Bertuzzi suit

[Jersay]

Steve Moore files another lawsuit against Canucks forward Todd Bertuzzi
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

at 18:34 on February 15, 2006, EST.
By STEVE ERWIN

TORONTO (CP) - Former NHLer Steve Moore has filed another lawsuit against the Todd Bertuzzi, placing a new legal hurdle in front of the Vancouver Canucks star while adding to Team Canada's distractions at the Winter Olympics.

Moore is seeking $15 million in lost wages and damages from Bertuzzi. Orca Bay, the parent company of the Canucks, is named along with the NHL team in the suit.

The latest lawsuit was filed in Ontario Superior Court, four months after a similar case in Denver was thrown out when a U.S. judge determined the suit would be better handled in Canada where its key defendants - Bertuzzi and the Canucks - are based.

Moore's lawyer, Tim Danson, said the suit had been filed but not yet served on Bertuzzi, who is in Italy at the Olympics with Team Canada.

Bertuzzi's agent, Pat Morris, said he was only aware of the suit based on media reports and couldn't comment.

News of the lawsuit came the same day that Bertuzzi and Canada played their first game in Turin.

The case is bound to spice the Canadian Olympic campaign, which is already dealing with the distraction of an alleged U.S. gambling ring that authorities say was financed by Wayne Gretzky's assistant coach at the Phoenix Coyotes. Gretzky is executive director of Team Canada.

Moore's lawyer, Tim Danson, denied there's any connection between the timing of the latest lawsuit and the Olympics.

Danson said the case was filed Tuesday in Toronto, one day before a two-year limitation on the filing of a lawsuit was set to expire.

The Moore attack took place March 8, 2004, when Bertuzzi grabbed him from behind, punched him in the head and drove his head into the ice. Moore, then with the Colorado Avalanche, suffered three fractured vertebrae in his neck, a concussion and other injuries.

A month earlier, on Feb. 16, Moore hit Canucks forward Markus Naslund with what Danson called a "clean check" that led to a "whole series of threats" against Moore, culminating with the Bertuzzi attack a month later in Vancouver.

The unpenalized hit on Naslund is included as evidence in the latest lawsuit, requiring Danson to file the suit before the two-year limitation in Ontario.

"There's nothing to the timing other than the fact that there's a limitation period," said Danson, who would not comment directly on the lawsuit.

Danson said he would have preferred reporters hadn't become aware of the suit.

"If we had our druthers, it wouldn't even be news - it would have been issued and no one would know about it until some time down the road. But that didn't work out for us," he said.

The lawsuit in Denver was filed in February 2004 because there's a one-year limitation on when lawsuits can be filed in Colorado. It was filed just days before reporters gathered for the NBA all-star game in Denver.

Bertuzzi was reinstated to the NHL in August after being indefinitely suspended and missing 13 regular-season games and the Stanley Cup playoffs in 2004, giving up about $502,000 US in salary. He is due to earn about $5.2 million US this season.

Bertuzzi faced up to 18 months in prison after Vancouver authorities charged him with assault. He pleaded guilty, and was then sentenced to probation and community service.

Bertuzzi has hoped to put the issue behind him in Turin.

"I think I'm deserving of the opportunity to be here," he said Tuesday prior to news of the lawsuit surfacing in Toronto. "My past play has done it. Unfortunately, there's been a gap in between with the lockout and some other stuff. So yes, I think I more than deserve to be here."

The latest lawsuit was filed in Ontario instead of B.C. because Moore lives in Ontario, where provincial law allows suits to be heard in the jurisdiction where the victim is allegedly suffering damages.

Danson declined comment when asked about Moore's condition.

http://start.shaw.ca/start/enCA/Sports/SportsNewsArticle.htm?src=s021535A.xml

The guy should be in jail for this. And fans are stupid enough that, oohh, he has done his time, the guy wasn't a good hockey player, he shouldn't get that much money.

I believe Moore should get every bit of money. His parents watched him as he was sucker punched by this bastard Bertuizzi and I think he should sue him for all he's got.

 

[cortez]

I was disgusted with Bertussi being allowed to play on the Olympic team as a representative of Canada and I was rooting for all the other teams- I am so glad that the Canadians lost. It was amazing watching the other teams win by skill instead of thuggery. If you enjoy the sport because of the fighting why not just watch boxing. I enjoy the sport for the skill of the skating and passing and the Canadian team has none of that. As long as Bertussi and his assaultive types are on the team, I will be rooting for anyone else. Moore should get every penny from Bertussi- Let's get back to the sport being about skill, and stop excusing the violence as an integral part of the sport.

 

[cdn_bc_ca]

While I feel sorry for the injuries that Moore received, he should have realised that going after a star player of the Canucks like the way that he did carries some consequence. Instead of skating away from betuzzie like a chicken, he should have faced up to the fact that he was going to get a wippin' and just turn around and do his best. If he turned around the most he would have received would be a couple of black eyes... I also remember that during a press conference he said something to the effect of "Bring it on" when asked about facing the consequences of his actions.

Unfortunately, this is the nature of team sport... you protect your own... as you would protect your family.

Although many believe (including the NHL) that the hit on Naslund was fair, I believe the motive behind the hit was not. I have a copy of the video and I have watched it countless number of times and I can tell you that Moore was not interested in getting possession of the puck. It looked to me like he knew Naslund was reaching and didn't have his head up and it was a great opportunity to make something of his career. This is evidenced by the fact that Moore put his body weight into the hit as you can clearly see him leaning into it just before contact. So much so that he got airborn just after the hit and landed on all fours.

