Trevor Gillies Hit on Cal Clutterbuck... is this the real problem?

Now, I know I am going to sound like a deluded fan of the Islanders, but is the Trevor Gillies hit the real problem?

So far this year, the Islanders have lost well over 400 man games to injuries. The year before, much the same. Cheap hits to players like Blake Comeau, Frans Neilsen and John Tavares have contributed to this heavily.  So, the Islanders go out and get protection for these guys in Zenon Konopka, Matt Martin, and Trevor Gillies. The do what they are supposed to do, take care of the skilled players and take it on the chin when it comes to things like this.

If the calls were actually made for all the hits towards the Islanders, or if they were avoided all together, do you think that Garth Snow would have gone out and gotten players like these? (in fairness to Matt Martin, he was in the Islanders system to begin with, a 5th round pick from a couple years back).

I'm not saying what Trevor Gillies did was right. I'm just saying that if the Islanders had done nothing, they'd likely be playing half their ECHL team right now instead of what little they are able to put on the ice now.

What I'm saying is Trevor Gillies is is a product of the culture bred in the NHL these days, not a product of Trevor Gillies.


C

PS: Look at the replay. Clutterbuck saw it coming, you see he is looking directly at Gillies before he gets his. Gillies hands DID go up, which is wrong, but this wasn't a hit from behind.