Hartsburg Against Outside Policing

Coach Craig Hartsburg has an opinion about Marty McSorley’s slash to the head of Donald Brashear winding up in Canadian court. And doesn’t everybody in North America?

“I wish it never got to the courts,” Hartsburg said. “When the courts get involved, I don’t think it helps anybody. I don’t think it does anything for the game. I don’t think it does anything for the justice system of British Columbia.”

Hartsburg agrees with left wing Paul Kariya, who believes such incidents are best handled by the NHL.

“The league did a good job of handing down a quick suspension,” Hartsburg said, referring to the 23-game penalty given McSorley, a Boston defenseman, for slashing Brashear, a Vancouver winger.

“Pro leagues do a good job of governing themselves. It’s . . . recreation leagues [that have trouble]. There’s nobody there to oversee it. But our league does a great job [of policing itself].”

The day after the Feb. 21 incident Kariya said, “If we get the police involved what does that say about our league?”

Stu Grimson, a veteran enforcer, has a dissenting opinion.

“If he didn’t cross the line, he sure approached it,” Grimson said of McSorley. “At some point, it becomes a degree of force where the authorities have to step in.”

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Jason Marshall continues to be the odd man out in the Duck defense corps. He was scratched for the 10th time in the last 20 games.

“With the addition of [Oleg] Tverdovsky, [Vitaly] Vishnevski and [Niclas] Havelid, it’s given us more depth on defense,” Hartsburg said. “Jason’s role has changed. We’re not disappointed in Jason at all. He’s given us grit and character when he’s been in the lineup.”