So nice to see that the players are still respecting each other in today's NHL.

The latest act of disrespect came Saturday night in the Dallas Stars- Nashville Predators game, when Preds forward Jordin Tootoo leveled Stars defenseman Stephane Robidas with a sucker punch that laid out Robidas and saw him carried off the ice on a stretcher.

As reported by Mike Heika of the Dallas Morning News:

"Tootoo's job was to hound Modano, and he did it well, getting in a few tangles with the Stars' top player.

One such occasion came with under four minutes remaining in the game and the Stars trying to overcome a 3-1 deficit. Tootoo leveled Modano as he tried to make a pass out of the defensive end. As Robidas circled back to help Modano, Tootoo turned and threw a punch to the face of Robidas.

"I turned around and I knew exactly what was going to happen," Tootoo said. "I was just protecting myself. I kept my gloves on, and I think Robidas should be the one that's ready for whatever is coming at him. I was protecting myself."

The Stars didn't see it that way.

"First of all, I'd like an explanation on the penalties," Tippett said of the fact Robidas received a charging penalty to Tootoo's double-minor for roughing. "If he meant to charge him, he didn't get to - he got sucker-punched before he got to him."

Predators coach Barry Trotz praised Tootoo for keeping calm.

"Toots obviously hit their top player, and the current response in hockey is someone has got to get over there and defend your honor," Trotz said. "Robidas was really charging at Toots, and he just reacted. I give him a lot of credit - he kept his gloves on."

I wonder if Trotz would feel the same way if the roles were reversed and it was Robidas who laid out Tootoo in the same manner?

Tootoo claims he was "protecting himself" because Robidas was charging hard at him after Tootoo tangled with Modano, and that Robidas should've been prepared for that.

Sorry, Jordin, but that doesn't wash. Robidas was likely expecting some shoving or perhaps a "sticks-up" scrum, and maybe for the gloves to drop and the punches to being thrown as per the much-ballyhooed "code". Whatever the reason, he obviously wasn't expecting a sucker punch.

What was Tootoo to expect from Robidas? He was sticking up for his captain and his team's best player. That's part of hockey's "code", and if Robidas hadn't gone to the defense of his team's best player, he would've caught hell from his coach and probably from some of his teammates. It would've also been indicative to Tootoo and the Preds that they could run Modano and take all the liberties they want with him, since nobody was willing to defend him.

Yes, the argument can be made that Modano should be prepared to defend himself, but let's face facts, folks, in today's NHL, star players aren't expected to do that. It's expected that a lesser talented, perhaps tougher teammate, will come to his defense.

It wasn't the check that Robidas was objecting to, but the chippiness on Tootoo's part after the hit. Tootoo knew Robidas was coming, but rather than turn and face Robidas as per the so-called "code", he whirled with a sucker punch. Isn't it part of the so-called "code" to allow your opponent a chance to defend himself? Or has that now fallen by the wayside?

Let me again re-state that I'm not some bleeding heart who objects to bodychecking or even of two evenly-matched opponents squaring off to chuck knuckles. Indeed, if Tootoo has faced Robidas as per the so-called "code", dropped his gloves and had knocked Robidas down, I wouldn't have had a problem with that. Robidas then would've been in a better position to expect a punch and at least have a chance to defend himself.

I like Tootoo, he's a scrappy energy player who is still trying to earn a regular role with the Predators. He was a hard-hitting popular player for Team Canada at the 2003 World Junior Hockey championships, earning the nickname "the Tootoo Train" from the adoring fans in Halifax. I have nothing but respect for his battle to reach the NHL and his desire to stay there.

But this shot against Robidas was yet another shining example of the lack of respect between players in today's NHL.

Another cheapshot, another player carried off the ice on a stretcher, but hey! At least it wasn't a late hit or a slash to the face, so the worst Tootoo could get is a three-game suspension, if he gets assessed any additional punishment at all.