Does Fighting Deter Other Nasty Business?

[Mad Brills*]

http://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2...fighting-deter-other-nasty-business-in-hockey

3 years old, but an interesting offseason topic, especially after the signing of Matt Martin.

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[studebaker17]

Not sure it ever has deterred nasty business , at least since the instigator came in. What it does though when your team has some tough guys is give your other players a boost of confidence. Brothers in arms kind of thing and knowing your team mates have your back. Doesn't need to be knuckle draggers though and players like Martin are perfect for this role.

 

[crump]

http://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2...fighting-deter-other-nasty-business-in-hockey

3 years old, but an interesting offseason topic, especially after the signing of Matt Martin.

Not sure, sometimes I think it escalates it. We don't need staged fights. One thing for sure is you want to respond. If someone takes a cheap shot at a star player, you can't just sit and watch that. You don't need to be a goon to respond, but the Leafs had very few who would step up last season. You don't want Morgan Reilly busting knuckles on helmets either, so Matt Martin comes in and makes a statement later in the game. The good thing is, he's a decent player too that hits. Fighting disappears in playoffs, but a guy like Martin can still be useful. (when we finally get back there)

 

[Cor]

No, but it certainly makes guys think twice.


Also, Matt Martin isn't just a fighter.

 

[Clark4Ever]

To an extent, but only if the offending player is willing to answer the bell. Otherwise, the instigator rule has protected the weasels of the game.

 

[Mad Brills*]

No, but it certainly makes guys think twice.


Also, Matt Martin isn't just a fighter.

Really.

Orr watched kadri fight hedman.

 

[Daisy Jane]

Really.

Orr watched kadri fight hedman.

what's your point?

Kadri has shown a few times, he doesn't mind (and actually gets off) on being a bit extra grumpy, and physical like that. he can (and has shown) he can take care of himself.

I think it's more of the players who that's not their style at all

 

[crump]

To an extent, but only if the offending player is willing to answer the bell. Otherwise, the instigator rule has protected the weasels of the game.

With a slow rebuild expected, especially this year, the occasional instigator penalty would be worth it to see the weasels get theirs.

 

[deletethis]

Fighting culture in hockey is just so toxic. You fighting people are on the wrong side of history. We will not stop until bodychecking is completely eliminated. /s

 

[Mad Brills*]

Fighting culture in hockey is just so toxic. You fighting people are on the wrong side of history. We will not stop until bodychecking is completely eliminated. /s

staged fights are useless.

 

[Joey Hoser]

Matt Martin isn't here to be a fighter. Babcock doesn't really utilize that.

Think Darren McCarty.

 

[7even]

If some borderline hockey player is paid close to league minimum and has to stir up **** to keep his job, do you really think a 20 second mock boxing match followed by a 5 minute break will stop him?

 

[Leafsman]

I think its adds a very slight level of accountability. A player may think twice about being overly physical if a team has a reputation of holding such players accountable.

What I like even more than fighting, is the big clean hits that can change a game's momentum. Love a big open ice hit that really goes far to firing a team up.

The only problem nowadays is that these hits usually lead to a fight no matter how clean. We need guys who can throw these hits then stand up afterwards and answer for them.

 

[deletethis]

If some borderline hockey player is paid close to league minimum and has to stir up **** to keep his job, do you really think a 20 second mock boxing match followed by a 5 minute break will stop him?

While I don't subscribe to the narrative that a fighter deters much of anything, your argument is phony because it ain't simply marginal NHL players who cross the line at times. On the Leafs, the most likely guys to cross the line last season were Komarov and Kadri, neither are marginal NHLers.

 

[WilliamNylander]

Babcock teams don't fight.

I wouldn't worry about the Leafs being that kind of team.

 

[Nithoniniel]

My problem with fighting in hockey is not so much the fighting itself, but the plethora of rationalizations that are used. To me, fighting is reactionary, it's for entertainment and team cohesion. I just dislike when people start talking trying to make it much more than that, where it's a requirement otherwise your skilled players won't dare to do anything or there will be a free-for-all for cheapshots. These things just doesn't seem to have any support other than the anecdotal.

I'm not going to argue that fighting should be abolished. I just wish people would be comfortable saying "I like fighting because it's fun, and the team seem to feel good about it", instead of conjuring up horror stories where it's the only thing that'll keep Marner from being hospitalized on a consistent basis.

 

[MastuhNinks]

Fighting legitimately did deter nasty business for much of hockey history in my opinion, but in 2016 where we have dozens of HD cameras at every game, slow-mo instant replay, hundreds of thousands of social media referees, players can't really get away with anything. There was a long stretch of time where they could get away with a lot of nastiness behind the play if they didn't have to answer the bell for their actions.

 

[Daisy Jane]

My problem with fighting in hockey is not so much the fighting itself, but the plethora of rationalizations that are used. To me, fighting is reactionary, it's for entertainment and team cohesion. I just dislike when people start talking trying to make it much more than that, where it's a requirement otherwise your skilled players won't dare to do anything or there will be a free-for-all for cheapshots. These things just doesn't seem to have any support other than the anecdotal.

I'm not going to argue that fighting should be abolished. I just wish people would be comfortable saying "I like fighting because it's fun, and the team seem to feel good about it", instead of conjuring up horror stories where it's the only thing that'll keep Marner from being hospitalized on a consistent basis.

Poor Marner. I think some people have actually mentally killed the guy in such scenarios.

 

[Clark4Ever]

staged fights are useless.

Agreed, but standing up for a teammate is not...

 

[Stephen]

Look more closely. Babcock's Wings had 14 fights and Lamoriello's Devils had 16 fights that season. I think it's safe to assume neither of those guys are prioritizing fighting as a major part of the game plan.

People are looking really hard to find reasons to hate Matt Martin.

 

[ErnieLeafs]

Fighting has its place. Staged fighting doesn't. Emotional responses happen. When it's a sideshow, it's kind of farcicle.

 

[NikoPopp]

Maybe I'm wrong but isn't Matt Martin here to hit, not fight?

I think we can all agree that hitting is effective right?

 

[SprDaVE]

No, but it certainly makes guys think twice.

No it doesn't.

 

[7even]

While I don't subscribe to the narrative that a fighter deters much of anything, your argument is phony because it ain't simply marginal NHL players who cross the line at times. On the Leafs, the most likely guys to cross the line last season were Komarov and Kadri, neither are marginal NHLers.

There are two kinds of guys that will cross the line, goons and pests. Goons won't be deterred by fighting and pests overwhelmingly won't fight even if propositioned.

 

[colchar]

Fighting disappears in playoffs

Weren't there fights in this year's playoffs?