After suffering a concussion and a fractured vertebrae, Max Pacioretty will miss quite some time. The man responsible for that, Zdeno Chara, won't be suspended. That, has Pacioretty infuriated.
Pacioretty spoke on Wednesday night for the first time since being on the receiving end of a hit from Chara that left him motionless on the ice. The league announced on Wednesday that Chara wouldn't be disciplined, and Pacioretty is none too pleased at the lack of discipline.
"I am upset and disgusted that the league didn't think enough of [the hit] to suspend him," Pacioretty told TSN's Bob McKenzie. "I'm not mad for myself, I'm mad because if other players see a hit like that and think it's okay, they won't be suspended, then other players will get hurt like I got hurt."
Pacioretty admitted that he didn't think that Chara should be suspended for an extended period of time, but he did make it clear that he doesn't believe Chara when he said he didn't mean to do it.
"I heard [Chara] said he didn't mean to do it. I felt he did mean to do it," Pacioretty told McKenzie. "I would feel better if he said he made a mistake and that he was sorry for doing that, I could forgive that, but I guess he's talking about how I jumped up or something.
"I believe he was trying to guide my head into the turnbuckle. We all know where the turnbuckle is. It wasn't a head shot like a lot of head shots we see but I do feel he targeted my head into the turnbuckle."
