Isn’t the hockey world going a little overboard trying to protect players? This week Arron Asham knocked out Jay Beagle and suddenly a debate broke out over the relevance of fighting in today’s NHL.
Some people in newspapers and on the radio are saying that fighting is archaic and unnecessary. Over and over again I have heard people ask, “Why is fighting necessary.” There is one word that completely describes why fighting needs to remain in the game, accountability.
Every hockey player knows that if they do something stupid, the other team will hold them accountable for their actions. Players refrain from certain indiscretions because if they deliver a cheap shot to another player, they will have to pay for it. If you take fighting out of the game it takes away that sense of accountability. We have laws in society to prevent crimes from being committed, and in hockey, fighting works the same way. Some people would argue that it’s a referee’s job to hold players accountable, but the reality is sometimes a penalty isn’t enough, and other times they miss the call completely. If fighting was eliminated from hockey I guarantee that the amount of cheap shots would increase.
What I find particularly frustrating about this debate is that what happened to Jay Beagle is not typical whatsoever. Why did Jay Beagle decide to have his first career NHL fight against Arron Asham, a veteran of 93 NHL fights? The end result of this fight was completely predictable. How often does an inexperienced player pick a fight with an enforcer? Never. It doesn’t happen because it shouldn’t happen. It was a complete anomoly. It’s ridiculous to look at one instance in a microscope, and then make rule changes based on that singular instance.
Here’s the reality of the situation, Jay Beagle needs to take some blame for picking a fight with Arron Asham. The minute this fight started I knew it was going to end badly for Beagle, it was a complete mis-match. Anyone who has been in a hockey fight knows you need to tie up your opponent’s jersey, grab his arm, do something! Beagle didn’t do any of this and as soon as Asham got his arm free, it was only a matter of time until Asham delivered the knockout blow. And here’s the kicker, Asham didn’t want to fight! He made it clear after the game he just wanted Beagle to settle down.
“I was kind of telling him to settle down and stop running around or he was going to have to fight. He wanted to fight and it’s unfortunate he got hurt,” Asham said.
Capitals forward, and former teammate of Arron Asham, gave his thoughts on the fight after the game.
“I’ve played with Arron, he’s an honest player, he’s tremendous at what he does and he’s doing what he had to do. Jay did what he felt what he had to do. It’s a little bit more experience against someone who doesn’t have a lot and that’s the result.”
For everyone that thinks fighting needs to be banned based on this instance, where were you when Derek Engelland knocked out Colton Orr last year? Is Colton Orr’s health less important because he fights on a regular basis? Is this situation different because Beagle is not a fighter? Well if you believe that, then I will refer you to my first point. Beagle shouldn’t have picked a fight with Arron Asham!
People need to relax on the issue of fighting in the NHL. Fights happen all the time, and rarely does anyone get hurt. It is also rare that an unwilling individual is dragged into a fight. The NHL shouldn’t make any changes based on one event, it’s too small of a sample size.
@Unsport4Real
I’m a digital media strategist with CanEye Media. I help businesses build and establish their brand through internet marketing. I also blog regularly for Canada’s Best Sports Blog – Unsportsmanlike.ca
i agree with tom…. before these whiner babies complain about hockey being too violent,(for their kids or in general) they should look at the world around them: movies, tv shows, video games, boxing, ufc, etc., etc., etc., examples in each of those categories make hockey look rather tame. hockey is great they way it is…let the players duke it out from time to time, just one of the many things that make the sport so awesome to watch! if you don’t like it….go play bingo
“We have laws in society to prevent crimes from being committed, and in hockey, fighting works the same way. Some people would argue that it’s a referee’s job to hold players accountable, but the reality is sometimes a penalty isn’t enough, and other times they miss the call completely.”
If fighting is still effective, why are there more cheap shots in hockey than ever? If you’d argue for fighting as an entertaining sideshow to the game then I would understand.
When you commit a crime in society, you are penalized. When you take a cheap shot in the NFL, you are penalized. How can a more physical sports league operate so successfully with zero tolerance on fighting? Shouldn’t the focus be on fixing a flawed discipline system to make sure it discourages players from taking cheap shots?
RE: Mike Colligan
“If fighting is still effective, why are there more cheap shots in hockey than ever? If you’d argue for fighting as an entertaining sideshow to the game then I would understand.”
Do you really believe there are more cheap shots today than in the past??? I would disagree completely. Perhaps we see and hear more because every game is on television and every single play is reviewed, analyzed, and viewed in slo mo.
