That guy is a big pussy! But really..WHY is he even in the NHL and why are they fighting in a meaninless preseason game....It’s really laughable. Simple solution: KEEP HELMETS ON DURING FIGHTS....But the NHL is so pathetic that they can’t even figure that out. Just like they can’t figure out that hockey in Nashville is a waste of time

Posted by kevin from boston on 09/21/09 at 01:05 PM ET

why are they fighting in a meaninless preseason game

to get a job

Simple solution: KEEP HELMETS ON DURING FIGHTS

They did have their helmets on at the start of the fight as most do. The helmets came off in the middle of the fight.

hockey in Nashville is a waste of time

agreed.

Posted by Osrt on 09/21/09 at 02:56 PM ET

they can’t figure out that hockey in Nashville is a waste of time

yes, we can’t figure that one out, Kevin. a big waste. many many years of waste. if only every team could be located in the north. that would be better.

Posted by Predneck from Hicktown on 09/21/09 at 03:44 PM ET

This is a bit hard to explain in full, considering I used the “it all happens very fast” logic in defending Phaneuf’s hit on Okposo, but it looked like Tootoo slammed his head into the ice.  If I were trying to explain this happenstance to an eleven year old, I’d tell him that Tootoo should not have thrown that last punch. 

The basic difference is that Phaneuf was in the middle of an actual hockey play while these two were fighting.  It’s an accepted reality that people are going to fight more in preseason for exactly the reason Osrt pointed out. You know the risks you take when you fight.  Despite the fact that I’ve just told a child that Tootoo shouldn’t have thrown his last punch in this hypothetical scenario, I don’t think he deserves any punishment.  If anything, he should get a letter that says he should have backed off as soon as they started going down.  He probably couldn’t have avoided doing it, but it at least bears mentioning.

Posted by J.J. from Kansas on 09/21/09 at 04:00 PM ET

Take Nashville/Florida/Phoenix/Atlanta and put them in Quebec City/ Hartford/Milwaukee/Hamilton and NHL attendance would be at least 99% of capacity. TV ratings in Canada and the US would also increase. Total no brainer but NHL owners and azz clown Buttman would rather chase free arena deals with the dream that they can sell luxury boxes to corporations that don’t even exist anymore...(i.e. GM/Lehman Bros/ Bear Stearns, etc)...........

Posted by kevin from boston on 09/21/09 at 04:03 PM ET

...but it looked like Tootoo slammed his head into the ice.

I see the same thing.  It looks like he takes his forearm at his head to knock him off balance, and he follows through to push his head into the ice.  I don’t know if Tootoo did that intentionally, but that sure looks like what happened.  If his head wasn’t pushed to the ice, he wouldn’t have gotten hurt.

Posted by BuzzFledderjohn on 09/21/09 at 04:08 PM ET

great.  more ammo for the “take fighting out of hockey” people.

Posted by PaulinMiamiBeach on 09/21/09 at 04:34 PM ET

Fighting is dangerous.  On the street, in the ring, on the ice, in the octagon… wherever.  It is a part of hockey and those brave enough to fight accept the risks.

We should comment on the aftermath of this incident.  A player was injured and no one ever wants to see injury in sport.  What gets forgotten is the amazing primary care he received.  Within moments an injured player got elite treatment.  So did Jiri Fischer.  So does every NHL athlete who is injured.

Celebrate how far we’ve come to protect our players.  Don’t focus on an unfortunate accident.  I don’t believe there was intent to injure.

Posted by VooX from Behind the Bar in the Hasek Club Car on 09/21/09 at 09:29 PM ET

Voox, I love you man and you’re spot on about the excellent care that rushed to him, but I don’t think Jordin Tootoo has ever brushed his teeth without intent to injure something let alone been in a hockey fight without trying to kill somebody.  I don’t think he should be punished for what happened here, but that kid crosses the line between tough and dirty more often than the lead in a Tarantino flick.

Posted by J.J. from Kansas on 09/21/09 at 09:39 PM ET

J.J., although I personally feel Tootoo is a very dirty player, I have watched the fight repeatedly and just don’t think this is the case in the fight.

Sestito (at just past the 0:17 mark) has grabbed behind Tootoo’s collar with his right hand.  He was pulling at Tootoo backwards, trying to take the fight to the ground as seen in 0:18-0:19.  (Possibly to end the fight by having the refs intervene.)

As Sestito tries to pull Tootoo down, he tries unsuccessfully to grab Tootoo’s right arm and stop the punches.  Tootoo is tenacious and continues throwing punches even as they are falling.

Sestito pulls Tootoo on top of him (as seen during the 0:19 period) as he botches the hip toss/takedown.  Just before momentum carries them to the ice Tootoo throws a KO blow which is exacerbated by Sestito’s head bouncing off the ice.  Bad luck not bad sportsmanship.

Posted by VooX from Behind the Bar in the Hasek Club Car on 09/21/09 at 11:09 PM ET

KEEP HELMETS ON DURING FIGHTS

Such a thing would result in more injury, I believe.  Broken hands, wrists, etc.  Plus that would take the teeth out of the reason a fight needs to take place in the first place (to protect the skilled players from lesser skilled players).  If anything I respect players who take their helmets off before they square up for a fight.  Fighting’s part of the game, more dangerous to take it out than to leave it in; players would get run all the time.  And I have to admit it’s one of my favorite parts of a game.

The injury was definitely unfortunate, not incredibly common, did not to me look intentional (even though Tootoo is a classless wank), and it was good of the medical staff and the players on both side to respond as they did.  But it does teach a valuable lesson to the young ones and old ones alike not to get too bloodthirsty in this sport.

Posted by Hippy Dave from San Francisco by way of Detroit on 09/22/09 at 01:22 AM ET