Bertuzzi suing Crawford
He says coach's negligence led to attack on Steve Moore
Rocky wire reports
Originally published 11:30 a.m., March 28, 2008
Updated 03:43 p.m., March 28, 2008
Photo by David Zalubowski/Associated Press/2004
Avalanche fans made clear how they felt about Todd Bertuzzi when he made his second appearance in Denver since his on-ice attack on Steve Moore.
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TORONTO — Todd Bertuzzi has filed a lawsuit against former Vancouver Canucks head coach Marc Crawford, alleging his negligence contributed to Bertuzzi's infamous sucker punch of Steve Moore in March 2004, according to court documents obtained by Canadian Broadcasting Corp. News.
Bertuzzi was an all-star forward for the Canucks when he hit Moore from behind 8:41 into the third period of a 9-2 loss to the Colorado Avalanche on March 8, 2004 in Vancouver.
The punch came after an earlier game in which Moore knocked Vancouver captain Markus Naslund unconscious with an open-ice hit to the head. Moore wasn't penalized on the play.
Bertuzzi's punch left Moore with three broken vertebrae in his neck and a concussion. Moore hasn't played since, and is suing Bertuzzi — now with the Anaheim Ducks — for upward of $38 million. Crawford — now the head coach of the Los Angeles Kings — was not named as a defendant in the suit, but was listed as a third party.
The papers, filed in Toronto by Bertuzzi's lawyers, allege that Crawford urged his players in March 2004, including Bertuzzi, to make Moore "pay the price" when Crawford "knew or ought to have known that this was likely to result in injury to Moore."
The papers also contend that Crawford "failed to exercise control over and caution his players against physical aggression toward Moore."
One Canadian legal expert told The Los Angeles Times that he thought Bertuzzi would be facing a two-pronged problem in attempting to pull Crawford into the legal fray.
"It's a pretty ambiguous direction," University of Alberta law professor Russell Brown told The Times in a telephone interview from Edmonton. "There are lots of opportunities within the rules of hockey ... that might fall within how you make someone pay. It's not obvious that's an instruction to go out and actually intentionally injure someone.
"The other problem with Mr. Bertuzzi's argument is that it's a bit of a stretch to say that you're contractually bound, even when your coach has told you can reasonably be said to mean, go out and intentionally injure someone. It seems a stretch to say that you're contractually bound to do that. That's a huge leap. Even in hockey."
The NHL suspended Bertuzzi indefinitely for attacking Moore, and didn't reinstate him until Aug. 8, 2005 — exactly 17 months later.
Bertuzzi remained under suspension throughout the 310-day NHL lockout and was prohibited from competing in the 2004 World Cup of Hockey, two world championships and in European pro leagues.
He also forfeited $501,926.39 in salary and hundreds of thousands more in endorsements.
Bertuzzi, at the Ducks' morning skate Friday, declined to comment, referring reporters to his agent.
"We are not prepared to comment, except to say Todd Bertuzzi has claimed that Marc Crawford has to share in the responsibility for any damages awarded to Steve Moore," Bertuzzi's lawyer, Geoffrey Adair, said to CBC News.
Criminal charges filed against Bertuzzi in Vancouver resulted in a guilty plea and a sentence of one year's probation plus 80 hours of community service.
Moore later filed a lawsuit in Denver against Bertuzzi and other notables, including Canucks ownership, but it was dismissed.
With Bertuzzi in Turin, Italy, playing for Team Canada at the Winter Olympics, Moore filed a second lawsuit on Feb. 15, 2006.
At the time, he was seeking $18 million for lost income, aggravated and punitive damages, but is now demanding $38 million in an amended claim.
Comments
Posted by weemoose on March 28, 2008 at 11:52 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Todd.... and as my mother use to say... "if they told you to jump off a bridge, would you do it?"
jerk... as far as I'm concerned you should have never been allowed to play hockey again.
You and a heck of a lot of others like you.
Posted by Shaupeen on March 28, 2008 at 11:59 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Bertuzzi is trying to blame someone else for his cowardly punch? What a loser! He is a coward and--apparently--a child who can't take responsibility for his actions.
Posted by O_TRAIN on March 28, 2008 at 12:01 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Bertuzzi you loser - and I'm no fan of Crawford either, but if the coach says a player needs to "pay the price" - it doesn't translate to "hit him from behind without him knowing and slam his head into the ice and break his neck so he can never play again"
He should never skate again
Posted by Big_D on March 28, 2008 at 12:04 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Bertuzzi is a thug and should have been suspended until Moore returned healthy which he never did. Bertuzzi should pay Moore for ruining his career and 38 million seems a little low. Crawford has always inspired thugs but Bertuzzi went over the edge and did his assault outside of the bounds of the game. This is pretty sad when you consider hitting someone in the face is considered acceptable in hockey. It also shows what a spineless creep Bertuzzi is since he was not man enough to hit Moore from the front.
Posted by buffsblg on March 28, 2008 at 12:13 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Nice to see that there is still some outrage about this cowardly attack. I wish some of the Avalanche players shared that outrage. Instead the guys, particularly "Super Joe" Sakic instead took the position that Bertuzzi was a great guy and proceeded to skate around with Joe's nose firmly planted in Bertuzzi's backside.
