NHL FanHouse

Is This the Year Tragedy Hits the NHL?

Christopher Botta — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 13:00:00 EST

There once was a time when an NHL season could be recalled by one major, frightening on-ice incident. Now it seems there is one a week. The new scenes are etched in a hockey fan's mind like a movie buff citing favorite acts of violence directed by Coppola, Scorcese or Tarantino.

Derek Dorsett of the Blue Jackets falls to his knees after having his head slammed into the glass on a hit from behind last Thursday by Dallas forward James Neal. Dorsett attempts to collect himself but then crumbles to the ice, concussed, looking like he'd been shot.

Caught looking the wrong way, David Booth of the Panthers is obliterated with a shoulder check from Philadelphia's Mike Richards on Oct. 25. If the hit hasn't done enough damage, Booth's head slams to the ice and he lay motionless for several seconds.

There are plenty more. Vancouver defenseman Willie Mitchell, just exiting the penalty box, rocks Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews at center ice with a shoulder-to-shoulder hit on Oct. 21. While reaching for the puck, Islanders right wing Kyle Okposo is crushed in the neutral zone by Calgary's Dion Phaneuf. Okposo is taken off the ice on a stretcher. This one's in an exhibition game on Sept. 17, during the first week of training camp.

In recent seasons, the NHL's marketing arm created variations on the theme, "Is this the Year...?" Now I can't help but wonder:

Is this the year the NHL sees a tragedy on the ice?

As I deliberated, at times agonized over writing this, I spoke face-to-face with more than two-dozen NHL players in the month since the David Booth incident. (Booth remains out with a concussion, with very little improvement in his symptons.) This is a very touchy subject in a league of Tough Guys, so anonymity was requested and granted. There was, however, unanimity in their thoughts. A summary:

* The players recognize that the quantity and severity of incidents have increased this season.

* More than ever, the importance of skating at all times with your head up is crucial. But as one player said, "There are always going to be brief moments, even with the most skilled players, when you have your head on the puck or looking the wrong way. When the league or the broadcasters or anyone else blames an injury on the injured guy for putting himself in a vulnerable position, they're usually being unrealistic."

* Although their equipment prevents injuries, certain pads -- especially the shoulder pads -- are causing more damage when used by the checker.

* The escalation in serious incidents has not been discussed in conference calls within the NHL Players Association. "Unfortunately, there are other issues there," said a member, alluding to dissension in the ranks and lack of an executive director.

* Because the players are bigger and stronger than ever, they have to show more respect for one another.

"I just think most of us look at it like hockey has always been a tough game, and we knew that when we chased the NHL dream."
-- Anonymous Player on the Game's Physicality That last one has fallen on deaf ears for a generation. "Trouble is," said a veteran of 12 NHL seasons, "I've been hearing that since I came into the league. Even after a situation like the lockout, where you'd think we would be bonded together, the lack of respect has only become worse."

Since the players cannot police themselves -- unrealistic in a game of so much physicality and emotion -- the responsibility falls to the league. On Nov. 11, it was announced that the NHL's general managers were forming a committee to "take a closer a look" at the epidemic of hits to the head. A rule change could come in the future.

But there's a big problem with that. While there needs to be process, hundreds of NHL games are going to be played before the committee begins to make its recommendations at the next general managers meetings in March. The league has acknowledged there is a serious problem, but nothing will be done until the start of next season -- at the earliest and if change comes at all.

Until then, NHL games are the Wild, Wild West.

Besides the controversial increase in hits to the head, hockey features frontier justice. The trouble is, "heavyweights" are a lot bigger and pumped up than they used to be. The tired defense that "no one gets hurt in a hockey fight" got old a long time ago.

I just happened to stumble upon a Vancouver-Calgary game on the Center Ice package Oct. 16 and this fight stuck with me although there has been little chatter about it. While another scrap took place in the second period, the Flames' Brian McGrattan and Canucks' Darcy Hordichuk squared off. As always, the 6-1, 215-pound Hordichuk was willing and able, but the 6-4, 235-pound McGrattan had a clear size and strength advantage. After they battled evenly for about 20 seconds, McGrattan shook off his right elbow pad, pumped a fist and landed a huge blow squarely on the jaw. Hordichuk's lights clearly go out upon contact.

Incredibly, Hordichuk was not injured, but you cannot help but wonder reviewing the tape how others may have responded to the force of McGrattan's punch.

The NHL is in an unenviable spot here, maybe an impossible one. At its best, hockey is an exhilarating game -- the best spectator sport on earth. No one is advocating for the elimination of hitting, few for the abolishment of fighting in the NHL. But there is no debating that it's getting very dangerous out there.

"It's nothing we sit around in the locker room discussing," a highly-respected alternate captain from the Southeast Division told me last week. "But there have been a few times this season when we'll be in the room after practice with the NHL Network on, and the latest big hit is replayed and analyzed. You never want to see what happened to a good guy like Booth. We're concerned. I just think most of us look at it like hockey has always been a tough game, and we knew that when we chased the NHL dream."

Let's hope the dream never ends tragically.

Is This the Year Tragedy Hits the NHL? originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Tue, 24 Nov 2009 13:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fight of the Week: Blood Sport

Bruce Ciskie — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Capitals, Maple Leafs, Penguins, Rangers, Senators, Stars, Red Wings, NHL Fights, NHL Videos

Every Friday, FanHouse sifts through the rubble and picks the best NHL fight, with the help of HockeyFights.com.

Sometimes, we scour the internet looking for the best fight, only to be left underwhelmed. There are other weeks where this job couldn't possibly be any easier. The good fights jump at you, and the players involved are the guys you would expect to see in the big fights. This week's winning fight has some blood in it, so use caution as you proceed.

