by commander cody at 10:24 PM on February 15, 2006

Steve Moore should go home with 85% Todd Bertuzzis money I mean he (Todd) did end Steves carreer by doing something retarded so Todd should be happy hes only getting $15 million

posted by houston9388 at 10:34 PM on February 15, 2006

Cody, those are great examples, but nobody's careers were ended in your scenarios. Even if you had brought up Ulf Samuelsssson, I'd be hard pressed to say that it was "worse" than the Bertuzzi Blitz. I won't eat a leather shoe, but I'll eat a shoelace. Because you made a real effort. Ugh. This shoelace tastes like feet. Gross.

posted by Samsonov14 at 10:55 PM on February 15, 2006

LOL...thanks, but since I didn't come up with Samuelssssson (and I should have) I'll take the other shoelace for myself..... Damn...you're right....this tastes like crap!

posted by commander cody at 11:01 PM on February 15, 2006

I take your point about Moore's injury being a career ender, but I guess the point I was making is that hardly a week goes by that someone doesn't take a cheapshot that could also end someones career. I'm sorry moore is hurt, but I just get tired of people roasting Bertuzzi (who I'm not a fan of myself) for doing something that happens a lot in the game, just with no one getting seriously hurt. Todd got unlucky, that's all. Stupid and unlucky.

posted by commander cody at 11:15 PM on February 15, 2006

for doing something that happens a lot in the game I'm gonna blow the whistle on this one. TWEET! Two minutes for hyperbole! There aren't that many cases of players sneaking up behind other players, grabbing their jersey, knocking them out with a punch to the face, and then riding their limp body into the ice, face first. Yes, there are cheap shots in games (like an extra elbow in the corner, or bopping a guy in the nose), but nothing close to the magnitude of what Bertuzzi did. I think the lawsuit has merit and I hope Moore gets some big settlement. (switching sides of the argument..) If Steve Moore gets $15mil, it's a mistake. Moore was a 3rd line/4th line player, and would probably been out of the NHL in 3 or 4 years time. It's very doubtful that he would have made $15million in salary during that time. The amount suggested by the lawsuit is far too high and was done so to simply give themselves more bargaining room for a settlement.

posted by grum@work at 11:55 PM on February 15, 2006

Two minutes for hyperbole! Really? Hmmm...well I suppose I watch too many Wings/Avs games (where cheapshots are the order of the day on both sides) to be a good judge, but I still maintain that the Bertuzzi/Moore thing is not as isolated as many think, it's just that this one resulted in a more serious injury then most. At least we both agree that $15mil is way out of line, even if for different reasons. Commander Cody skates off to the box to serve his two minutes...but throws the ref a few nasty looks as he does.

posted by commander cody at 12:38 AM on February 16, 2006

Does anyone know why this was filed in Ontario and not, you know, BC? I understand that they filed it in Colorado because they have no limits on the payoff, only to have it thrown out since the incident didn't really happen in Colorado... but why Ontario?

posted by mkn at 12:38 AM on February 16, 2006

I'm a novice hockey fan (for that I blame SpoFi!), but to me the hit on Draper is nothing at all like the Marchment hit, or the McSorley or Bertuzzi thuginess. I know Lemieux was a dirty bastard, and I know it was an ugly hit, but Draper just got his face busted. What happened to Brashear and Moore is a whole other category, in my opinion. Please, somebody more knowledgeable in the ways of the game, tell me what I'm missing in this comparison.

posted by The_Black_Hand at 04:47 AM on February 16, 2006

...but Draper just got his face busted. Wow, did you even look at the incident? Drapes was pretty f*cked up for a while. That hit shattered his jaw!

posted by wingnut4life at 05:48 AM on February 16, 2006

It's very doubtful that he would have made $15million in salary during that time. That's true but one one of the purposes of punitive damages is to create a deterrent. The very minimum Moore should get is missed pay, but he should definetly get something for pain and suffering. Don't get me wrong, I hate lawsuit abuse, but Moore is definitely not some guy that got his rear bumper knocked off and is trying to milk it for all it's worth.

posted by njsk8r20 at 07:59 AM on February 16, 2006

You all know my feelings on this, but my wife informs me there is no chance in hell Moore will even sniff $15M for this. The Canadian judicial system apparently doesn't allow awards like the good ole' US of A, i.e. burning your vagina with some scalding-hot coffee.

