Should the Sedins start standing up for themselves?

[ilduce39]

The Sedins don't need to go crazy - these videos we see are all one-or-two-offs in long careers - but at the end of the day "turning the other cheek" is nice in theory against a lesser opponent but it isn't practical in reality against an equal or greater one. The Sedins are leaders on this team and it would only help if they sparked the team in one more way.

One of the best parts of sport is it is a regulated arena for people to express their aggression in a "safe" and respectful manner - where everyone is playing by (relatively) the same rules and regulations.

Bottom line: it's okay to have a little bravado on the ice, on the field, on the court, etc.

[Batmania]

Uh - players fight in other hockey leagues - too...if they REALLY want to...but the penalties range from being ejected...to 3 fights & you get a game suspension. The TOLERANCE of fighting...is the difference between the NHL's backward ways & those that are more progressive. When we know the devastating consequences of post-concussioin syndrome to hockey players' lives, careers & families....making a minor switch in philosophy - to better the conditions of those who play & watch the game is a very small price....for huge societal gain.

[Batmania]

So what you're saying is Sedins should continue to take it and have Kassian fight for them? Kinda like how Gretzky was protected? But I'm stuck in the past?

[nuck nit]

Majority of Canadians want fighting ban in hockey: survey

Roy MacGregor

The Globe and Mail

Published Friday, Mar. 08 2013

This week, The Globe and Mail reported on the first part of the survey – a vast majority of Canadians want bodychecking out of peewee hockey – and today the results are in on the public attitude toward fighting:

Three-quarters of Canadians (78 per cent) – and an identical percentage of fans of the game – want to see fights banned in all junior hockey;

Two-thirds of Canadians – fans as well as the general public – believe fighting should also be banned at the professional level;

Only 16 per cent of the country favours allowing fights at the junior levels;

One-quarter of Canadians (27 per cent) oppose eliminating fights at the professional level, while 5 per cent aren’t sure what to do;

While 95 per cent of fans believe skating is an “essential component” of the game, and 93 per cent believe shooting is important, a minuscule 7 per cent say the ability to engage in on-ice fights is important.

In other words, hockey’s cartoon can go.

By large majorities, they agreed there should be rules to bring an end, as much as possible, to fighting in hockey.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/hockey/majority-of-canadians-want-fighting-ban-in-hockey-survey/article9496814/

[5Fivehole0]

How in the living hell did you get that from what I wrote?

But yeah you do seem to be a little confused as to what NHL hockey is now. You seem to be stuck in the early to mid 90's.

[5Fivehole0]

http://www.cbc.ca/sp..._of_hockey.html

Hockey Night in Canada's Scott Morrison delivers his insights into the world of hockey, on and off the ice.

Taking fighting out of hockey would be wrong

Saturday, March 24, 2007 | 03:46 PM ET

By Scott Morrison

There is nothing wrong, of course, with NHL vice president Colin Campbell deciding the league should discuss fighting and its role in the game today.

A good debate, like a good fight, is usually a good release.

Who knows, the process may even be enlightening.

Whatever transpires, though, it is also an exercise that will lead to a predictable and correct conclusion: that taking fighting out of hockey would be wrong.

Now, no one wants to see players taken off the ice on stretchers, with concussions, broken bones, anything that means a visit to the hospital. To that, everyone agrees. But in the game of hockey, played at the professional level, there are inherent risks. And one of them is, if you drop your gloves and fight another big, powerful man there is the risk of injury. It has always been that way.

Campbell, of course, is merely asking whether the risk is greater now because of the size, strength and skill of the fighters? Good question. The answer is yes. Just as the risk of being crunched into the boards and suffering an injury is greater. Just as the pucks are being shot at ridiculously faster speeds than ever before and the risk of injury in that regard is also far greater.

One point that needs to be made, for starters, is of the several incidents that have happened in recent weeks, not all are related or are part of this debate. Chris Simon's attack, or Jordin Tootoo's sucker punch, are not akin to what happened to Todd Fedoruk regardless of the outcome. For discussion purposes, the cheap shots and assaults are different from fighting, where the combatants are generally prepared and consenting for what is about to transpire.

