taking fighting out of the game

[BillsSabresB.C.T. Fan]

TORONTO (AP)—The head of the NHL Players’ Association believes it is time to consider a rule mandating helmet use during fights and to examine the role of one-dimensional enforcers in the game.

While a “clear majority” of players want fighting to remain a part of hockey, Paul Kelly feels his constituency is open to restrictions on the process.

“A couple that we’ve talked about that ought to be looked at anyway is, do you consider a rule whereby players need to keep a helmet on during the course of a fight, and perhaps require officials to step in if a helmet comes off during a fight,” Kelly said Wednesday before the Conn Smythe Celebrities Dinner and Auction.

“If it’s true that when guys get hurled to the ice or tripped to the ice and bang their skull on the ice is where the real danger comes from, then maybe we can protect against that. It’s certainly something worth looking at,” the union chief added.
http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/news?slug=ap-fighting-rules&prov=ap&type=lgns

[SabreEleven]

Might as well take it out than.

[Dr. Lecter]

Larry Playfair actually supports the idea. (Or at least would not mind it)

[OpIv37]

the problem is that if the players have to leave their helmets on, there's nothing to hit. They have shoulderpads and the younger players have the face shields- there is literally no target. That makes zero sense.

[CuseJetsFan83]

take the helmets off.... helmets/visors on = broken hands and those contracts would pretty much be null and void


i guess in essence that would get rid of fighting.

i still say screw it... keep fighting, or else you will have more bertuzzi incidents in the future

[SabreEleven]

When you get in a fight, you know the risks...keep it as it is.

[JD]

Just strap the fighters with turtle shells before they throw punches so neither player hits their head off the ice :up:

[jamze132]

How about using your skate as a weapon? :idunno:

[wiener52]

From a Sabres Hockey Blog, Top Shelf http://topshelfcookies.blogspot.com/

I would like to offer Rob Ray's take on fighting in the NHL. As commenter mcguffers pointed out in the IPB comment thread, taken out of context, it's pretty amazing:

“If two guys wanna do it, and they know how to do it, then let them do it while 18,000 watch and cheer.”

If Rob was reading the above, I'm sure he'd be giggling like a 12-year-old, just like we were. Long live, Rob Ray!

[Mski]

i think the best solution is to get rid of the instigator penalty, and you will end all the bs like the Bertuzzi incendent, and the sucker punch to kaletta...

[trapezeus]

instigator is what is creating the goonery. let the benches clear every now and then. it'll keep these sucker shots down

[Mski]

instigator is what is creating the goonery. let the benches clear every now and then. it'll keep these sucker shots down

its not about getting to the bench clearing, its about 1 other teammate, who is on the ice at the time of the sucker shot, sticking up for their team mate and dropping gloves

[trapezeus]

true. i was just jumping the gun and thinking back when the occassional bench clearing would occur.

it is frustrating to be limited to one enforcer and have him fight the other enforcer. if the other team has a scappy player, there is no one to regulate him.

I like the idea of dropping this fighting legislation and going with a laizze faire approach.