Punch of the Week: Colton Orr vs. Matt Carkner

Poor Carkner. He did the right thing, he thought, in going after Orr. He didn't have a chance, however, in this fight. Orr got him with a right, and Carkner's night was over -- or, at least this fight was. Orr got a very easy win in a fight that wouldn't have been nearly as entertaining without Joe Bowen at the mic. Watch it here.

Runner-Up: Krys Barch vs. Brad May

When a fight like this is a runner-up, you know you're in for a good week. Barch and May are both good fighters, and while May has many years on Barch, he held up well, and this one only ended when May lost his footing. Watch the video here.

Runner-Up: Eric Godard vs. Chris Neil

Godard is no stranger to the fisticuffs. Having Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin as teammates can keep an enforcer busy. Meanwhile, Neil doesn't like having fights stopped. This particular bout looked to be ending a couple different times, only to have Neil keep things going by throwing a shot or two. Check it out by clicking here.

Fight of the Week: Matt Bradley vs. Aaron Voros

Bradley got a couple shots in, but he clearly took the worst of this fight. You simply can't win a fight most of the time when you're wearing the crimson mask at the end of it. However, Bradley got the last laugh. After getting cleaned up from his bout with Voros, he returned and was credited with the game-winning goal as the Capitals beat the Rangers.

Fight of the Week: Blood Sport originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fight of the Week: Cam Janssen Edition

Bruce Ciskie — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Blues, Canucks, Flyers, Rangers, Thrashers, Red Wings, NHL Fights, NHL Videos

Every Friday, FanHouse sifts through the rubble and picks the best NHL fight, with the help of HockeyFights.com.

If last week seemed a little bit light, we're going to make up for it now. There is no shortage of fights to choose from this week, and we had some really good ones that had to be left on the proverbial cutting room floor. We've also added to our series of rather unlikely scraps. To top it all off, we had an easy choice for the week's best bout.

"Why Are We Fighting?" Fight of the Week: Zach Bogosian vs. Ryan Callahan

Apparently, Callahan really took exception to a bit of a cross-check by Bogosian. Instead of sending a goon after the young defenseman, Callahan took matters into his own hands. This wasn't a great fight by any means, but it was a bit of a head-scratcher. Video can be watched here.

Runner-Up: Rick Rypien vs. Brad May

Vancouver's game against St. Louis Wednesday became a fight-fest (more on this in a bit), but Rypien showed that he had some energy left over to take on one of the league's real veteran heavyweights. This isn't a terribly long fight, but it's intense, and it's not a surprise the guys seemed to wear out a bit. Check it out here.

Runner-Up: Cam Janssen vs. Arron Asham

Janssen looked for a moment to have an easy one here, as Asham struggled from the opening bell. The home crowd inspiring him, Asham pulls off an impressive comeback, and you could argue he at least gave himself a chance to "win the fight." Click here to watch the video.

Fight of the Week: Tanner Glass vs. Cam Janssen

Here's Janssen again. This one's a legitimate candidate for Fight of the Year, not that we're contemplating such an honor at the end of the season. The Canucks were in the midst of getting blown out by St. Louis on Wednesday, but Glass took a shot at injecting some life into his team, which hadn't shown much in the first game of a back-to-back. Janssen got a rousing ovation, and responded to it, after his performance in this fight.

Fight of the Week: Cam Janssen Edition originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Fri, 13 Nov 2009 16:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fight of the Week: Princeton's Favorite Son Drops Them Again

Bruce Ciskie — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Blue Jackets, Canucks, Ducks, Penguins, Predators, Rangers, Sharks, Wild, NHL Fans, NHL Fights, NHL Videos

Every Friday, FanHouse sifts through the rubble and picks the best NHL fight, with the help of HockeyFights.com.

A light week on the card, but there was a relatively surprising bout and some pretty good ones to choose from. Highlighting it is our favorite former Princeton player, a gentleman who has made a name for himself by being a really good fighter. Of course, the big news of the week involved a team captain dropping the gloves with a random defenseman.

Huh? Fight of the Week: Marek Zidlicky vs. Sidney Crosby

Sometimes, guys are obviously planning to fight before they drop the gloves. Others are clearly spontaneous. This one falls under the latter. Crosby and Zidlicky had enough of using their sticks, and decided to use fists instead. Watch it here.

Beatdown of the Week: Kent Huskins vs. Jared Boll

Boll is one of the league's real up-and-coming heavyweights, and he dominated this scrap. It started with a hard hit on Huskins by Boll, and quickly became a fight. Just as fast as it started, Boll emphatically ended it. He then proceeded to stand over his conquest like a predator stands over lunch. Watch the fight here.

Runner-Up: Dane Byers vs. Tanner Glass

This was a little quick for most fans' tastes, but some really good punches were thrown. Byers got off to a quick start, but Glass got the last laugh, or "shot," if you prefer. Check it out here.

Fight of the Week: Wade Belak vs. George Parros

Parros is a top fighter, and he got all he could handle in this one from Thursday night. The Predators might not have done much to stay in the game, but Belak more than held his own against one of the best.

There is some solid back-and-forth between the two, and the ending is kind of a surprise. Too bad for the Ducks' TV people that the fight was over by the time they got the "Tale of the Tape" graphic ready.

Fight of the Week: Princeton's Favorite Son Drops Them Again originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rangers-Canucks Third Period Meltdown

Adam Gretz — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 10:40:00 EST

Filed under: Canucks, Rangers, NHL Fights

During Wednesday's edition of Newsmakers, I made a brief mention of the insanity that unfolded in the third period of Tuesday's Rangers-Canucks game, and the video is perhaps even better than I could have ever imagined.