Now, those who suggest fighting should be taken out of the game, infer the overall quality of play would somehow improve, that skill players would be even better, but this is nothing but speculation. Talk to coaches and, while concerned about the injuries occurring in fights, they say the presence of a "threat" on the bench or the ice allows "skill" players to skate faster and be braver and be more comfortable.

There is also no definitive answer that by eliminating fighting it won't result in an increase in cheap shots, such as more stick work and more hits from behind. There is already a troubling lack of respect in the game, where players try to punish with checks first, take the puck second. Will all that go away without fighting? Will it increase? Logic would suggest there is a greater chance of there being more than less.

But if you are going to take fighting away, knowing that it does have some influence, then you have to be certain the other unsavory business isn't going to increase as a result.

Perhaps that is what the discussion will discover.

Because of the size, speed, emotion and intensity of the game, where split-second decisions are made, players make mistakes (ie. Simon). Fighting serves as an outlet on one side and a deterrent for misbehaviour on the other. Does it prevent cheap shots entirely? Of course not. There are no absolutes, just as the death penalty doesn't stop people from murdering.

The key for the NHL is to continue to, and become even more vigilant with, dealing with cheap shots.

Undoubtedly, this trial balloon Campbell has floated, inspiring debate about fighting, surely must be related to the disturbing number of head injuries that have occurred this season, period.

It is, after all, a huge dilemma for the league: How do you legislate hits to the head (what is now legal and otherwise) out of the game, but still allow punches to the head in fights?

Simple.

Re-declare fighting part of the game. After a lengthy debate, of course.

[ilduce39]

Look at the `11 run - Chicago, Nashville, San Jose - one thing in common to all of these series? We didn't get beat up. In fact, I clearly remember Bieksa laying a beating on Marleau - and look how that turned out.

Want a parallel to another sport? Look at that block Travis Lulay threw for the Lions a week ago - he's a Quarterback - making the most money in the league - they have five 300 pound+ men paid to protect him on every play and he threw his body on the line to make an extra 10 yards. Guess what? The sideline erupted. They won the game.

[Batmania]

We are in a day and age where concussions among superstars is higher than ever... You have people like Marchard slue footing people and elbowing people in the back of the head.

I don't know what hockey you are watching but I am watching one where one of the Canucks stars got elbowed in the head by Keith and no real retribution happened.

[viking mama]

For the record though Nuck nit is right. The sedins don't need to fight to stick up for themselves. The myth that they don't stick up for themselves is just that and it goes back to the days where they broke into the league and were called soft and sisters. Truth is they go to dirty areas, they play along the boards and take punishment for doing so. The marchand punching thing always gets brought up as gospel on this subject but truth is they were got a PP out of that. Would have been stupid to react and just get a 4 on 4. There's a difference between sticking up for yourself and being an idiot. Usually that difference also means being in the NHL and being in any other league.

5hole you're stuck in the past. What you're asking for is gone now and will just hurt the team. The sedins are men and anybody who plays against them know that.

[nuck nit]

CANADA SAFETY COUNCIL

Hockey – Our most dangerous game

The never-ending incidents of on-ice thuggery are turning hockey into our most dangerous game. Horrible incidents – such as the recent head shot by Patrice Cormier on Mikael Tam in a Quebec major junior game – call to mind everything that is wrong with hockey in our country: poor leadership; an elitist and exclusionary attitude; lofty and unrealistic expectations; overzealous coaches and parents; and no fun or recreational benefits for the players.

Violence degrades the world’s fastest, most physically challenging and most highly skilled game. Hockey is not, and has never been, a law of its own. And contrary to what proponents claim, violence, including fighting, has never been an integral part of the game.

