Built Ford Tough Posted August 31, 2011 Report Share Posted August 31, 2011 (edited) There is no link available right now, but if you go to the Toronto Sun website (www.torontosun.com) it is on the main page under a breaking news banner. Terrible news as Belak seemed like he was an absolutely awesome guy. That makes three NHL enforcers who have passed away this summer in Derek Boogard, Rick Rypien and now Wade Belak. With these three deaths, Marc Savard's career likely over and Sidney Crosby still suffering from concussion symptoms from the concussion that he suffered on January 1st, there needs to be some serious changes to the NHL in order to protect the players from head trauma. EDIT: Here is a screenshot of the Toronto Sun. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v730/strived/belak.jpg Edited August 31, 2011 by Built Ford Tough Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phightins Posted August 31, 2011 Report Share Posted August 31, 2011 Not only have three enforcers died, they all killed themselves. Lame. Fighting will not exist in the NHL 3 years from now, methinks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Universe Posted August 31, 2011 Report Share Posted August 31, 2011 Seemed like a down to earth guy all the times I've watched him on OTR. Pretty crazy offseason. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NomarFachix Posted September 1, 2011 Report Share Posted September 1, 2011 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EastCoastNiner Posted September 1, 2011 Report Share Posted September 1, 2011 Not only have three enforcers died, they all killed themselves. Lame. Fighting will not exist in the NHL 3 years from now, methinks. You're assuming that they all had mental issues due to fighting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phightins Posted September 1, 2011 Report Share Posted September 1, 2011 You're assuming that they all had mental issues due to fighting. Well, yes, that is the easy assumption to make. One thing that is for sure is that the NHL is going to be taking a very long look at this. I personally don't have a problem with fighting, although, my stance has softened a lot in the past few years...I used to be all for it, now I am realizing how unnecessary it is most of the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Universe Posted September 2, 2011 Report Share Posted September 2, 2011 Tom Cavanagh also took his life earlier in the year as well. I don't see a point taking out fighting from hockey. There are sports with much more violence than hockey so the NHL should just put more effort into creating programs for players that help with this kinda thing and help prepare for life after hockey. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Check my Stats Posted September 3, 2011 Report Share Posted September 3, 2011 Enforcers will always exist in the NHL, and they need to. You have to know there will (or should) be repercussions for and opponent taking a cheap shot or a run at your star player, or even laying them out (how did no one clown that Washington player?), even if it is clean . If someone lays out my team's best player, I want to do something that will make them think twice before they do it again, and if that something I have to do is fight them, then so be it. The only way they take fighting out is if they give out huge suspensions, and even then there will always be one guy on the bench willing to take that suspension to stick up for the franchise player. There are sports with much more violence than hockey so the NHL should just put more effort into creating programs for players that help with this kinda thing and help prepare for life after hockey. /thread imo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phightins Posted September 3, 2011 Report Share Posted September 3, 2011 (edited) Enforcers will always exist in the NHL, and they need to. You have to know there will (or should) be repercussions for and opponent taking a cheap shot or a run at your star player, or even laying them out (how did no one clown that Washington player?), even if it is clean . If someone lays out my team's best player, I want to do something that will make them think twice before they do it again, and if that something I have to do is fight them, then so be it. The only way they take fighting out is if they give out huge suspensions, and even then there will always be one guy on the bench willing to take that suspension to stick up for the franchise player. /thread imo. I used to agree with this. And I still see the logic to some degree. I just find it less and less necessary every season, I think. There are cheap shots/hits in every sport, yet the NHL is the only league that actually tolerates fighting. Again, don't get it twisted, I enjoy watching this aspect of the game and I hope it sticks around, I just don't really see the point anymore. There have to be safer ways to "police" the game. Edited September 3, 2011 by Phightins Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Universe Posted September 3, 2011 Report Share Posted September 3, 2011 I used to agree with this. And I still see the logic to some degree. I just find it less and less necessary every season, I think. There are cheap shots/hits in every sport, yet the NHL is the only league that actually tolerates fighting. Again, don't get it twisted, I enjoy watching this aspect of the game and I hope it sticks around, I just don't really see the point anymore. There have to be safer ways to "police" the game.The reason it is tolerated is because it is hockey. Yes it is violent but when you compare it to sports like boxing and MMA, you realize it's just an aspect of the sport that has been around for years. Nobody has to fight but some players it's their jobs. The NHL should be looking into more programs to deal with life after hockey and such because soon it won't only be fighters, as players like Marc Savard are pretty much [expletive]ed for the rest of their lives. