McGratton: Fighting will be gone in 2-3 years

[MarkGio]

Originally Posted by Shazam

If the NHL doesn't get rid of fighting, occupational health will.

The NHL safety standards are negotiated with a CBA. The lawsuit definitely lit a fire under the leagues ass, but "occupational health" didn't and will not play a big role IMO

[JiriHrdina]

Originally Posted by transplant99

I agreed with pretty much every thing he said.

Its a great listen for those wondering.

It is indeed a great listen. He is very articulate and makes his points well.
For me it comes down to when he talked about why people enjoy the game - talked about 5'10 guys wheeling around. I found him to be a little dismissive here, but that's fine. But basically he asked if people just want to enjoy it for the speed and skill.

And for me - the answer is yes.

I'm over watching guys clobber each other.

Hitting should be to separate puck from player and nothing beyond that.

I think that's where the game is heading, and I'm good with it.

But I respect not everyone is.

[calgaryblood]

Originally Posted by transplant99

Chara was his roommate when he was a rookie with the Sens.

they came to Calgary for a game (IIRC) and when they got to the hotel and off the bus, BM headed to the elevator and up to his room without waiting for the vets to get there and go up together or before him.

When Chara arrived in the room he was told "never do that again"

Just a sign of respect to the vets who show the young guys the etiquette of being a pro off the ice.

Well it's no wonder fighting is still a thing when you have idiotic traditions like this and "respect". It's no wonder more players don't speak out against fighting.

[Cecil Terwilliger]

Originally Posted by MarkGio

I wouldn't be surprised. McGrats is a Canadian. And like any Canadian, Swede, Fin, Swiss, etc. playing in a violent ghetto would be a culture shock. Maybe for a Russian the culture shock wouldn't be the ghetto itself, but it's likely very scary for a lot of players

What exactly are you referring to?

Grats didn't mention culture shock at all. I think he's talking about standard of living.

[Shazam]

Originally Posted by MarkGio

The NHL safety standards are negotiated with a CBA. The lawsuit definitely lit a fire under the leagues ass, but "occupational health" didn't and will not play a big role IMO

God that's so wrongingly wrong it's mind-bogglingly wrong.

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by calgaryblood

Well it's no wonder fighting is still a thing when you have idiotic traditions like this and "respect". It's no wonder more players don't speak out against fighting.

You are reaching here.

[MarkGio]

Originally Posted by calgaryblood

Well it's no wonder fighting is still a thing when you have idiotic traditions like this and "respect". It's no wonder more players don't speak out against fighting.

Yeah I didn't see his point there. He's a tired young guy wanting to go to bed. Why does he have to submit himself to the superficial needs of the veterans? I'm surprised he didn't fight Chara in that elevator.

[MarkGio]

Originally Posted by Cecil Terwilliger

What exactly are you referring to?

Grats didn't mention culture shock at all. I think he's talking about standard of living.

Only a few cities weren't hellholes. Plus there's been prospects talk about the gun violence in Stockton.

[Vox]

Originally Posted by calgaryblood

Well it's no wonder fighting is still a thing when you have idiotic traditions like this and "respect". It's no wonder more players don't speak out against fighting.

Respect is idiotic? WOW.

[Oil Stain]

Originally Posted by MarkGio

I only wished hockey got rid of fighting naturally, rather that legislate it out and still have players wanting to fight or see fight-means of retribution. The NHL never got rid of the cause of fights, which is cheap shots and dirty plays that make hockey players furious and want to retaliate, which can now only be in the form of cheap shots and dirty plays, since they can't fight. So it's an endless cycle.

I dunno. I think if you look at the history of cheap shots and dirty plays you would find that the non-skilled goon players were responsible for most of them.

From Chris Simon's and McSorely's stick swinging, to Domi's sucker punch on Niedermayer, goons committed their fair share of the worst plays in recent history.

[Finger Cookin]

Originally Posted by AC

McGrattan!

He'll always be McCrouton to me.

[Cecil Terwilliger]

Originally Posted by MarkGio

Only a few cities weren't hellholes. Plus there's been prospects talk about the gun violence in Stockton.

I don't think he meant just Stockton. He wasn't gonna play in Stockton, he was talking about the AHL in general and was talking about signing a deal for this season vs going to Europe.

[TheAlpineOracle]

I couldn't believe how much he crapped on Stockton. I thought this was a guy that may have wanted to work with the Flames when he was done. Taking a massive dump on the city their AHL farm team calls home doesn't seem like a good way of accomplishing that.

[JiriHrdina]

Originally Posted by TheAlpineOracle

I couldn't believe how much he crapped on Stockton. I thought this was a guy that may have wanted to work with the Flames when he was done. Taking a massive dump on the city their AHL farm team calls home doesn't seem like a good way of accomplishing that.

