Is it time to bring back a pure enforcer to the Canucks line up

[Arrow 1983]

3 hours ago, oldnews said:

Whatever.   "Enforcers" are human beings - many of whom had their quality of life ruined (if you actually take the time to listen to the many former 'enforcers' / players who have stated their experiences publicly).

 

And the whole "entertainment business" angle - save it for the WWF/WWE.

 

You're speaking for what you assume to be a prevailing interest - that might reflect existing fans of the game, and probably previous demographics - but that's now where you expand your market - you expand markets into untapped fanbases - which can't be precooked, or spoken for with sweeping one-liner reductions/assumption.

 

You're making an assumption that the majority of people want to see fist fighting in the NHL - but if you were to survey cross-sections of the populations of the countries in the world where you're hoping to extend the scope of the 'entertainment product' - the results aren't obvious/easy to speak for beforehand - for all you know the NHL could be losing potential new fans because of the perception that it's an outdated, distasteful aspect of the game.   You don't market/expand the game _or any product - based on presumptive whims - any real corporate interest would require/conduct an actual, real-world widespread survey of 'consumer' interest that you aren't qualified to speak for.   And beyond that, there's the ethical question of whether the impact on the players is worth the 'entertainment' value.  The game is about putting pucks behind the opponent's goaltender - like football, basketball, etc - that doesn't depend on punching players in the face - that is a side aspect / sideshow that is not essential to the game no matter how old school our perspective. 

 

Don't mistake/misrepresent any of that for not wanting more toughness that can play in the lineup.  I think there's room - and has been for some time - for more 'pushback' from this team - but a traditional "enforcer" is not the answer.

I respect your point so we must agree to disagree.

Plus fighting in the NHL is different then in the WWE or MMA. I don't technically like that fighting for the sake of fighting for entertainment. I like the fighting in NHL it was more to do with the game and un- written code you don't cheap shot someone unless you are ready to drop the gloves even Edler understood that which made me more impressed with him as often non North American players don't get it often. I feel fewer injuries where caused back in  the day from those cheap shots, knee to knee, elbows to the head. Odjick literally played on the same line as Bure and I feel it made Bure feel more confident out there as well he was that guy that could show emotion he often defended himself but if it escalated which it wouldn't because Odjick was there. Look at Odjick stats it might surprise most that he wasn't just a waste of unproductive space. The year they went to the Stanley Cup final he had 16 goals and 29 pts in that season

 

Edited May 9, 2021 by Arrow 1983

[oldnews]

9 minutes ago, Arrow 1983 said:

I respect your point so we must agree to disagree.

Plus fighting in the NHL is different then in the WWE or MMA. I don't technically like that fighting for the sake of fighting for entertainment. I like the fighting in NHL it was more to do with the game and un- written code you don't cheap shot someone unless you are ready to drop the gloves even Edler understood that which made me more impressed with him as often non North American players don't get it often. I feel fewer injuries where caused back in  the day from those cheap shots, knee to knee, elbows to the head. Odjick literally played on the same line as Bure and I feel it may Bure feel more confident out there as well he'll that guy could show emotion he often defended himself but if it escalated which it wouldn't because Odjick was there. Look at Odjick stats it might surprise most that he wasn't just a waste of unproductive space. The year they went to the Stanley Cup final he had 16 goals and 29 pts in that season

 

I think your nostalgia for the past misrepresents the realities of the past.  Enforcers NEVER effectively prevented cheap shots - the whole 'deterrence' narrative is one that never lined up with what actually happened.    Cheap shot takes place - enforcer never made the culprit 'pay' - unless that culprit was an enforcer themself - enforcers never beat on people outside their weight class - what happened - what was called ";justice" was one team rolling out their enforcer, the other doing the same - and 'justice' was served.  It was an absurd narrative really.  No enforcer ever fought an Alex Edler - period.  That would be an embarrassement to an enforcer - no self-respecting enforcer would ever beat on a non-pugilist type like Edler - that wasn't part of any mythical "code" of the past - it's a new-age revision that bears no resemblance to the 70s, 80s and before.  This recent incident is a departure from 'enforcement' of the past - it was an embarrassment the way it was propped up and apologized for - it had nothing to do with 'old school' code.

 

The 'enforcer' - is an issue that has been discussed a whole lot on these boards - I'm going to short answer this because I can't be bothered to elaborate at length.

It's a thing of the past - whether folks like yourself like it or not - as it should be.

