He called the NHL and George Parros out for the horrible job their doing, questioned why his union ever agreed to this, and suggested a third party arbitrator for judging infractions.

Which makes sense, the league needs the Oilers and Connor McDavid in the playoffs, and only giving kassian seven games makes it pretty obvious that they can't be objective in balancing morality and their finances.
- James_Tanner

James, I think you need to take a break from the Infowars.

So in a world where things like boxing and MMA are huge hits, why exactly is the odd hockey fight hurting the expansion of the NHL in the States?

The few people that get all bent out of shape by such a thing probably don't watch hockey in the first place.

And the idea that it worries parents is also kind of silly. Even if they made it high enough to reach a league with fighting, they still will likely go their whole career without getting in a single fight unless they look for it.

Fidel Castro was also one of your hero’s.

And I gave you post Instigator Rule. That was my point.
- gergeswillems

Oops. Meant post. Now my argument is tainted.

I see where you're coming from here, but I don't see how you can't have a zero tolerance on kicking people with the razor blades strapped to your feet.

Fighting should probably be banned, due to what we now know about CTE, but the fact is, it has nothing to do with the fact that kicking a guy with skates on should get you banned for more than seven games.
- James_Tanner

I just pulled my skates from my bag and tried to shave with them and they were not effective. I tried with a razor blade and it was very effective.
I also tried to cut through one of the jerseys with the skate blade and it was possible although not even close to as easy as it was when I tried the razor blade.
Tell me James, have you ever tried to skate on a blade that has an edge sharpened like a razor blade?
As for stating fighting should be banned because of what is currently known about CTE, just shows how very little you know about CTE.

i agree with everything you said about hockey.......but to criticize the original Star Wars in one point, only to pump up the new Terminator (which was an abortion of a movie) in the next point is just awful.

your bashing one of the best all time movies, and praising one of the worst......for shame

Oops. Meant post. Now my argument is tainted.
- ChrisMS

Nope. Double down and own it. It's too late for reason.

Lazy blog as always Tanner, Do you watch Hockey?

That's how it was before the Instigator Rule. Guys like Marchand would be alot less "brave."
- gergeswillems

So there were no cheap shots before the instigator? Lots of tough guys did cheap things both before and after.

That's not to say the instigator rule isn't stupid, it is, but to think that cheap shots are going to suddenly disappear, or even appreciably decrease, because the rule goes away is naive at best.

I just pulled my skates from my bag and tried to shave with them and they were not effective. I tried with a razor blade and it was very effective.
I also tried to cut through one of the jerseys with the skate blade and it was possible although not even close to as easy as it was when I tried the razor blade.
Tell me James, have you ever tried to skate on a blade that has an edge sharpened like a razor blade?
As for stating fighting should be banned because of what is currently known about CTE, just shows how very little you know about CTE.
- leonkennedy

Casey Cizikas is out 3 to 4 weeks due to a laceration from a skate. You're missing the force of the skate being kicked or fallen on. Tanner isn't right about much but he's right about a player kicking another player. 20 games at least to start.hes He's also right about CTE how many guys have to die before it's realized that there is a problem?

So there were no cheap shots before the instigator? Lots of tough guys did cheap things both before and after.

That's not to say the instigator rule isn't stupid, it is, but to think that cheap shots are going to suddenly disappear, or even appreciably decrease, because the rule goes away is naive at best.
- Wetbandit1

So where exactly did I say this? I'll wait.

So where exactly did I say this? I'll wait.
- gergeswillems

Sorry, MJL responding to you talking about Berube threatening the bench implying that if the instigator rule wasn't around there would be less cheap shots.

I disagree. There's more hitting from behind and slashing. I don't believe the league is heading in the right direction at all. In fact it's getting worse.
- gergeswillems

You obviously never watched a game in the 1970s or early 1980s.

Good lord, this statement couldn't be more wrong.

The game today is the softest it has ever been.

You obviously never watched a game in the 1970s or early 1980s.

Good lord, this statement couldn't be more wrong.

The game today is the softest it has ever been.
- Atomic Wedgie

You're obviously talking out of your a$$ like usual. No surprise. Soft play indeed but with more cheap shots. Hitting from behind. Hiding behind the refs. Knee on knee hits. Players don't know how to protect themselves on the ice.

Like how to hit or take a hit. Basic hockey skills aren't being taught or learned at the grass roots level because too many games are played. Not enough practices to learn these basic skills. So these young players get to the pros and they're expected to know how to hit or take a hit?

More stick work and slashing. Rats are not held accountable. More concussions. The equipment is far more dangerous. Elbow pads are a weapon. Guys are much more brave wearing their visors. There's no respect in the game. Players talk about it but don't practice it.

Players in the 70s and 80s weren't playing with helmets. Guys weren't being drilled from behind as much as today. It still happened. I'm not pretending it didn't. There's no respect factor today. There were bench clearing brawls. Sure those were dangerous. I'd rather fight my opponent face to face than suffering a concussion from a Brad Marchand cross check to my head with my back turned.

The speed of the game is much faster and much more dangerous. Especially for defensemen. No longer can a defenseman's partner hold an opponent up to protect his teammate. They get abused now. That's where alot of injuries and concussions occur.

You're obviously talking out of your a$$ like usual. No surprise. Soft play indeed but with more cheap shots. Hitting from behind. Hiding behind the refs. Knee on knee hits. Players don't know how to protect themselves on the ice.

