Fighting in Hockey

[TenPenny]

I understand why there is fighting in hockey, I just don't think it belongs.

That said, the deliberate attempts to injure/maim/kill/end careers should be dealt with by a lifetime ban from the league. Bertuzzi, for example, should not be playing professional hockey anywhere in this country.

As soon as people find out that a good player has a weakness, the goons go after that. Bobby Orr had people hacking at his knees and ankles for years, and to me, that was inexcuseable. Lots of people deliberately tried to hack at Gretzky's knees, too. That's because they were trying to make up for their own inadequacies. Coaches and players who encourage this crap should be kicked out of the league, and the teams fined hundreds of thousands of dollars.

But alas, there is still enough demand on the part of the fans to watch this foolishness, instead of watching good play, with hard clean checks. So, the league is catering to the louts of the world, who want to pay to watch other people fight. Me, I like to watch skilled players, be it Peewee, QMJHL, or NHL. I want to see skills, not fists.

 

[asagan]

If they remove fighting then it is one more reason for me to stop watching. I barely watch now because of the Euro style of play that is taking over the NHL. Too many Euros, dives, playing not to lose instead of to win, and lack of fighting. The NHL has been vaginized to the point of being unwatchable.

Fighting is part of the NHL. If you don't like it go watch womens hockey.

 

[shadowshiv]

One thing has nothing to do with the other, on ice hockey activity within the
game, and off ice behavior connected to your team, the nhl, and personal
criticizm of another, he sought out the microphone to deliberately draw
attention to himself and make derogatory remarks about others.
There is no way anyone can connect what he did, to head hunting in a game.
That's how I see it.

I disagree. There are players deliberately going after another player's head and they have video proof that he did so and the culprit gets nothing? Bettman and Colin Campbell are the Charlie Browns of the sports world. I have never seen more wishy-washy individuals than those two clowns.

 

[JLM]

"Bettman and Colin Campbell are the Charlie Browns of the sports world. I have never seen more wishy-washy individuals than those two clowns."- I wonder if Todd Bertuzzi or Marty McSorley would agree.............LOL

 

[shadowshiv]

"Bettman and Colin Campbell are the Charlie Browns of the sports world. I have never seen more wishy-washy individuals than those two clowns."- I wonder if Todd Bertuzzi or Marty McSorley would agree.............LOL

Two examples out of thousands. The Bertuzzi incident was a no-brainer, as was the McSorley. There are a LOT of times where different lengths are given out to different people for the exact same offense. Seems pretty wishy-washy to me.

 

[talloola]

I disagree. There are players deliberately going after another player's head and they have video proof that he did so and the culprit gets nothing? Bettman and Colin Campbell are the Charlie Browns of the sports world. I have never seen more wishy-washy individuals than those two clowns.

I agree with you about bettman/campbell, and the on ice infractions that are
dangerous must be addressed further and taken more seriously, they don't match
up with each other, and it seems different players get different sentences, depend who they are, it will be interesting when chris pronger or another player who is in the elite catagory in the nhl actually seriously
injure another player, they will probably give him less suspension than if it
was a player like jarkko ruutu, or others with that reputation.

the shawn avery thing in my opinion is more like a civil case, as the others are
more like criminal acts, just very different in my mind, and can't be compared.
How can you compare someone slandering and making derogatory comments to
a physical act on the ice, the physical act isn't necessarily worse, just different.

 

[Spade]

The Ontario Hockey League introduces new rules (effective January 15) governing fighting.

“If a player should remove his helmet or undo his chinstrap prior to or during an altercation, such player shall receive a game misconduct in addition to any other penalties assessed and an automatic one (1) game suspension. If a player should remove his helmet or undo his chinstrap prior to entering into an altercation, and his opponent does not remove his helmet, the player removing his helmet shall receive a two minute minor penalty, a game misconduct penalty in addition to any other penalties assessed and an automatic one (1) game suspension.

If a player should remove an opponent’s helmet or undo an opponent’s chinstrap prior to or during an altercation, such player shall receive an automatic game misconduct penalty in addition to any other penalties assessed and a one (1) game suspension.

