Bertuzzi and Moore reach a lawsuit settlement

VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – It appears an out-of-court settlement has been reached that may have closed the book on the lawsuit targeting former Vancouver Canuck Todd Bertuzzi for his attack on Steve Moore 10 years ago.

Earlier today, we heard an out-of-court settlement had been reached in Moore’s lawsuit against Bertuzzi, with the terms remaining confidential. However, there are some questions about the settlement.

The multi-million-dollar lawsuit had been scheduled to go to trial Sept. 8.

The notorious hit happened 10 years ago, when Bertuzzi hit Moore from behind, sending the hapless Colorado Avalanche player crashing face-first to the ice and leaving him with a concussion and fractured vertebrae. Moore claimed the Canucks had put a bounty on his head following his check that left their captain Markus Naslund injured.

“There was a build-up,” recalls Michael Grange, senior writer with Sportsnet Magazine.

“The two teams played once to no incident and then played a second time and it ended up being a blow-out kind of game. Steve Moore was challenged during the game. There had been talks prior to the game of a bounty being put on Moore’s head. He was challenged to a fight, fought, and then the fateful event was Bertuzzi chasing Moore around the ice… Moore not wanting to fight. Bertuzzi [didn’t] take no for an answer and punched him hard at the back of the head, the neck area and then jumped on him… then the image we’re all familiar with: Steve Moore lying, face-down, in a pool of his own blood.”

Grange says if the deal sticks, the Canucks must be happy about an out-of-court settlement. “One hundred per cent. I would bet that all parties are happy to have this not go to court.”

“I think the Canucks and the NHL, probably more so, if only because the prospect of a long trial where the underbelly of professional sports [could be] potentially exposed. But Steve Moore, probably, in some ways, as well. When you’re talking about this kind of money, there would be a tax on his character, on his real value as a hockey player, and none of that is ever done in a pleasant way. It’s two parties fighting tooth and nail.”

“At one point, Moore was seeking $68 million in damages. I suspect it’s not anywhere quite close to that, but you are talking about a guy that is potentially a 10-year NHL player. You’re talking about a Harvard graduate who had an IQ reported at nearly 140. So, the potential of off-ice earnings, I’m sure would have been significant. And all that’s been snatched away… permanently, in the case of hockey.”

Grange thinks the game has changed for the better since the hit a decade a go. “I think [it has], just purely on the idea of how precious the head is and the brain is, we’ve seen rule changes in the last three, four or five years.”

“We’ve seen more stringent and consistent penalties for hits to the head. I think that’s been a huge step forward. But I think generally, culturally, there’s been an acknowledgement that it’s an intimidating game — that’s always probably going to be a part of hockey — but to have that as a team tactic from management down, you can’t do that. And you can’t talk about it. You can’t talk about it in your dressing room, you can’t talk about it publicly. There is a level of accountability and what happens on the ice isn’t a free-for-all.”

Bertuzzi pleaded guilty to criminal assault causing bodily harm for the hit and was sentenced in 2006 to one year probation and 80 hours of community service.