Going after someone for a clean check is NOT sticking up for your teammates. They may as well be starting fights over losing a faceoff. Your inability to comprehend what the argument is (it's NOT about "sticking up for your teammates", it's about the perversion of going after someone for playing clean hockey) tells me this discussion is likely futile.

Also, your idea that "it will always be part of the game" is very naive to suggest if you've watched major sports for any length of time. You may want it to be part of the game, but much like wearing no helmets eventually dinosaurs go extinct. I guess we can then weep for the glory days of busted heads and meaningless fights and opine to our grandkids how snowflakes ruined our once proud, tough sport of hockey. LOL
- kwolf68

Going after someone for a clean check is NOT sticking up for your teammates. They may as well be starting fights over losing a faceoff. Your inability to comprehend what the argument is (it's NOT about "sticking up for your teammates", it's about the perversion of going after someone for playing clean hockey) tells me this discussion is likely futile.

Also, your idea that "it will always be part of the game" is very naive to suggest if you've watched major sports for any length of time. You may want it to be part of the game, but much like wearing no helmets eventually dinosaurs go extinct. I guess we can then weep for the glory days of busted heads and meaningless fights and opine to our grandkids how snowflakes ruined our once proud, tough sport of hockey. LOL
- kwolf68

Bravo snowflake. Whether I want it to be in the game or not it still is. It will be for some time long after your done whining about it. And your lame old argument that we pining for the old days of meat head hockey are just not true. I'm not hoping for unnecessary brawling or staged fights. But if your teammate decides to step in and is obliged by the other player so be it. What is wrong with that. I'm not advocating that somebody jumps someone, but the way that Gilbert and Simmonds went was fine. And you can bet not a si gle player on either team had a problem with it. It's just people like you and ogie who are butt hurt by it. It's your opinion and it's mine but until there is massive outcry from the players who actually play (there isn't BTW) it will be a part of the game. You 2 whining about it won't change it. Players and teammates feelings about it matters not yours or mine but the vast majority IN THE GAME don't agree with you. Get over it and have a good day!

He's never been viewed as a top prospect.
- rpeters01

Well yeah, he was drafted in the 6th round. I'd still like to see him up.

A great movie they probably could not make today.
- Spec41971

You got that right, Spec.

How have you been? How was your Thanksgiving?

Bravo snowflake. Whether I want it to be in the game or not it still is. It will be for some time long after your done whining about it. And your lame old argument that we pining for the old days of meat head hockey are just not true. I'm not hoping for unnecessary brawling or staged fights. But if your teammate decides to step in and is obliged by the other player so be it. What is wrong with that. I'm not advocating that somebody jumps someone, but the way that Gilbert and Simmonds went was fine. And you can bet not a si gle player on either team had a problem with it. It's just people like you and ogie who are butt hurt by it. It's your opinion and it's mine but until there is massive outcry from the players who actually play (there isn't BTW) it will be a part of the game. You 2 whining about it won't change it. Players and teammates feelings about it matters not yours or mine but the vast majority IN THE GAME don't agree with you. Get over it and have a good day!
- bonecrusher27

Keep holding on to the glory days, T-Rex. Fighting majors are plummeting. In 2010 there were 714 fights. This year the league is on pace for 280. The league is trying to curtail it to the point of extinction. Why? Stories about the dead-too-soon goons and the overly concussed don't play well with moms, and the league is attempting to grow the game rather than shrink it. What the players want could not be less relevant.

Don't worry, there's always MMA for those who need a fix for watching two guys develop brain damage. Those individuals can also get a box of tissue and go to hockeyfights.com.

https://www.hockeyfights.com/stats

Keep holding on to the glory days, T-Rex. Fighting majors are plummeting. In 2010 there were 714 fights. This year the league is on pace for 280. The league is trying to curtail it to the point of extinction. Why? Stories about the dead-too-soon goons and the overly concussed don't play well with moms, and the league is attempting to grow the game rather than shrink it. What the players want could not be less relevant.

Don't worry, there's always MMA for those who need a fix for watching two guys develop brain damage. Those individuals can also get a box of tissue and go to hockeyfights.com.

https://www.hockeyfights.com/stats
- mohel

Agreed, it will gradually get phased out. However, I think there is some validity to people saying the league doesn't want to get rid of it. If they did, they'd call the instigator more often or adjust the rule so that starting fights over a legit hit is a penalty.

But while I'm wishing for miracles, they should start calling more cross checks and they should also suspend hits whether there is an injury or not. But there are still plenty of morons in the league that don't really give a poop about the players health.

For all those here who believe that Keith is irreplaceable
I guess the last 2 games don't count

For all those here who believe that Keith is irreplaceable
I guess the last 2 games don't count
- gazza53

I do wonder if he would waive his NMC for a contender. The core is rotting and it’s time to let the kids play. Keep Kaner and trade the other 3 at the deadline. I’d rather watch young hungry players than these 3 tbh. Bring on the hate! Keith for Caufield!