Like how to hit or take a hit. Basic hockey skills aren't being taught or learned at the grass roots level because too many games are played. Not enough practices to learn these basic skills. So these young players get to the pros and they're expected to know how to hit or take a hit?

More stick work and slashing. Rats are not held accountable. More concussions. The equipment is far more dangerous. Elbow pads are a weapon. Guys are much more brave wearing their visors. There's no respect in the game. Players talk about it but don't practice it.

Players in the 70s and 80s weren't playing with helmets. Guys weren't being drilled from behind as much as today. It still happened. I'm not pretending it didn't. There's no respect factor today. There were bench clearing brawls. Sure those were dangerous. I'd rather fight my opponent face to face than suffering a concussion from a Brad Marchand cross check to my head with my back turned.

The speed of the game is much faster and much more dangerous. Especially for defensemen. No longer can a defenseman's partner hold an opponent up to protect his teammate. They get abused now. That's where alot of injuries and concussions occur.
- gergeswillems

Some of what you're talking about there is legal play. When players didn't wear helmets, you didn't see nearly as many high sticks. There were definitely cheap shot artists such as Bobby Clarke who hid behind Dave Schultz.

If you look at the current Boston blog, there is a video of that coward Marchand at work. Situations like that are where he should have the crap beaten out of him. He knows that he won't be touched.

Everything you wrote in this piece just reinforces what a tool you are and a hack for a writer.

Some of what you're talking about there is legal play. When players didn't wear helmets, you didn't see nearly as many high sticks. There were definitely cheap shot artists such as Bobby Clarke who hid behind Dave Schultz.

If you look at the current Boston blog, there is a video of that coward Marchand at work. Situations like that are where he should have the crap beaten out of him. He knows that he won't be touched.
- MJL

Marchand sticks up for Bergy = Bad.
Buchnevich sticks up for Lindgren = Good.
🤨

Marchand sticks up for Bergy = Bad.
Buchnevich sticks up for Lindgren = Good.
🤨
- shoreorrpark

You can stick up for a teammate without a cheap shot cross check to the small of the back from behind with enough force to knock the player to the ice. Bergeron and Lindgren were in a minor shoving match.

Some of what you're talking about there is legal play. When players didn't wear helmets, you didn't see nearly as many high sticks. There were definitely cheap shot artists such as Bobby Clarke who hid behind Dave Schultz.

If you look at the current Boston blog, there is a video of that coward Marchand at work. Situations like that are where he should have the crap beaten out of him. He knows that he won't be touched.
- MJL

I'm not saying cheap shots and dirty play never happened in 70s and 80s. I'm not even talking about fighting per say. It's more about hitting from behind, cross checks to the back of the head and overall disrespect for your opponent. The lack of accountability is the biggest problem IMO.

I watching the Running Man (which sucks) but there is a guy who is chosen to hunt down Arnold while wearing skates and goalie pads. It makes no sense, because Arnold should just be able to get off the ice, but instead he chokes him out with barbwire, the bane of goalies everywhere, obviously.
- James_Tanner

Subzero is the greatest hockey player of all time. When he just shoots the dude into the net and...nothing happens.

"Hey, Killian! Here is Subzero! Now....plain zero!"

Some of what you're talking about there is legal play. When players didn't wear helmets, you didn't see nearly as many high sticks. There were definitely cheap shot artists such as Bobby Clarke who hid behind Dave Schultz.

If you look at the current Boston blog, there is a video of that coward Marchand at work. Situations like that are where he should have the crap beaten out of him. He knows that he won't be touched.
- MJL

Nobody wants to touch a guy who "defends himself" by throwing a flying elbow. Just ask Marcus Johansson.

I'm not saying cheap shots and dirty play never happened in 70s and 80s. I'm not even talking about fighting per say. It's more about hitting from behind, cross checks to the back of the head and overall disrespect for your opponent. The lack of accountability is the biggest problem IMO.
- gergeswillems

I agree completely. One thing that does need to change in the game but will be difficult, is changing the culture of the game and removing predatory hits. It's difficult because players have been playing that way all of their lives. When you see a vulnerable player, you lay him out. Hitting should be for stopping the progress of a player or to eliminate him from the puck and to force turnovers and bad passes with pressure. Hitting shouldn't be to "destroy" a vulnerable player. People will say that this is wanting to take hitting out of the game but that is not what I'm advocating. I don't want to watch all star game hockey.

Subzero is the greatest hockey player of all time. When he just shoots the dude into the net and...nothing happens.

"Hey, Killian! Here is Subzero! Now....plain zero!"
- jmatchett383

I watched a youtube clip of all of Arnold's corny one-liners from all his movies.....it was like 14 minutes long

BTW, they also have one tabulating the body count from all his movies, that one is almost 30 minutes long.

(frank) I love Arnold. Commando is the greatest "cheesy movie" of all time

You can stick up for a teammate without a cheap shot cross check to the small of the back from behind with enough force to knock the player to the ice. Bergeron and Lindgren were in a minor shoving match.

- MJL

True, but you missed the point.

I watched a youtube clip of all of Arnold's corny one-liners from all his movies.....it was like 14 minutes long

BTW, they also have one tabulating the body count from all his movies, that one is almost 30 minutes long.

(frank) I love Arnold. Commando is the greatest "cheesy movie" of all time
- sensarmy_11

I'm partial to True Lies, but Conan the Barbarian is a top-5 movie for me.