Injuries in Hockey Fights

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Larionov
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Injuries in Hockey Fights

Post by Larionov »

In looking over TSN's site, I was struck by the following items:

Anaheim Ducks: Ducks left wing Todd Fedoruk will be out of action indefinitely after his right cheekbone was broken during his fight Friday night with Minnesota Wild enforcer Derek Boogaard. - LA Times

Dallas Stars: Steve Ott's first fight of the 2006-07 season will be his last for awhile after he suffered a fractured ankle while falling in a scrap with the Kings' Tom Kostopoulos on Saturday night. Ott, who has three points, all assists, this season, will have surgery Monday, coach Dave Tippett said. Ott likely will miss eight weeks of action. - Star-Telegram


Is it me, or are guys getting hurt more often in hockey fights than they used to? Don Cherry used to love to say that guys never got hurt in hockey fights, and I have to admit that when I was a kid following the game religiously, I don't recall anyone picking up a serious injury in a scrap. Over the last few years, however, they seem to be far more frequent. Adam Deadmarsh's career was ended by a fight with Jovanovski, a fact that gets surprisingly little play. Of course, Nick Kypreos also got sent to the broadcast booth early by virtue of finishing second in a fight, and there have been others.

Any theories as to why this is happening? I'm far from certain myself. Maybe it is because NHL players are so much stronger and better conditioned these days, and as a result can actually land better punches than they could back in the day, or wrestle a guy to the ice with more force. Who knows? :?:
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tuzzi44
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Post by tuzzi44 »

Well the last of the theo fleury sized fighters are outta here... leaving just the big guys, problem number one. half of the gus that we may loosly call enforcers are all pretty big fellas.... lose a fight to one of those guys and your risking injuries.
Also, back in the day when enforcers fought and caused shit and played 5 minutes a game didnt need to be in the best shape ever. Problem #2. now that we got guys that are stepping up their game playing more minutes and getting a fight or 2 in there, these guys' conditioning has become alot better.were seeing less fights ending because both guys just fall cause theyre tired, were seeing more guys land KO punch
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Post by Fred »

Booguard is out of all proportition to other players in the league Chara excepted. I believe he's 6' 7" / 250 and if he lands a solid punch he is going to do damage. Not sure if we will see Booguard in a gaol near you soon I undertand he is being charged Grevious bardly harm for a fight during the summer, in a bar where else. Problem is aI understand his younger brother who's in the WHL is even bigger and nuttier and likely will also be feature in the NHL soon. Unless of course he joins his Bro in gaol.

So much for the new NHL, I don'y like players who are only goons, maybe there should be a minute rule if the player doesn't play atleast 10 min in the last game he doesn't get to play in that one either :o :o
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Post by yammi »

Fred wrote:maybe there should be a minute rule if the player doesn't play atleast 10 min in the last game he doesn't get to play in that one either :o :o
Sounds just crazy enough to work ... it should be put on the agenda for Shanahan et al.'s next "save the game" rules meeting.

I think most older fans might favour some form of fighting between skilled hockey players because they remember the original 6 era before the WHA and all that it wrought (e.g., the brawling Broad Street Bullies and their introduction of goons like Dave Schultz to hockey; the Birmingham Bulls and their almost purely goon team; any team that Steve Durbano played for in the 1970s when he wasn't in prison).

Ted Lindsay, John Ferguson, Bobby Hull, Stan Makita (before his Lady Byng conversion), Tim Horton, Gordie Howe ... these guys could play -- and also pound the crap out of other guys in the corners and when the gloves dropped ... and that's what should be retained.
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Post by Fred »

Bob McKenzie on Team 1040 said Fedoryks face was litterally caved in. That's not fighting that's major battery. As McKenzie sated i the scary part is when it reaches this level some one may either suffer life long injury of maybe death
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Post by ververgaert »

If I only had the chance to make 500 grand a year to put my face on the line I would gladly jump at it, having done iit all these years for free in front of bars..

The thing with Boogard is the guy can actually skate and hit. I,d rather have him punch me than run me into the boards.
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Post by ververgaert »

If I only had the chance to make 500 grand a year to put my face on the line I would gladly jump at it, having done iit all these years for free in front of bars..

The thing with Boogard is the guy can actually skate and hit. I,d rather have him punch me than run me into the boards.

