Former Vancouver Canuck Kevin Bieksa & Fans Go After Jennifer Botterill for Hockey Night in Canada Comments

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Maverick Mitchell
November 3, 2024 (8:59 PM)

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A segment of Hockey Night in Canada is going viral amongst hockey fans after hosts Jennifer Botterill and former Vancouver Canucks legend Kevin Bieksa get into a heated exchange about player safety.

The play that sparked this emotional back and fourth regards Pittsburgh Penguins Noel Acciari's hit on young Montreal Canadiens star, Juraj Slafkovsky. As the pair of skaters were racing for the puck in the corner, Acciari caught Slafkovsky up high with a hit to the head, which is viewed fairly unanimously as a dangerous play.

It was believed that Acciari would be getting a suspension, or a fine at the minimum, but Sportsnet's Eric Engels revealed that the NHL's Department of Player Safety would not be handing out any supplemental discipline for collision.

"In hockey that's a dirty hit. We all know what's happening, two guys are racing for the puck, they are both reaching, and the guy who is supposed to get the puck first just leaves it and hits the guy. That is a bit of a dirty hit."

In retaliation for the hit on on the former #1 overall draft pick, heavy enforcer, Arber Xhekaj decided to take matters into his own hands and go after Acciari in the dying seconds of the game. He did so in way that sparked controversy as he stuck out his leg to intentional cause a dangerous knee on knee collision.

Former fan favorite Vancouver Canucks defenseman and now host of Hockey Night in Canada, defending Xhekaj for his play and motivation for going after Acciari.

"The game is over... I think right there is the right time for Xhekaj to go at a guy who took out your star player earlier in the game. That for me is the right time to go at a guy. It's an eye for an eye. I don't think he's too apologetic about that, I wouldn't care. I wouldn't care if it's clean or not, you get my guy I'm getting you back at some point."

Obviously, this did not go over super well in the studio as fellow host, Jennifer Botterill was in complete disagreement with Kevin Bieksa, and she believed that the game of hockey is changed and there is no such thing as an "eye for an eye" anymore.

It clearly speaks volumes to the lack of experience she has with playing the "NHL" game. She is arguing with a 13-year NHLer who did exactly what Xhekaj does, and fans are taking to social media to call her out for her take.

"Then you get players with potential suspensions or fines and you guys are just fine. Guess what the game is changing and there is other solutions. Maybe it's changing, maybe it can change. It has changed, it doesn't always have to be an eye for an eye.

Here Are Some Fan Reactions to Jennifer Botterill's Comments From Hockey Night in Canada

That being said, a knee on knee may have gone a little far, but the HNIC panel was in agreement with Bieksa's point of view. As the motive behind going after Acciari was 100% justified, as players have always policed the game when the league or referees do not.