Edited May 9, 2021 by oldnews

[Arrow 1983]

21 minutes ago, oldnews said:

I think your nostalgia for the past misrepresents the realities of the past.  Enforcers NEVER effectively prevented cheap shots - the whole 'deterrence' narrative is one that never lined up with what actually happened.    Cheap shot takes place - enforcer never made the culprit 'pay' - unless that culprit was an enforcer themself - enforcers never beat on people outside their weight class - what happened - what was called ";justice" was one team rolling out their enforcer, the other doing the same - and 'justice' was served.  It was an absurd narrative really.  No enforcer ever fought an Alex Edler - period.  That would be an embarrassement to an enforcer - no self-respecting enforcer would ever beat on a non-pugilist type like Edler - that wasn't part of any mythical "code" of the past - it's a new-age revision that bears no resemblance to the 70s, 80s and before.  This recent incident is a departure from 'enforcement' of the past - it was an embarrassment the way it was propped up and apologized for - it had nothing to do with 'old school' code.

 

The 'enforcer' - is an issue that has been discussed a whole lot on these boards - I'm going to short answer this because I can't be bothered to elaborate at length.

It's a thing of the past - whether folks like yourself like it or not - as it should be.

Disagree, fighting solves everything 

[Isam]

On 5/9/2021 at 4:27 PM, Arrow 1983 said:

Disagree, fighting solves everything 

$&!#. Disagree with your logic. Marchment and claude lemieux still ran wild around the league when enforcers were in it. You are just romanticizing the past.

[Cali Canuck]

No.  

[iinatcc]

A little off topic. With the NHL striking a deal with ESPN does anyone think the NHL will go back to a more physical and more violent hockey ? 

 

I was listening to a podcast from Sportsnet and they brought up for casual fans especially in non hockey markets they associate hockey more on fighting than actual skill.

 

Which to me has some validity as someone who lived in Asia most people there associate hockey with The Might Ducks movies, Wayne Gretzky, and Fighting. 

[erkayloomeh]

On 5/8/2021 at 7:05 PM, Jimmy McGill said:

I like the idea, just don't know where we can find one. Its like finding a virgin in Kelowna. 

That's why Jesus wasn't born there. They couldn't find three wise men either . 

[erkayloomeh]

On 5/9/2021 at 5:05 PM, oldnews said:

I think your nostalgia for the past misrepresents the realities of the past.  Enforcers NEVER effectively prevented cheap shots - the whole 'deterrence' narrative is one that never lined up with what actually happened.    Cheap shot takes place - enforcer never made the culprit 'pay' - unless that culprit was an enforcer themself - enforcers never beat on people outside their weight class - what happened - what was called ";justice" was one team rolling out their enforcer, the other doing the same - and 'justice' was served.  It was an absurd narrative really.  No enforcer ever fought an Alex Edler - period.  That would be an embarrassement to an enforcer - no self-respecting enforcer would ever beat on a non-pugilist type like Edler - that wasn't part of any mythical "code" of the past - it's a new-age revision that bears no resemblance to the 70s, 80s and before.  This recent incident is a departure from 'enforcement' of the past - it was an embarrassment the way it was propped up and apologized for - it had nothing to do with 'old school' code.

 

The 'enforcer' - is an issue that has been discussed a whole lot on these boards - I'm going to short answer this because I can't be bothered to elaborate at length.

It's a thing of the past - whether folks like yourself like it or not - as it should be.

So semenko wasn't  deterant for cheap shooting Gretzky.? 

 

[oldnews]

1 hour ago, erkayloomeh said:

So semenko wasn't  deterant for cheap shooting Gretzky.? 

 

meh.  how many minutes did Semenko play?  with Gretzky?

I don't think Gretzky was an easy guy to cheap shot - or hit - he had eyes in the back of his head and rarely, if ever, put himself in compromised positions.

 

would that have been an exception to my point though?  perhaps - I doubt any answer to cheapshotting Gretzky would have been particularly concerned with code - but I have a hard time recalling anyone managing to get many licks in on Gretzky - clean or cheap.  Would Edmonton have ever considered rolling without an enforcer?  I doubt it - it wasn't really an option in the 80s.

 

As an aside - for all the prattle around the NHL regarding what a hard ass, mean ass guy Babcock was - he was also pretty much the first coach in the NHL to roll lineups without enforcers - his Redwings pretty much set the standard for modern, skilled, possession, between the whistles hockey...'progress' can be judged by radically different standards from one decade to the next...

[Fred65]

18 hours ago, oldnews said:

meh.  how many minutes did Semenko play?  with Gretzky?

I don't think Gretzky was an easy guy to cheap shot - or hit - he had eyes in the back of his head and rarely, if ever, put himself in compromised positions.

 

would that have been an exception to my point though?  perhaps - I doubt any answer to cheapshotting Gretzky would have been particularly concerned with code - but I have a hard time recalling anyone managing to get many licks in on Gretzky - clean or cheap.  Would Edmonton have ever considered rolling without an enforcer?  I doubt it - it wasn't really an option in the 80s.

 

As an aside - for all the prattle around the NHL regarding what a hard ass, mean ass guy Babcock was - he was also pretty much the first coach in the NHL to roll lineups without enforcers - his Redwings pretty much set the standard for modern, skilled, possession, between the whistles hockey...'progress' can be judged by radically different standards from one decade to the next...

