He may be on the roster, but Bertuzzi doesn’t belong

On Feb. 15, Steve Moore filed another lawsuit against Todd Bertuzzi – this one in Canada – in… On Feb. 15, Steve Moore filed another lawsuit against Todd Bertuzzi – this one in Canada – in regards to Bertuzzi’s assault in a game on March 8, 2004.

It made me really happy until I kept reading that Bertuzzi would have to deal with it when he got back from Torino. It reminded me of something that I try not to think about – the fact that Bertuzzi is on an Olympic roster.

Wayne Gretzky has taken a lot of criticism for his role in the Rick Tocchet gambling ring, but I wish people had focused less on that and more on the fact that he let this thug into hockey’s top international stage.

I have to admit, I held out a lot of hope for the last month or so that Gretzky would come to his senses and find a way to replace Bertuzzi on the roster, but he never did.

I don’t care how much talent he brings to the Canadian pool, he should not be on the ice representing Canada. We’re talking about the author of one of the most awful plays in the history of sports. For those of you who don’t remember the play, allow me to briefly recreate it:

Colorado Avalanche player Moore skates down the ice. Vancouver’s Bertuzzi follows him. Bertuzzi reaches out to grab Moore’s jersey. Bertuzzi pulls Moore back toward him. Bertuzzi delivers vicious hit from behind, punching Moore in the head and slamming him to the ice, fracturing three of his neck vertebrae in the process.

Moore hasn’t played since. Bertuzzi has.

He was reinstated exactly 17 months later by the NHL, and has played for the Vancouver Canucks all season.

It already crushed me that the NHL later let him play. Sure, the league punished him. Bertuzzi lost over $500,000 in salary and had to plead guilty to assault charges. He had to perform some community service, but got back to the game when the rest of the league did after the lockout. In fact, the only full season he missed was the season that didn’t happen because of the strike.

That’s not enough.

Moore has yet to return to the ice, and the hit might have ended his career. As far as I’m concerned, Bertuzzi should be out of the game as long as Moore is. If Moore never comes back, Bertuzzi shouldn’t be back either.

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t think a player who hurts another player should necessarily be out indefinitely. If somebody lands a legal hit and it results in the injury of another player – like Scott Stevens hitting Eric Lindros in the open ice and giving him a concussion – it’s a shame, but it’s not illegal.

What Bertuzzi did was the equivalent of John Chaney sending in the “goon squad” last year – he had the intent to hurt Moore. It was premeditated.

Sure, Bertuzzi cried up a storm in press conferences. He was incredibly sorry for what he did. But I have to tell you, I’ve seen that replay a lot, and hard as I look I can’t seem to see any of those tears when he’s closing in on Moore from behind.

Regardless, it’s bad enough that the NHL let him back in the game. But to put him on Canada’s national team? That’s simply too much.

What are the Olympics about? Fellowship? There are three fractured vertebrae saying that Bertuzzi doesn’t care about fellowship.

The U.S. squad at these games is not composed of angels (read: Bode Miller interviews) and I can name some aspects of our country’s athletes that don’t embody the ideals of the Olympics (read: Lindsey Jacobellis hot-dogging with a 50-yard lead and ending up in second place).

Those are individuals, though, who qualified for their events by going through a series of trials. Hockey players are simply named to the team. So why not name another player for Canada?

For instance, take Sidney Crosby. Anybody who thinks he hasn’t proven himself worthy of a spot on his country’s team hasn’t been paying attention.

I’m not a Penguins fan, so don’t read this as just hometown bias. We’re talking about a player who is tied for 11th in scoring in his first year, despite having a weak team around him. What more do you want? Don’t tell me he’s too young to play, either, because fellow NHL rookie Alexander Ovechkin is playing and producing for Russia.

Or how about Eric Staal? The NHL’s third-leading scorer could have a spot if Bertuzzi was left off the roster, too.

I could go on, but it doesn’t matter. The point is, Canada stood by Bertuzzi, and his name ended up on their roster. No matter how you spin it, he shouldn’t be on the ice anywhere.

So, I have to admit that when the Swiss upset Canada, 2-0, the other day, I smiled. Not because I have any special feelings for Switzerland, and not because I dislike our neighbors to the north.

I’m just glad any time Todd Bertuzzi loses.

E-mail him at bweaves_pittnews@hotmail.com.