Bertuzzi offered Moore $350,000

Driving Rain · Post by **Driving Rain** » Tue Nov 06, 2007 8:20 am

http://www.thestar.com/Sports/article/273827

Nov 06, 2007 04:30 AM
Rick Westhead
Sports business columnist

During a secret meeting last December, lawyers for NHL player Todd Bertuzzi offered $350,000 to settle a $15 million lawsuit filed by Steve Moore, the former player whose neck Bertuzzi broke in an on-ice attack that roiled the league, according to court documents.

During a March 8, 2004, game between the Vancouver Canucks and Colorado Avalanche, Bertuzzi, then playing for the Canucks, struck Moore from behind, punching him in the side of the head, then drove his head into the ice. After lying in a pool of blood for several minutes, Moore was removed on a stretcher.

Moore, then 25, was hospitalized with three broken vertebrae and deep facial cuts.

At a press conference days after the incident, a tearful Bertuzzi said, "Steve, I just want to apologize for what happened out there. I am sorry for what happened. I had no intention of hurting you. I don't play the game that way. I'm not a mean-spirited person."

Documents filed recently in court in relation to Moore's lawsuit against Bertuzzi paint a different picture of Bertuzzi, who now plays with the Anaheim Ducks.

One of the documents, a March 29, 2007 letter to Bertuzzi's lawyer Geoffrey Adair from Moore's lawyer Tim Danson, is labelled "strictly personal and confidential" and appears to have been filed as a public document by mistake. The letter was included as an exhibit to a motion filed by Orca Bay, the Vancouver company that owns the Canucks.

"On July 31, 2006, you sat in my office and queried whether Mr. Bertuzzi could settle this case for $1 million," Danson wrote.

"We said no. True it was not an actual offer to settle for $1 million, but since it was a good-faith settlement meeting, it did strongly imply a starting point for Mr. Bertuzzi, albeing exceptionally low.

"We did not take the view that you were playing games.

"To then receive a joint offer from Mr. Bertuzzi and Orca Bay in New York for $350,000 was quite a shock and certainly sent out all the wrong messages," Danson wrote.

The lawyer's letter also described the tension at a December 2006 settlement meeting in New York hosted by NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and his top lieutenant, Bill Daly.

"In the context of everyone meeting in good faith, I entered the boardroom and extended my hand to everyone there," Danson wrote. "Your client refused to shake my hand and effectively turned his back on me ...

"I was shocked by such disrespect. I then turned to everyone and said with enormous disappointment, `What's this – what a great way to start the meeting.' I was met with complete silence."

The meeting, Danson wrote, was "a complete waste of time." Bertuzzi's offer "was calculated to be an insult and was an insult."

Danson declined to comment on the letter, other than to say it should not have been filed as a public document. Adair said the Danson letter "does not accurately reflect the facts of the case." He would not elaborate.

While Moore suffered three broken vertebrae in his neck and a severe concussion – he hasn't played a game since and it's doubtful he'll play another game in the NHL – Bertuzzi was suspended for the final 13 regular-season games of the 2003-04 season and the playoffs. He was reinstated by the NHL after the lockout that led to the cancellation of the 2004-05 season.

Moore was in the sights of Bertuzzi and his teammates after delivering a blow to the head of the Vancouver captain Markus Naslund. No penalty was called, but Naslund missed three games with a concussion. At the time, Bertuzzi said he was glad that the teams had two games remaining and Vancouver's Brad May said Moore had a "bounty" on his head, although he later said he had been kidding.

Adair said Moore's complaint, if it goes to trial, might not reach a courtroom for 12 to 18 months.

the_professor · Post by **the_professor** » Tue Nov 06, 2007 10:05 pm

If I was Moore, I'd have taken the $350k and used it to hire a hitman for Bertuzzi, who is a no-mind waste of skin.

Walker · Post by **Walker** » Tue Nov 06, 2007 10:10 pm

shimmydampner · Post by **shimmydampner** » Wed Nov 07, 2007 8:37 am

the_professor wrote:If I was Moore, I'd have taken the $350k and used it to hire a hitman for Bertuzzi, who is a no-mind waste of skin.

Yeah, that's probably the best response.

Idiot.

Walker · Post by **Walker** » Wed Nov 07, 2007 10:31 am

So out of curiosity why didn't the crown toss this guy in jail? Im pretty sure if I decked someone on the ramp like that I wouldn't be a free man for very long...