posted by wfrazerjr at 08:52 AM on February 16, 2006

Does anyone know why this was filed in Ontario and not, you know, BC? I'm guessing it was filed in Ontario because Steve Moore was born/raised here. Since it's a civil suit, it doesn't really matter where the case is handled. As for the timing of the lawsuit, it seems that Wednesday was the very last day (2 year limitation) that they could have filed in Canada, and it wasn't to embarrass Bertuzzi. Of course, the lawyer didn't explain why it wasn't filed in the time between the Colorado suit being dismissed and Wednesday...

posted by grum@work at 08:56 AM on February 16, 2006

I'm guessing it was filed in Ontario because Steve Moore was born/raised here. And Bertuzzi lives in Kitchener. If that affects anything. Of course, the lawyer didn't explain why it wasn't filed in the time between the Colorado suit being dismissed and Wednesday... "Well, we were out bowling when we heard the Colorado suit was dismissed, and we ended up having a pretty good game, so naturally we had to go out to celebrate afterwards, and I had a bit of a headache the next morning, so I had to take the day off work, and then my voicemail password stopped working, and then there was the World Juniors—I'm useless during the World Juniors—and then I had the sniffles, and wouldn't you know it that ol' deadline came up real fast."

posted by DrJohnEvans at 09:09 AM on February 16, 2006

I hope he takes Bertuzzi for all of it

posted by mcstan13 at 10:39 AM on February 16, 2006

Personally, I think these overpaid bozos should trying working for a living. As in all sports they live in a make believe world and should try working for $8 or $9 an hour and see what real life is all about. As for the NHL....it's a cross between roller derby and WWE. As for a settlement...WHO CARES?

posted by joromu at 10:44 AM on February 16, 2006

Draper had quite a few bones in his face shattered not to mention the broken jaw. His back was clearly to The Turtle, hitting a player in that situation is a big no no. So much so in youth hockey some leagues require an actual stop sign patch on the back of players uniforms. If you see the sign, don’t delivery the check. Am I missing something here, wasn’t Moore’s neck broken because of the hit by TB? The other references of questionable or similar incidents did not result in a broken neck or any other broken bone (Beside the Draper thing) based on that alone this was the dirtiest play ever in the NHL. Maybe Mr. Moore would have thrived under the new NHL rules?

posted by directpressure at 11:20 AM on February 16, 2006

Maybe Mr. Moore would have thrived under the new NHL rules? That's the messed up part. Probably not, but be we will never know. The fact that Todd got to come back and see if he could really aggravates me.

posted by njsk8r20 at 11:25 AM on February 16, 2006

I think thats why his lawsuit has some merit, & he deserves something, not 15 million though.

posted by directpressure at 11:28 AM on February 16, 2006

Wow, did you even look at the incident? Yes, I did see the incident. I also see that you're a Wings fan, and may not be the most objective person when it comes to this subject. My point is this: McSorley used his stick to smash another guy in the side of the head from behind. Bertuzzi broke a guy's neck. Draper's face got turned into hamburger. Given the choice, I'd rather be hamburger than beaten with a stick or having my neck broken. I'm just asking from some comparisons from hockey fans more knowledgable than me. Thanks to those who gave it.

posted by The_Black_Hand at 11:58 AM on February 16, 2006

Dear Mr. The_Black_Hand, yes I am an avid Wings fan. The point is you were making it seem like Draper's injury was just a minor one, and it was not. I was just stating my opinion of what you said. It would be like my saying that McSorley's stick just love-tapped Brashear's helmet, and Brashear slipped and bumped his head and it was just a little boo-boo...

posted by wingnut4life at 12:06 PM on February 16, 2006

His back was clearly to The Turtle, hitting a player in that situation is a big no no. It is a no no, but it's also SOMEWHAT close to what is supposed to happen on the ice (body checking). Bertuzzi's blind-side punch has NOTHING to do with the sport. If he'd challenged Moore to a fight and then got a good punch in that led to Moore falling down and breaking his neck (yah, I know, hard to do) then Moore wouldn't have much of a case.

posted by grum@work at 12:18 PM on February 16, 2006

His back was clearly to The Turtle, hitting a player in that situation is a big no no. It is a no no, but it's also SOMEWHAT close to what is supposed to happen on the ice (body checking). True, but what happened to Draper could have just as easily resulted in his neck getting broke. I mean it was hardly a clean hit, even from the back and he slammed his face down onto the wall completely on purpose and with the intention of seperating his face (and maybe head) from the rest of his body. Then we'd be talking about the asshole Lemieux owing Draper a ton of money. The same with incidents like Recchi getting speared in the face (twice I believe, once by Havlat and once by Messier). If either of those guys had blinded him then we'd be talking about poor Recchi. Well...ok...maybe not since Recchi is as big of an asshole as Lemieux, but you get my point. Bertuzzi was stupid, but also unlucky.

