It was just freak accident, I have no problem with fights as long as it is to protect the skilled players from the douchebags.

but looks like the GM's want fights gone

Darren Dreger ‏@DarrenDreger 2m
Strong views from NHL gm's who believe it's time to eliminate fighting. Story will be up on TSN.ca shortly. #TSN
- Symba007

Whistle icing no fighting=figure skating. Enough of this BS already. Hockey is a tough sport. Next thing you know xchecking will be eliminated.

For most fans Hockey is entertainment. Fighting in most cases is very entertaining, you need to look no further than how the crowd reacts when a fight starts to see that people enjoy watching fights.

Hockey players even the Enforcers are paid very well compared to the average person. They know the risks going in and are well compensated if something happens. If they are hurt and complain about it afterwards as far as I'm concerned that is just them whining.

The whole argument against fighting essentially is bleeding hearts trying protect the players from themselves.

most NHL players that have died during their NHL career have been either from heart attacks or plane crashes. I believe exactly zero have died in an on ice fight. I think I know how to make the game safer.....vegan diets and bus travel only!
- BlowMonkey

That'll just make it whinier and more annoying.

Whistle icing no fighting=figure skating. Enough of this BS already. Hockey is a tough sport. Next thing you know xchecking will be eliminated.
- Cptmjl

There's no pucks in figure skating.

For how long is The Nudge gone for?

Oh yeah. So good!

another great blog Matt. I'm on your side. Injuries happen, they will never be eliminated. People do things knowing what to expect, freak accident or not.

Also, good job mentioning Parros' education. I don't think many people knew that.

For how long is The Nudge gone for?
- Twist

Until sometime later this month.

There's no pucks in figure skating.
- Jack-artist

Or sticks. Or any equipment aside from skates. Frilly costume's don't count.

Get rid of fighting and watch the stick work and cheap shots go through the roof. They already act with no regard towards each other how do you think it would be if they didn't have to worry about answering for their actions???
- Vukota

This really is the worry, unlike football NHLer are equipment with weapons.

What about Belak, Booguard, Kordic, Rypien, Probert

all died from combination of drugs/suicide/depression

All have a few things in common...Correlation here cannot be denied

Does fighting have a place in hockey? Yes
Does Hockey need fighters? No

Policing can be done on the ice, but make it be players like Clarkson, Neil, Thornton, Carkner. Players who can actually play a shift of hockey
- Alcatraz

Are you suggesting none of those guys had any NHL-calibre skills aside from being a tough guy? That's a pretty bold statement if thats what you are getting at. Pretty bold and pretty stupid.

Or sticks. Or any equipment aside from skates. Frilly costume's don't count.
- ChetManly

I wish we had frilly costumes instead of jerseys.

I wish we had frilly costumes instead of jerseys.
- Jack-artist

Thats what the puck/ice girls are for I think Chicago has the best group of them

What about Belak, Booguard, Kordic, Rypien, Probert

all died from combination of drugs/suicide/depression

All have a few things in common...Correlation here cannot be denied

Does fighting have a place in hockey? Yes
Does Hockey need fighters? No

Policing can be done on the ice, but make it be players like Clarkson, Neil, Thornton, Carkner. Players who can actually play a shift of hockey
- Alcatraz

Correlation doesn't immediately mean causation.

Eventually there will be some kind of lawsuit from former players citing fighting as the main catalyst for their health problems.

Fighting will not always be in the game, its just a matter of when it will be taken out.

Money talks.

Eventually there will be some kind of lawsuit from former players citing fighting as the main catalyst for their health problems.

Fighting will not always be in the game, its just a matter of when it will be taken out.

Money talks.
- Ryan_Wilson

Then why not hitting as well?

Then why not hitting as well?
- Lahey

The NHL and NFL have already moved towards banning head shots.

This isn't me taking one side or the other, its forecasting exactly what is going to happen. Its plain as day.

The NHL and NFL have already moved towards banning head shots.

This isn't me taking one side or the other, its forecasting exactly what is going to happen. Its plain as day.
- Ryan_Wilson

Sure, but guess what head shots is a small part of it. Guys get concussed when they fall from a hit or get slammed against the boards. So why not just get rid of that? Are direct head shots even the main reason for concussions?

