Fighting has to go

[Mr Positive]

Only thing I’d like to see changed is having helmets that actually stay on the player (to prevent what happened Kassian).

That makes me think of Puljujarvi. Not that he'd fight, but if he gets up ended is that thing staying on?

 

[topshelf15]

Why do people think fighting in hockey is for them? Like its only a gladiator bout for your entertainment....maybe staged fights are...but everybody agrees that those suck. Fighting is for the players to step up for their teamates and get some momentum going their way or to retaliate for a cheap shot. All these entitled people thinking that NHL fights are only there for your entertainment make me laugh

Pretty much this....The players that I have heard asked if they want fighting in the game all say the same thing...Yes

 

[jaywills1020]

Fighting makes NHL exciting you think? I watch the NHL over FEL because NHL-players are better hockey players, the game is faster and more entertaining. And before "tHeN bAn HiTTinG alSO"-argument, hitting is allowed in rules and it serves a purpose in this game. Fighting isn't allowed and getting injured in a fight is such a waste.

What injures players more? Hits or fights?

 

[MK9]

Good luck living in the past.

Hm. Original AND witty. Quite the double threat.

 

[JianYang]

Ughh, this is just like the George parros injury.

 

[405Entrance]

It prevents things that will be way worse than a couple of punches to the face. The only thing that will remove it is if something crazy happens and their outrage. There use to be fisticuffs in the nba but Kermit Washington almost killed a man and it was immediately banned. Thats what it would have to take for fighting to be removed in the nhl

 

[11Messier]

People get hurt hitting...hitting needs to go. People get hurt playing hockey...hockey needs to go. People get hurt driving...everyone needs to stay home. Its unfortunate Kassian hit his head on the ice but that's the way it goes sometimes. Fighting is going away slowly on its own. There is no need to make additional rules to get it out of the game.

Myself personally, I hate the staged fights. If you need to ask your opponent permission like Kassian did, it means you are doing it wrong. The only fights I enjoy are the ones out of pure passion. Someone runs your goalie and everyone is fuming, you go in there and fight on the spot where nobody gets a choice. none of this "excuse me mr. is it okay if we have a fight...no not today...okay, enjoy the rest of the game". I was young when they happened but I really enjoyed the bench clearing brawls...that really got the adrenaline pumping. Now that I'm older, I understand that those weren't good for the game but boy were they fun.

 

[KCbus]

No.

These players know the risks they take. Shit happens.

Do you want all players to wear bubble wrap and cages too? Players get knocked out from fights, take pucks to the face, take sticks to the eyes, take skates to the neck.

OK, this is an argument I disagree with.

"They know the risks, therefore, we have no obligation to take any kind of action to reduce the chance of injury." Nah.

There are a lot of people complaining that football has become too soft these days because they give cheap penalties for accidental contact with the helmet, or for hitting a quarterback just slightly too rough. But while that can be aggravating at times, ultimately the overall product is better because the best players are on the field, and not in the x-ray machine.

Obviously, you can't make hockey completely safe. Any measure you take, you have to strike the balance between too dangerous and too soft. And we can debate them ad nauseum forever. But morally, I can't get with the "eff 'em, they signed up for it" take. There are plenty of reasons to keep fighting in the game, but that ain't one of 'em. They're still human beings, and I'm not a heartless bastard with no soul.

 

[Matty Sundin]

All sports have risk. A player could get hit by a puck and seriously hurt or die. That would obviously be unfortunate and hope to never that but would you recommend banning slap shots to prevent that?

 

[PensPlz]

No. Game is too fast and too physical to have refs police it alone.

Have to let players settle their business or risk cheap shots drastically increasing.

 

[Dread Clawz]

You would have MORE violence in the NHL if fighting was illegal, not less.

 

[Bizz]

Real hockey fans don’t gatekeep

They should.

 

[Shinjuku Calling]

No it doesn't.

 

[Yog S'loth]

And the world slides further in into a bland, grey, inoffensive malaise of mediocrity.

 

[Esko6]

Do other sports have blades on there feet and clubs in there hands. It is what makes hockey unique. Not all sports are the same. So sick anytime a injury happens all these people come out of the woodwork

Bandy has skates and clubs.

 

[haulinbass]

While I'm breathing in chemicals to hook up AC motors on hazardous industrial sites and playing around high voltage, I can't help but have concern for the risks of these poor NHL players only making millions of dollars per year to play the sport they love in front of fans.

I bet half of the people crying about players taking risks allow their wives to drive their kids on the highway in a compact SUV or a car. Did you ever stop to think about the simple fact that auto accidents is one of the biggest causes of injury and death in the United States. That being in anything less than a large vehicle is needless risk to you and your family? Maybe people should start worrying more about their own safety than a professional athletes.

Just more whining and people thinking they know what's best for other people but yet aren't even doing the best they can to worry for themselves.

 

[GeeoffBrown]

The OP would be horrified to learn that there are sports that are entirely fighting

 

[Tyrolean]

Is hockey the only sport that allows fighting not be a disqualification? Not talking about only fighting sports of course.

 

[Tyrolean]

All sports have risk. A player could get hit by a puck and seriously hurt or die. That would obviously be unfortunate and hope to never that but would you recommend banning slap shots to prevent that?

Yes, but you can change the rules to mitigate the risk.

 

[Petey O]

Why do the same type of people have to put their grubby paws to work, trying to change everything resembling masculine culture?

Some things are best left unchanged. If it bothers you, maybe whatever you're doing/watching is too aggressive for you. Don't watch. It's as simple as that.

The unfortunate thing is, the league, in its corporate, PR-first attitude, will likely bend and ban it outright as more of these same types of people put on the pressure.

Enjoy the good aspects of the sport/league we have left. It will all disappear into the soulless pit of progressive despair like everything else.

 

[ItWasJustified]

Would it really be that bad if fighting was banned?

Yes.
/thread.

 

[Bizz]

Why do the same type of people have to put their grubby paws to work, trying to change everything resembling masculine culture?

simple answer: it's because of unwarranted self-entitlement.

 

[summer tooth]

If you're so worried about head injuries, just get bigger helmets like the ones football players wear. Vegas I understand is going that direction already, with those enormous gold helmets. Just have those wonderful helmets for every team and then keep the fighting

 

[amigo]

No.Never. Bug off.

 

[Ryuji Yamazaki]

It will eventually. Especially with the trend we’re going in, with all this dumb cancel culture bs.