Its a part of hockey and always has been. If there are two willing combatants than it's great, entertaining and holds its place in keeping players accountable for their actions on the ice. Boxing is stupid.......because they fight.

Intentional head shot artists like Stevens. I have no respect for.

The Matt Cookes of the league, have no place in any sport.
- GOA88

I don't think that's the case at this point. The culture has changed. Fighting allows for players to be jumped after a hit or to provide something for the 12th forward to do with themselves. It's like the era after the feudal wars in Japan when the Samurai spent rather a long time trying to convince society that they were still relevant.

Boxing is stupid. I can't wait for the Manny/Floyd joint 50th birthday party/fight.

He came with a rep.... a combined 10 pre-NHL suspensions will do that... worked to reform it and gain some acceptability with the officials and then threw it all away again a few times over. That's his fault, no one else's.
- bmeltzer

Lol @ his Wikipedia article:

Rinaldo made his NHL debut ... despite having more suspensions (4) than goals scored (3) for the Phantoms in the 2010-11 season.

You would have said the same about Roussel when Dallas first called him up from the Texas Stars. But he's made himself into a player, and Rinaldo has just about the same raw materials and work ethic. Just have to question whether Rinaldo has the gray matter.
- bmeltzer

Remember when Zac attacked Roussel out of the blue and put the Flyers down a man for 7mins?

You would have said the same about Roussel when Dallas first called him up from the Texas Stars. But he's made himself into a player, and Rinaldo has just about the same raw materials and work ethic. Just have to question whether Rinaldo has the gray matter.
- bmeltzer

Without Sean Avery to hold down his spot as absolute zero, it's easy to try to imagine guys like Zac or Krys Barch, &c., being useful to an NHL team.

Dan Carcillo, NAHL All Star, leading scorer and 7Up spokesman for the greater Quebec area
- Jsaquella

isnt' that the name of a team? the Sherbrooke 7ups?

Remember when Zac attacked Roussel out of the blue and put the Flyers down a man for 7mins?


- Tomahawk

They killed the whole thing off then fell apart in the second period.

I'd be ok if they tacked on the number of times you've been suspended to games. So this would be a 3 game suspension but you've been suspended twice before so it's 5 (or more) games. Eventually repeat offendors wouldn't be able to find a contract in the NHL because one suspendable act and you'd be sitting half the season. Of course the NHLPA wouldn't buy into something like that.
- FlyersGrace

That's the problem. The PA wouldn't want that and the league would take a ton of criticism if a guy like Ovechkin got a 20 gamer

Bad hit, but Letang did nothing to protect himself and the puck was coming to him. If I'm an nhl player and Rinaldo is on the ice, I'm watching my 6 at all times.

The league did a fairly tidy job of making enforcers irrelevant. Whether it was PR or not, it's for the better. Fighting is stupid but not as stupid as having a bottom six on each roster who doesn't care about player safety as some kind of spark plug.
- Johnny Wrath

Fighting between 2 players born out of emotion on the ice is one thing. Say, maybe Simmonds and Kunitz (just thinking of a "power forward" on the Pens) or something. Two players who can actually play hockey, but will drop them from time to time. Having a guy skate 5 minutes a game whose primary role is to punch a guy's face seems pointless to me.

Bad hit, but Letang did nothing to protect himself and the puck was coming to him. If I'm an nhl player and Rinaldo is on the ice, I'm watching my 6 at all times.
- flyerscup2011

So it's Letang's fault that he doesn't have eyes in the back of his head?

"DON'T LIE TO ME AND TELL ME YOU DIDN'T WINK!"

I think most of Bill's blog is accurate. However, its laughable to suggest Pittsburgh initiated all this thug like play from Rinaldo and Voracek because they recalled Bobby Farnham from the AHL. He is a guy that has 11 games experience and doesn't have a reputation close to the thug that took liberties on Letang. Bill, I think its irresponsible reporting blaming this on Pittsburgh for recalling Farnham. It's a joke really. But, then again, its typical.
- Oneonta Penguin

since he didn't do anything close to insinuating this your post is what i would expect from a penguin supporter. funny you can't even admit that calling up a goon specifically for that game had some impact is hilarious. take a look at that video of malkin swinging his elbow at giroux's head on page one.....what about that? did that have any impact on how these teams feel about each other or is just the flyers fault all the time?

I don't think that's the case at this point. The culture has changed. Fighting allows for players to be jumped after a hit or to provide something for the 12th forward to do with themselves. It's like the era after the feudal wars in Japan when the Samurai spent rather a long time trying to convince society that they were still relevant.