The problem here is not Bertuzzi, it is the NHL and their lack of justice. Instead dealing with the matter, they did absolutely nothing. Hence, the players get frustrated and dish out their own form of justice...

If somebody is willing to host this video (6mb) and post a link here, let me know and I will send it to you.

 

[Jersay]

While I feel sorry for the injuries that Moore received, he should have realised that going after a star player of the Canucks like the way that he did carries some consequence. Instead of skating away from betuzzie like a chicken, he should have faced up to the fact that he was going to get a wippin' and just turn around and do his best. If he turned around the most he would have received would be a couple of black eyes... I also remember that during a press conference he said something to the effect of "Bring it on" when asked about facing the consequences of his actions.

Unfortunately, this is the nature of team sport... you protect your own... as you would protect your family.

Although many believe (including the NHL) that the hit on Naslund was fair, I believe the motive behind the hit was not. I have a copy of the video and I have watched it countless number of times and I can tell you that Moore was not interested in getting possession of the puck. It looked to me like he knew Naslund was reaching and didn't have his head up and it was a great opportunity to make something of his career. This is evidenced by the fact that Moore put his body weight into the hit as you can clearly see him leaning into it just before contact. So much so that he got airborn just after the hit and landed on all fours.

The problem here is not Bertuzzi, it is the NHL and their lack of justice. Instead dealing with the matter, they did absolutely nothing. Hence, the players get frustrated and dish out their own form of justice...

If somebody is willing to host this video (6mb) and post a link here, let me know and I will send it to you.

You are just speculating, and since you have a bias towards the Vancouver Canucks of course you are going to say this and that. However, the members who review of incidents who are well trained in this didn't believe it was a flagrant hit so i was clean. If Nasland got injuried from it tough beans.

Bertuzzi should be in prison for what he did but not he gets to skate around, and just recently he tried to elbow someone, dirty tricks trying to injure people.

 

[cdn_bc_ca]

If Nasland got injuried from it tough beans.

Heh, heh... You know, Naslund did get injured. But he didn't go whining about it like Moore.

Bertuzzi should be in prison for what he did but not he gets to skate around, and just recently he tried to elbow someone, dirty tricks trying to injure people.

Oh please. Are you telling me that nobody elbows in the NHL? Heck, even the drop in hockey I play everyweek has elbowing... and it's supposed to be non-contact.

I watched the Chicago vs. Vancouver game last week. I distinctly remember a chicago player bodychecking a vancouver player into the boards head first which started a slew of penalties becuase things started to get out of control. The chicago player only got 3 games suspension. Bertuzzi didn't do a damn thing.... Why? because people like you complain the minute he makes a fist (read your elbowing statement)

I don't care if Bertuzzi gets banned or sent to jail, the fact is that Moore should've seen it coming and turned around and face reality like a man. Now he's injured and has to make his money back by suing the crap outta people.

 

[Jersay]

Guys like me.

Honest people who don't like people to get away with a crime that broke the neck of someone else.

The only person to blame for this incident is Todd Bertuzi. He was the one who threw the punch and he was the one who landed on Moore driving his face into the ice.

I bet you and Bertuzzi lovers everywhere would still accept his actions if he had killed the guy.

And with Bertuzzi, with the elbow, he went up to a Carolina player and elbowed him in the back of the head and he fell head first into the boards.

And talking about Steve Moore turning around to face Todd Bertuzzi, first he was heading up ice to the play, not watching some thug some criminal who sucker punched him.

I hope Steve Moore makes Todd Bertuzzi peniless takes all his money because he is back to his old tricks.

 

[cdn_bc_ca]

And with Bertuzzi, with the elbow, he went up to a Carolina player and elbowed him in the back of the head and he fell head first into the boards.

Welcome to the world of hockey. :wink:

And talking about Steve Moore turning around to face Todd Bertuzzi, first he was heading up ice to the play, not watching some thug some criminal who sucker punched him.

Gee, that's the poorest excuse I've ever heard. I mean, all throughout the game, Moore was a target. Bertuzzi skated up behind him, shouted at him to get his attention to turn around, and then actually pushed Moore to get his attention. I believe it is very clear that Moore knew what was happening, he was just too chicken to turn around. All of Moore's team mates knew what was going down as well because right after the sucker punch they jumped Bertuzzi like a moth to a flame... They jump him so fast that they got to him before Moore even hit the ground! Then a dogpile happened and further injury to poor old Moore.

Like I said in my previous post, I don't give a rats ass what happens to Bertuzzi. The premise behind my previous posts is that the NHL should be more strict with it's actions against players that throw cheap shots (both Moore and Bertuzzi) and prevent players from issuing their own form of justice.

The Moore injury could have been prevented

 

[#juan]

As I've said before,

if Moore, by some gross miscarriage of justice got fifteen million from Bertuzzi, it would be about four times what he would have received had he not been injured. Why wouldn't Moore go to the NHL doctors? He didn't show for two or three appointments that Bettman set up for him. When Bettman re-instated Bertuzzi, he said that Moore had not been under a doctors care for several months. Moore is just milking this for all he can get.

 

[Kreskin]

Anyone watching the sad sack Canucks these days? Man are they brutal.