THEICEMAN · Post by **THEICEMAN** » Wed Nov 07, 2007 11:30 am

350K is insulting.....I like the hitman idea!

How is Moore doin?

altiplano · Post by **altiplano** » Wed Nov 07, 2007 11:51 am

Moore is an idiot, was an idiot, always will be an idiot.

He got what he deserved and I'm glad. He's the one who started it. To hit the arguably best player in the league at the time in the head on a cheap shot and then taunt the other team at the rematch...

I'd like to see him get it again - no talent bitch - I don't care how much Bertuzzi gets nailed for - I'm glad I saw it. It's fuckin war out there and if you got a soft spine you better watch what you do.

@#$! you Steve Moore. The NHL is better off without your no talent harvard ass.

the_professor · Post by **the_professor** » Wed Nov 07, 2007 12:20 pm

altiplano wrote:It's fuckin war out there

Yep, it sure is. And we should honour these brave souls who earn their living by chasing/shooting a one-pound piece of plastic around a frozen surface. I know they're my heroes...

5x5 · Post by **5x5** » Wed Nov 07, 2007 12:21 pm

Holy cow altiplano - isn't Wednesday supposed to be a blue pill day for you?

Hopefully letting the vitriol spill forth will begin the healing process.

Peace be with you.

just another pilot · Post by **just another pilot** » Wed Nov 07, 2007 1:00 pm

Jordan Tootoo has it coming too(too)...

Nightshiftzombie · Post by **Nightshiftzombie** » Wed Nov 07, 2007 1:24 pm

The hit on Naslund was clean. He decided to do something dumb in the neutral zone and paid the price, no different than any of those good Scott Stevens hits. If Naslund really thought it was a cheap shot he should have looked after his own business not send that sucker punching twat Bertuzzi to avenge him.

Freddy_Francis · Post by **Freddy_Francis** » Wed Nov 07, 2007 1:31 pm

ya...elbow to the head of the player without the puck as he goes to the bench......textbook clean....

THEICEMAN · Post by **THEICEMAN** » Wed Nov 07, 2007 1:35 pm

From a neutral point of view......
it was not a legal hit. But, I do not believe that it was intentional, Moore was trying to give a clean check but Naslund pulled last minute....
It was just the way it happened

altiplano · Post by **altiplano** » Wed Nov 07, 2007 3:28 pm

http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=NrV4KllxUOs

Ahh I still get warm and fuzzy watching it.

What a pussy Moore was/is - why didn't he fight when we was challenged. He tried to skate away and ignore what he knew was coming. He should have stood up and faced up to it and fought like a man and it would have been over with.

These teams hated/hate each other and maybe if you were watching the games that season and in previous leading up to what happened you would have seen what was growing and not be so shocked to watch a 15 second hi-light and condemn it...

As for Moore's hit on Naslund... even if you really believe it was a clean hit - you have to know that there is an unwritten rule in hockey that you don't run the superstars. What do you think would have happened if someone ran Gretzky back in the day. Why do you think Semenko was there? Feck Semenko even fought Muhammed Ali once... You just don't play like that or you get what comes to you. Moore was a goon and a weak one at that.

costermonger · Post by **costermonger** » Wed Nov 07, 2007 3:41 pm

Context doesn't mean a fucking thing when you almost kill somebody. Sorry, it's a game, and Bertuzzi should be in jail. What Steve Moore did or didn't do doesn't have any bearing on it.

altiplano · Post by **altiplano** » Wed Nov 07, 2007 3:51 pm

costermonger wrote:Context doesn't mean a fucking thing when you almost kill somebody. Sorry, it's a game, and Bertuzzi should be in jail. What Steve Moore did or didn't do doesn't have any bearing on it.

Almost killed someone? Are you kidding?

And what Moore does has a total bearing on it. If you want to play that kind of game then play it both ways. Don't run away when it comes back at you.

It's like feeling sorry for a gang member who ends up getting shot. They aren't innocent and could just have easily been on the other end of the gun.

In this case Moore was the one who shot first - he chose how he wanted to play and make a name because he had nothing else to offer the game as a no talent wimp.

I think Bettman has ruined hockey - I want to see a game back where players respect other players or see the wrath from the heavyweights.

costermonger · Post by **costermonger** » Wed Nov 07, 2007 4:12 pm

altiplano wrote:Almost killed someone? Are you kidding?

And what Moore does has a total bearing on it. If you want to play that kind of game then play it both ways. Don't run away when it comes back at you.