Posted by mtnsrfer on March 28, 2008 at 12:35 p.m. (Suggest removal)
What sucked about the suspension is that 12 mos. of it came during the lock out. Bertuzzi didn't lose any game checks that the rest of the league didn't lose as well.
Posted by KP13 on March 28, 2008 at 12:56 p.m. (Suggest removal)
heres a deal todd......you let more break your neck so you can never skate again or play again. Then you can get what ever settlement your asking for from crawford...
Its too bad crawford didn't tell you to bend over and shove your own stick where the sun doesn't shine!
have a good day todd.
Posted by R8R_H8R on March 28, 2008 at 1:02 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Will somebody PLEASE just beat the livin' shi'ite out of this punk Toddy Bertuzzi? What a son of a beach. Todd did it, period. Oh my gawd what a jerk!!!!!!!
Posted by mark79trans on March 28, 2008 at 1:15 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Didn't the Nazi rank and file use this as a defense at the Nuremberg trials?
I can't believe this guy was reinstated!
Posted by princess on March 28, 2008 at 2:04 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Todd you are a piece of sh$t for what you did. Steves living was to play hockey to support his wife and kids ( if there is a Mrs Moore and baby Moores) and any other family members he chose to support. You took his career away from him. He had talent to feed his family and you snatched the food right out of their mouths. You should have your ass handed to you on a silver platter. He has to suffer while you get big checks. I think every last cent you make should go to him and his family. Man up and take responsibility for what you did you cry baby. "Oh coach made me do it" I wastched that game and I didn't see a gun to your head. Get over yourself. How do you sleep at night? I know he will never read that but man I feel better letting that out. He should be banned from playing any kind of hockey for the rest of his life. I wonder if we as fans protest if the NHL will ban him.
Posted by RickyLee on March 28, 2008 at 2:17 p.m. (Suggest removal)
YET ANOTHER scumbag, spoiled, piece of s*%t pro athlete. Big suprise. He's right up there with Latrell Spreewell.
Posted by RDA on March 28, 2008 at 3:08 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I agree he shouldn't play .. but if he doesn't, he can't give his money to Steve Moore. He ought to be forced into indentured servitude. It's obvious he hasn't learned anything from this incident if he is trying to blame the coach for his own actions. What a douchebag.
Posted by analytixman on March 28, 2008 at 3:20 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Bertuzzi is an idiot and should never been allowed to skate again. It's clear he is in world of hurt and very desperate since he is reaching out to sue Crawford to pay the debt he created. Wonderful world we live in that a scum bag lawyer would actually take the case. I have never wished misfortune on anyone but when he cant even stand up like a man and accept responsibility for his actions, it would be nice to see someone Bertuzzi him.
No class! No character. The NHL sucks for allowing this kind of human trash to grace the ice.
Posted by dirkle on March 28, 2008 at 3:31 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Bertuzzi is a scumbag, but so is Crow. I have seen the look of smug satisfaction on Crawford's face after the coward Bertuzzi mugged Moore from behind.
Look at archive tape yourself and you'll see it. Crawford thought it was "justice" at the time.
While Bertuzzi is a brain-dead thug, now claiming the "Nazi" defense
(" I vas only folloving orders ... ")
Crawford is nonetheless complicit, should be charged as such, and should be held personally liable for damages.
Posted by xtofer on March 28, 2008 at 3:36 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Next Bertluzzer will sue the NHL for allowing him to play, being the gutless punk that he is. He couldn't even square off and face Moore to fight him, but jump him from behind like a pussy, even though he outweighed Moore by 50 lbs. Shameful. And now he's on a Cup-caliber team. The hockey gods need to wake up and get medieval on his ass with some karma payback.
Posted by EdVMorales on March 28, 2008 at 3:38 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Ok, tell me this. What is the differents bewteen us and them. If we got into a fight, no questions asked, straight to JAIL.
Posted by FormalistAesthete on March 28, 2008 at 4:05 p.m. (Suggest removal)
snicker...snicker...giggle...giggle...ha...ha...HA...HA...HEE...HEE
Posted by TruthHurts on March 28, 2008 at 4:37 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I think we should all file suit against Bertuzzi for subjecting us to that awful visual that was played over and over again on ESPN ..it has caused undue mental anguish and acute anxiety...he should have known it would make a highlight reel......
Posted by jackt on March 28, 2008 at 5:09 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Steve should go to every game todd plays.
Posted by mrfxx on March 28, 2008 at 6:55 p.m. (Suggest removal)
The good news in all this is that is sure has to help Steve Moore's lawsuit against Bertuzzi, the Canucks & Crawford!
Posted by 52hockey on March 28, 2008 at 9:47 p.m. (Suggest removal)
It just goes to show that Marc Crawford is a snake in the grass, too.
Posted by paratyper on March 28, 2008 at 11:43 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Here's a plan: find in favor of Bertuzzi v. Crawford, but then give Toad $1 and the rest to Moore.
That'll stick it to both of the guys who should pay.
Posted by Shaupeen on March 29, 2008 at 11:03 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Good point mrfxx!
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