[ThePundit]

This time there is no credible excuse for an incredibly foolish play by Chris Simon. No concussion like the one he received from a hit by Ranger Ryan Hollweg last March that Simon blamed for his ugly stick-swinging response.

Simon got exactly what he deserved last night when he received a match penalty for attempting to injure Pittsburgh's Jarkko Ruutu with 5:54 left in the third period. Thanks to the five-minute penalty, the Islanders were shorthanded for all but the final 54 seconds of their 3-2 loss to the Penguins before a crowd of 15,269 at Nassau Coliseum.

The replay shows Simon pulled Ruutu's leg out from under him at the red line between the benches and then stepped on the back of his leg. Simon declined to comment after the game. Islanders coach Ted Nolan said he hadn't seen the replay but acknowledged, "It was a bad time for a penalty."

Simon's match penalty leads to Islanders loss -- Newsday.com

I was willing to give Simon the benefit of the doubt last year, but enough is enough -not only because he put his team at a great disadvantage, but because what he did was SICK.

There's no room for that in sports. Garth Snow and Ted Nolan need to part with ways with him and send a message to the rest of the team that IDIOCY won't be tolerated.

Also, I'm sick and tired of the Islanders NEVER scoring in the 1st period of games. Without going into box scores, I think they have only scored only ONE first period goal in the last 10 or 12 games.

It's time for Hilbert to be moved to the 4th line, permenantly and for Richard Park to be moved up and given much more ice time. I mean, what does Park have to do? I could make the argument that he's been the Isles best player this year.

I'm so cranky!!!!!!!

[mervinout]

there were some other idiots defending this guy last yr not just u, id just like some of them to come here, and try to defend him now, the man is a scumbag, if he doesn't get a life suspension colin cambell has no balls. This is twice he could of easily ended someones career from an immature act.

[ThePundit]

From Greg Logan's blog:

Whatever reservoir of support Chris Simon might have had left among his teammates and within the Islanders organization has all but evaporated. His inexcusable attempt to injure Pittsburgh’s Jarkko Ruutu in the Isles’ 3-2 loss Saturday night was mind-boggling for its selfishness on any number of levels......

On the Islanders Beat

Like I said, it's time to part ways.

[blueandwhite]

He's taken himself out.
yahoosports.com:
Simon and the Islanders agreed Monday he should take a paid break from hockey following his latest penalty for attempting to injure an opponent...
Simon is scheduled to have a hearing with NHL disciplinarian Colin Campbell on Tuesday in Toronto...
Simon met with Wang, general manager Garth Snow and coach Ted Nolan during practice Monday and they agreed the 35-year-old left wing should seek help...
The team didn't reveal what kind of counseling he would receive.

Um - maybe anger management - are they suggesting he might have an addiction problem too, which is causing this irrational behaviour?

[blueandwhite]

I just said to my husband,
Simon could have been one of the most beloved Islander players a la Domi (tough guy you just gotta love because he's yours) - if he just knew how to channel his "energies". my husband said,
yeah, if he wasn't a psychopath.

Think steroids is involved?

[ThePundit]

I don't know if it's steroids. He may just have an anger problem where he can't control himself. But at this point, I honestly don't care. They should just let him go. Daryl Bootland or Blake Comeau can do what he does on the fourth line. Comeau was already called up.

[mervinout]

remember these symptoms are something the nflpa are looking at in their own players from to many concusiions