I believe there's an added value in players who play physically and are talented yes, but I don't believe their willingness to get into a scrum after a hit has any effect on how other teams play against them or protects their teammates in any way. No one is intimidated to the point of not hitting Bruins players because of Lucic and Chara
What you are doing is refuting something that goes to the very essence of North American Hockey. The NHL is essentially legalized violence hiding in plain site inside a professional athletic league.
I don't want to go back to where the game was for much of the 70's and 80's. But I recognize that Fighting has not been banned for precisely the reason that is intrinsically a part of the North American game.
But that is not my main reason for wanting more players like Chara and Lucic. It's because I maintain that they are in fact physically intimidating. The lounger a tough playoff series goes the less you want to have them running into you. It's basic common sense. Heck if NHL players and coaches can all but admit that physical intimidation is effective and useful, then we fans should admit this fact to ourselves.
The Rangers need a better balance with these types of players as part of the mix....and yes sometimes they will fight to stick up for their mates. And yes I've heard it repeated countless times that their teammates and coaches appreciate and respect the hell out of that.
