Should skilled players be fighting?

[miller76 463]

I was listening to xm's nhl home ice today, and reading the story on tsn today about Columbus Blue Jacket Derick Brassard.

http://tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=260585&lid...s=secStory_main

Brassard, who is one of Columbus's top young talent on the team this year, and their first selection of the 2006 draft. Who is actually one of the few bright pieces of the 14-15-4 team. Is out for the season. Due to an injury from fighting.

I hate to bring up anything enforcer related, because it's so over done here sometimes. But I would be a little pissed off if Z or Datsyuk got in a stupid fight, and ended up with a season ending injury. Possibly changing the desired outcome.

Should every player that plays hockey be prepared to fight in this league, cause it's part of the job? Or should the league try and deter the fighting with longer, more severe penalties? This was discussed this morning on xm.

[MotherPucker 0]

Fighting is part of the game. Most fans favorite part.. But it's not for every player. Players, and teams know who can hold their own out there. Even if an opposing teams player tries to start something with a non-fighter it wont go anywhere. I think the penalties handed out for fighting in the NHL today are fine and should be left as is.

Pav and Z know better. There are smart players and are not fighters. Players don't get into fights agaist there will so I don't see any issues.

[CrossoverThrash 0]

If its a star player like Richards, Lecavalier, Kovalchuk, or Iginla who can handle themselves let them at it.

[CrossoverThrash 0]

...or if Comrie and briere want to go at it since there's no way there gonna hurt one another

[Detroit # 1 Fan 2,204]

One freak injury shoudlnt cause a big change. Brassard manned up, and starting fighting, was grabbed by his arm and it got twisted in a weird way, and now he's done for the year. Should he have been fighting Neal? Probably not, leave it to Boll, but I appauld him for doing it, even if it ended his season, he's got alot to look forward too.

Edit: And if anything, this just makes the need for an enforcer greater, leave it to them, it's there job.

Edited December 22, 2008 by Detroit # 1 Fan

[Guest Shoreline]

Even skill players have no choice, especially when there's no enforcers. But since this team is special and doesn't need one, just let them (Dats/Z) fight for themselves, or maybe other team's goons will be too mesmerized by their puck-handling skills to bother trying to hit them.

Eventually even skill guys get tired of being smacked around and fight back. Then they get pummeled.

[Yzerman191 37]

I don't think it's true that players have no choice whether or not they fight. Nine times out of ten it seems to be a mutual agreement between two players to drop the gloves, and I think guys like Datsyuk and Zetterberg know better than to drop 'em against somebody way out of their league.

[lets go pavel 2]

The guy CHOSE to fight, he didn't have to fight. It would be one thing if players were being dragged kicking and screaming into fights and subsequently getting injured, but that's not the case here. More injuries happen from checking than from fighting ... should they switch to flag hockey, or 2-hand touch?

Edited December 22, 2008 by lets go pavel

[Echolalia 2,961]

When you play hockey you learn to pick your fights. I would never square off against an enforcer, because I would get my ass kicked. I would, however, be willing to tango with standard sized guys, as I have a chance of winning, and a substantially small chance of not skating away from a potentially devastating blow. If Zetterberg were to get into a fight, I hope its against someone like Perry, not Chara.

Having said that, its entirely the player's responsibility to know who they can handle, and who can handle them. Cleary not backing down from Pronger, although amazingly admirable, was stupid. Pronger wanting to fight Cleary was stupid, and very *****-like. If you're an enforcer, you take on other enforcers, not 5'10" players with 180 pounds to their frame. Like I said, its both players' responsibilities, and if everyone is conscious of this, there will be generally few injuries from fights, and maximum enjoyment from the crowd also.

Edited December 22, 2008 by Echolalia

[mjlegend 155]

When you play hockey you learn to pick your fights. I would never square off against an enforcer, because I would get my ass kicked. I would, however, be willing to tango with standard sized guys, as I have a chance of winning, and a substantially small chance of not skating away from a potentially devastating blow. If Zetterberg were to get into a fight, I hope its against someone like Perry, not Chara.

Having said that, its entirely the player's responsibility to know who they can handle, and who can handle them. Cleary not backing down from Pronger, although amazingly admirable, was stupid. Pronger wanting to fight Cleary was stupid, and very *****-like. If you're an enforcer, you take on other enforcers, not 5'10" players with 180 pounds to their frame. Like I said, its both players' responsibilities, and if everyone is conscious of this, there will be generally few injuries from fights, and maximum enjoyment from the crowd also.

This.

[ben_usmc 253]

When you play hockey you learn to pick your fights. I would never square off against an enforcer, because I would get my ass kicked. I would, however, be willing to tango with standard sized guys, as I have a chance of winning, and a substantially small chance of not skating away from a potentially devastating blow. If Zetterberg were to get into a fight, I hope its against someone like Perry, not Chara.

Having said that, its entirely the player's responsibility to know who they can handle, and who can handle them. Cleary not backing down from Pronger, although amazingly admirable, was stupid. Pronger wanting to fight Cleary was stupid, and very *****-like. If you're an enforcer, you take on other enforcers, not 5'10" players with 180 pounds to their frame. Like I said, its both players' responsibilities, and if everyone is conscious of this, there will be generally few injuries from fights, and maximum enjoyment from the crowd also.