Fighting is banned in minor hockey in this country, college hockey in both the U.S. and Canada, in the European leagues, in the Olympics, and in international play. Banning fighting in all leagues would greatly add to the skill level of the game, by eliminating marginal players in favour of skilled talent.

https://canadasafetycouncil.org/child-safety/hockey-our-most-dangerous-game

[Batmania]

Uh - they got the PP. But - the BOS bully inexplicably managed to get Daniel Sedin to take a 10 mis-misconduct???? Daniel wears an "A" & spoke to the ref for 10-15 seconds in an animated way but normal body laguage...& what i know of Daniel's character... I suspect he spoke the truth. I thought it was a brutal & inequitable response by the ref.

But - after seeing Drew Doughty's tirade in the 2012 SC play-offs vs Phoenix...where he delayed his progression towards the box...all the while F-bombing, yelling, circling, stick swinging & then door slamming....and - he got nothin' added to his original 2 min.? I'm even MORE freakin' pissed off at the reffing in the 2011-Final....NOW!

[5Fivehole0]

So you're making an argument about concussions and an argument about hitting guys in the head? Keith Elbowed Sedin in the head after Sedin elbowed him in the head in the corner if you want to talk about retribution actually. SO you're actually in favor of Keiths elbow to Sedin.

[Batmania]

If Sedin had fought Keith, the 2nd elbow probably wouldn't have come. The dirty shots come due to people not fighting, it's a fact. Look at Steve Moore. He could have/should have fought Brad May or Bertuzzi and then the cheap shot wouldn't have come. Simple as that.

[MJDDawg]

Yes, they've been in the league 13 years and NOW they should change their games and stand up for themselves.

Okely dokely.

[nuck nit]

If Sedin had fought Keith, the 2nd elbow probably wouldn't have come. The dirty shots come due to people not fighting, it's a fact. Look at Steve Moore. He could have/should have fought Brad May or Bertuzzi and then the cheap shot wouldn't have come. Simple as that.

[BI3KSA-]

The Sedins should have been training in MMA since Boston, be nice if they pumped a few guys this year.

Even Datsyuk took on Corey Perry

[5Fivehole0]

True but Bertuzzi is still responsible and still at fault.

Also if Sedin had fought keith he would have been obliterated. You're trying to shoe horn players into being what they aren't. The real problem is the instigator rule. It took the "code" out of hockey fights. That doesn't mean however Daniel Sedin should at any time get rag dolled by Duncan Keith to prove some point.

You're being ridiculous and I can't believe you haven't tired of coming up with and making such silly arguments.

[Batmania]

True, my point was more a long the lines of Sedin shouldn't have thrown the dirty elbow and then ran away giggling... Same as Moore shouldn't have ran over Naslund and then ran scared when the big boys hit the ice. It's not a silly argument when I am arguing something I believe. Do I think hockey should be a boxing rink? No, quite the contrary. You are talking about no fighting and skill and finesse hockey. Do you think eliminating fighting would help that? No, it would probably support this.

I suggest that Sedins fight back when being punched, not become a goon... I mean like 1 or 2 fights this season against players like Marchand. Who knows, maybe Dank wins one. I guarantee you he get's a chunk of respect for it. Look at Datsyuk he is a role model of what a true super star should be.

[Strombone1]

you're asking a SLS AMG Mercedes Benz to haul your old plumbing fixtures. Does not compute.

[pimpcurtly]

True, my point was more a long the lines of Sedin shouldn't have thrown the dirty elbow and then ran away giggling... Same as Moore shouldn't have ran over Naslund and then ran scared when the big boys hit the ice. It's not a silly argument when I am arguing something I believe. Do I think hockey should be a boxing rink? No, quite the contrary. You are talking about no fighting and skill and finesse hockey. Do you think eliminating fighting would help that? No, it would probably support this.

I suggest that Sedins fight back when being punched, not become a goon... I mean like 1 or 2 fights this season against players like Marchand. Who knows, maybe Dank wins one. I guarantee you he get's a chunk of respect for it. Look at Datsyuk he is a role model of what a true super star should be.