The NHL did the right thing suspending Flames defenseman Dennis Wideman. You would have to be high to think he didn’t purposely cheap shot linesman Don Henderson. 

I know Wideman was hit pretty hard prior to cheapshotting Henderson but even if Wideman was woozy and out of it, there is no reason to cross check an official from behind. If you go back and watch the play, you’ll see that Wideman wasn’t kneeling over when he hit Henderson. He was upright and he charged at him. He knew what he was doing. 

Dennis Wideman is not a dirty player. He never has been. No one knows why he hit Henderson from behind. Maybe it was frustration. Who knows? All I know is this. There is no place in sports for what Wideman did. I commend the NHL for suspending him. It’s not just about protecting players, it’s also about protecting the officials as well. Hopefully the league sent a loud and clear message by suspending Wideman for twenty games. It was the right move and I raise my stick to the league for doing it. I’m just saying.