Fighting in hockey to come to end?

An article on TSN intrigued me to write what I had been thinking for a while now, but more so because of the recent OHL rule change regarding fighting.

For those unaware, following the tragic death of Don Sanderson of the Whitby Dunlops, the OHL imposed a new rule that any player who voluntarily removes his helmet or undoes the strap during a fight, would be assessed a game misconduct and automatic one game suspension.

Since then, fighting has become pointless and almost dangerous. There's no safe place for a player to land a punch, and they all try for uppercuts, which either cause major damage to the recipient or the aggressors hand on the visor. It's almost at the point where there's no point to fighting and the risk for hand injuries is too high. The league has seen the number of fights decline, at least from what I've seen. Mind you, the London-Brampton game had 3 in 2 minutes, but they mostly saw a bunch of grappling and wild haymakers landing on completely unexposed body.

I enjoy a good spirited tilt, involving two guys that are of equal abilities. I don't think anyone enjoys seeing a heavyweight or goon go after a small skilled player.

Do you think fighting will be a thing of the past?

I think rather than banning fighting, they should ban these judo hip-throws that players often use to launch guys in the air and slam them into the ice. Most guys in a fight are protecting themselves because they are aware of the conflict that is happening. But trying to score a takedown like it's Olympic greco-roman wrestling is the true offender here.

I just wish someone in charge of something in the NHL and hockey leagues elsewhere would get a clue.

in 10 years, people will wonder what the point of fighting ever was.

The Guy With The Mustache wrote:in 10 years, people will wonder what the point of fighting ever was.

Doubtful. All it's going to take is one cheap shot to re-ignite the players' need for fighting.

the only pro sport that tolerates fighting....that being said, who doesn't enjoy a good tossle....

The only guys that fight are the guys that want to fight. Yeah the odd guy gets pearl harboured but they do their best franklin the turtle impression and the zebras jump in and its over. If they are going to take out fighting, whats next, using tennis balls or sponge pucks so no one gets hurt, plastic "floor hockey" sticks, no slapshots, no raising your stick above your waist.

have to agree that fighting shouldn't be taken out of the game, and the players that do fight, they know the risk. In the NHL, you very rarely see a goon go after a small player to fight, and even if it did happen, someone else stands up for the smallish player anyway, example, Laracque comes after Grabovski, queue the Brad May coming to Grabovski's rescue. Usually though, and hope this will always be the case, the fighters know who they are and they will only pick one of their "group" so to speak to fight with.

Fighting had better remain in the NHL.
Fighters and players alike know the risk. Should they enter a 'dance' they know what they are getting themselves into.

I'm all for the helmet thing if you will, but banning fighting could potentially screw ticket sales and attendance, increase cheap shots (what's to stop you if you know you never have to answer for your blatant elbow shot, for instance), etc...

I know these examples have been used ad nauseum, but MacKenzie said it best: every time there is a tragedy of sorts, the knee-jerk reaction kicks in. The trick is keeping that reaction logical and relative to the situation; because once you take the ball and run with it, sometimes the REACTION severely outweighs the original action.

Cronie wrote:Fighting had better remain in the NHL.
Fighters and players alike know the risk. Should they enter a 'dance' they know what they are getting themselves into.

I'm all for the helmet thing if you will, but banning fighting could potentially screw ticket sales and attendance, increase cheap shots (what's to stop you if you know you never have to answer for your blatant elbow shot, for instance), etc...

I know these examples have been used ad nauseum, but MacKenzie said it best: every time there is a tragedy of sorts, the knee-jerk reaction kicks in. The trick is keeping that reaction logical and relative to the situation; because once you take the ball and run with it, sometimes the REACTION severely outweighs the original action.

the knee jerk reaction is exactly how everything is handled in the NHL, look at with Zednik's unfortunate accident, neck guards now in the OHL. that one might be a good one, but you will never get the NHL guys to do it. As for fighting, cronie, you are right, remove it, then the stick work and hits from behind double. Fighting is kind of how the players police themselves and keep it from getting to the point where someone gets a two hander in the face or legs.