Let me provide some factual evidence…
1979 Boston Bruins jump into the crowd and fight fans at MSG:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ef1YVXM9IU
1987 World Juniors between Canada and Russia. Massive brawl breaks out and they have to turn the lights out to get the players to stop:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_3gSoYyLo80
1982, Terry O’Reilly punches referee Andy Van Hellemond in the face:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qz3srqSPRtc
Tie Domi sucker punches Ulf Samuelsson, knocks him unconscious:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ao1cMIGBf4s
Do I need to go on?? Imagine any of these incidents happening in 2011. It’s unfathomable. If one of these incidents happened today the person would be suspended forever.
RE: “How can a more physical sports league (NFL) operate successfully with zero tolerance for fighting?”
A: It is not a part of the fabric of the game. You can’t compare apples and oranges. Lacrosse allows full blown cross-checks and slashes, it doesn’t mean it should be allowed in hockey.
RE:”Shouldn’t the focus be on fixing a flawed discipline system to make sure it discourages players from taking cheap shots”
A: Have you seen what Shanahan has done so far this year?? He’s practically handed out more suspensions in the pre-season than Colin Campbell did all of last year! If you don’t think the NHL isn’t spending considerable time and resources on discouraging cheap shots than you are ill-informed.
Well i understand that fighting is in hockey to protect the players from cheap shots. But if you trying to protect your players from injury is it really the right way to go to injure someone else instead ? I dont care about the Beagle/Asham story (besides the gestures) its fighting in general Asham didnt protect Letang he just pissed all caps of. Next game Erskine and King will be in the lineup and they will try to knockout Ashamn and on this goes fighting doesen’t solve a shit ! And come on it was Beagles fault ? You have never played hockey right ? When Ashamn came over Beagle knew he didnt have a choice but fight him if Beagle wouldnt have sad something sure as hell Ashamn would have challenged him no matter what Ashamn says after.
The only way to go to get rid of all cheap shots and stop fighting is to suspend every cheap shot that happens i dont care who does it against who just suspend them. You think Matt Cooke will knee hit Ovechkin if he gets suspended for the rest of the year for it? And no one will go after Cooke when it happens becouse they know he will get his ass kicked by the rules.
“Rarely does anyone get hurt.” Yeah right just look at the deaths of the nhl players this summers and what they did on the ice. Sure you dont get symptoms right away but fighting will injure your brain if you do it often.
I dont want my kids to grew up watching players fight eachother bloody. sport persons are role models and what do you think the kids do the day after they seen their biggest idol beat someone up ? Yeah you right they go to school and do the same thing.
And that shit i was just trying to spark my bench i mean what the f’ck go out and make a nice legal hit make a great deke dont go out and try to smash other players bloody . Hockey players are just regular dudes just like you and me why should they do something thats for us is a crime just becouse some people think its fun the see players fight go watch boxing then for crying out laud.
Absolute absurdity!!
Yes I have been in many fights and some at the professional level, there is no way, NO WAY that Asham was going to pick a fight with Beagle. There was no cheap shot on the play, Letang got his helmet knocked off, big deal.
Ok so you want to suspend every cheap shot?? Ridiculous! Think about the league you will create under that criteria. It is a physical game. Every player involved in the sport knows what they are getting into and they are paid millions to be a part of it. Don’t believe me? Ask Beagle’s teammate Brooks Laich who ripped the NHL 2 days ago saying the league is treating it’s player’s like babies.
So you want to tie my belief that “rarely does anyone get hurt” into the deaths of Belak, Boogaard, and Rypien? There is no evidence whatsoever at this time that fighting had anything to do with their deaths. Boogaard suffered from substance abuse, Rypien and Belak both suffered from depression. There is no current evidence that any of that was due to fighting.
“Fighting will injure your brain if you do it too often” ?? How many former fighters suffer from brain damage buddy?? I think you will find that players who didn’t fight (i.e Primeau, Kariya, Savard) are suffering the greatest concussion related traume and they never fought!!!
“You don’t want your kids to grow up watching fight each other bloody.” Then don’t watch NHL hockey! No one is putting a gun to your head saying you must watch the sport. This has always been a part of the game and if you don’t like it then don’t wach.
“Sport persons are role models” – WHY??? Charles Barkley famously said “I am not a role model.” Why did he say that? Because role models are parents, teachers, and coaches. Professional athletes don’t raise children, parents do. If your kids watch a fight and go to school and beat someone up that is on the parent. Don’t pass the buck onto an athlete that is competing. Once again if you don’t like that than change the channel.
Your points are absolutely baseless and ridiculous.