Now all the pussies that want fighting out of the game are going to raise there high pitched voices again. A suggestion to them, watch womens hockey leave this game alone.
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Post by Fred »

You know I like to watch the boxing to, but the other evening I watched a Russian heavy weight take on a US guy for the WBA. The Russian didn't step through the ropes he stepped OVER the ropes , all three of them. He was 7' tall and 350 lbs. It was no competition. Boogard is pretty much the same. He's played in 10 games had only 1 shot on goal and is a minus2. The 1 shot on goal in 10 games says it.

I like the odd fight but by real players competing in the game but rolling a freak out to fight has little to do with the game
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Post by Island Nucklehead »

Gotta aggree with everything said. I'm not a fan of the designated goon. I get much more pumped up when a guy sticks up for a teammate and actually plays 10 mins/game. Boogard is just a waste of space and is cheap entertainment for the American audience that wants to see .75 fights/game.
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Post by Cornuck »

Fred wrote:rolling a freak out to fight has little to do with the game
Great line. That sums it all for me.
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Post by ververgaert »

The thing is this "freak" was once a little kid who played the game, learned to skate and then grew huge. Its not like he was huge and then taught to skate so he could pound on smaller players. He saw his chance to live his dream and did what he had to so it would become a reality. I say congrats , wish we had him. Hopfully we get his little brother.
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Post by Fred »

There's a lot of big kids around ( I used to play against ex BC Lions in the VAHA) and i wish him and any one else the best to make a name for himself, and play the game he maybe loves. But Caving Fodoryks head should not be part of his repotoire. Play them game hit hard use your weight and size but caving a guys head in was not what his family envisaged when they put him in the "sport" neither did Mr & Mrs Fedoryk.

As i say I don't mind the odd fight, to many become boring but two "players who get p!ssed" with each other hey drop the gloves and go to it guys but goons dragging their nuckles around the rink just doesn't do it for me. Chara who's the same size and did fight regulalrly in the Dub developed his skills to become a player, Boogard should try the same and If he can't hey join the circus
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Post by mr perfect »

I agree with alot of what's being posted here. When I started watching the NHL the tough guys were the Fergusons, Cashmans, Schultzs and O'Reillys who weighed between 190-200 lb. That was a big man in the NHL back then and most tough guys could play hockey as well as fight. Then around the late '70s the heavyweights started coming into the league at 220 lb and their names were Gillies, Beck, Semenko and Probert. With the exception of the likes of Schultz and Semenko, the tough guy was still a skilled player. Now, the designated fighter has to be around 240 lb to be effective and these players do nothing but specialize in fighting. Boogard is rumoured to weigh between 258-270 lb. Raitis Ivanans in LA is reported to weigh 263 lb and George Laraque's weigh fluctuates between 248-263 lb. These players don't contribute skill wise to their teams and spend much of their off seasons training like boxers and MMAs to get better at winning fights. It's no surprise some of them are suffering serious injuries. During the lockout the NHL really dropped the ball in eliminating the goon sideshow. The expansion of rosters to 20 players back in 1983 allowed teams to carry useless goons and had the NHL insisted teams only dress 19 players then there wouldn't have been room for the designated fighter. The tough guys would have to become regular players skilled at skating and checking to stay in the league.
As for Fedoruk, this is the 2nd time he's had a cheekbone fractured in a fight, Eric Cairns did it to him 3-4 seasons back. Fedoruk is about the same size as McSorley (6'1", 230 lb). Rather than be an inside fighter like McSorley was and Brashear is, Fedoruk tries to grab on and lock his arms out, geting into a toe-to-toe slugfest with much taller opponents. This style of fighting has won him legions of fight club fans but also has led to him getting clocked by guys with the longer arms whose punches reach him easier than he can punching back. It will also lead to Todd having to retire prematurely with concussion symptoms if he doesn't adjust his fighting style.
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Post by Island Nucklehead »

The sick thing is... if he's injured he still gets paid right?

Something like the 500 G's a year comment. So rather than risk being sent to the minors, let this goof break my face, then I can collect my salary for the entire contract. Teams must love paying their insurers for these clowns.

It should really be a rule, hurt yourself in a fight, no compenastion...it just seems silly to me. Like drunk driving, I'm gonna go outside the rules of the game to try and physically rearange this guys face with my fist...if you wanna do it, hey it's your life, but don't expect ICBC to pay for your busted knuckle or his busted nasal cavity.
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Post by Fred »

[quote="Island Nucklehead"]The sick thing is... if he's injured he still gets paid right?
quote]

Thats why you purchase Insurance, to cover these problems.
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