Hockey player found guilty of assault during game

Associated Press

VANCOUVER, British Columbia – National Hockey League veteran Marty McSorley was found guilty today of assault with a weapon for hitting another player with his stick during a game earlier this year.

The conviction is the first of an NHL player for an on-ice hit since 1988.

A Vancouver judge gave McSorley a conditional discharge, meaning he will serve no jail time and his record eventually could be expunged. He could have been sentenced to as much as 1 1/2years in prison.

McSorley, a 17-year NHL veteran known as an “enforcer” for his often rough play, hung his head as he spoke after the conviction was announced. He told the court he intends to speak personally with Vancouver Canucks player Donald Brashear, the opponent he clubbed over the head with his stick.

ADVERTISEMENT
0 seconds of 0 secondsVolume 0%
Press shift question mark to access a list of keyboard shortcuts
00:00
00:00
00:00
 

“I’ve played the game for a long time,” said McSorley, 37. “I have a tremendous amount of respect for the game. … I’m extremely glad to see Donald back on the ice and I do plan to address this with Donald in person.”

McSorley was skating for the Boston Bruins when he bashed Brashear during a Feb. 21 game. He testified that he didn’t intend to hit Brashear in the head. He contends he was instead trying to hit him in the shoulder to provoke him into fighting.

“If Marty McSorley had skated up the ice and slashed Donald Brashear in the upper shoulder, there would be no criminal assault,” defense lawyer Bill Smart said. “It’s within the norms of NHL hockey.”

But provincial court Judge William Kitchen didn’t buy the explanation.

“He had an impulse to strike him in the head,” Kitchen said as he announced the conviction. “Brashear was struck as intended.”

Though hockey players are frequently penalized for swiping at other players with their sticks – an infraction called “slashing” – such blows rarely end up in court. But McSorley’s hit was considered particularly brutal. He was charged after thousands of fans and millions more television viewers watched the incident.

The blow occurred with three seconds remaining in the game. As Brashear skated with his back to McSorley, the Bruin defenseman came up behind him and slashed at his upper body, striking him in the side of the head and sending him crumpling to the ice.

Brashear, who briefly lost consciousness, testified that he still has no memory of the incident. He has since recovered fully and is back playing with the Canucks.

McSorley is the first NHL player to be charged criminally for an on-ice blow since 1988, when Dino Ciccarelli got a day in jail and a $1,000 fine after a vicious stick-swinging incident.

The weeklong trial heard evidence from McSorley and Brashear, on-ice officials, Canucks coach Marc Crawford, New York Rangers executive Glen Sather and others. Even hockey great Wayne Gretzky made a cameo appearance, not to testify but to sit in the courtroom in support of his friend and former on-ice protector McSorley.

McSorley was suspended by the NHL for the rest of the season after the hit and is an unrestricted free agent. He must meet with NHL commissioner Gary Bettman before he resumes playing.

Copyright ©2000 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Local News

Edmonds Mayor Mike Rosen goes through an informational slideshow about the current budget situation in Edmonds during a roundtable event at the Edmonds Waterfront Center on Monday, April 7, 2025 in Edmonds, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Edmonds mayor recommends $19M levy lid lift for November

The city’s biennial budget assumed a $6 million levy lid lift. The final levy amount is up to the City Council.

Community members gather for the dedication of the Oso Landslide Memorial following the ten-year remembrance of the slide on Friday, March 22, 2024, at the Oso Landslide Memorial in Oso, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
The Daily Herald garners 6 awards from regional journalism competition

The awards recognize the best in journalism from media outlets across Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington.

A firefighting helicopter carries a bucket of water from a nearby river to the Bolt Creek Fire on Saturday, Sep. 10, 2022, on U.S. 2 near Index, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
How Snohomish County property owners can prepare for wildfire season

Clean your roofs, gutters and flammable material while completing a 5-foot-buffer around your house.

(City of Everett)
Everett’s possible new stadium has a possible price tag

City staff said a stadium could be built for $82 million, lower than previous estimates. Bonds and private investment would pay for most of it.

Jennifer Humelo, right, hugs Art Cass outside of Full Life Care Snohomish County on Wednesday, May 28, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
‘I’ll lose everything’: Snohomish County’s only adult day health center to close

Full Life Care in Everett, which supports adults with disabilities, will shut its doors July 19 due to state funding challenges.

The age of bridge 503 that spans Swamp Creek can be seen in its timber supports and metal pipes on Wednesday, May 15, 2024, in Lynnwood, Washington. The bridge is set to be replaced by the county in 2025. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Snohomish County report: 10 bridges set for repairs, replacement

An annual report the county released May 22 details the condition of local bridges and future maintenance they may require.

The Edmonds City Council gathers to discuss annexing into South County Fire on Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024 in Edmonds, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Community group presents vision for Edmonds’ fiscal future

Members from Keep Edmonds Vibrant suggested the council focus on revenue generation and a levy lid lift to address its budget crisis.

Traffic moves north and south along I-5 through Everett on Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2023. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Snohomish County saw increase in traffic deaths in 2024

Even though fatalities fell statewide, 64 people died in Snohomish County traffic incidents in 2024, the most in nine years.

Some SnoCo stores see shortages after cyberattack on grocery supplier

Some stores, such as Whole Foods and US Foods CHEF’STORE, informed customers that some items may be temporarily unavailable.

A rainbow LGBTQ+ pride flag hanging from a flag pole outside of Lynnwood City Hall moves in the wind on Tuesday, June 10, 2025, in Lynnwood, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Lynnwood to develop policy after pride flag controversy

Earlier this month, the city denied a group’s request to raise an LGBTQ+ pride flag at a public park, citing the lack of a clear policy.

The Washington state Capitol on April 18, 2025. (Photo by Jacquelyn Jimenez Romero/Washington State Standard)
Washington governor wants agencies to look for deeper cuts

The state’s financial turmoil hasn’t subsided. It may get worse when a new revenue forecast comes out this month.

Members of the California National Guard and federal law enforcement stand guard as people protest outside of the Edward R. Roybal Federal Building and Metropolitan Detention Center in Los Angeles, on Tuesday. (Philip Cheung/The New York Times)
Ferguson prepares for possibility of Trump deploying troops in Washington

The governor planned to meet with the state’s top military official Tuesday, after the president sent the National Guard and Marines to respond to Los Angeles protests.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.