
Tampa Bay Lightning coach Barry Melrose, aka "The Mullet", can always be counted on to give a great interview and speak his mind on any subject. As a former enforcer-type, himself, you know Melrose values toughness more than most coaches would, and wouldn't put up with a Valeri Bure type on his team for very long.
In an interview with the
St. Petersburg Times,
Melrose laments the lack of physicality in today's game, and why the league should embrace fighting.
How do you feel about the league's long-term crackdown on fighting?
I think toughness is leaving our game, and I hope people realize it's wrong. I hate to mention this, but the fastest-growing sport in the world is ultimate fighting. We've got that as part of our game. To act ashamed of that has been wrong of the NHL for a lot of years. You can say you don't like fighting or you love fighting, but it creates conversation. It creates energy and excitement.
And, as you see it, perhaps a strategic advantage.
It's a useful part of the game. It's a tool, and that's how coaches use fighting. It can change the mood of a game. It's like a big hit or a power-play goal or anything else.
The real effect of a fighting and hitting on a team has been
debated and analyzed, and I can't recall anyone proving that being overly physical actually helps increase scoring in the short term. Does having your player win a fight really translate into a momentum change as Melrose thinks?
Melrose is certainly right about fighting creating entertainment value, but one has to wonder if his coaching tactics will involve bashing faces in an attempt to give Lecavalier more ice to work with. If I were a Bolts fan, I'd sure hope Melrose doesn't have his club take unnecessary penalties just to be physical.