Moore-Bertuzzi Civil Case Set For 2012

((HT: CBC Sports))

A civil case former NHL'er Steve Moore has against Todd Bertuzzi and the Vancouver Canucks could be in court late next year.

The target date for the Ontario Superior Court trial to begin ((if there is no settlement)) is September 24th, 2012 if Bertuzzi is still an active player. If he's not, it's set for October 22nd if he's not.

Court-ordered mediation between the sides has failed to lead to a settlement.

Shocker, there...

Moore suffered three fractured vertebrae and said back in 2007 that it was not possible to undertake strenuous exercise for long stretches.

Here's the hit...
((HT: NHL/FSN/youtube))


And the presser immediately after Bertuzzi returned from the Toronto NHL offices...
He's sorry...
((HT: NHL/BCTV-GlobalTV/youtube))


Should be interesting come 2012...

Steve Moore's Civil Suit Continues

((HT: GlobeSports))

Legal counsel for the Vancouver Canucks, Bertuzzi, Moore and others will be in a Toronto courtroom today to file pretrial motions.

Moore and his legal representative are seeking a court order to question former Canucks head coach Marc Crawford within the next three months, according to court documents.

Here's the suckerpunch in question...
((HT: NHL/FSN))


It was in response to this hit Moore administered to the Canucks Markus Naslund three weeks earlier...Crawford, at the time of the incident, was understandably hot.
((HT: NHL/FSN))



Moore was left with three fractured vertebrae in his neck, facial cuts and a concussion. He is suing the Canucks, Bertuzzi and Crawford for upward of $38-million.

Earlier this year, Bertuzzi filed court papers claiming Crawford’s negligence contributed to the attack on Moore.

Those papers allege Crawford urged his players to make Moore “pay the price” for the hit on Naslund and that as coach, he “failed to exercise control over and caution his players against physical aggression toward Moore.”

Crawford replied Bertuzzi acted in “direct disobedience” when he refused to come off the ice as ordered by the coaches prior to the attack on Moore.

Court documents show Crawford was given a list of questions from Moore’s legal counsel earlier this year. Today’s request to query Crawford is an attempt to have many of those questions answered under oath prior to Christmas.

That could help set a trial date for the case.

Those of us at OSG HQ thought the Bertuzzi retalliation was just as bad as this shot Marty McSorley levelled onto Donald Brashear's face from behind.
((HT: NHL/Rogers Sportsnet))


Whether or not Bert did it on orders from Marc Crawford, probably, will never be proven in court. And we all know no one will have the stones to come forward and admit a screw-up. Especially after Bertuzzi plead guilty to assault in 2004 and got a year's probation and a conditional discharge.

He could squawk double jeopardy...

All of it is a shame...