Why is the NHL like High School?

Apparently, Carey Price was targeted and deserved to be targeted by the Penguins after he made his now-infamous gesture after stoning the Penguins in the shootout last week.

The message I've gotten this season sounds to me like the NHL is a lot like high school. If you're in the lower grades or the new guy, you are not allowed to stand out, be different and interesting. Only after the cool kids do something are you allowed to do it as well and you don't deserve a beating for trying it.

Linus Omark was in trouble for this a while ago, Tampa Bay players complaining it was disrespectful, so said Martin St. Louis, who's done this and teammate Steven Stamkos has done this.

Mike Richards has complained that PK Subban lacks respect. Subban who got into his face after he tried to jump Andrei Kostitsyn earlier this season and engage him in a fight for reasons that probably make sease to Mike Richards about starting a fight for no reason, which was pretty respectful. We could also talk about the respect Mike Richards paid to David Booth, than acted like it was no big deal.

Sidney Crosby, the recent victim of a concussion spoke about how these dangerous hits had to be curbed and how wrong they were. I wonder if his teammate Matt Cooke was in the vicinity when he gave this speech? I'm sure Marc Savard could let Crosby know he's saying something that might have not made him sound like a two-faced opportunist if he'd spoken out against this hit last season. Yes the best player took a hit to the head and that's unfortunate, however it would have been nice if he'd spared a thought for one of the better players in the NHL and called out his own teammate for a garbage play last year. Everything's all well and good until the wrong people (those not on your team or All-Stars) make a dirty play and suddenly it's a disaster.

So I will ask, what gives? Is this the maturity level of the NHL? People need to stand up and say "having a personality is okay and being a hypocrite is not." I have had enough of young men being said they are disrespectful for having personalities or not bowing to their NHL elders and saying thank you for letting me play on the same ice as you. Respect is earned, did you know that? It seems that once you have your respect in the NHL for being a veteran, you're untouchable, if you are a rookie, you can not be respectful by outshining veterans and you can not be respected because you're new, no matter how well you're playing.

Lapierre dove and I say that as a Habs fan. I am a fan of Alex Ovechkin, but he has deserved his suspensions and probably a couple more. Carey Price was not a great goaltender from the 2nd half of 2008-2009 through the 09-10 season as well and that was his own fault at times. I say these things freely, but I also say Chris Pronger is an arrogant jerk who gets away with too many cheap shots, Matt Cooke is a garbage player when he hits and Sidney Crosby needs to grow up and stop complaining whenever something doesn't go his way.