If during the course of an altercation a player or player’s helmets should become dislodged, the linesmen are to intervene immediately”.“If a player should remove his helmet or undo his chinstrap prior to or during an altercation, such player shall receive a game misconduct in addition to any other penalties assessed and an automatic one (1) game suspension. If a player should remove his helmet or undo his chinstrap prior to entering into an altercation, and his opponent does not remove his helmet, the player removing his helmet shall receive a two minute minor penalty, a game misconduct penalty in addition to any other penalties assessed and an automatic one (1) game suspension.

If a player should remove an opponent’s helmet or undo an opponent’s chinstrap prior to or during an altercation, such player shall receive an automatic game misconduct penalty in addition to any other penalties assessed and a one (1) game suspension.

If during the course of an altercation a player or player’s helmets should become dislodged, the linesmen are to intervene immediately”.“If a player should remove his helmet or undo his chinstrap prior to or during an altercation, such player shall receive a game misconduct in addition to any other penalties assessed and an automatic one (1) game suspension. If a player should remove his helmet or undo his chinstrap prior to entering into an altercation, and his opponent does not remove his helmet, the player removing his helmet shall receive a two minute minor penalty, a game misconduct penalty in addition to any other penalties assessed and an automatic one (1) game suspension.

If a player should remove an opponent’s helmet or undo an opponent’s chinstrap prior to or during an altercation, such player shall receive an automatic game misconduct penalty in addition to any other penalties assessed and a one (1) game suspension.

If during the course of an altercation a player or player’s helmets should become dislodged, the linesmen are to intervene immediately”.

 

[talloola]

excellent

 

[shadowshiv]

That is a good start. Getting them to follow these rules at an earlier stage is smart, as that way they will be used to the rules when(or if) they ever make it to the NHL.

 

[Toro]

There have been more bench-clearing brawls in baseball the past several years than in hockey.

However, there is no reason for fighting in hockey. This idea that fighting is necessary to release pent up tension is utter bull****, given that the Europeans and American college hockey do not allow fighting.

If this line of thinking were true, you would have fights all the time in football, a far more violent and physically demanding game than hockey. Yet, if you take a swing at a guy, you can get thrown out.

Fighting is for the stone age. Ban it.

 

[talloola]

There have been more bench-clearing brawls in baseball the past several years than in hockey.

However, there is no reason for fighting in hockey. This idea that fighting is necessary to release pent up tension is utter bull****, given that the Europeans and American college hockey do not allow fighting.

If this line of thinking were true, you would have fights all the time in football, a far more violent and physically demanding game than hockey. Yet, if you take a swing at a guy, you can get thrown out.

Fighting is for the stone age. Ban it.

I totally agree with you. Watched canucks last night, you could see the two
players who were going to fight, waiting for the faceoff, talking it over, then
wait for the puck to drop, then prepare, face each other, throw off the gloves,
then raise the fists, circle round a little, then go at it, punch helmets, cut
knuckles, and accomplish nothing, other than a delay in the game, while we
have to wait for hockey to start again.
I do understand the odd fight that starts from physical contact, but even those,
would stop if they knew they would be thrown out of the game.
Maybe a game that is so boring that nothing is happening, and a fight starts,
does instill a little excitement into the game, but that is a form of entertainment and not sport.

 

[Socrates the Greek]

Hockey has a black eye, sports are not about killing a member of the other team and as we have witnessed in resent violent event, the MOOR incident the Macsorly incident, last week with the latest death of a player by hitting his head on the ice, after he was brutally knocked to the ice and so on. To allow violence in hockey because it sells seats is demented and stupid.

 

[Risus]

I personally agree that fighting should be banned. However, if you listen to the crowd when there is a fight, it appears that a lot of the fans are cheering them on. The NHL likes that, they won't be changing their rules any time soon.

 

[Socrates the Greek]

I personally agree that fighting should be banned. However, if you listen to the crowd when there is a fight, it appears that a lot of the fans are cheering them on. The NHL likes that, they won't be changing their rules any time soon.