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Check my Stats Posted September 3, 2011 Report Share Posted September 3, 2011 (edited) My thing is that the Matt Cooke's of the world need to know that they are going to get more than a slap on the wrist if they take out a star player, or any player for that matter, with a stupid or cheap hit. The vicious head checks and blind side hits are a much bigger concern to me than the fighting (even though this is an entirely different issue where tons of blame must be placed on the victims as well in most cases), which is a non issue to me; but I can see how it is an issue to others. If we are going to eliminate any sort of fighting, it should be fights in the last period, or when games are out of reach. Senseless fighting? Sure, try and remove it, but there is definitely a place in the game for fighting. There always has been and there always will be. If you take enforcers out of the game, it just means players are going to have to take a page out of Iginla's playbook and fight for themselves, and at that point, we are hurting the game a lot more than we are helping it. Honestly lets compare concussion/long term injury problem stats of fights compared to guys who get smashed by guys jumping off their skates to throw hits (I am looking at you Ovechkin). Edited September 3, 2011 by Check my Stats Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EastCoastNiner Posted September 3, 2011 Report Share Posted September 3, 2011 I used to agree with this. And I still see the logic to some degree. I just find it less and less necessary every season, I think. There are cheap shots/hits in every sport, yet the NHL is the only league that actually tolerates fighting. Again, don't get it twisted, I enjoy watching this aspect of the game and I hope it sticks around, I just don't really see the point anymore. There have to be safer ways to "police" the game. What other major sports have sticks that can be used as weapons? What other sports have boards that you can be hit into face first at speeds faster than people can run? What physical sports have as hard of a surface, going at as fast of a speed, with as little head protection as hockey? Fighting is necessary and will never be taken out of the game. You're being extremely soft right now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EastCoastNiner Posted September 3, 2011 Report Share Posted September 3, 2011 (edited) My thing is that the Matt Cooke's of the world need to know that they are going to get more than a slap on the wrist if they take out a star player, or any player for that matter, with a stupid or cheap hit. The vicious head checks and blind side hits are a much bigger concern to me than the fighting (even though this is an entirely different issue where tons of blame must be placed on the victims as well in most cases), which is a non issue to me; but I can see how it is an issue to others. If we are going to eliminate any sort of fighting, it should be fights in the last period, or when games are out of reach. Senseless fighting? Sure, try and remove it, but there is definitely a place in the game for fighting. There always has been and there always will be. If you take enforcers out of the game, it just means players are going to have to take a page out of Iginla's playbook and fight for themselves, and at that point, we are hurting the game a lot more than we are helping it. Honestly lets compare concussion/long term injury problem stats of fights compared to guys who get smashed by guys jumping off their skates to throw hits (I am looking at you Ovechkin). I'm looking at Phaneuf. :glasses: . Edited September 3, 2011 by EastCoastNiner Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Check my Stats Posted September 3, 2011 Report Share Posted September 3, 2011 (edited) If you watched Phaneuf you would know he more than makes up for it with how many times he is caught out of place and getting burned up the sideboards. Edited September 3, 2011 by Check my Stats Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EastCoastNiner Posted September 3, 2011 Report Share Posted September 3, 2011 (edited) If you watched Phaneuf you would know he more than makes up for it with how many times he is caught out of place and getting burned up the sideboards. What? Nothing you said there just made sense. Are you trying to make fun of him? You just said he makes up for it by getting burned. . Or, is it that his big jumping hits make up for it? I'm so confused right now. . I was also joking. Edited September 3, 2011 by EastCoastNiner Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phightins Posted September 3, 2011 Report Share Posted September 3, 2011 (edited) What other major sports have sticks that can be used as weapons? What other sports have boards that you can be hit into face first at speeds faster than people can run? What physical sports have as hard of a surface, going at as fast of a speed, with as little head protection as hockey? Fighting is necessary and will never be taken out of the game. You're being extremely soft right now. I will bump this quote the next time you bring up the typical anti-Flyers "goon" arguments with me. But really, I don't see the relevance in anything you just wrote. You just mentioned all of the dangerous elements of hockey. Cool. If anything, this seems like a decent argument against letting players maul each other to death with their own hands. I mean, the sport is so vicious, why add another vicious element, right? (Just to re-iterate, I enjoy hockey fighting). And Check my Stats makes a good point. The Matt Cooke's of the world are definitely the best argument in favor of keeping fighting around. Edited September 3, 2011 by Phightins Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Check my Stats Posted September 3, 2011 Report Share Posted September 3, 2011 What? Nothing you said there just made sense. Are you trying to make fun of him? You just said he makes up for it by getting burned. . Or, is it that his big jumping hits make up for it? I'm so confused right now. . I was also joking. I was making fun of him... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EastCoastNiner Posted September 3, 2011 Report Share Posted September 3, 2011 I was making fun of him... It's always hard to tell with Maple Leafs fans. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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