Taking fighting out of the National Hockey League will…and empower “the growing rat factor in our league,”

Says the man who put together the Dirty Ducks.

“First off, it’s an important part of our game historically,”

I have no problem with fighting in the game, so long as it doesn’t overwhelm the game. There are times when the consequences of a fight mean more to a player than league issued disciplinary action. But its a foolish point to continue to do something simply because that’s the way it’s always been done.

To me, fighting is the mechanism that allows players to regulate the level of violence in the game ...

But we’re seeing it doesn’t. A fight is becoming less about protection and more about proving something. It’s guys getting pissed off that the game is somewhat physical, so logically, they take it to the next level and start throwing punches, wrestling, and even the occasional slap.

Something should be done to reduce the fighting, not necessarily eliminate it. If it goes away on its own, so be it.

Posted by Nate A from Detroit-ish on 01/22/09 at 12:24 PM ET

Spontaneous fighting, such as the response to the Phaneuf hit last night, is important to the game, and is a case of players policing themselves.  Orchestrated fights, where the two tough guys, who haven’t so much as touched each other or another player during the game, agree at a faceoff to drop the gloves, are ridiculous.  There were back-to-back versions of it in last night’s Flyers-Thrashers game.

The problem is the rats often don’t have to pay the price for their actions, because the linesmen step in to prevent those spontaneous fights much too often. And so many of the rats won’t fight in a stand up and fight if “properly” challenged (think of Lemieux-McCarthy, or Avery-Hordichuk).

I think you remove the instigator rule allowing a Laraque to beat the snot out of a Holliweg.  Holliweg will then think twice (maybe). Shouldn’t that really be the job of the enforcer anyway?  Pronger should expect that an elbow to the head of Ovechkin WILL result in Brashear beating the hell out of him. Maybe when his own career is threatened by his actions on the ice will he consider them.

One last thing…this kind of fighting should be about taking dirty hits out of the game.  There are too many players wanting revenge for clean hits against them or their teammates. FIghting shouldn’t be the revenge for that, a clean hard hit later in the game or the next game should be. The best hockey is fast, skilled and rough.  Lets keep it that way.

Posted by dip from philly on 01/22/09 at 01:27 PM ET

burke is dead on about this issue. fighting has been apart of hockey. because of one horrible incident why should change the sport because of it.

Posted by FlyersFan on 01/22/09 at 06:20 PM ET