Just over four minutes into the period, with the Canucks leading 1-0, 17 players found their way onto the ice (10 Rangers, seven Canucks) and exchanged pleasantries at center ice. Once order appeared to be restored for a few seconds, Sean Avery had words with the Canucks bench, and before you knew it, he was stealing Shane O'Brien's stick (after O'Brien tried to spear him with it) and throwing it on the ice.

Video of the mayhem after the jump.

When all was said and done, Dane Byers, Kevin Bieska, Alex Burrows, Daniel Girardi and O'Brien were all issued 10-minute misconducts, while Ryan Kesler picked up a two-minute minor for roughing.

The pugilism didn't end there, of course, as Byers and Vancouver's Tanner Glass decided to throw down in the final two minutes after the Canucks had taken control with a 4-1 lead.

Byers picked up another 10-minute misconduct, as well as an instigator penalty, and finished the game with 29 penalty minutes. He only played 4:47.

I think the important thing to keep in mind, as the announcer points out, is this would have been a far worse situation 20 or 30 years ago when bench clearing brawls were quite common, and far more violent.

Rangers-Canucks Third Period Meltdown originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Wed, 04 Nov 2009 10:40:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sidney Crosby Fights Marek Zidlicky

Bruce Ciskie — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 15:45:00 EST

Filed under: Penguins, Wild, NHL Fights, NHL Videos

While fighting isn't at all legal in hockey, there is an understanding with players. Some employ enforcer-type guys whose job is to mix it up with those who try to mess with a team's skill players.

You'll see captains and other team leaders sometimes willing to mix it up, too, even if that's not their reputation. Last year, Pittsburgh captain Sidney Crosby made waves by starting a fight off a faceoff in a game. On Saturday, Crosby was back dropping the gloves, this time with an even more unlikely opponent.

As the Penguins were struggling to score against Minnesota, Crosby got involved with defenseman Marek Zidlicky. Eventually, the two dropped the gloves and began to "throw down."

Well, Crosby threw a couple punches. Outside of that, nothing to see here.

Just what you would expect out of a fight between two guys who hardly ever fight.

Minnesota was outshot for the game 35-15 but won 2-1. Crosby picked up nine minutes in penalties on the night and was visibly frustrated with the officials, arguing with them on the ice a few times during the game.

Sidney Crosby Fights Marek Zidlicky originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Sun, 01 Nov 2009 15:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fight of the Week: Heavyweights

Bruce Ciskie — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Bruins, Canucks, Ducks, Flames, Maple Leafs, Oilers, Stars, Red Wings, NHL Fights, NHL Videos

Every Friday, FanHouse sifts through the rubble and picks the best NHL fight, with the help of HockeyFights.com.

It's no secret what we're looking for in a good fight. It needs to have intensity, some good back-and-forth action, and there is some longevity needed. If two guys trade a flurry of punches for seven seconds, it's not nearly as impressive as a high-quality 30-second fight.

This week's top fight has a little bit of everything.

Beatdown of the Week: Krys Barch vs. D.J. King

King played in just one game last season, but he showed no rust in this quick putaway of Barch. Watch the fight here, but don't blink, because you might miss the action.

Runner-Up: Colton Orr vs. George Parros

While the fight itself was okay, the news happened when Orr shoved the linesman who appeared to be trying to break up the bout prematurely.

(Orr, by the way, is not going to be punished any further for that, beyond the misconduct penalty he got at the time.)

Orr and Parros are experienced at this sort of thing, and it's no surprise they can get together and give the fans a good slugfest. Watch the video here.

Runner-Up: Brad May vs. Tanner Glass

May held a real heavy edge in experience on Glass, so you might think he would control this fight. Instead, the youngster did very well against May, even ducking out of the way as May threw a roundhouse that would have knocked Glass into the middle of the Olympic break. Watch the video here.

Fight of the Week: Steve MacIntyre vs. Brian McGrattan

This was easily the best dance of the week. McGrattan is the better fighter, and he won this one hands-down. But it wasn't just about that. MacIntyre made a good showing of himself by simply competing, and he showed he can hang with one of the league's better fighters.

It's not hard to fathom that these two -- playing on division rivals -- will go again this season.

Fight of the Week: Heavyweights originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Fri, 30 Oct 2009 16:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Colton Orr Faces Suspension After Shoving Official During Fight

Bruce Ciskie — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 14:25:00 EST

Filed under: Ducks, Maple Leafs, NHL Fights, NHL Videos, NHL Discipline

Monday night's Maple Leafs win over Anaheim featured plenty of penalties. In fact, five of Toronto's six goals were scored with the extra attacker.

Besides Anaheim's trademark undisciplined play, there was also a pretty intense fight. During the first period, Toronto's Colton Orr hooked up with Duck George Parros for an impressive heavyweight bout. While the fight was clean, Orr risked suspension by shoving an official during the bout. Video after the jump.

It's going to be tough for Orr to shove this aside (pun intended) as an accident. He pretty clearly stuck his right hand out and shoved the linesman on purpose, and that's a no-no.

Orr received a misconduct for the shove, and he is awaiting the call to the NHL carpet. A two- or three-game suspension is the minimum you can expect out of this. It's one thing if Orr is blindly reaching out and happens to hit the official. However, the eye in the sky doesn't lie. Orr's actions were clearly intentional.

Colton Orr Faces Suspension After Shoving Official During Fight originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Tue, 27 Oct 2009 14:25:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fight of the Week: Pairing Off

Bruce Ciskie — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Avalanche, Flames, Hurricanes, Islanders, Oilers, Wild, NHL Fights, NHL Videos

Every Friday, FanHouse sifts through the rubble and picks the best NHL fight, with the help of HockeyFights.com.

