We all remember what happened about two months ago. The video made the entire NHL and Patrick Roy's name was (again) involved in a strange Hockey brawl. Worse, he involved his son, Jonathan. It was during the QMJHL first round playoffs between Chicoutimi and Quebec.
Well, you may not call it a fight. It was more a senseless and classless attack, out of a frustrated coach, and a goalie who wants to impress his father; toward a defenseless and completely innocent player.
Still, fight or not, the Quebec government apparently wants to take some action. The best that they could find: ban Hockey fights from the Junior League of Quebec.
Do not get me wrong, I have nothing against Mrs. Courchesne, the Quebec Minister of Sport, Education and Leisure. And what happened between Jonathan Roy (who is now also a singer!) and Bobby Nadeau - oh wait, I should say what Jonathan Roy did to Bobby Nadeau - has no place in Sport.
But the measure she is taking has no sense for the simple reason that it does not apply to the right case.
Talking with the french journalists covering the Stanley Cup finals, Penguins Georges Laraque just shot out loud what I was thinking deep in my mind.
"The minister does not have anything else to do, it makes no sense. If her project is accepted, the QMJHL will change to the League of Ballet Dancers of Quebec and the Maritimes!" the Quebec Native player joked to the media.
He went further.
"What's next, forbid the slap-shots because the puck can hurt? Or the elimination of the hits? Or the 220 lb players? Or why doesn't she forbid the skates blades because they can cause serious injuries?"
I could not agree more.
Okay, let's suppose Madame La Ministre actually succeeds, and bans fighting from the Junior League. Then what? They will come in the NHL (IF they make it) and will look like a bunch of gutless guys on the ice while those who have been trained by - let's take an example - the brothers Hunter with the London Knights in Ontario will rule on the ice. Pathetic.
Pascal Dupuis and Maxime Talbot had about the same speech, supporting their team-mate's point of view (and mine, and maybe yours) .
"It has always been like that. Fights are tolerated in the NHL. The youngsters won't know how to defend themselves when they will be provoked" declared Maxime Talbot.
Mrs. Courchesne has been reported having a meeting in Victoria, and took the opportunity to expose her idea to her Canadians homologue; who all agreed.
We then have to wait for further discussions in the Western and Ontario League.
While the NHL tries to improve its " charisma" by reducing the goalie equipment in order to increase the number of goals (that is what THEY think), this probable new Junior system is another step back.
*Source: RDS.ca
10 comments Last one added about 1 year ago — Leave a Comment
Ken Armer about 1 year ago
Hopefully this is a battle he can win, for the sake of hockey.
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Miah D. about 1 year ago
I guess if they need to involve the NHLPA and the fans association, let's go for it! she wants to do some good, but she is doing it wrong.
go Laraque!
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A. Smith about 1 year ago
What happened between Roy and Nadeau was not a fight--it was a vicious attack by Roy, the kind of thing that banning fights would not prevent from happening again. If anything, Patrick Roy and his spawn should be banned from hockey.
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Miah D. about 1 year ago
exactly, it is all messed up! she should think twice before taking that kind of measure. when those things happen, the specific players should be hardly sanctionned: individually.
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Francois Gendron about 1 year ago
Good one Miah. Pick of the day. ;)
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Miah D. about 1 year ago
thanks a lot!
the Junior rivalries are quite something in Quebec! it is always big time when the playoffs are starting, the guys bring that up to the NHL which spices up things there too.
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Eric K about 1 year ago
They should just settle this in a real hockey manner: let the minister pick any person she wants, have them strap on a pair of skates, head out to the Centre Bell, and go toe-to-toe with big Georges. First one to bleed loses, the winner makes the final decision on the fighting ban.
That's PPV material.
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Miah D. about 1 year ago
she should review games and see how Laraque does it. and she should take a look at how the crowd gets exited at those moments.
I might be wrong but I guess her own son plays Hockey ... poor guy! lol
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Daniel Arouchian about 1 year ago
Good article Miah. politics has no place in Hockey :)
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Miah D. about 1 year ago
we know how they like to get into everything, from Koivu and his french to the Junior League.
thanks for the comment and getting over my article!
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