News Article: What role does fighting have in the game?

[ODAAT]

I agree. Any lift a team might get is fleeting. I think spontaneous fighting is very entertaining and maybe some players can be intimidated,but it's difficult to prove it has any effect on winning and losing.

actually, I heard an interview on PrimeTime Sports down here with Bob McCown, and there was a stat geek on who did loads of research on this very topic. Really wish I had a link.

McCown has long spoken to not minding scraps when they occur in the heat of battle not staged but has also stated he never believed teams gained anywhere near the emotional lift where a fight changes the complexion of the game

The guests stats backed that up big time. I`ll try to define the baseline they used as best as I can remember

They examined over 500 fights from this study, can`t recall the exact number

They took a fight from the view of the team trailing, then used the 8-9 minute barometer saying IF there was a time a team would gain momentum it would be in that time frame immediately following the scrap and for that fight to truly have impact, the guys who did this study used a win in the game as to help draw their conclusion. Just coming back with some good shifts without winning, to them, was somewhat meaningless

Their study resulted in less than 2% of games with that scenario where it could be concluded the fight in the game clearly drew the line as far as changing momentum

 

[Aeroforce]

I like the fights, and think they are a part of the gamesmanship that is prevalent in the NHL.

Are they a deterrent? For the most part, no. Did the fear of having to answer to Matt Martin keep Adam McQuaid from hitting Auston Matthews? No.

But the fact that tough guys are on the ice, does change the complexion of the game, in my opinion. It's not at the top of the list of reasons for Edmonton's resurgence, but having guys like Lucic, Maroon, & Kassian certainly helps.

Asked the question following Quader's handling of Martin in the Leafs game in a tremendous bout, is he now at the top of the heep as the best and most feared fighter in the NHL right now?

I read the YouTube comments after McQuaid's tilt with Martin (both hockeyfights.com's posting as well as dafoomie's), and that question was asked. Some said McQuaid is the most feared today, and many said it was Ryan Reaves.

 

[ODAAT]

I like the fights, and think they are a part of the gamesmanship that is prevalent in the NHL.

Are they a deterrent? For the most part, no. Did the fear of having to answer to Matt Martin keep Adam McQuaid from hitting Auston Matthews? No.

But the fact that tough guys are on the ice, does change the complexion of the game, in my opinion. It's not at the top of the list of reasons for Edmonton's resurgence, but having guys like Lucic, Maroon, & Kassian certainly helps.



I read the YouTube comments after McQuaid's tilt with Martin (both hockeyfights.com's posting as well as dafoomie's), and that question was asked. Some said McQuaid is the most feared today, and many said it was Ryan Reaves.

Reaves is tough, no doubt, but can a guy who plays less than 10 mins on a nightly basis be truly feared?