I disagree, enforcers should take on ANYONE who is cheapshotting there teamates, whether they are 5'6 150 or 6'5 250. The enforcer should send the message we aren't going to let the stars get run at regardless as to your size. But don't get me wrong the Cleary Pronger fight was different because Cleary was defending himself from cheapshotting.

[12Newf 0]

Fighting is part of the game. Most fans favorite part.. But it's not for every player. Players, and teams know who can hold their own out there. Even if an opposing teams player tries to start something with a non-fighter it wont go anywhere. I think the penalties handed out for fighting in the NHL today are fine and should be left as is.

Pav and Z know better. There are smart players and are not fighters. Players don't get into fights agaist there will so I don't see any issues.

okay i keep seeing and hearing this exact thought and i just cannot understand it. how can fighting be someone's favourite part of hockey??

[lets go pavel 2]

I disagree, enforcers should take on ANYONE who is cheapshotting there teamates, whether they are 5'6 150 or 6'5 250. The enforcer should send the message we aren't going to let the stars get run at regardless as to your size. But don't get me wrong the Cleary Pronger fight was different because Cleary was defending himself from cheapshotting.

Not in a fight ... the enforcer might go lay a body on the guy, but a 6'5 250 enforcer isn't going to square up with a 5'6 150 pounder regardless of what the guy did. 99% of the time the little guy isn't going to drop the gloves anyway, and the big guy is likely to draw an instigator penalty if he pursues it.

[CrossoverThrash 0]

Whats funny is when guys like McCabe or Lecavalier go after Chara

[puckbags 863]

Whats funny is when guys like McCabe or Lecavalier go after Chara

If they had a tournament of fighters in the NHL (which I hope to hell never happens) I would bet the farm that Chara would win. He is one mean bastard !!

[Guest E_S_A_D]

You guys will be shocked at my answer.

The answer is absoluely NO. Skilled players should NOT be fighting, unless it's a line brawl. That's why you have 4th line bruisers, to support them.

Cam Neely wouldn't like me saying this though.

Good day.

[thedisappearer 291]

This.

Yep. That. Right there.

[uk_redwing 495]

This is the only time skilled players should be fighting...purely for the lulz:

Edited December 22, 2008 by uk_redwing

[RWK23 0]

These guys are big boys. If they decide to drop the gloves, they know the potential consequences. Should a skilled player drop the gloves? Probably not. However, I always have respect for the guys who will defend themselves against another guy's cheap shots, a la Cleary with Pronger or even Yzerman with Maguire way back when. I agree though, leave the dirty work to the fourth liners who are getting paid to defend you.

[CrossoverThrash 0]

[Guest Shoreline]

This is the only time skilled players should be fighting...purely for the lulz:

What the f***? How did I manage to miss that?!

[Detroit # 1 Fan 2,204]

What the f***? How did I manage to miss that?!

Last season, at the end of a Saturday nighter on CBC, was a beauty.

[Yellowknife Redwing 57]

The day Jarome Iginla breaks his hand on someone's helmet and misses 2 months will put this argument to rest. Iginla is a tough customer - no doubt about it - but he's not paid to be one. He's paid to score goals. I would be absolutely furious if Hossa lost his cool and f***ed up his hand over some petty altercation. Star players are an investment by the team and are expected to measure up to a certain level of production. This is why we pay Aaron Downey $500,000 and Pavel Datsyuk $6.7 million. Downey's role is filled easily and replaced easily, Pavel is one in a million.

[HomeNugget 2]

The day Jarome Iginla breaks his hand on someone's helmet and misses 2 months will put this argument to rest. Iginla is a tough customer - no doubt about it - but he's not paid to be one. He's paid to score goals. I would be absolutely furious if Hossa lost his cool and f***ed up his hand over some petty altercation. Star players are an investment by the team and are expected to measure up to a certain level of production. This is why we pay Aaron Downey $500,000 and Pavel Datsyuk $6.7 million. Downey's role is filled easily and replaced easily, Pavel is one in a million.

It doesn't put an argument to rest, it starts another one. Should players be allowed to fight with helmets on? I say no.

Should skilled players be fighting? I think so. Which isn't to say I think Datsyuk should throw down with Boogaard. When two stars go at it, like Iginla and Lecavalier in the finals, it gets the fans and teams more worked up than two goons swinging at each other.

[GMRwings1983 8,794]

I was listening to xm's nhl home ice today, and reading the story on tsn today about Columbus Blue Jacket Derick Brassard.

http://tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=260585&lid...s=secStory_main

Brassard, who is one of Columbus's top young talent on the team this year, and their first selection of the 2006 draft. Who is actually one of the few bright pieces of the 14-15-4 team. Is out for the season. Due to an injury from fighting.

I hate to bring up anything enforcer related, because it's so over done here sometimes. But I would be a little pissed off if Z or Datsyuk got in a stupid fight, and ended up with a season ending injury. Possibly changing the desired outcome.

Should every player that plays hockey be prepared to fight in this league, cause it's part of the job? Or should the league try and deter the fighting with longer, more severe penalties? This was discussed this morning on xm.

Brassard has had quite a few fights this season, so it's not like he's some europuss who finally decided to drop the gloves. He's basically a more skilled version of Jared Boll.

If they had a tournament of fighters in the NHL (which I hope to hell never happens) I would bet the farm that Chara would win. He is one mean bastard !!

Chara is a ***** when he fights top enforcers.

As soon as the fight goes against him, he wrestles his opponent down to avoid being embarassed. He'd get his ass kicked if he traded punches with a Boogaard or a Brashear.