Capitals' Brashear, Former Enforcer, Wants NHL To Use OHL'S New FightIng Rule

Donald Brashear, a veteran NHL enforcer, has called for the league to adopt the Ontario Hockey League’s rule that fights be stopped when a player’s helmet comes off, according to The New York Times.

The OHL's new rule was created to reduce the chance of serious head injuries if one or both players fall to the ice.

It was the junior hockey league's response to the death of an Ontario senior league player, Don Sanderson, after hitting his head on the ice during a fight.

In January, OHL Commissioner David Branch announced the adoption of this new rule:
 
“If a player should remove his helmet or undo his chinstrap prior to or during an altercation, such player shall receive a game misconduct in addition to any other penalties assessed and an automatic one (1) game suspension. If a player should remove his helmet or undo his chinstrap prior to entering into an altercation, and his opponent does not remove his helmet, the player removing his helmet shall receive a two minute minor penalty, a game misconduct penalty in addition to any other penalties assessed and an automatic one (1) game suspension.
 
If a player should remove an opponent’s helmet or undo an opponent’s chinstrap prior to or during an altercation, such player shall receive an automatic game misconduct penalty in addition to any other penalties assessed and a one (1) game suspension.
 
If during the course of an altercation a player or player’s helmets should become dislodged, the linesmen are to intervene immediately.”
 
That rule was part of the debate on the role of fighting in hockey at the general managers' meeting last week in Naples, Fla.

GMs did not vote to tighten chinstraps or to stop fights when helmets come off.

The NHL remains the last and most influential institution to keep fighting alive in the game. Brashear added his voice to the discussion after the GM's Florida meeting.

During a Vancouver-Boston game in 2000, when Brashear played for Vancouver, Marty McSorley struck Brashear in the side of his head with his stick—Brashear fell to the ice, his head bounced and his unsecured helmet flew off.

Brashear suffered from a grade three concussion and memory lapses.

He returned to play after several weeks and has fully recovered. According to Wikipedia, McSorley was suspended and never played another NHL game.

Brashear testified that he has no memory of the incident. McSorley was found guilty of assault with a weapon, but wasn't sent to jail.

He had to complete 18 months of probation, in which he could not play against Brashear. McSorley claims that he tried to hit Brashear in the shoulder to start a fight with him and didn't mean to hit his head.

Brashear returned was traded to Philadelphia and played a large role in instigating a brawl in a game between the Flyers and Ottawa Senators in 2004 which was the most penalized game in NHL history, with Brashear getting the most penalty minutes of any player involved.

Since the lockout came to an end, Brashear has adjusted to the new NHL. Brashear is now one of the Capitals' alternate captains.