Dryden on the NHL's need to address concussions.

[Rosey]

Another article on the topic in today's NY Times, with one hockey official defending fighting and one calling for its abolition from the game.

I think the rampant fighting is pathetic. Since getting back into watching NHL, I enjoy the quality of the hockey much more than I did a decade ago, but I find myself rolling my eyes whenever a fight starts. College players seem to have as much—if not more—passion for the game yet fights are rare at that level. I think it continues at the professional level simply because the league tolerates it as they need to attract the same type of rednecks who sit through the tedium of NASCAR races to see the occasional car crash.

[Dafatone]

Another article on the topic in today's NY Times, with one hockey official defending fighting and one calling for its abolition from the game.

I think the rampant fighting is pathetic. Since getting back into watching NHL, I enjoy the quality of the hockey much more than I did a decade ago, but I find myself rolling my eyes whenever a fight starts. College players seem to have as much—if not more—passion for the game yet fights are rare at that level. I think it continues at the professional level simply because the league tolerates it as they need to attract the same type of rednecks who sit through the tedium of NASCAR races to see the occasional car crash.

I'm torn.  I'm really starting to wince when I see guys get whacked in the head in fights, but on the other hand, there's something to be said for players policing the game.  That being said, I don't really see how my big goon fighting your big goon helps protect my star after he gets slashed by your small goon.

[Rosey]

I'm torn.  I'm really starting to wince when I see guys get whacked in the head in fights, but on the other hand, there's something to be said for players policing the game.  That being said, I don't really see how my big goon fighting your big goon helps protect my star after he gets slashed by your small goon.

I think the root of the problem is the moral hazard of too much protective equipment allowing bigger, stronger players to go faster and hit harder with less concern for damaging themselves. I don't know how you solve that problem, though: who's going to advocate for a return to the days of tiny pads, no helmets, and smoking on the bench?

[Dafatone]

I'm torn.  I'm really starting to wince when I see guys get whacked in the head in fights, but on the other hand, there's something to be said for players policing the game.  That being said, I don't really see how my big goon fighting your big goon helps protect my star after he gets slashed by your small goon.

I think the root of the problem is the moral hazard of too much protective equipment allowing bigger, stronger players to go faster and hit harder with less concern for damaging themselves. I don't know how you solve that problem, though: who's going to advocate for a return to the days of tiny pads, no helmets, and smoking on the bench?

I don't even know if that would solve anything anymore.  It's like the idea of removing helmets from football.  You'd think that the players would slow down, but they'd probably just continue to go full speed and get that much more injured.  I really don't know a good solution.  Wider ice, maybe?

[ftyuv]

I'm torn.  I'm really starting to wince when I see guys get whacked in the head in fights, but on the other hand, there's something to be said for players policing the game.  That being said, I don't really see how my big goon fighting your big goon helps protect my star after he gets slashed by your small goon.

I think the root of the problem is the moral hazard of too much protective equipment allowing bigger, stronger players to go faster and hit harder with less concern for damaging themselves. I don't know how you solve that problem, though: who's going to advocate for a return to the days of tiny pads, no helmets, and smoking on the bench?

I don't even know if that would solve anything anymore.  It's like the idea of removing helmets from football.  You'd think that the players would slow down, but they'd probably just continue to go full speed and get that much more injured.  I really don't know a good solution.  Wider ice, maybe?

There are plenty of hits that are designed to separate the man from the puck, but there are also lots of hits that are designed to make the man "pay" for making a play. A lot of that isn't malicious, but just part of the culture that you should be prepared to take the hit so you can make the pass, take the shot, etc. I'd like to see those sorts of hits reduced, since that's where a lot of injuries come from, and those hits don't add much to the game (other than satisfying the bloodlust).

Part of that will come from shifting more responsibility to the hitting player. The league seems to have made a shift that it's no longer enough to not try to hurt the opponent -- you have to try to not hurt him. That raises the cost of those "make him pay" hits, hopefully to the point that they'll be reduced in frequency or strength.

[Jeff Hopkins '82]

they need to make it a strong enough penalty to the team to make it costly to do it.  If every hit to the head were a 5 minute major (i.e. non-releasable) and the refs called it, you might make a den't in the injury rate.

Similarly, I think a high stick with blood or intent to injure should go back to a 5 minute major instead of a double minor.