It's like feeling sorry for a gang member who ends up getting shot. They aren't innocent and could just have easily been on the other end of the gun.

In this case Moore was the one who shot first - he chose how he wanted to play and make a name because he had nothing else to offer the game as a no talent wimp.

So lemme see if I get this straight..

A career ending neck injury is perfectly reasonable in retaliation for a questionable hit.

I want to see a game back where players respect other players

Respect them by.. ending their careers. Got it.

I'm not gonna argue that you shouldn't expect some sort of retribution when you hit the opponent's star player. That's a given. But Bertuzzi didn't just cross the line, he dummied it in the back of the head.

What you're arguing, antiplano, is the hockey equivalent of the "she was asking for it" defense. And the thing about that argument is that no matter how true it may or may not be, it's simply not defensible.

5x5 · Post by **5x5** » Wed Nov 07, 2007 4:37 pm

altiplano

Gretzky didn't get hit often. Part of it was Semenko, but he also had uncanny vision and the ability to change direction almost effortlessly so he was difficult to pin down.

But he did get rocked once... http://youtube.com/watch?v=72oxwUo1T9E

I remember seeing it live and I thought he was done. For whatever reason, I don't recall McCreary playing again after that. Maybe the Leafs were afraid he'd get his neck broken.

And here's a few from the good old days (the '80s) back when they all respected each other I guess. http://youtube.com/watch?v=PeYe8UH4Jyo
How many of them deserved to get their necks broken via a sucker punch?

shitdisturber · Post by **shitdisturber** » Wed Nov 07, 2007 9:35 pm

altiplano it's time for your meds. I'd call a broken neck almost getting killed as would most people. Moore caught Naslund with his head down and he was playing the puck; Moore didn't leave his feet except as a result of the collision. As for him not fighting; he'd already been in fights with two other goons that night. According to the "code" your trumpeting he'd already done his duty. By the way, in the old days you're so fond of; if you caught a guy with his head down and hit him with a clean check there was no retaliation from his team mates, because anybody with half a brain keeps their head up when skating across the ice.

Bertuzzi derserves to be in jail a lot more than Tayfel does, since he chased Moore all over the rink before breaking his neck.

As for the question of McCreary playing again; nope, that was his last game in the NHL. For a beautiful clean hit on Gretzky he was effectively banished from the league. Don Cherry even commented on the "don't hit Gretzky" rule and used that clip and McCreary's disappearance as an example on one of his tapes.

WJflyer · Post by **WJflyer** » Wed Nov 07, 2007 10:09 pm

shitdisturber wrote:altiplano it's time for your meds. I'd call a broken neck almost getting killed as would most people. Moore caught Naslund with his head down and he was playing the puck; Moore didn't leave his feet except as a result of the collision. As for him not fighting; he'd already been in fights with two other goons that night. According to the "code" your trumpeting he'd already done his duty. By the way, in the old days you're so fond of; if you caught a guy with his head down and hit him with a clean check there was no retaliation from his team mates, because anybody with half a brain keeps their head up when skating across the ice.

The code is that if you take someone out with a dirty hit, if a player from the other team challenges you to a fight, you are supposed to loose the fight. Moore fought and won those fights which showed he had no respect for other players.

Moore should only get enough to cover his medical bills and maybe some money that he would have gotten if he still played. Anything more is not deserved; Moore is a marginal player that is using this incident to milk money that he does not deserve. If he had asked for $4 million (1 million for two seasons, as the NHL minimum salary is 500k each year, plus the money he could get from playing 5 years in Europe), that would have been reasonable and the case would have gone away by now. But since he is demanding $20 million, including the ridiculous "compensation for mental duress" that his parents piled on, what little respect there is in the league for Steve Moore has virtually evaporated.

The NHL is a brutal league. Crazy, violent injuries happen all the time (such as the injury to Kevin Bieksa, who suffered near career ending injury from a lacerated calf muscle after a skate ran over him). Suing another hockey player does not happen all the time. Moore broke the code and now he is being abandoned by his former league and his former teammates. If he had not been hurt by Bertuzzi, I don't think he will even see that $20 million if he continued to play until he retired. Moore and his family are treating the incident like a chance to win the 6/49 instead of a chance to be fairly compensated for the incident.

If he even DOES return to the NHL and get a contract or a exhibition game with a team, don't expect him to last that long on the ice before someone will try to take him out AGAIN.