Boxing is stupid. I can't wait for the Manny/Floyd joint 50th birthday party/fight.
- Johnny Wrath

There are still fights in the game that are between two players that are willing to go at it. Fighting is in the blood of man since the very beginning of our species. I have no problem with it at all. When I was a youth in middle and high school I fought all the time. It kept people from trying to bully me or my friends or to shut some smart asses mouth up. Nowadays in a civilian society it is a ridiculous thing to do because now you have a lot to lose. Family, job, possessions, freedom. If those things were not at stake I am sure plenty of people could come up with a list of people they would love to knock the hell out.

Fighting between 2 players born out of emotion on the ice is one thing. Say, maybe Simmonds and Kunitz (just thinking of a "power forward" on the Pens) or something. Two players who can actually play hockey, but will drop them from time to time. Having a guy skate 5 minutes a game whose primary role is to punch a guy's face seems pointless to me.
- jmatchett383

THIS

Agreed. Farnham is not a goon. He gives 110% ever shift, he doesn't play dirty at all. He will get his ass kicked by a French guy though. I guess that makes him a middleweight goon
- znagle

ftfy

Bad hit, but Letang did nothing to protect himself and the puck was coming to him. If I'm an nhl player and Rinaldo is on the ice, I'm watching my 6 at all times.
- flyerscup2011

It was a tasteless hit, but yes I think as a player you should always try to protect yourself. Lots of times players turn their back at the last second thinking they wont get hit. Stupid move if you ask me.

Bad hit, but Letang did nothing to protect himself and the puck was coming to him. If I'm an nhl player and Rinaldo is on the ice, I'm watching my 6 at all times.
- flyerscup2011

You do make a good point although I don't think you intended to. When the puck is around, expect to be hit. I wouldn't say 'expect to have a guy leave his feet to hit late', as it was in this edition of the Zac Rinaldo rule book rewrite, but the probability of being checked is always there.

This is relevant because of the Scuderi-Voracek hip check. While I personally feel that it was well clear of low-bridge territory, shouldn't the forward have a clear understanding that he's in the defender's crosshairs and can't expect to make a play on the puck?

"DON'T LIE TO ME AND TELL ME YOU DIDN'T WINK!"
- jmatchett383

Lighten up Francis! Er, I mean Lavi!

You do make a good point although I don't think you intended to. When the puck is around, expect to be hit. I wouldn't say 'expect to have a guy leave his feet to hit late', as it was in this edition of the Zac Rinaldo rule book rewrite, but the probability of being checked is always there.

This is relevant because of the Scuderi-Voracek hip check. While I personally feel that it was well clear of low-bridge territory, shouldn't the forward have a clear understanding that he's in the defender's crosshairs and can't expect to make a play on the puck?
- Johnny Wrath

No doubt, but if a player feels his knees were targeted, he is going to take exception to it.

Let me ask you a question, if a Flyers defenseman leveled the same hit that Scuderi did on Voracek, on Sidney Crosby, do you think Crosby or one of the other Pens on the ice would take exception to it?

Fighting between 2 players born out of emotion on the ice is one thing. Say, maybe Simmonds and Kunitz (just thinking of a "power forward" on the Pens) or something. Two players who can actually play hockey, but will drop them from time to time. Having a guy skate 5 minutes a game whose primary role is to punch a guy's face seems pointless to me.
- jmatchett383

How bout having one of these kind of guys coaching a team?

It was a tasteless hit, but yes I think as a player you should always try to protect yourself. Lots of times players turn their back at the last second thinking they wont get hit. Stupid move if you ask me.
- GOA88

Players do that a lot of times to protect the puck or to try and draw a penalty. I think there should be a rule in place to penalize a player when he purposely turns his back to a player coming for a clean hit.

How bout having one of these kind of guys coaching a team?
- PLindbergh31

Pretty amazing that guy could play 1054 games and not learn a damn thing about hockey.

still have no issue with the hit
- 2Real

Fighting between 2 players born out of emotion on the ice is one thing. Say, maybe Simmonds and Kunitz (just thinking of a "power forward" on the Pens) or something. Two players who can actually play hockey, but will drop them from time to time. Having a guy skate 5 minutes a game whose primary role is to punch a guy's face seems pointless to me.
- jmatchett383

this is true.

Agreed, the NHL needs to take the MLB steroid suspension type length
- znagle

Wasn't it a 14-17 game suspension that finally convinced Matt Cooke to stop elbowing people in the head?