Agreed.
In fact that's an issue with the entire interview.
He comes off as quite bitter.
Slams places he played, and players nowadays.
There's a thin line between having valid concerns about how the game is changing, and seeming like the game has passed you by.

At times it seemed like the latter.

[MarkGio]

Originally Posted by TheAlpineOracle

I couldn't believe how much he crapped on Stockton. I thought this was a guy that may have wanted to work with the Flames when he was done. Taking a massive dump on the city their AHL farm team calls home doesn't seem like a good way of accomplishing that.

I think it was Poirer who also criticized Stockton for having shootings near their living quarters. It's one thing to suggest McGrats comes off bitter, but until you've lived in Stockton or played in the AHL, I don't know how you can discredit his observations and experiences. Maybe there's good reason to dump on the city.

[TheAlpineOracle]

Originally Posted by MarkGio

I think it was Poirer who also criticized Stockton for having shootings near their living quarters. It's one thing to suggest McGrats comes off bitter, but until you've lived in Stockton or played in the AHL, I don't know how you can discredit his observations and experiences. Maybe there's good reason to dump on the city.

I've been to Stockton. It's an absolute #### hole. I've questioned the choice of it as our AHL equivalent since day 1. McGrattan is 100% spot on in his evaluation of the city.

What has me perplexed is that it always seemed that the Flames were going to bring him back to a front office job/scouting/coaching etc. For him to go on a Calgary radio station when his NHL career over and essentially call Stockton and a lot of AHL cities #### holes makes me think he isn't a very intelligent person. He just bit the hand that could potentially feed him. We aren't even talking just about the Flames here, we are talking the league. Where the hell does he think his post NHL career will start? It most certainly won't be in the show, it will be in the ECHL and AHL.

It's the equivalent of someone who just got laid off from their oil and gas job, getting on social media and ####ting all over a company in the East, and then eventually applying for a job there.

[MarkGio]

Originally Posted by TheAlpineOracle

I've been to Stockton. It's an absolute #### hole. I've questioned the choice of it as our AHL equivalent since day 1. McGrattan is 100% spot on in his evaluation of the city.

What has me perplexed is that it always seemed that the Flames were going to bring him back to a front office job/scouting/coaching etc. For him to go on a Calgary radio station when his NHL career over and essentially call Stockton and a lot of AHL cities #### holes makes me think he isn't a very intelligent person. He just bit the hand that could potentially feed him. We aren't even talking just about the Flames here, we are talking the league. Where the hell does he think his post NHL career will start? It most certainly won't be in the show, it will be in the ECHL and AHL.

Oh I see now. I misunderstood you. Yeah, I can see him biting the hand a bit. But I doubt the Flames would want McGrats back anyways in a management role. From his interview it doesn't seem to come off as him thinking highly of the game anymore

[CliffFletcher]

Originally Posted by JiriHrdina

For me it comes down to when he talked about why people enjoy the game - talked about 5'10 guys wheeling around. I found him to be a little dismissive here, but that's fine. But basically he asked if people just want to enjoy it for the speed and skill.

And for me - the answer is yes.

I'm over watching guys clobber each other.

Hitting should be to separate puck from player and nothing beyond that.

I think that's where the game is heading, and I'm good with it.

But I respect not everyone is.

I agree and I don't. Yes, the best part of hockey is the skill and speed. And it's great when you have the end-to-end action we just saw with Team North America vs Sweden.

But when it's not great players playing their hardest, today's NHL can be painful to watch. I miss the passion of the older style of hockey. It used to be that in game 62 of the regular season maybe everyone isn't exactly flying out there, but there was the chance for some cheap shot or fight to light a fire under the teams and instil a bit of emotion in the game. Some hate. Now, if the players aren't giving their all, you may as well be watching tennis for all the intensity evident on the ice.

[calgaryblood]

Originally Posted by Vox

Respect is idiotic? WOW.

It's disrespectful to go to your room before the veterans?

[TheAlpineOracle]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

I agree and I don't. Yes, the best part of hockey is the skill and speed. And it's great when you have the end-to-end action we just saw with Team North America vs Sweden.

But when it's not great players playing their hardest, today's NHL can be painful to watch. I miss the passion of the older style of hockey. It used to be that in game 62 of the regular season maybe everyone isn't exactly flying out there, but there was the chance for some cheap shot or fight to light a fire under the teams and instil a bit of emotion in the game. Some hate. Now, if they players aren't feeling it, you may as well be watching tennis for all the intensity evident on the ice.

That's what I miss about the 80 and 90's game. It's not the goons pounding each others heads in, it's that anything could happen. It was pure emotion. That's completely gone from the game.

Though I fully admit, I'm a huge fan of fighting in hockey and always have been. I actually think the reduction in fighting/emotion in the game is part of the reason I watch a lot more basketball now during the winter. If there isn't going to be contact, I may as well watch something that is interesting. I don't enjoy a defensive 1-0 chess match between two teams that are indifferent towards each other.