Bravo snowflake. Whether I want it to be in the game or not it still is. It will be for some time long after your done whining about it. And your lame old argument that we pining for the old days of meat head hockey are just not true. I'm not hoping for unnecessary brawling or staged fights. But if your teammate decides to step in and is obliged by the other player so be it. What is wrong with that. I'm not advocating that somebody jumps someone, but the way that Gilbert and Simmonds went was fine. And you can bet not a si gle player on either team had a problem with it. It's just people like you and ogie who are butt hurt by it. It's your opinion and it's mine but until there is massive outcry from the players who actually play (there isn't BTW) it will be a part of the game. You 2 whining about it won't change it. Players and teammates feelings about it matters not yours or mine but the vast majority IN THE GAME don't agree with you. Get over it and have a good day!
- bonecrusher27

I agree with you, Don’t know if you’re new to the site or been around, but you’re fighting a losing battle here. There’s a click of about 12 to 14 posters on this site and if you ruffle their feathers the wrong way they ignore you, or ridicule you.
A few of us missed the last guy John Jaeckel that ran the blog here he seem to be more in tune with it and had more frequent articles., As you know some of the old-timers have left and a few of us are on the way out also. Some of us have been here from the start and have been here a lot longer than some of these guys.
Lastly I had no problem with what Dennis Gilbert did the other night, I also would love Wayne Simmons on my team, more of that needs to be back in the game.

Agreed, it will gradually get phased out. However, I think there is some validity to people saying the league doesn't want to get rid of it. If they did, they'd call the instigator more often or adjust the rule so that starting fights over a legit hit is a penalty.

But while I'm wishing for miracles, they should start calling more cross checks and they should also suspend hits whether there is an injury or not. But there are still plenty of morons in the league that don't really give a poop about the players health.
- tazer_and_diet

You're right, they could just basically outlaw it. But I think they are going gradually in order to keep the segment of fans like bonecrusher on board while it happens. Also agree about player health - it is about cash (which is related to what fans want).

I agree with you, Don’t know if you’re new to the site or been around, but you’re fighting a losing battle here. There’s a click of about 12 to 14 posters on this site and if you ruffle their feathers the wrong way they ignore you, or ridicule you.
A few of us missed the last guy John Jaeckel that ran the blog here he seem to be more in tune with it and had more frequent articles., As you know some of the old-timers have left and a few of us are on the way out also. Some of us have been here from the start and have been here a lot longer than some of these guys.
Lastly I had no problem with what Dennis Gilbert did the other night, I also would love Wayne Simmons on my team, more of that needs to be back in the game.
- wonthecup10

It's not just here that it's a losing battle. The market is headed that way.

I do wonder if he would waive his NMC for a contender. The core is rotting and it’s time to let the kids play. Keep Kaner and trade the other 3 at the deadline. I’d rather watch young hungry players than these 3 tbh. Bring on the hate! Keith for Caufield!
- Assman22

I doubt Kane would get Caufieild, maybe IDK...

Keep holding on to the glory days, T-Rex. Fighting majors are plummeting. In 2010 there were 714 fights. This year the league is on pace for 280. The league is trying to curtail it to the point of extinction. Why? Stories about the dead-too-soon goons and the overly concussed don't play well with moms, and the league is attempting to grow the game rather than shrink it. What the players want could not be less relevant.

Don't worry, there's always MMA for those who need a fix for watching two guys develop brain damage. Those individuals can also get a box of tissue and go to hockeyfights.com.

https://www.hockeyfights.com/stats
- mohel

Francis, the Lavender sniffer finally emerges from the closet

It's not just here that it's a losing battle. The market is headed that way.
- mohel

It's kind of a lose lose. I've been for making the NHL follow college rules. Fight and you are out of the game. But that would probably lead to more cheap shots unless they were kicked out for that too. Fans especially Canadian fans would say it's not hockey. The number one sport in the world is soccer. They've managed to keep fighting out but have more concussions than anywhere else. That said I've yet to see the NHL call any rule consistently anyway...

Francis, the Lavender sniffer finally emerges from the closet
- paulr

Hey, I've got raw knuckles from them dragging on the ground.

It's kind of a lose lose. I've been for making the NHL follow college rules. Fight and you are out of the game. But that would probably lead to more cheap shots unless they were kicked out for that too. Fans especially Canadian fans would say it's not hockey. The number one sport in the world is soccer. They've managed to keep fighting out but have more concussions than anywhere else. That said I've yet to see the NHL call any rule consistently anyway...
- rpeters01

Agree on all this. Much of this talk is about unwritten rules around clean hits. On obvious and illegal dirty hits, the league beclowns itself. 1 or 2 games for drive-by elbows to the head means they're really not interested in eliminating them from the game. Make it 10 games with a million dollar fine to the team (and as Sage sez, they can only dress 19 for those games) and the crap would stop.

I also see the point about cheap shots increasing without fighting. But the league has ability to police that, too. Not that they will.

I do wonder if he would waive his NMC for a contender. The core is rotting and it’s time to let the kids play. Keep Kaner and trade the other 3 at the deadline. I’d rather watch young hungry players than these 3 tbh. Bring on the hate! Keith for Caufield!
- Assman22

The only problem is those NMC's but also leaving Stan
to make these moves is problematic

The only problem is those NMC's but also leaving Stan
to make these moves is problematic
- gazza53

Who should be making these moves?

Who should be making these moves?
- mohel

gazza53

Who should be making these moves?
- mohel

Well duh, anyone but Stan. How about Chelios? Ive heard his name come up a few times.

For all those here who believe that Keith is irreplaceable
I guess the last 2 games don't count
- gazza53

how about the 3 before that?

Well duh, anyone but Stan. How about Chelios? Ive heard his name come up a few times.
- Chunk

Should have left him in Detroit.

TBF, some of us on this board would have never traded for Kimmo or Rundblad. Not to mention the bums Danault was wasted to acquire.
- Elbows15

How about trades for Oduya, Vermette, and Handzus,did those work out?

For all those here who believe that Keith is irreplaceable
I guess the last 2 games don't count
- gazza53

Anyone is replaceable, however some will be missed more than others. The Oilers traded 99, and they won another cup without him.

Anyone is replaceable, however some will be missed more than others. The Oilers traded 99, and they won another cup without him.
- Angotti

99 sucked.