We have just witnessed the end of fighting in the NHL if the BOG approves this. With mandatory visors coming in and not allowing fighters to take off their helmets we will see virtually no fighting in 10 years.
I believe fighting has a place in the game, end of an era.
It's already been mentioned, but you clearly do not watch junior hockey at all. The CHL and CJHL have had these rules for several years, and there are still a lot of fights.
Though players have adapted. They simply unfasten their chinstraps so the helmet quickly gets knocked off. A Hitmen player and his opponent each got misconduct penalties a couple years ago after they took each other's helmets off, then began fighting.
BTW, I can't recall the last time I heard of a broken hand following a WHL fight. Punching a visor is not going to be more dangerous than punching the helmet itself.
It's already been mentioned, but you clearly do not watch junior hockey at all. The CHL and CJHL have had these rules for several years, and there are still a lot of fights.
Though players have adapted. They simply unfasten their chinstraps so the helmet quickly gets knocked off. A Hitmen player and his opponent each got misconduct penalties a couple years ago after they took each other's helmets off, then began fighting.
BTW, I can't recall the last time I heard of a broken hand following a WHL fight. Punching a visor is not going to be more dangerous than punching the helmet itself.
Ok, I might have went too far about the end of fighting but it's another step to the elimination of it.
It's a 2 minute penalty now to remove your helmet, but eventually it will be a game misconduct if players ignore it. Visors are mandatory but how long before we see full face masks to prevent the Crosby type injuries.
Junior players fighting with visors is one thing but the NHL owners and management will not want to see their players get hurt by fighting someone with a visor. Fighting will decrease significantly.
Changing goalie equipment is a very welcome change. Even a 10% reduction is going to severely effect the abilities of a few goalies (cough cough Luongo).
Like the spin-o-rama move. Although as others have pointed out, they just need to stricter on interference and the puck moving forward.
Mixed thoughts on the helmets. 5 years ago if you were wearing a visor before a fight, it was considered against the "code". Weird how things change.
I dont think reducing the size of goalie equipment is going to change that much. It didn't change much before, and these changes are even less drastic.
Sure, some equipment is there for taking up extra space, but James Reimer has gone on record stating that he'd wear whatever they wanted him to if they took away composite sticks.
It sounds like they may not have these sizing changes in effect for the upcoming season anyway. If they don't get them done in the next week or so, the equipment manufacturers and players won't have time to adjust properly before the new season. Many guys should have their new gear in hand already and have been holding off for these changes.
I was wondering this, too. It's my #1 issue in the NHL today, dives and embellishments are out of control and it's making the product on the ice suffer.
It seems like every time a player thinks there's an infraction they either fall down or grab their face and then immediately look at the refs. Last night was a good example......Horton took a stick near the eye and kep playing, which is rare to see and also honourable. A few minutes later Keith got hit, went down, grabbed his face then looked at the ref. That's the kind of garbage I want to see out of the game. Enough is enough.
I agree with you, but with the speed of the game its such a hard infraction to police. And also a subjective one.
I would leave everything as is as far as in game reffing goes and make it subject to review by nhl head office*. Probably no suspensions, but start handing down hefty fines to get everybody's attention.
*And yes I realize I am supporting giving more power to the old boys club in New York. haha.
But it takes no skill. IMO anytime you have a no skill play that nullifies a skill one, the league has to look at it
umm no skill? Have you ever tried it? As a goalie, i'm impressed with the timing and dedication the players in front of me have when they execute a great block.
If it was a no skill play, then it would harm the team more than benefit it, and coaches would make it disappear.
Changing goalie equipment is a very welcome change. Even a 10% reduction is going to severely effect the abilities of a few goalies (cough cough Luongo).
Like the spin-o-rama move. Although as others have pointed out, they just need to stricter on interference and the puck moving forward.
Mixed thoughts on the helmets. 5 years ago if you were wearing a visor before a fight, it was considered against the "code". Weird how things change.
