[GirlySports]

I've said this before, you can't ban fighting unless NHL refereeing is better. As mentioned by Joborule above, banning fighting will increase stick work, banning stick work will increase blindside hits. You have to defend somehow and if the ref isn't calling fouls properly, then players have to push the boundaries.

You guys always ask, why do players (like Trouba) have to defend themselves after a clean hit? Because players and refs don't know what is a clean hit and what is not and it happens in an instant. In the NFL you see receivers get smoked going across the middle, you don't see fights break out afterwards. The refs and instant replay deal with it.


I've used this example from 15 years ago. Matt Cooke bumps Kiprusoff after the whistle. That's a penalty. The penalty should be the deterrent. If the ref doesn't call it, then Regher has to punch Cooke in the face so that he'll cut it out. There is no other solution.