[RichH]

I know all the rule changes designed to eliminate the trap and "open up play," are popular, but perhaps when defenders were allowed to play tighter to the puck-carrier, there was less room to gain speed before hits.  Just a thought that this is a side-effect of the more open style of game.

[Jeff Hopkins '82]

I know all the rule changes designed to eliminate the trap and "open up play," are popular, but perhaps when defenders were allowed to play tighter to the puck-carrier, there was less room to gain speed before hits.  Just a thought that this is a side-effect of the more open style of game.

Actually Eric Lindros suggested something similar in an interview before the Winter Classic.  He suggested putting the red line back in might slow down some of the rushes through the neutral zone and might reduce injuries.

Mind you, in his case skating with your head up would have done a whole lot more good.  That and not letting Scott Stevens be a head-hunter.

[css228]

I know all the rule changes designed to eliminate the trap and "open up play," are popular, but perhaps when defenders were allowed to play tighter to the puck-carrier, there was less room to gain speed before hits.  Just a thought that this is a side-effect of the more open style of game.

Actually Eric Lindros suggested something similar in an interview before the Winter Classic.  He suggested putting the red line back in might slow down some of the rushes through the neutral zone and might reduce injuries.

Mind you, in his case skating with your head up would have done a whole lot more good.  That and not letting Scott Stevens be a head-hunter.

True, he also suggested widening the rink to a KHL or even Olympic (I think KHL would be a much better idea as Olympic rinks basically take any and all physical aspect out of the game). If only he kept his head up instead of trying to force a play to LeClair.

[Jeff Hopkins '82]

I know all the rule changes designed to eliminate the trap and "open up play," are popular, but perhaps when defenders were allowed to play tighter to the puck-carrier, there was less room to gain speed before hits.  Just a thought that this is a side-effect of the more open style of game.

Actually Eric Lindros suggested something similar in an interview before the Winter Classic.  He suggested putting the red line back in might slow down some of the rushes through the neutral zone and might reduce injuries.

Mind you, in his case skating with your head up would have done a whole lot more good.  That and not letting Scott Stevens be a head-hunter.

True, he also suggested widening the rink to a KHL or even Olympic (I think KHL would be a much better idea as Olympic rinks basically take any and all physical aspect out of the game). If only he kept his head up instead of trying to force a play to LeClair.

That'll never happen.  It'll cost about a million dollars per year in revenue per team to remove those seats.  And that's just in the regular season.

[KeithK]

True, [Lindros] also suggested widening the rink to a KHL or even Olympic (I think KHL would be a much better idea as Olympic rinks basically take any and all physical aspect out of the game). If only he kept his head up instead of trying to force a play to LeClair.

That'll never happen.  It'll cost about a million dollars per year in revenue per team to remove those seats.  And that's just in the regular season.

Jeff's got the financial angle right.  The teams just won't go for that.  For which I am glad.  This weekend was the first time in years I'd been to a game played on wide ice. And it was frustrating.  Oh, Cornell adapted quite well to the larger playing surface.  But there were so many times where a player skated in along the boards and with the natural flow of the game I would have expected the defender to challenge him physically.  but with the added space the defender had to hang back.  Logical but it makes for a very different game that is less enjoyable, IMO.

[css228]

True, [Lindros] also suggested widening the rink to a KHL or even Olympic (I think KHL would be a much better idea as Olympic rinks basically take any and all physical aspect out of the game). If only he kept his head up instead of trying to force a play to LeClair.

That'll never happen.  It'll cost about a million dollars per year in revenue per team to remove those seats.  And that's just in the regular season.

Jeff's got the financial angle right.  The teams just won't go for that.  For which I am glad.  This weekend was the first time in years I'd been to a game played on wide ice. And it was frustrating.  Oh, Cornell adapted quite well to the larger playing surface.  But there were so many times where a player skated in along the boards and with the natural flow of the game I would have expected the defender to challenge him physically.  but with the added space the defender had to hang back.  Logical but it makes for a very different game that is less enjoyable, IMO.

Agreed they'd never go for it on a purely financial motivation. I just think if concussions become even more major an issue, you may see teams willing to use drastic measures to address the problem. After all, a lot of people no longer watch boxing because of how brutal they find the sport. And I agree the Olympic ice is way too wide. KHL is 92.5x200 instead of 100x200 like Olympic (I think I have those figures right).

[Jim Hyla]

CHN on hits from behind.