To understand why the NHL will have to ban fighting one day, read this story

[ZBBM]

The judge's rejection of the NFL's propose settlement on concussions is the tip of the iceberg.  As more and more stories like Wright's get told, the league's exposure to jury awards will quickly approach truly astronomical figures.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/27/sports/football/for-a-cowboys-star-with-dementia-time-is-running-out.html?hpw&rref=health

The NFL is in tough because violent collisions are the entire basis of the game.  The NHL can do much more to reduce concussions, and sooner or later its lawyers are going to tell the league you WILL ban fighting or else be sued into non-existence.  If Bettman is smart they'll do it sooner rather than later.

 

[Arn]

While I agree how do you ban it? Technically it's not allowed - you get a major penalty for a fight as it's against the rules. Do you increase this penalty? Make it an automatic ten game ban?

Fighting in most European leagues gets an automatic ejection from the game, but people still fight. If they want to or feel the need to fight, they will.

 

[crazyperfectdevil]

While I agree how do you ban it? Technically it's not allowed - you get a major penalty for a fight as it's against the rules. Do you increase this penalty? Make it an automatic ten game ban?

Fighting in most European leagues gets an automatic ejection from the game, but people still fight. If they want to or feel the need to fight, they will.

i think suspensions would work with possibly season ending ones for repeat offenders..i have a feeling fighting would vanish pretty quick

 

[nutman]

Again .... For those who want fighting out of Hockey, I say go watch figure skating, and stop trying to fix a game that is not broken.

 

[TML fan]

I don't think concussions will put a stop to fighting.

 

[Kin]

While I agree how do you ban it? Technically it's not allowed - you get a major penalty for a fight as it's against the rules. Do you increase this penalty? Make it an automatic ten game ban?

Fighting in most European leagues gets an automatic ejection from the game, but people still fight. If they want to or feel the need to fight, they will.

Well, the easy answer is that you treat it like they did in Baseball or Basketball. Guys still fight, they just get suspended for it.

 

[Bullfrog]

Again .... For those who want fighting out of Hockey, I say go watch figure skating, and stop trying to fix a game that is not broken.

So, for those who want fighting to remain, go watch MMA? Last i checked, figure-skating doesn't have body checks, hockey sticks and pucks, or nets.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Again .... For those who want fighting out of Hockey, I say go watch figure skating, and stop trying to fix a game that is not broken.

In the game against Tampa Bay there wasn't a single fight. Was that a "hockey game"?

 

[Heroic Shrimp]

Again .... For those who want fighting out of Hockey, I say go watch figure skating, and stop trying to fix a game that is not broken.

In the game against Tampa Bay there wasn't a single fight. Was that a "hockey game"?

I tell you now, there better be plenty of fights at the Olympics, or I'm not watching.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

I tell you now, there better be plenty of fights at the Olympics, or I'm not watching.

Wait, you're telling me ice hockey fighting isn't an Olympic sport?

 

[nutman]

So when fighting is gone what will you cry babys whine about then. oh yeah... Stevie, there hitting each other to hard... :'(

 

[Deebo]

Again .... For those who want fighting out of Hockey, I say go watch figure skating, and stop trying to fix a game that is not broken.

In the game against Tampa Bay there wasn't a single fight. Was that a "hockey game"?

Not everything that is part of the game happens in every game.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

So when fighting is gone what will you cry babys whine about then. oh yeah... Stevie, there hitting each other to hard... :'(

Weren't you whining about Gleason getting hit into the boards?

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Not everything that is part of the game happens in every game.

My completely ridiculous comment was said sarcastically in response to nutman's completely ridiculous comment that was said sincerely.

 

[bustaheims]

Again .... For those who want fighting out of Hockey, I say go watch figure skating, and stop trying to fix a game that is not broken.

When the game includes something that leaves players open to significant, potentially career threatening injuries through something that is not integral to the sport itself, then, yeah, it is broken.

 

[louisstamos]

Again .... For those who want fighting out of Hockey, I say go watch figure skating, and stop trying to fix a game that is not broken.

When the game includes something that leaves players open to significant, potentially career threatening injuries through something that is not integral to the sport itself, then, yeah, it is broken.

BUT EVERYONE STANDS UP WHEN THERE'S A FIGHT!!!  LOOK AT HOW EXCITED THE FANS ARE!!! RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE!!!

(I guess by that theory, we should make drunken bar brawls legal since every clears out of the way and watches there too...)

 

[bustaheims]

BUT EVERYONE STANDS UP WHEN THERE'S A FIGHT!!!  LOOK AT HOW EXCITED THE FANS ARE!!! RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE!!!

(I guess by that theory, we should make drunken bar brawls legal since every clears out of the way and watches there too...)

I think we should get back to old school Roman style gladiatorial combat. I'm sure that got the people out of their seats!

 

[Kin]

So when fighting is gone what will you cry babys whine about then. oh yeah... Stevie, there hitting each other to hard... :'(

I'll be whining about punctuation and grammar on the internet.

 

[Kin]

Although, if we can take a bit of time out from humouring Cletus for a second, I do think that there's a slight problem with the point that ZBBM is making here and trying to link football and hockey. Football players have a really strong class action case against the NFL because there's a very credible argument that just the injury sustained by normal play in the league leads to the sort of debilitating condition that Mr. Wright suffers from. Fighting in hockey is different, as it's not something that a player has to engage in to keep their job provided they're actually good at playing hockey. A football player can't get out of tackling or being tackled.

So while it would be ridiculous for the NHL to say that Colton Orr's job didn't involve fighting, I do think they could argue credibly that Orr couldn't realistically enter into his profession with an expectation of being protected from the dangers that result from getting repeatedly punched in the face. I mean, if that were the case then I don't see how boxing or MMA could exist and, yet, exist they do.

To me the bigger concern the NHL faces, and to their credit/cynicism the thing they actually seem concerned about, is what would happen as a result of a catastrophic injury sustained during a fight. That's something that nobody could credibly argue a fighter signs up for and, yet, because of the realities of bare knuckle fighting on a sheet of ice and wobbly skates it's something that is a very real possibility. We almost saw it happen this year with Parros and we all know that fighting can result in death.

That's what the NHL should be concerned with and that, I think, is what will ultimately lead to major changes in the way fights are penalized.

 

[nutman]

So when fighting is gone what will you cry babys whine about then. oh yeah... Stevie, there hitting each other to hard... :'(

Weren't you whining about Gleason getting hit into the boards?

That was a shot at the hitting whiners, if one gets suspended why not all who hit from behind.