IN FAVOR OF FIGHTING IN HOCKEY

I was watching TSN’s The Reporters this morning and a discussion about visors and fighting ensued, and so I thought I’d jot down some of my own thoughts when it comes to fisticuffs. 

I’ve got no issues with fighting so long as it isn’t a sideshow between two players who play for two minutes a night.  I can appreciate the lengths the sport has gone to in their efforts to keep hockey a sport based on clean physical play, goals, saves, and fast skating; but I just think fighting is something that has its place in certain games. 

I’ll give a couple of examples based on SJHL games I saw this weekend:

Friday night, Tyler Giebel and Tyler Bird engaged in a fight that was, perfectly, warranted.  It was at the end of a shift and the two players were competing against one another intently in the corner.  Unfortunately, the fight occurred with, approximately, nine and a half minutes remaining in the third period so both players were ejected based on a rule that states if you drop your mitts with under ten minutes to go in regulation then you are punted from the game.  Had that game gone to overtime, Yorkton would have been without a first line forward, simply because he was competing hard, physically, in the corner.  That doesn’t sound right to me.  I realize the intent is to prevent fights breaking out after every stoppage of play with two minutes remaining in the game; but can’t we have some discretion?

Last night in Humboldt, the Broncos outshot Flin Flon 16-5 in the first period and the Bombers didn’t have a shot in the final thirteen minutes of the frame.  Had the second period started with a scrap to try and get the Bombers going a little bit then I really have no issue with it.  Some will say a fight such as this does nothing; but if Andy Blanke, soundly, wins a scrap with Adam Antkowiak to start the second period; I suspect you will see (maybe only temporary) a lift in play from the Bombers.  It’s up to the offensive players to keep that momentum going forward.  Further to that, I remember some Melville Millionaire players acting a bit more brave in last year’s playoff series with Yorkton after Colin Mospanchuk dropped the gloves with Kailum Gervais.  To me, this is part of the game. 

I’m not saying hockey should promote fighting, but I really don’t think the sport needs to go to the great lengths it has to curb it and in the two examples I listed above, that’s exactly the case.  I think it reduces emotion and lowers compete level to put deterring measures in place.

I don’t know if the lack of fighting really hurts fan interest when it comes to the NHL, but I do feel at the junior level, the lack of the prospect of seeing a fight has kept some fans away.  This isn’t something we like to talk about, but the reality is that if I mentioned Derek Parker, Barry Sparvier, Jordan Hack, and Mitch Stephens; there is a really good chance you will recall specific instances involving the first two then you will the last two names.  Imagine the interest generated if Trent Cassan spoke out in an interview and said if the Millionaires go within five feet of Jeremy Johnson then they’ll have to deal with John Odgers?  In today’s world, a public mention like that from Cassan may get him a fine. 

The most popular sport in the world right now is MMA.  I’ve watched guys get punched and kicked in the head AFTER they’ve already been knocked out.  Meanwhile, hockey is banning fighting.  I realize it’s a different kettle of fish when dealing with junior aged hockey players (although most players are between 18 and 20 and therefore considered adult); but the NHL should simply say it’s a contact sport and these participants are adults and capable of making their own decisions. 

Hockey is a sport where rule changes are discussed constantly.  For me, you can improve the game by making all goalies where gear similar to what Patrick Roy wore in 1993 (it should be noted that in 1993 there were critics who said Roy had an unfair advantage because of the size of his equipment) and take out the restrictive rules on fighting.  That’s it.  Some of this stuff involving players getting suspended will go by the wayside as players would then be allowed to police it themselves.  I’d like to see a game like that, but I’m not sure I ever will.