Semenko was indeed the man who rode shotgun for Gretzky and he did it well, not just for Gretzky but the entire team. Later along came McSorely, who I might add was so important that when Gtetzky was moved to LA he insisted that McSorely get traded with him

[JeremyCuddles]

No, the way reffing is these days enforcers would be sitting for 30 minutes a game for being too mean. Also, the idea of a pure enforcer is not good. Today's NHL every player on the roster needs to be able to play the game of hockey. The tough guys these days, the Tom Wilson's for instance, do more than just hit and fight. Between Mac and Gadjovich I think we'll be okay in the toughness department. And Woo if he pans out is said to be one tough customer.

[vannuck59]

What we need is another big mean D man that can play.

[J-23]

The enforcer role is dead. Not coming back.

[kloubek]

Nope. While I do think it is important to be a big team still and that you have to keep the opponents honest, there is simply no room for a guy who cannot contribute anything but muscle. Instead, I think it needs to be done by committee these days and we do (and *will*) have guys who can step up to the plate in that regard if required.

[oldnews]

41 minutes ago, Fred65 said:

Semenko was indeed the man who rode shotgun for Gretzky

that wasn't the question though. 

 

by "ride shotgun" do you mean the 6 minutes a game that he played?

 

that's the thing - enforcers were rarely on the ice with top 6 forwards.

 

when I think of Wayne Gretzky - his line - I think of  Anderson Gretzky Kurri.

Gretzky had a lot of linemates in his years - Tikkanen also in the mix, Lumley...

 

It's hard to get an accurate take on the amount of minutes Semenko played with him - can't simply pull up dobber and get the outcomes - but you can get data on 5on5 scoring....

Semenko was typically/averaged 11th among team-mates in 5on5 scoring playing with Gretzk - typically/averaged 6th among forwards...Kurri always at the top of that list, Anderson or Tikkanen always second by a huge margin (Semenko never produced more than 8 pts in a season playing with Gretzky - bu had 27, 24 pt seasons in Edmonton).

 

[Fred65]

30 minutes ago, oldnews said:

that wasn't the question though. 

 

by "ride shotgun" do you mean the 6 minutes a game that he played?

 

that's the thing - enforcers were rarely on the ice with top 6 forwards.

 

when I think of Wayne Gretzky - his line - I think of  Anderson Gretzky Kurri.

Gretzky had a lot of linemates in his years - Tikkanen also in the mix, Lumley...

 

It's hard to get an accurate take on the amount of minutes Semenko played with him - can't simply pull up dobber and get the outcomes - but you can get data on 5on5 scoring....

Semenko was typically/averaged 11th among team-mates in 5on5 scoring playing with Gretzk - typically/averaged 6th among forwards...Kurri always at the top of that list, Anderson or Tikkanen always second by a huge margin (Semenko never produced more than 8 pts in a season playing with Gretzky - bu had 27, 24 pt seasons in Edmonton).

 

I think Semenko rather than being measure in term of TOI or goals and assists. What Semenko did was set a tone for the Oiler. Every oppoenent in the league new he was on the bench. I remember Naslund talking about Brookbank and stated Brookbank makes ever player on our bench 6" taller

[oldnews]

9 minutes ago, Fred65 said:

I think Semenko rather than being measure in term of TOI or goals and assists. What Semenko did was set a tone for the Oiler. Every oppoenent in the league new he was on the bench. I remember Naslund talking about Brookbank and stated Brookbank makes ever player on our bench 6" taller

I think regardless of our perspectives on players like Semenko - from an era where players like him were regular fixtures on NHL 4th lines - how much can his presence be correlated to 'protection' of players whether he played with them or not - might be an interesting discussion - but the idea that bringing back an enforcer in today's NHL is a 'good' idea - for me - is a non-starter.

First - you have 4th lines throughout the NHL - that can play - are relatively talented players - who typically perform a (difficult) shutdown role.  Having a 5 minute enforcer - not only makes your team less effective between whistles / taxes the rest of the lineup - but also there are very few dance partners for them in the NHL - and enforcers never ran around picking bouts with lightweights, rats, etc - they fought counter-enforcers the vast majority of the time, with limited exceptions.

For me the whole discussion borders on non-starter - regardless of our perceptions of the 1980s.  It's a thing of the past - and it will remain that way.

[vannuck59]

On 5/11/2021 at 2:41 PM, Cali Canuck said:

No.  

YES

[Cali Canuck]

23 hours ago, vannuck59 said:

YES

Agree to disagree - a full time enforcer, who can't skate or defend is useless.

[lmm]

On 5/8/2021 at 6:37 PM, King Heffy said:

Ross Johnston doesn't qualify as a pure enforcer?  The role's not completely gone.  I'd rather bring in a tough guy instead of Vesey for sure.

I was going to say Matt Martin 

Ross Johnston is also an Islander

So I guess we can't be the first

 

the Isles must have been laughing watching theRangers get beat down