Do You Believe that Todd Bertuzzi Disobeyed Crawford?

Marc Crawford claims that Todd Bertuzzi acted in “direct disobedience” of the Vancouver Canucks coaching staff when he attacked Colorado Avalanche forward, Steve Moore. 

Bert has said that he acted on Crawford’s orders who allegedly said that Moore “must pay the price.”

Now, the Toronto Star is reporting that, according to Crawford, the coaching staff was actually trying to “pull Bertuzzi off the ice before the attack that broke Moore’s neck and ended his career.”

Here’s the actual statement from Crawford’s defence:

Just prior to the attack on Moore, Bertuzzi had been on a shift to kill a penalty, had missed the shift change and had remained on the ice for longer than the rest of his line.

After being directed to get off the ice, Bertuzzi was on his way back to the bench when, suddenly and without warning, he turned around and skated back in the direction of Moore and attacked Moore.

This was not done under any specific or general direction or encouragement from Crawford, was a direct disobedience of the instruction that Bertuzzi had been given from the bench to get off the ice, and was a violation of Bertuzzi’s duties which Crawford could not be expected to have reasonably anticipated, let alone control.’

This all comes after Bertuzzi filed a claim against Crawford because he feels his former coach should be libel to pay damages awarded to Moore. 

Okay, now that you’ve read all of that, what do you think?  First of all, I don’t believe Crawford.  I’ve never been a huge fan of Big Bert’s (and I’m scared as hell of what he’s going to be like on the Calgary Flames) but what he has said in the past rang true to me.  After everything that happened leading up to that moment, I believe the Canucks wanted revenge.  I truly believe that Crawford sent Bert out there to “get” Moore.  If they thought he was going to hurt someone, why would Bert be on the ice at all?  Why not make him a healthy scratch or something? 

Whatever.  That’s just my opinion but I’d love to hear from you.

image credit: TSN