There is a Method to Fighting in Hockey

Hi everyone Allsports would just like to further the point on the great debate that is going on in the hockey community in the wake of the Don Sanderson tragedy.

If you have followed any sports news on the web, you will be aware of  the debate going about fighting in hockey.

The OHL adapted a new rule about loosing your helmet in a fight and the penalties involved.

This could be fine for junior but at the NHL level, with the money being made and the like, It is a different ball of wax.

Whether the NHL and Mr. Bettman will admit it or not there is an entertainment factor to fighting in hockey. The fans love a good scrap although it is politically incorrect to admit it.

The entertainment factor aside, there is merit to fighting in hockey and it is part of the fabric in the game. Ask any player who has played the game at a higher level and the response will be pretty well unanimous. There is a purpose to the odd fight just to keep the agitators or as Brian Burke calls them, the "rats" honest.

Without fighting there is nothing to keep the cheap shots and stick work to a minimum—which allsports fears is more dangerous than fighting.

Bobby Orr, perhaps the best player to ever lace up a pair of skates was also positive when asked about the merits of fighting in hockey. Look up this issue for sports on the web and I am sure you will come across Bobby Orr’s comments.

Sometimes you just have to protect yourself and react to the cheap stuff. 

Some opponents to fighting in hockey state that there is really no fighting in a sport like football. Well, they are two different games. Football is a game of strategy where you run set plays and then the play is blown dead with the players going back to the huddle. They get a chance to cool down before the next play is run.

Hockey, though, is played at breakneck speed with actions and reactions, emotions run high on the ice and avenues are needed to vent.

Besides that, look at football helmets—there is nowhere to get in a good punch even if you wanted to.

How about baseball when a pitcher gives the batter a little bit of chin music or beans him with a pitch? The dugouts clear in a tangle of arms and legs, with punches thrown. It is total anarchy on the field, yet that is viewed as just part of the game.

If the NHL wants to look at fighting maybe they should concentrate on the tripping and slew footing in a fight. Stay on your feet, batten down the bucket and swing away, you could pull a guy off balance but you can’t take the legs out from under him. Or looking closer at the hits from behind which is very dangerous.

The way I look at it this dilemma is twofold. Back in the day most of the players in the NHL did not even wear helmets, but each player had a lot of something for the other guy—and that was respect.

Second, with the NHL being so critical of little hooks and holds it takes some defensive mechanisms away from the players. When you used to go into the boards to fight for the puck, you could take one hand off your stick and “wrap” the other player up. You would take the opponent out of the play with a hit into the boards but in doing so you could put an arm around him so he would stay on his feet and not be propelled into the boards.

You took him out of the play effectively, but both players remained on their skates. The hit was made but the risk of neck and head injures was eliminated.

Allowing the players to do this minor bit of holding within three feet of the boards would really reduce the risks. Then, of course, once contact is made the slight hold is removed and the battle for the puck can continue.

The ref can then call a penalty when the hold stays in place too long. One or two seconds along the boards could make a huge difference in safety.

So let's put things into perspective, here, people. At least you don’t see this anymore in the game—although I am sure there are still a few people out there that miss this sort of thing.

“No Guts, No Glory”