Why are hockey players' actions compartmentalized with respect to their character? | Page 5 | HFBoards - NHL Message Board and Forum for National Hockey League

Why are hockey players' actions compartmentalized with respect to their character?

I played a lot of hockey growing up, and generally the guys that were jerks on the ice were usually jerks off it as well.

So I think what the OP is saying has merit.

I think the "he's allegedly nice off the ice" line is just used by fans to help them disassociate from the fact that they are rooting for a jerk.

We've had different experiences as players then, I suppose. However, on the other hand, I can think of a few teammates or opponents who were both jerks on the ice and jerks off the ice, so perhaps my generalization was hasty.

One of the alternate captains for my junior season of high school hockey was a complete asshole and not a team player by any means, as well as being a jerk off the ice. Incredibly selfish as a player, and felt like he took several penalties per game, most of them stupid and unnecessary, and he didn't like passing the puck. One time he decided to wind up a slap shot from the neutral zone, behind the red line, for no good reason. Needless to say, he didn't score on it. There was also an incident one game where he took some stupid penalty, and I didn't see quite exactly what happened as the linesman was escorting him to the penalty box, but he took exception to whatever the linesman did, and started... punching him. Just... what the hell? Thankfully, he did not play my senior season (don't remember why; he could have graduated that's why, but I don't actually remember whether or not that was the case).

Our goalie was also an asshole. He liked to yell at me (others too for that matter) in the dressing room after games, for random incidents where all I was trying to do was clear the puck out of the crease, and I'd get yelled at because he wanted me to leave it be so he could try to cover the puck instead. Funny thing is that I was kind of young and naive when I started playing hockey, and I was not yet convinced that the concept of "team chemistry" was a thing. That hockey season definitely convinced me that it existed, because the chemistry of that hockey team was just... awful and very dysfunctional. It was almost like everyone hated everyone. My senior season was a lot better because most of the toxic asshole players quit the team for various reasons after my junior season.
 
I played a lot of hockey growing up, and generally the guys that were jerks on the ice were usually jerks off it as well.

So I think what the OP is saying has merit.

I think the "he's allegedly nice off the ice" line is just used by fans to help them disassociate from the fact that they are rooting for a jerk.
Sometimes yes sometimes no.

Have met Marchand a ton off the ice, in various social settings, and he’s one of the chillest and nicest people you’ll meet.
 
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This just in; human being learns that people act different when placed in multiple different environments. More at 11.
????

The question was about where people draw the line wirh respect to behavior in different settings, that is, when what happens on the ice begins to inform their general view of the hockey player as a person.
 
This just in; human being learns that people act different when placed in multiple different environments. More at 11.

I do not think this thread is about hockey players failing to say "sorry" after accidentally bumping into each other. One can appreciate the difference in circumstances and environment, and take that into account.

But what do you say about the guy whose behaviour is just much worse than the behaviour of other hockey players next to him? Does it not tell us anything about the person?
 
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Sometimes yes sometimes no.

Have met Marchand a ton off the ice, in various social settings, and he’s one of the chillest and nicest people you’ll meet.
Or hes nice and chill with you. Lots of people are nice and chill most of the time.

I'd be pretty surprised if the only place Marchand acts like a bell end is on the ice surface. Its not how people are usually wired.
 
Or hes nice and chill with you. Lots of people are nice and chill most of the time.

I'd be pretty surprised if the only place Marchand acts like a bell end is on the ice surface. Its not how people are usually wired.
Then you'd be surprised.

Marchand is universally agreed upon to be an absolute sweetheart off the ice. Catch him in a candid moment away from hockey and every anecdote suggests he's an absolute gentleman. And he seems to genuinely love with interacting with kids at the rink.

Now this definitely isn't true of every rat or dirty player, but you mentioned Marchand in particular so I had to call it out since he's a VERY famous exception.
 
Then you'd be surprised.

Marchand is universally agreed upon to be an absolute sweetheart off the ice. Catch him in a candid moment away from hockey and every anecdote suggests he's an absolute gentleman. And he seems to genuinely love with interacting with kids at the rink.

Now this definitely isn't true of every rat or dirty player, but you mentioned Marchand in particular so I had to call it out since he's a VERY famous exception.
Maybe he has Multiple Personality Disorder.
 
Then you'd be surprised.

Marchand is universally agreed upon to be an absolute sweetheart off the ice. Catch him in a candid moment away from hockey and every anecdote suggests he's an absolute gentleman. And he seems to genuinely love with interacting with kids at the rink.

Now this definitely isn't true of every rat or dirty player, but you mentioned Marchand in particular so I had to call it out since he's a VERY famous exception.
Marchand is more or an agitator on the ice.

Going off memory I can't recall him being exceptionally dirty or such. Crosses the line...perhaps?...but what player never does at one point or another?
 

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