Paul Byron Got the Snot Beat Outta Him; Is That Weird?

Fans of 30 NHL teams roar with approval when someone flattens Brad Marchand.

Dude's only 5-9, but he gets no sympathy.

That's because Marchand is the league's premier shit-disturber. There isn't a dark art that this Boston Bruin doesn't know, hasn't tried, and can't wait to try again.

And he's bloody good at it.

 

Montréal's Paul Byron is not. Dude's not even that sorta player. 121 PIMs in 417 games is hardly the sign of someone who goes outta his way to get involved in extra-curriculars.

He's 5-9 (175cm) and 163lb (74kg) and has been useful for the Canadiens with an offensive output of 15-15-30, +17, and 17 PIMs in 54 games.

In short, he holds down the fort for a few shifts while the big guns replenish. Byron even contributes added value from time to time, like with this shorthanded goal against the New Jersey Devils:

 

So, it was a bit outta character for him to go rogue in what was the time a close game against Florida.

Being real, it was extremely stupid for his target to be Panthers enforcer MacKenzie Weegar:

 

That was good for three games at the beach, as it were.

 

No sport has players policing their own game like hockey. Baseball comes close with its own code of unwritten rules -- and fastballs that kinda get away or high spikes are no joke -- but the sheer non-nuanced brutality of hockey retribution is on a level unto itself.

 

Thus, when Montréal next met the Panthers -- last night -- Byron knew what was coming.

That's not the issue, though. Dude did his time with the suspension and corresponding loss of pay. The 6-0 (183cm) and 200lb (90kg) Weegar even said after the game that he gave Byron a chance to own up, but the decided to drop his gloves.

Bad, bad move:

 

Of note ...

• Evidence of Weegar's conversation comment is viewed early on, as Byron willingly dropped his gloves;
• Even Weegar winced at the uppercut he landed that surely concussed Byron; and
• Weegar's dismissive head-shake after that was a non-verbal what was Byron thinking?

This coulda served as a metaphor for death wish?

 

Byron is now badly hurt.

It's obvious he's gonna miss a few games when the Habs need all hands on deck if they're gonna make the playoffs, and now his agent is berating the code.

 

And so, that debate rears its head yet again, and not for the last time.

Which means it's time for the age-old rhetorical question:

Is mankind not a species of free will?

 

Code or no, Byron had a choice.

As does Marchand.

And he accepts the consequences when they catch up with him from time to time.

 

Code or no code, players make their own choices.

Byron would do well to think his through more thoroughly next time.