Ban fighting: even Bettman's brain worth it

Posted By: Rick Moffat · 3/7/2013 8:39:00 AM

NHL brains have to think about this again before too many more are concussed---it's long past time to ban fighting.

The Commissioner's office points to studies showing fights are NOT the cause of a majority of brain injuries during games.  But as CJAD and Sports Illustrated's Mike Farber pointed on the Andrew Carter Morning Show, banning fights is the lowest fruit on the tree of player safety to pick.

The Leafs' Frazer McLaren landed a blow to the chin of Senator Dave Dziurzynski and the rookie could barely struggle back up to his knees.   

The Battle of Ontario is the latest shot in the battle to protect the grey matter of the best hockey players in the world.

Let's hope there are enough people in the Commissioner's office and the NHLPA who can still think straight.

http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=658948&navid=nhl:topheads

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  1. Coof posted on 03/07/2013 10:50 AM
    If you ban fighting in hockey because some small portion of fights end up with injuries, then what is next, banning hitting because some get hurt? Or maybe its the shots that are dangerous (Mark Staal) or maybe the sticks are the problem (Koivu almost lost an eye to a stick to the eye and he was wearing a visor).

    You have to face the fact that hockey is a violent sport. Nobody forces anybody to play hockey, it's voluntary. Nobody forced the Ottawa player to fight, he chose to fight a player that was out of his league. When does personal responsibility come into play? Mclaren knew he outmatched Dziurzynski and he knocked him out anyways.

    The biggest problem in hockey today is there is no longer any respect between players. Lucic knew what he was doing when he ran into Ryan Miller, Chara knew when what he was doing when he hit Paccioretty, just like Kaspiritis knew what he was doing when he made all those knee on knee hits.

    The point is if you don't like occasional violence in the NHL, try women's hockey: no hitting or fighting and its BORING to watch, or maybe try ping pong
    1. Rick Moffat posted on 03/07/2013 11:19 AM
      @Coof Football is a violent sport. No fighting. By your reasoning we should stick have Rocket Richard and others respecting people by hitting players over the head with sticks.

      Solid clean hits are a joy of the game. Yet the best Hab at the old school hip check is PK Subban---who doesn't seem to have won the respect of Claude Julien among others.

      Hockey without fighting will still be the best game in the world. Only safer.
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  2. Terry posted on 03/09/2013 07:51 AM
    Did not hear much of this talk in Montreal when the Canadiens had George Laraque in the line up. Figfhting keeps the dirty players in line. By dirty players I mean the ones who cross check from behind and use their sticks as weapons. Hypocrites!
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