There is fighting in hockey?

signed, Red Wings fans.

Football is a full contact sport that people manage to pay without fighting. They rely on the refs to police the game. The sa me way the nhl does. Fights do not stop dirty htis or plays they are the result of frustration. The refs in nhl and shannahan department need to be a lot harsher with suspensions. That is the onlyway to take cheap shots out of the game.

Fighting is mostly the result of a team losing and taking their frustrations out on their opponents. Itusually never is the result of policing a cheap shot on the ice. It makes it seem like a bunch of twelve year old kids who can't control their tempers are playing the game.

Until fighting is removed from hockey it will always be seen as a sport that a bunch of whiny brats play and never as a real sport. It's why the fan base cannot grow the way it should.

Am I the only one who thinks the reason Parros went down face first is because Orr went down first and dragged him by the front of the jersey to the ice?

Football is a full contact sport that people manage to pay without fighting. They rely on the refs to police the game. The sa me way the nhl does. Fights do not stop dirty htis or plays they are the result of frustration. The refs in nhl and shannahan department need to be a lot harsher with suspensions. That is the onlyway to take cheap shots out of the game.

Fighting is mostly the result of a team losing and taking their frustrations out on their opponents. Itusually never is the result of policing a cheap shot on the ice. It makes it seem like a bunch of twelve year old kids who can't control their tempers are playing the game.

Until fighting is removed from hockey it will always be seen as a sport that a bunch of whiny brats play and never as a real sport. It's why the fan base cannot grow the way it should.
- FlyersSteve118

Sure there is fighting in football, it's just totally different. Guys can't exactly afford to punch each other in football as they will break their hands.

Sure there is fighting in football, it's just totally different. Guys can't exactly afford to punch each other in football as they will break their hands.
- Lahey

Also because there is a mandatory $62500 fine for throwing a punch.

TSN and Bob McKenzie are really responsible for this hyping of the no fighting issue. Bob is the sports editor and regularly does editorials about how fighting should be banned. Then a 'story' where 10% of GM's want something makes big bold headlines on the front page and will be a top story on the network.

Yet at the same time all the reporters and video clips on the pregame were all about George Parros and how the rivalry always went rough between leafs and habs. So TSN was hyping the fights then when something goes bad they start tut-tuting fighting. It's a pathetic crusade.

Also - would this be happening if the fight last night was between Anaheim and San Jose??

Football is a full contact sport that people manage to pay without fighting. They rely on the refs to police the game. The sa me way the nhl does. Fights do not stop dirty htis or plays they are the result of frustration. The refs in nhl and shannahan department need to be a lot harsher with suspensions. That is the onlyway to take cheap shots out of the game.

Fighting is mostly the result of a team losing and taking their frustrations out on their opponents. Itusually never is the result of policing a cheap shot on the ice. It makes it seem like a bunch of twelve year old kids who can't control their tempers are playing the game.

Until fighting is removed from hockey it will always be seen as a sport that a bunch of whiny brats play and never as a real sport. It's why the fan base cannot grow the way it should.
- FlyersSteve118

Judging the code of conduct and the culture in one sport based on another is exactly what we shouldnt be doing. I dont care what Football players are doing. Football has never had fighting in the game the way hockey has and it isnt either better or worse off for it. The two sports are alike in pretty much only the fact that they are full contact.

Judging the code of conduct and the culture in one sport based on another is exactly what we shouldnt be doing. I dont care what Football players are doing. Football has never had fighting in the game the way hockey has and it isnt either better or worse off for it. The two sports are alike in pretty much only the fact that they are full contact.
- Matt_Henderson

All I meant is removing fighting from the game won't take away from it being full contact. You don't need to fight to have have contact or vice versa. It is not going to make it a wussy sport as people have been saying.

Is it wrong that I want to watch the sport that I feel requires the most skill endurance and training of any of the professional sports without a crybaby fest at the end of every push on the net? I don't want to waste my time watching a bunch of whiny kids lose their tempers because the other team had a scoring chance. That's all it is. Yes you should clear the porch, but after that whistle is blown you should be clear of the crease. Not stay around and call each other names. It's pathetic.