Sometimes, one fight just isn't good enough. Such was the case in Calgary recently, as the Flames and Canucks met for one of six matchups between the division rivals this season. It took just 2:32 for two fights to break out. Even though there were two good scraps going on at once, there was a clear winner for our Fight of the Week honors.

Beatdown of the Week: David Koci vs. Derek Boogaard

Boogaard missed the first few games of the season, and he hasn't had many opportunities to drop the gloves. In fact, this fight with Koci was his first of the season. Needless to say, the Wild fan favorite didn't look very rusty, as he quickly and decisively polished off Koci.

Runner Up: Rick Rypien vs. Zack Stortini

If we measured the quality of a fight simply by counting the number of punches thrown, this one would be a solid candidate for the best fight of the season. However, the problem is that Rypien appeared to throw the vast majority of the punches, and Stortini struggled to get any shots in.

Runner Up: Scott Walker vs. Brendan Witt

Walker is a proven tough guy in this league, and this looked like a bit of a mismatch when it started. The heavily-tattooed Witt held his own, however, and helped turn this into a very entertaining fight. In the end, though, it's hard to argue against this being anything but a decisive win for Walker.

Fight(s) of the Week: Darcy Hordichuk vs. Brian McGrattan/Tanner Glass vs. Brandon Prust

The Prust/Glass fight was pretty solid, but it doesn't hold a candle to McGrattan battling Hordichuk. The two exchanged some solid blows right up to the end, which came when McGrattan absolutely leveled Hordichuk with a right. Prust and Glass got off to a fast start, but it quickly turned into a wrestling match on ice. The linesmen broke it up when they were up against the glass for too long.

Fight of the Week: Pairing Off originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Fri, 23 Oct 2009 15:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fight of the Week: Colton Orr Takes Over

Bruce Ciskie — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Avalanche, Blue Jackets, Flames, Lightning, Maple Leafs, Oilers, Predators, Senators, NHL Fights, NHL Videos

Every Friday, FanHouse sifts through the rubble and picks the best NHL fight, with the help of HockeyFights.com.

Some weeks, this job is just too easy. Our search for the best hockey fights includes a couple dandies this week, including a classic heavyweight battle in Toronto. It's the kind of bout that makes Brian Burke smile. Check out our runners-up, along with video of this week's best fight, after the jump.

Runner Up: Matt Walker vs. Chris Neil

Video here. Walker got some good early shots in, but Neil had a rally in him. This went from being a one-sided affair to quite competitive very quickly.

Runner Up: Jared Boll vs. Brandon Prust

Boll is one of the more underrated fighters in the league. He's big and strong, and also happens to be tough as nails. Prust brought some intensity to this fight, and he didn't back down after Boll landed an early right that would have staggered a lot of guys. Watch Prust make an impressive comeback here.

Runner Up: Zack Stortini vs. Triston Grant

Last week, we showed you Stortini standing and watching as skilled teammate Sam Gagner got in a scrap. No more of that, as Stortini mixed it up Tuesday, as his Oilers were blowing out the Predators. Stortini is a lot bigger than Grant, but the Nashville youngster held his own, mainly by keeping a strong hold on Stortini and limiting his ability to punch. Watch the video here.

Fight of the Week: David Koci vs. Colton Orr

This is easy. You don't even have to watch the video to know it's awesome, because Koci and Orr have plenty of experience and are more than capable of putting on a show. The heavyweights wore each other down, and there were more than a few punches thrown. Apologies for the lack of sound, but the feed that night had audio issues throughout. It's too bad, because it would be worth money to hear Joe Bowen call a fight this good.

Fight of the Week: Colton Orr Takes Over originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Fri, 16 Oct 2009 14:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Knuckle Puck: Why We Must Stop the Biting Epidemic

Kevin Schultz — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: NHL Fans, NHL Fights, NHL Media Watch

Each and every Saturday this season I'll be taking a look at the random happenings and absurdities that occur in the world of hockey. This is the first edition. Feel free to suggest stories, complain or otherwise babble at me via electronic mail.

There are a lot of issues facing the NHL. We can argue about the NHL's policy on hits to the head till we're blue in the face, or we can debate the shootout all night. Then there's the situation in Phoenix and the Versus/DirecTV squabble. Sure, all of that is very important. But there's no bigger issue in the NHL today than the biting epidemic. The league must act swiftly to ensure the hands of our favorite stars stay intact and not in the mouths of other players.

First, it was Jarkko Ruutu taking a chomp on Andrew Peters last season. This week, it was Scott Hartnell allegedly biting Kris Letang. The total suspensions for those two incidents? Two games, and Hartnell got off scot-free.

'Sure,' you may say. 'These aren't the hands of serious goal scorers.'

You're right, they're not. Peters has only four goals in 200 career games and Letang has 18 in almost 150 games. But if the NHL doesn't nip this epidemic right away, then we're headed down a death spiral towards rampant hand biting, lawlessness and death panels that decide who lives and dies. It's a very slippery slope, people.

That's why we must act now and convince the NHL that biting is a problem that needs to be addressed. What if Hartnell had decided to chow down on Evgeni Malkin's hand? What a black eye that would be for the sport to have; one of it's best players on the sidelines due to a hungry, hungry Hartnell. This may be funny now, but when teams turn to biting as a way to stifle top goal scorers, we'll wonder why nothing was done about this sooner. I propose that the NHL needs to implement a strict no biting policy unless it involves ice girl-on-ice girl action, or food from concession stands.

YouTube of the Week
TSN wants another Canadian team... In New York?

Jokes I Can't Resist Making
- Since corporate re-branding is a big deal nowadays, the Islanders try some of their own.
- TSN has scientifically determined that the only thing more annoying than the Toronto media is combining it with the New York media.
- The team's logo is a Maple Leaf that reads fugghedaboutit.
- Now, New Yorkers can find out what it's like to have a team with the history, tradition and arrogant fans of the Yankees without all the championships.

