Is now the time for the NHL to ban fighting?

[Elmore]

I watched the Montreal/Toronto game last night and don't really see how the Parros/Orr fight has resparked the fighting ban debate. I guess it's because his injury occured during a fight but to me it's not the same as some of those who were KO'd during a fight.
I used to enjoy watching the fights in a game but even going back to the Domi and Probert days, it really seems like nothing compared to nowadays. These guys are really big and can do some serious damage. The announcer in yesterdays game wasn't shy about his feelings as he obviously didn't want to see it in the sport.

It seems inevitable that it will be banned eventually...it's just a matter of whether or not that occurs before something really, really serious happens.

 

[vancity_cowboy]

i read an interesting commentary yesterday about fighting in professional sports, where the writer mentioned that in both football and rugby, fighting had been banned. yet nobody could argue that they both weren't contact sports, and that at times the contact was pretty violent

once upon a time, there was only one ref and two linesmen and no video playbacks or tv cameras recording the events of the game, so the players had to pretty much police the violence themselves. but now... with four officials and some calls even being made from league headquarters in toronto, maybe the time has come for change

don't get me wrong, i like the fighting, but i sure don't like to see the guys that make the game what it is being taken out with concussions. maybe it's time to clean up the whole mess - but geez... hockey without fighting... doesn't seem right somehow

 

[Elmore]

I remember Stan Jonathan (toughest guy ever imo...5'8" and the scariest MOFO out there) breaking Bouchard's nose in a fight and it still all seemed relatively harmless though I am sure a ton of these guys suffered concussions. But those guys of old were just plain tough guys who could throw down. These guys today take boxing and MMA (I am surprised nobody goes for the takedown and triangle choke submission) in order to help their chances to be the best enforcer out there.
It's been taken to a whole new level.

 

[bcneil]

Its pretty obvious they want to get fighting out, but the NHL is too chicken to just do it.
Instead they will do silly steps to get it out. Like requiring visors, the new "don't take off your helmet in a fight rule"
I imagine next it will be, you can't take off your gloves.

Best thing would be to have the refs call penalties. The nonsense anytime a goalie covers the puck, pushing and facewashing.
So to stop this, NHL makes up a rule, where the attacking team can't let their dman get involved or the faceoff comes out of the zone.
So its a 5 on 3 shoving match????? Problem solved :doh:

Regardless fighting will be gone at some point. Its just that its better in the long run for a team to have 4th liners that can play 10-12 minutes of decent hockey, or a number 6 dman that can play 10-15 minutes and can do penalty killing.
A 2-4 minute a game goon that fights the other teams 2-4 minute goon, does nothing.

 

[Elmore]

Watching TSN right now and a few GMs are pretty vocal about their desire to see it go.

 

[Flanders]

The Canadians got Parros to toughen themselves up, and be able to protect their small skill players; and he leaves the first game of the season on a stretcher.

What is THAT going to do to the Hab's psyche?

 

[Elmore]

I never thought much of Parros. He has lost more than he won and that includes to guys who are not really heavyweights. I think Tinordi is tougher than Parros anyways. The Habs will be fine. They have a bit more grit with Tinordi, Moen and Prust. Parros served a purpose and he is game to go with anybody. He was effective last night doing what they brought him there to do with Orr going after their best player. It was a bit of a freak accident. He'll be back pretty quick i think.

 

[mercyshooter]

You ban it, you lose money and rating. Simple!

 

[Chef99]

You ban it, you lose money and rating. Simple!

Totally disagree. It'll improve players' focus and thus the game will improve which in turn increases fan satisfaction and revenue.... the game will NOT be the worse without it....

 

[Elmore]

Totally disagree. It'll improve players' focus and thus the game will improve which in turn increases fan satisfaction and revenue.... the game will NOT be the worse without it....

Ten years ago public opinion would have been different. Don Cherry was not the lone voice in support of fighting. But the tide has shifted and fans seem ready for a new type of game without fights.
But removing fighting won't be the only change. Some of the behavior that produced fights and created the need for enforcers will likely also be adjusted. Like watching KHL or hockey from the Swedish elite league? Probably not quite so bad.

 

[erotq]

FUCK NO! it needs to be there.. otherwise slashing, hooking, high-sticking and all other dangerous parts of the game would increase.

I watched the Montreal/Toronto game last night and don't really see how the Parros/Orr fight has resparked the fighting ban debate. I guess it's because his injury occured during a fight but to me it's not the same as some of those who were KO'd during a fight.
I used to enjoy watching the fights in a game but even going back to the Domi and Probert days, it really seems like nothing compared to nowadays. These guys are really big and can do some serious damage. The announcer in yesterdays game wasn't shy about his feelings as he obviously didn't want to see it in the sport.

It seems inevitable that it will be banned eventually...it's just a matter of whether or not that occurs before something really, really serious happens.

 

[leoghaire]

FUCK NO! it needs to be there.. otherwise slashing, hooking, high-sticking and all other dangerous parts of the game would increase.

I could not agree more. Every little dickweed can pretend to be a tough guy when there are no repercussions.

 

[mercyshooter]

Totally disagree. It'll improve players' focus and thus the game will improve which in turn increases fan satisfaction and revenue.... the game will NOT be the worse without it....

Go watch IIHF sanctioned leagues then! Fighting exists to sort of stir everything up.

 

[Justin Beaver]

FUCK NO! it needs to be there.. otherwise slashing, hooking, high-sticking and all other dangerous parts of the game would increase.

There's already a ton of that and it's the refs job to enforce it.It's not like the rats of the league that do most of that ever have to fight the other teams goon anyways.Unless the other team also has a goon willing to go,he basically skates around for a couple shifts a night looking tough but provides no deterrent whatsoever.Total waste of a roster space.

 

[HankQuinlan]

Obviously, hockey is a very slow and boring game. Otherwise, why would it need fighting to increase viewers?

 

[vancity_cowboy]

dang it pardners... i went to the fights the other night, and a hockey game broke out!!

 

[AA_Train]

The Canadians got Parros to toughen themselves up, and be able to protect their small skill players; and he leaves the first game of the season on a stretcher.

What is THAT going to do to the Hab's psyche?

From what I saw Saturday, not much. They owned the Flyers.

If they are going to ban fighting, the league better be prepared to step up and hand out some pretty hefty suspensions for on ice offenses. EG for what Kassian did to Gagner minimum 10 game suspension. This way the players won't feel the need to have to police themselves if they feel the league will step in and make an example of the offending player. Also, they will need to levy bigger fines to go along with those suspensions, I'd say in the 5 to 6 figure range, for the same reasons. Taking away 10% of a players salary may make some players think twice about reckless play.

 

[sofine]

Obviously, hockey is a very slow and boring game. Otherwise, why would it need fighting to increase viewers?

Exactly HQ. (and I do hope everyone picked up on your sarcasm) I truly believe the game can and should stand on it's own. If I never see another hockey fight I'll be perfectly happy. The most exciting time of the year-playoffs-no fighting. Hockey is the world's fastest and most exciting team sport, IMHO, and fighting does nothing but trivialize it in comparison to the other major sports-bsaeball, basketball, football.

Bodychecking, fine. Part of the game. But fighting-bye bye. The handful of fans who would stop going to the games if fighting ceased would soon be replaced by the fans who have been turned away by the senseless fisticuffs.

My two cents