Gould it be that the fans have let their mind evolve from ambassadors to a friendly game, or turn it half hockey half a wrestling match?
If one chooses the half and a half scenario, he or she will find that when we go to see hockey, turning the channel to wrestling when in fact we went to see hockey it makes no sense, it becomes off-topic especially when the one player is taken out of the ring on a stretcher dead, because some intolerant jerk wants to see blood in order for the sport to be interesting.

You want to see blood?, go front seat on the ultimate fighting arena.
Killing the opponent although 50% unintentionally start a fight wanting to afflict death, while 50% also they do not want to see the other guy die, but they start fights to do damage so they can be the tuff guy of the team, there by winning through intimidation rather then skill.

All that is stupid ****. Hockey is Hockey and bone head mentality do not go together well, ultimate fighting ring is for the tuff guys who can bleed two cups of blood during a fight and keep on fighting. Why confuse things, when in fact simplicity tells a better story?

 

[talloola]

Hockey has a black eye, sports are not about killing a member of the other team and as we have witnessed in resent violent event, the MOOR incident the Macsorly incident, last week with the latest death of a player by hitting his head on the ice, after he was brutally knocked to the ice and so on. To allow violence in hockey because it sells seats is demented and stupid.

Yes, I agree, and the pitiful excuse some use is that -if you take out fighting
there will be more stick work, 'wrong'. The stick work is being penalized very
heavily now, and as soon as you put your stick on another player, the whistle
blows, and actually swinging your stick at another will get you suspended
quickly, even if you don't make contact. 'Intent to injure'.
Yes, the fighting is to entertain the fans, and as I said before, they are trying
to figure out how to 'stop' hits to the head, BUT they welcome fighting, which
is - 'hits to the head'. (last night a player fell hard to the ice 'during' a fight,
and hit his head,
not seriously hurt, but he definitely was holding and rubbing the back of his
head on his way to the penalty box, and I'm sure he was checked out later
by team doctor.

 

[Spade]

Violence in professional hockey encourages violence among children who should be playing for "fun."
What passes for entertainment in the rink would involve criminal charges on the street.
YouTube - Ice Hockey - 8 yrs old fighting brawl ice hockey Ontario

 

[Toro]

Wow Spade.

Anyone who played hockey extensively as a kid realizes that there is a high proportion of idiot parents (and coaches) who populate the arenas.

 

[Cannuck]

What passes for entertainment in the rink would involve criminal charges on the street.

The same could be said about boxing, football and many other sports. Hell if I tripped you with a hockey stick while you were walking down the street I could be charged with assault.

 

[Cannuck]

I watched the Junior World Championships. With skills and desire at those levels, the NHL wouldn't need fighting to market its product! Of course, to sell the game in Tampa Bay or Fort Lauderdale, well....

Not to mention all over Europe. It would seem that Europeans are beginning to appreciate the fisticuffs.

YouTube - C.Miettinen vs S.Torkki

YouTube - Hockey fight - Mikko Kuparinen vs. Blair Scott

YouTube - Cardiff Devils vs London Racers hockey brawl

Íîâîñòè NEWSru.com :: Õîêêåèñòû ïîáèëè â Êàçàíè ðåêîðä ÍÕË, óñòðîèâ áåñïðåöåäåíòíóþ äðàêó (ÂÈÄÅÎ)

Then there is International Hockey

YouTube - Canada vs.USSR Hockey Brawl

YouTube - 1997 WHC - Canada vs Czech Rep

 

[talloola]

Not to mention all over Europe. It would seem that Europeans are beginning to appreciate the fisticuffs.

YouTube - C.Miettinen vs S.Torkki

YouTube - Hockey fight - Mikko Kuparinen vs. Blair Scott

YouTube - Cardiff Devils vs London Racers hockey brawl

Íîâîñòè NEWSru.com :: Õîêêåèñòû ïîáèëè â Êàçàíè ðåêîðä ÍÕË, óñòðîèâ áåñïðåöåäåíòíóþ äðàêó (ÂÈÄÅÎ)

All of those juniors who are good enough will be nhl players, and the
juniors have the energy and desire but lack much of the knowledge and
strength of the nhl, it all comes together then.
The juniors are getting better and better, and so is the nhl, the game is
all about speed and skill now, in both levels.