Knuckle Pucker of the Year Nominee
Each week, we'll nominate someone who deserves to be recognized for their outstanding service and commitment to giving me something to write about. By the end of the year I'll come up with some way to declare a winner. Today's nominee is...

Josh Sacco. I'm sure you've seen the 4-year old Herb Brooks already but he certainly deserves to be nominated for this award. Here's a new video of him giving his speech to the Predators' in-game entertainers. Somewhere, Herb Brooks is looking down and smiling.

Knuckle Puck: Why We Must Stop the Biting Epidemic originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Sat, 10 Oct 2009 11:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fight of the Week: Long, Competitive Southeast Division Scrap

Bruce Ciskie — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Bruins, Flames, Hurricanes, Kings, Lightning, Oilers, Sharks, Thrashers, NHL Fights, NHL Videos

Every Friday, FanHouse sifts through the rubble and picks the best NHL fight, with the help of HockeyFights.com.

Fighting will always be controversial. Many fans say that it's as much a part of hockey as the ice is. Others would rather it went away, even if they may secretly enjoy it. However, it seems that fighting is here to stay in the NHL. This week's card included a few heavyweight bouts, an unlikely matchup in Alberta, and a rather long, intense fight between division rivals.

Honorable Mention: Craig Conroy vs. Sam Gagner

Video can be found here. No, the Oilers haven't signed an enforcer named Sam Gagner. The young, dynamic center apparently thought it was his job to use his fists to ignite his team. CBC's Mark Lee was almost incredulous. The best part? Big Zach Stortini of Edmonton was a spectator.

Runner-Up: Jay Harrison vs. Milan Lucic

The video is here. Sometimes, a fight's quality is hurt because it doesn't last long enough. Harrison had good intentions here, but he was completely overmatched, and he ended up wearing the ol' crimson mask because of his decision to try to fight Lucic. Quality visual on this one, and great work by Lucic, but it was too much of a mismatch to climb atop the list for this week.

Runner-Up: Jody Shelley vs. Raitis Ivanans

Watch the video here. Shelley's teammate looked to throw an unnecessary hit on an icing play, and Ivanans did his job, going after the heavyweight and sticking up for a teammate. Good scrap between fighters who share space in the Pacific Division, so they're probably familiar with each other's work.

Fight of the Week: Zenon Konopka vs. Chris Thorburn

Konopka has never played more than 23 games in an NHL season. He was up against a slightly bigger and more experienced Thorburn in this fight from Saturday's Thrasher home opener. The two combined for one of the longer fights of the week, and there was some serious intensity from both sides.

Fight of the Week: Long, Competitive Southeast Division Scrap originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Fri, 09 Oct 2009 10:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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George Parros Kisses the Proverbial Canvas, Launching Wild Comeback

Bruce Ciskie — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 11:15:00 EST

Filed under: Ducks, Wild, Western, NHL Fights, NHL Videos

It's often said that a fight can turn around a hockey game. This was definitely true Tuesday night in St. Paul.

Entering this season, Minnesota Wild forward John Scott had three NHL regular season fights to his credit. Anaheim's George Parros was the veteran of 82. It may have seemed odd, then, for Scott to challenge Parros to a scrap in the third period Tuesday. However, the Ducks led 3-0 at the time, and the Wild were almost literally going through the motions in their home opener. Oh, how things can change with one punch. Video after the jump.

The Wild launched a three-goal rally shortly after Scott's decisive fight win. Mikko Koivu, Petr Sykora, and Eric Belanger scored in regulation to tie the score. In overtime, the Wild benefited from a dumb penalty by Ducks defenseman James Wisniewski, who took a roughing minor. Andrew Brunette scored a power-play goal for the first win of the Todd Richards era, 4-3.

While the anti-fight zealots will laugh such a notion off, there's no question Scott's fight was a momentum-changer. It got the crowd going and jumpstarted the home team for the first time all night.

George Parros Kisses the Proverbial Canvas, Launching Wild Comeback originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Wed, 07 Oct 2009 11:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Donald Brashear and Brandon Sugden Take Part in Fight Night at the Garden

Adam Gretz — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 23:20:00 EST

Filed under: Capitals, Rangers, NHL Fights, NHL Videos

The last time Donald Brashear was involved in a Rangers vs. Capitals game, he was suiting up for Washington and facing the wrath of fans in New York for knocking out Blair Betts in a playoff game.

On Thursday night, Brashear was on the other side of the matchup and trying to win some fans in Madison Square Garden (after he was booed during his formal introduction a couple of weeks ago) by throwing down with 6-foot-4, 225-pound Capitals forward Brandon Sugden ... twice.

Video after the jump.

Midway through the second period the two squared off for the first time in a bout that lasted only a few seconds -- while being accompanied by a chorus of boos from the crowd -- and ended when Brashear lost his balance, allowing Sugden to get a couple of quick shots in.

The second round, however, was a marathon bout early in the third period that started off slow before gaining some momentum at the end.

As for the game itself, the Rangers pulled it out, 3-2, thanks a Christopher Higgins goal with 1:10 to play in regulation.

(H/T Hockeyfights.com via Japers Rink for the video)

Donald Brashear and Brandon Sugden Take Part in Fight Night at the Garden originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Thu, 24 Sep 2009 23:20:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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'Olie the Goalie' Calls It a Career

Adam Gretz — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 16:20:00 EST

Filed under: Capitals, NHL Fans, NHL Fights, NHL Videos

Olaf Kolzig, winner of 303 NHL games, a Vezina Trophy as the league's best goaltender and a two-time All-Star (only two? Shocking), announced his retirement on Wednesday, ending a 14-year career that saw him become the foundation of the Washington Capitals organization, helping lead the team to the 1997-98 Stanley Cup Final.