posted by commander cody at 12:45 PM on February 16, 2006

15.... I think thats a little low. That ape Burtuzzi ended Moore's career, Moore should be filing for a much bigger suit. However this whole thing makes for a great Vancouver vs. NYR game when Dominic hits the ice. The last one everybody in the Garden booed the hell outta Burtuzzi.

posted by stolenbase7 at 01:46 PM on February 16, 2006

Perhaps if Bertuzzi is ordered to pay Moore a just restitution for ending his career for NO GOOD REASON (except to get his own rocks off) then perhaps the asshole will be a bit more restrained in attacking others for no real reason. Bertuzzi is one of the least liked players in the league just because of crapola like this. I hope he gets to pay out $15 mil AND gets to spend three years in jail, instead of 'community service'. Players that hit like that with no regard for other's position should be booted, not fined. But of course, Bertuzzi will be allowed to keep right on doing the same thing, unless someone does it to him first. Which will eventually happen, as well liked as he is.

posted by mrhockey at 09:15 PM on February 16, 2006

Bottom line is, what Bertuzzi did was totally uncalled for. But he's a great hockey player, so he'll continue to play. If he was a sh!tty player, he would have been banned for life. It sucks, but it ain't personal, it's business. If Moore were a superstar, there would have been a lot more hoopla than there was. We'll never know if Moore would have been a good player in the NHL, but because of Bertuzzi, his dreams are over. Pay him the money he deserves.

posted by wingnut4life at 09:26 PM on February 16, 2006

What Bertuzzi did was wrong and yes he should pay, but he is still a great enforcer. I hate the guy, but I'd applaud if the Wings bought his contract. His big screw up was getting carried away. What I hope doesn't happen is that this might cause some teams to pull back on the reins of their enforcers too much. Intimidation is still a big part of the game (thank god) and I'd hate to see the game wussed down. Bertuzzi took a cheap shot and, unfortunately for him, it'll cost him some bucks (rightfully so) but hey, if there's no blood on the ice by the time the game is over then it's not hockey, it's curling.

posted by commander cody at 10:41 PM on February 16, 2006

Sorry to burst your bubble, commander, but Ken Holland has told the Detroit press in no uncertain terms that Bertuzzi is, was, and never will be on their prospectives list. Granted, in the day of Scotty Bowman as head coach, the RedWings may have had someone who could handle his arrogant attitude and actions, but not today. Mike Ilitch has not commented except to say 'We really are not interested in his type of player', and Coach Babcock has not said anything. A spot of blood on the ice is not foreign to me or my method of play, either, but Bertuzzi is allowed way too much room to coldcock those around him. He also would be roundly suspended for that type of activity now with the new rules.

posted by mrhockey at 06:35 AM on February 17, 2006

wingnut4life, I'm not saying I don't see your point, and I'd feel the same way if it happened to one of my hometown players. I'm saying, I'd rather have a broken face than a broken neck. Having had my jaw dislocated and broken once apiece, and my nose broken several times, I could deal with that a lot easier than a broken neck. Seriously, can you say differently? Unless you're a whole lot prettier than me (which is certainly possible), or you think walking is overrated, probably not.

posted by The_Black_Hand at 08:47 AM on February 17, 2006

Granted, in the day of Scotty Bowman as head coach, the RedWings may have had someone who could handle his arrogant attitude and actions, but not today. Can't help missing him as coach! No one could ever get more out of his players them him. The Greatest. And yes I know some will say I'm off the thread again (I do wander)...but tough shit this time and no apologizes for taking the time to praise a legend.

posted by commander cody at 02:11 PM on February 17, 2006

Unless you're a whole lot prettier than me Don't hate me 'cause I'm beautiful... But seriously, maybe it is because I'm a Red Wing Homer. I see where you are coming from. And about the broken/and dislocated jaw and the numerous nose-breakings, what gives? I use to put my head through walls as a party favor, and I didn't get that much damage. What are you, a boxing glove quality checker?

posted by wingnut4life at 03:58 PM on February 17, 2006

But I am beautiful! well....my wife thinks I'm good looking....or nor too bad...or maybe just ok.... Screw it! My dogs love me!

posted by commander cody at 04:34 PM on February 17, 2006

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