It is strictly a legal liability issue. Now that fighting is known to cause brain damage, employers that allow it are exposed to tremendous lawsuits. The NHL won't be far behind.
It is strictly a legal liability issue. Now that fighting is known to cause brain damage, employers that allow it are exposed to tremendous lawsuits. The NHL won't be far behind.
Bingo! Exactly why the NFL cracked down on launching once the lawsuits are within eye sight the NHL will make the move as well.
Fighting is one aspect of hockey that makes hockey much more unique and exciting from other sports, it is something that is part of the game and always should be.
There are lots of arguments for and against it, I am all for it, what I don't like are designated goons. Give me a tough power forward who will hit and fight and pot a couple goals over a Boogard or a Biznasty any day of the week.
These men playing major junior are not your typical 16 to 20 year olds, these guys can handle the old tilt, they are playing the highest level of hockey for a reason, not because they are frail, fragile kids. Give me a break, don't like fighting go watch Basketball where a slap on the wrist gives you a game misconduct.
Traumatic brain injuries in exchange for some pocket change and some money for college? I don't see the need for it. When you're talking about 16-19 kids, it's not worth the risk.
If there's a real need to fight, I'm sure players will drop the gloves even if it means a suspension. But there's no need for kids risking lifelong brain injuries to entertain bored fans.
It's junior hockey. Player safety should be the priority, not ticket sales.
Good lord. I think I'm going to take my wife's advice and write a book. If you watched hockey in the first few decades of it's existence, you would faint. Alcide Laurin was not killed in a fight.
These brain injuries are not the result of fighting - they are the result of cheap hits, and the speed of the game.
Was Crosby's concussion caused by a fight? How about Giroux's? How about Winchester? Pronger? Savard? No - It's getting driven into the boards/ice at full speed.
If you take fighting out of the game (i.e. the threat of having to pay for your actions in a very real way, not just millionaires losing 'pocket change' and having to sit out for a couple of games), just watch the concussions pile up.
And I love how people say they need to get rid of the "staged fights". How exactly do you propose they do this? If two guys want to fight they'll just wait 20 seconds and then go
If you want safety, keep fighing in, or prepare for the cheapshots.
If a guy doesn't want to fight, he rarely has to. Lots of guys go 4 years without a single fight.
Most sensible post out of the 50+ so far. Wayne Gretzky never fought (Neal Broten fight, yeah right). Mike Bossy never had to either. This was the 1980s a time less sanitized than today as well and when the mood was that you were less of a man if you didn't drop the gloves. I am not even sure off the top of my head if Ovechkin has a major fight in his career other than a preseason tilt with Mike Richards. I mean, Ovechkin for crying out loud. No one can tell me he isn't an intense player that doesn't cross the line. Yet his fight card is minimal, if existant at all.
Fights are like smoke dectectors. You don't need them until you NEED them.
I would think the penalty would be a little more than that. You're just playing with words there.
Fighting is already banned, hence why it is penalized. People should probably realize this and change what they are asking for. Do they want increased penalties for fighting? Where's the line where the punishment is not worth it to players?
i dont think the next step for banning fighting in hockey would be disbanding it completely, but perhaps being suspended a game for getting into a fight.
Fighting is already banned, hence why it is penalized. People should probably realize this and change what they are asking for. Do they want increased penalties for fighting? Where's the line where the punishment is not worth it to players?
Again, word play.
If the CHL was to "ban" fighting, getting into a fight would clearly involve game misconducts.
The question is, would it be that game, that game plus 1, that game plus 2, 5, 10?
Ban it at the major-junior level? Fine. There is no need to have kids pummeling each other while they are still developing physically. Besides, these kids are not getting a professional wage.
At the professional levels, fighting should stay. This is how some of these people make a living. It is up to them to weigh the risks and rewards and decide what they want to do.
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The Chicago Wolves = 2008 Calder Cup Champions!
You need intimidation in hockey. I don't know how old some of the posters here are, but maybe you've watched too much sanitized post lockout hockey. Fighting is as important today as it was 40 years ago. If you don't believe me check out the 2011 Cup final. There was a team who exposed the Canucks for the softies that they were and if you think Brad Marchand laying some shots on Sedin with no one coming to his rescue didn't help then you weren't watching. In game 7 Sedin was not a factor. Marchand scored two goals. It affected the Canucks so much that they traded away who I think is a gem of a prospect in Hodgson just to get some toughness just in case they face the Bruins in the final again.
I highly doubt the OHL owners will ever allow this. Do you know how many season ticket holders will bow out?
If the bolded part was true, the Red Wings would excel at it.
I have no problem with them giving game misconducts in the CHL, and I wouldn't stop watching if they banned it in the NHL but I'd prefer it stayed in the professional game.