In a statement from the NHL, Kolzig had this to say on his retirement: "I feel very privileged to have had the opportunity to play the game of hockey at the NHL level for many seasons and I am grateful for everything the game has given me ... I would like to thank my family, all my teammates and the fans for making my time in the NHL so special."

One of the best goalies of his era (and, at the same time, one of the most underrated because he was overshadowed by the likes Martin Brodeur, Dominik Hasek and Patrick Roy during his peak years) Kolzig is currently 21st on the NHL's wins list for goalies, 22nd in save percentage and 45th in goals against average.

Reed Albers at Capitals Kremlin has a fond look at Kolzig's career, and laments the fact that Kolzig never hoisted the Stanley Cup in D.C.

Watching a player you love fail to reach the pinnacle of his sport is depressing. I watched as Dan Marino failed to capture a Super Bowl and, like Kolzig, fall apart in a soul-crushing fashion that clearly signals to the sporting world "I'm done." It's sad because for years you cheer for this one player and then when the gloves are hung up, you're constantly left wondering "what if?" What if Dan Marino had a competent running game during his prime? What if Olie Kolzig had his Vezina year with the current roster? If the Capitals ever raise the Stanley Cup with the current squad of young stars who played in front of Olie during their hockey infancy, perhaps a special raise should be sent to the No. 37.

As long as we're looking back at favorite memories, I'll always remember his fight with long-time off-ice friend Byron Dafoe during a 1998 game against the Boston Bruins. And by "fight," I mean a lot of jersey pulling and smiling.

Can a Hall of Fame case be made for Kolzig? If we simply look at the win totals (and, admittedly this is not the best way to evaluate goaltenders) nine of the 20 players ahead of him on the all-time list are already enshrined in Toronto, while at least three others (Brodeur, Belfour and Hasek) have to be considered slam dunks. The fact he never won a cup will probably be held against him, even though he was a dominating force during the 1997-98 postseason -- before Washington ran into a loaded Detroit team -- and his overall postseason numbers are quite impressive.

The Capitals fell to the Red Wings in four games during '97-98 final, ending what was an incredible postseason run from Kolzig that saw him post a 1.95 goals against average in 21 playoff games, to go with his .941 save percentage. The most impressive stat from that postseason, however, is the four shutouts, including consecutive shutouts against the Ottawa Senators in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. Only 16 other goalies in league history have posted four shutouts in a single postseason.

Capitals owner Ted Leonsis offered a statement on his blog that included the following: "Olie Kolzig was the most competitive person I know. He cared deeply about the team; his community; and his family. He was and is a class act and he is one of my favorite athletes of all time."

'Olie the Goalie' Calls It a Career originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Wed, 23 Sep 2009 16:20:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Phaneuf Must Phace Music on Saturday

Christopher Botta — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Flames, NHL Fights

The New York Islanders and the Calgary Flames are staging another exhibition on Saturday night, this time in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Dion Phaneuf should show up.

This recommendation is not a critique of Phaneuf's crushing mid-ice check in Thursday's game that sent Islanders rising star forward Kyle Okposo to the hospital with a concussion. We've all seen these incidents enough to know the arguments:

If you're for the Islanders, Phaneuf left his feet, nailed Okposo in the head with an elbow and shamefully used a practice game to make a personal statement that he's not getting softer. If you're for the Flames, Phaneuf never left his feet, obliterated Okposo with a clean shoulder hit and was simply "just playing his game." If you're NHL discipline czar Colin Campbell, you're preparing a ruling that will make everyone think, "Really?"

More: How Much Is Too Much for Preseason?

None of it matters. On Saturday night, Phaneuf should face the music.

Two seconds after Phaneuf knocked out Okposo, scrappy 5-10 Islanders farmhand Pascal Morency leaped over the bench (in a barely-legal line change) and went after the Calgary defenseman. Despite Phaneuf being 6-3, 215 pounds and capable of handling himself, two Flames and -- get this -- two NHL linesmen blocked Morency's path of payback. Later on, when Islanders power forward prospect Matt Martin challenged Phaneuf, 6-0 seventh defenseman Mark Giordano took the fight instead.

Phaneuf was repeatedly challenged -- this was a preseason game, so scoreboard be damned -- and the all-star defenseman elected not to engage. Surely, he could have held his own against the enforcer-less Islanders.

Maybe Phaneuf can live with that, but I think he made a mistake on Thursday night. He sent an opponent to the hospital with a violent, pre-meditated hit. The least he could have done was give the Islanders one man-vs-man opportunity to settle the score. Isn't that part of "The Code" hockey people have been preaching about for a century?

The story of his surprising refusal to answer the bell will extend into the weekend. The Flames play the Islanders in Saskatoon on Saturday. There's little chance Phaneuf was on coach Brent Sutter's original lineup card for the game. It's even more unlikely he's in the lineup now.

Phaneuf should show up. He should give the Islanders their shot. He doesn't even have to play a lot of minutes. He could ask to be in the starting lineup and the Islanders can assign any of the 50 players they have in camp to exact revenge. Since the Islanders are one of the few teams in the league without an established heavyweight anywhere in their system, Phaneuf should be able to sleep on Friday night.

If Phaneuf doesn't play, his teammates will be forced to stand up for him through 60 minutes of grueling hockey in Saskatoon while he's having dinner somewhere back in Calgary. This being the NHL, someone could get hurt.

