More head shots

According to tsn.ca's poll today, 70% of fans don't think that a minor/major penalty for a head shot will have any effect on deterring players from doing it. I was not one of them. And neither is Don Cherry.

So the question is, what do people think is needed here? Huge fines? Suspensions? lifetime hockey bans?

A major penalty is absolutely going to change behaviours. Because 5 minute majors are going to lead to goals, which are then going to lead to lost games, which are then going to lead to coaching decisions against the idiots who do these things. It would be nice to think that Matt Cooke gets disciplined internally by the Penguins from that hit, but that is dream world. Winning is the only thing that matters in hockey. If he gets penalized on that hit for 5 minutes and Boston scores two goals and wins by 1 instead of loses by 1, I'm going to guess there will be a strip torn off him by Dan Bylsma.

I think the poll was misinterpreted by most people who think only penalties aren't good enough for them for punishment. They want suspensions and fines. Adding those things in is fine. But that doesn't mean only penalties won't affect players' behaviour.

Suspensions are fines because they forfeit their salaries during the suspension and these would also help. I would give an automatic 1 game suspension, followed by 5 games for repeat offense, and then double the suspension going forward. Once the first guy gets 10 or 20 games for this, you bet your ass eyes will be opened.