I've said this before, yes reducing the equipment will have an impact in the first couple season. Some goalies may be revealed to be useless. But once goalies adapt and younger guys get used to the new sizes, the goals against will drop again.
The majority of the goalies are to skilled. They reduced the equipment size last lock out, and it worked for a bit, but now the great goalies adapted and are putting up better numbers than ever.
The only reason I think this could benefit the NHL is that we will see which goalies are worth their pay check.
This has never happened, as far as I know, from a punch in a hockey fight. Broken facial bones, check. Possibly a fracture from the head hitting the ice on a take down, yup. Skull fracture from a punch, never heard of it.
Way more serious injuries come from shots than fighting has ever produced. Time to outlaw composite sticks. :P
Somewhere Nick Kypreos unintelligibly mumbled something about his skull not being broken, but the contents inside being damaged beyond repair.
On a very serious note, reference Don Sanderson for some real context into what can happen in fights when the helmets come off. It doesn't have to be a punch. Head hitting the ice is likely the most dangerous aspect of a fight.
Unless you do not understand Hybrid icing , I do not understand how you can make that statement. Could you explain?
While it obviously helps, there is a rather bizarre implied statement in hybrid icing that the defenceman's safety is more valuable than the attacking forwards. Hybrid icing reduces the chances of a disastrous collision, but does not eliminate them. That the NHL doesn't simply go to no-touch like every other league in the world is truly bizarre, and it is sad that it will take another needlessly broken leg before the league finally does so.
While it obviously helps, there is a rather bizarre implied statement in hybrid icing that the defenceman's safety is more valuable than the attacking forwards. Hybrid icing reduces the chances of a disastrous collision, but does not eliminate them. That the NHL doesn't simply go to no-touch like every other league in the world is truly bizarre, and it is sad that it will take another needlessly broken leg before the league finally does so.
you risk broken legs and such just playing regular hockey...
hybrid icing will drastically make icing safer, the only times the players will both reach the end boards and battle for the puck is when they both know it's already not icing, the angles of attack on the puck and play will completely change. I see hybrid icing having just as much risk for broken legs as any race for the puck that isn't icing.
I agree with you, but with the speed of the game its such a hard infraction to police. And also a subjective one.
I would leave everything as is as far as in game reffing goes and make it subject to review by nhl head office*. Probably no suspensions, but start handing down hefty fines to get everybody's attention.
*And yes I realize I am supporting giving more power to the old boys club in New York. haha.
Every penalty in hockey is subjective, though.
Handing out fines won't do anything. Teams who dive pile up the powerplays during actual game play and they get rewarded. Handing out fines doesn't hurt........losing hockey games does. Start calling the dives and reward the teams that play the game properly, don't give an edge to players and teams that embellish.
I really want them to start looking at blocked shots. It's so frustrating to watch as as a fan when it seems like 90% of all pucks shot at the net get blocked. I'd be up for banning the sprawling dives and instead only allow players to go down to one knee
I agree if we are talking NHL '13 on Xbox. The biggest weasel-headed move is when an opponent dives into your legs, rendering your player incapacitated, and strips the puck from you by some sort of hockey wizardry. In real life though, I love the blocked shots. I loved and respected Yelle for this. It was truly his trademark as a Flame and he had it down to a science. Skill?? Absolutely.
We have just witnessed the end of fighting in the NHL if the BOG approves this. With mandatory visors coming in and not allowing fighters to take off their helmets we will see virtually no fighting in 10 years.
I believe fighting has a place in the game, end of an era.
Less concussions is fine by me. 99% of NHL fights are boring wrestling matches anyways.
It has no place in a game that is serious about concussions.
Thereby making the NHL look stupid for enacting such a stupid rule.
Especially since they knew that would happen. That's an additional misconduct in the WHL. You can pop your chinstrap, but you can't agree to pull the helmet off your opponent first.