Phaneuf Must Phace Music on Saturday originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Fri, 18 Sep 2009 12:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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'The Monster' Impressive In Debut; Kessel to Leafs Rumors

Adam Gretz — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 14:20:00 EST

Filed under: Bruins, Maple Leafs, NHL Fans, NHL Fights, NHL Rumors

Newsmakers in the NHL: During the regular season it's our daily look at the previous night's action. During the offseason, it's our occasional link dump that looks at some of the storylines and moves taking place around the league. Have a tip or something you want linked? Send it in to nhlfanhouse@gmail.com.

One of the most intriguing moves made by the Toronto Maple Leafs this offseason was the addition of free agent goaltender Jonas Gustavsson. On Sunday, the Swedish prospect, nicknamed "The Monster," made his first appearance for the Maple Leafs in the 2009 rookie tournament and stopped 35-of-36 shots in a 3-1 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins. According to Steve Buffery of the Toronto Sun, Gustavsson "looked steady, if not spectacular," and flashed a quick glove hand on an Eric Tangradi shot. Sportsnet referred to him as being "nearly unbeatable" as the Penguins peppered him with shots during the second and third periods.

... Also noteworthy from the Penguins-Maple Leafs rookie game? The first fights of the season including a bout between Richard Greenop and Ryan Schnell, and a fight involving Alex Berry and Zack Sill. Puck Daddy's Greg Wyshynski describes the two bouts as only he can: "Seeing a prospect hockey fight on Labor Day is like hearing a roadie play the first few notes of a classic song during a sound check: Technically unrefined, but just enough to make you crave the real thing." [Puck Daddy]

... Sticking with Toronto for a moment, a seemingly innocent trade involving the Maple Leafs and Blackhawks on Saturday has led to speculation that Brian Burke could be plotting a move to acquire Phil Kessel from the Boston Bruins, something he reportedly tried to during the NHL draft back in June. On Saturday, the Leafs reacquired their own second-round pick in the 2010 draft from Chicago, which would give Burke the required draft picks to sign Kessel, a restricted free agent, away from Boston. From Kevin Paul Dupont of the Boston Globe:

If Burke were to hand Kessel something around $4.5 million a year or more via an offer sheet, then the Bruins would have to match the deal or take the compensation that would include first-, second-, and third-round picks. Until his deal yesterday, Burke didn't have the necessary draft picks to be in position to make Kessel an offer.

... Finally, for some non-Leafs related news, check out the new paint job for Nikolai Khabibulin's mask. [The Goalie Guild]

'The Monster' Impressive In Debut; Kessel to Leafs Rumors originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Mon, 07 Sep 2009 14:20:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NHL's Top 50: Vincent Lecavalier (No. 14)

Adam Gretz — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 09:30:00 EST

Filed under: Lightning, NHL Fans, NHL Fights, NHL Videos

FanHouse's Adam Gretz takes a look at his top 50 players in the NHL. No. 14 is Tampa Bay Lightning forward Vincent Lecavalier.

After being the No. 1 pick in the 1998 NHL Entry Draft, Vincent Lecavalier was hyped up to be hockey's answer to Michael Jordan by then-Lightning owner Art Williams. It's always dangerous to throw around such absurd expectations when you're talking about an 18-year-old kid that's never played a professional game, and if "the Michael Jordan of hockey" is the expectation, then Lecavalier's career to this point is a disappointment.

If you're more reasonable with your expectations, the Quebec native has become one of the top players in the NHL, well worth top billing in his draft class.

The NHL's Top 50 Players: See the Entire List

The Numbers: Vincent Lecavalier
Vincent Lecavalier	Goals	Assists	Points	Pim
Career Totals	302	367	669	561
Average Per 82 Games	31.1	38.5	69.7	58.2

Draft Year: 1998

After Lecavalier went No. 1, there was, in hindsight, a sizable drop in talent in the top-10: David Legwand (Nashville), Brad Stuart (San Jose), Bryan Allen (Vancouver), Vitaly Vishnevski (Anaheim), Rico Fata (Calgary), Manny Malhotra (New York Rangers), Mark Bell (Chicago), Mike Rupp (New York Islanders), Nik Antropov (Toronto). Some decent players, sure, but not your standard top-10 All-Star level talent.

Why He's On My List

It took him a few years, but Lecavalier eventually became the impact player he was supposed to be, highlighted by his 2006-07 campaign that saw him lead the league with 52 goals and finish third with a career-best 108 points. Prior to this season, he had tallied at least 30 goals six straight years, and would have likely made it seven straight had he not missed the final five games of the season due to injury.

Obligatory YouTube Video

This might be the signature moment of Tampa Bay's Stanley Cup win in 2004 - Lecavalier drops the gloves and brawls (sort of) with Calgary's Jarome Iginla in a captain vs. captain bout. Doesn't get much better than this in the Stanley Cup Final.

NHL's Top 50: Vincent Lecavalier (No. 14) originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Thu, 06 Aug 2009 09:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Joe Sakic's Career Highlights: Only a Snow Blower Could Stop Him

Adam Gretz — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 16:19:00 EST

Filed under: Avalanche, NHL Fans, NHL Fights, NHL Videos

When Joe Sakic officially announces his retirement, the NHL will not only be losing one of its best players of all-time, it's also going to be losing one of its best leaders and captains, and from nearly all accounts, an incredibly classy person. A rarity in the modern sports culture, Sakic spent his entire 20-year career with the same organization (Quebec/Colorado), scoring 625 goals and finishing with 1,641 points (eighth most all-time).

Awards and Milestones

Is it possible that Sakic was underrated during his career? I know, it's crazy to suggest a player that good could ever be underrated by anybody, but I asked the same question about Steve Yzerman when he was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame back in June. The same theory applies here with Burnaby Joe: most of his career, his prime, anyway, was lost in the shadows of not only Wayne Gretzky, but mostly Mario Lemieux. Take, for example, the 1995-96 season when the Avalanche, in their first season in Colorado, won their first Stanley Cup.

