Bumped to stir up the fighting debate in hockey.
I want a change in the culture in the NHL.
It starts with fighting. No sane parent would teach their kid to starting punching another kid because they were angry or upset. Yet that is exactly what happens and is acceptable in the NHL.
Its not just fighting. I want all the ridiculous scrums behind to net to stop. In these scrums, guys grab each other, throw little jabs and facewash each other. It's so tired and childish. It doesn't accomplish anything, and only builds a culture of disrespect and buffoonery.
Sadly, these are often the times when the crowds cheer the most.
In the NFL, you participate in a scrum and shove someone, you get a 15 yd penalty. The coach will call you out as being stupid and selfish. In the NBA, throw a single punch at someone, you will get a one game suspension. There are consequences for being a bully or starting a fight with someone. The NHL, however, wants to promote this make-believe world where their players are tough warrior who battle on the ice. Sadly that metaphor is taken too literally. Bieksa punches an unsuspecting player in the face 4 times with his bare fist. We somehow accept that this is part of the culture of hockey. But we shouldn't. It's not right and doesn't promote anything good thing to this world. In real life, you don't go around punching people because you're angry.
I would want the NHL to look in the mirror and really ask who it wants to appeal to. Do we really need this in hockey?
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Gaudreau > Huberdeau AINEC
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