Statistically, it was Sakic's best season, as he scored 51 goals to go with 69 assists for a total of 120 points. Such a number would have led the league this season by seven points. During the 1995-96 campaign, however, 120 points was good enough for just third place ... 41 behind Lemieux. Honestly, I don't think Sakic cares all that much, seeing as how he not only took home the Cup that season, but the Conn Smythe trophy as playoff MVP, as well, in what was one of the best playoff performances in recent league history.

His 34 points (including 18 goals) in 22 games is tied for ninth most all-time, while he's one of only 18 players to ever record 30 points in a single playoff run.

While the '95-96 season was, statistically, his best, the 2000-01 campaign brought Sakic the most hardware. The Avalanche won their second Stanley Cup, defeating the New Jersey Devils in seven games, while Sakic won the Hart Trophy as league MVP, the Lester B. Pearson Award, and the Lady Byng Trophy.

By the Numbers

2 -- The number of times in his career that Sakic scored 50 goals. Also the number of times his name appears on the Stanley Cup.

5 -- The number of times in his career that Sakic eclipsed the 40-goal plateau. It's also the number of times he recorded at least 100 points in a season.

7 -- The number of times in his career that Sakic registered over 60 assists.

19 -- The number of game-winning goals Sakic scored in his playoff career.

"How Do You Like Them Apples, Gilmour?"

Behold, the glory of Colorado Avalanche announcer Mike Haynes calling Sakic's 1999 fight with Doug Gilmour, then playing for the Chicago Blackhawks.

The Only Thing That Could Stop Him

A snow blower.

His Top 10 Goals

We end on this note. Sakic's top 10 goals in the NHL, as compiled by RDS.

Joe Sakic's Career Highlights: Only a Snow Blower Could Stop Him originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Wed, 08 Jul 2009 16:19:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Brian Burke: 'I Don't Give a Rat's Ass What They Do in Pittsburgh or Detroit'

Adam Gretz — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 00:45:00 EST

Filed under: Maple Leafs, NHL Fights

It's not uncommon for sports teams, at any level, to model other successful teams in an effort to become successful themselves. Hey, if it's good enough for them, it should be good enough for us, right? Sure. Just don't expect Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Brian Burke to follow another team's example unless it involves fighting and blood! OK, maybe not blood, but definitely fighting.

After the Penguins and Red Wings met in the Stanley Cup final for the second consecutive season (and not doing much fighting along the way) Burke, entering his first offseason in charge of the Maple Leafs, was quite candid when discussing the future makeup of his team.

It's going to fight.

"I don't give a rat's ass what they do in Pittsburgh or Detroit," Burke said to the assembled media on Tuesday. "There's been four different Cup winners the last four years, and I got one of them (Anaheim) and it was a fighting team. We're playing it that way regardless."

Fair enough. When the Ducks won the Stanley Cup during the 2006-07 season, they had a league-high 71 fighting majors, an incredible 24 more than the No. 2 team (Phoenix) in the rankings. Over the past three seasons, the Ducks have held the top spot twice -- and were second the other season -- as they've been involved in 222 regular season fights.

By comparison, the Penguins and Red Wings have combined for just 162 fighting majors, while the Wings have been involved in the fewest fights each of the past three seasons.

Burke's biggest issue with the current Leafs roster -- the roster he inherited, for the most part -- is that it was, in his words, "a passive group," and that "all year long, when a trainer was on the ice - it was always our trainer- that really bothered me."

Going back to the start of the 2006-07 season, the Leafs have had 102 fighting majors, while 52 of them came this season, a nearly 100 percent increase from what they registered a year ago. Burke wasted little time in adding some grit and sandpaper to the Leafs roster when his first move as general manager back in January was to acquire veteran forward Brad May from Anaheim.

Either way, the great thing about Burke is how up front and brutally honest he is. You always know exactly what he's thinking, and talking about how he doesn't give a rat's ass about what they're doing in Pittsburgh or Detroit is one of the better Burke quotes I've heard. Some of my other favorites over the years:

On Pavel Bure from his days in Vancouver: "We're not going to kiss anyone's butt to play here. We have a beautiful arena, our own plane, and, again a great hockey market and one of the best cities in the world, so I'm not kissing anyone's behind to play here, that's just not going to happen. He wants out, I'm going to move him."

On officials in a playoff series against Detroit, one of the most epic postseason rants in the history of postseason press conferences: "I want to point out to the officials that Todd Bertuzzi does not play for Detroit, it just looks like that because he's wearing two or three Red Wings sweaters all the time ... I didn't know that tackling was an acceptable tactic, I didn't see it our in rule book ... Sedin is not English for punch me, or headlock me in a scrum ... Our goalie has large pads and a cage, he's clearly distinguishable from the rest of our players, and again he's the one goalie on the ice that doesn't dive when he gets brushed ... Detroit has 12 captains and assistants to speak to the officials; we find that unusual, most teams have only two or three. It's amazing to me the number of players that are able to protest calls in Detroit uniforms."

On voting for shootouts: "There is no way, as long as I am in charge of the Vancouver Canucks, there is no way we are going to vote for that. To me, it would be the same thing as if the National Football League decided its games by having guys throw footballs through a tire."

On Alex Auld making the team: "There is no way Alex Auld was going to be on this team this year, unless he flew to France during the summer and bathed in the holy waters at Lourdes."

On trading Pavel Bure: "I am pleased to announce that Pavel Bure has been traded to the Florida Panthers."

Don't ever change, Brian Burke. Don't ever change.

Brian Burke: 'I Don't Give a Rat's Ass What They Do in Pittsburgh or Detroit' originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Thu, 25 Jun 2009 00:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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