Fighter's Remorse? Matt Carkner

[BaddaBing Badda Boom]

I believe this post is in the right forum as it looks back and asks a question.

Derek Boogard had two fights with Steve Mcintyre in one game. In the second fight Derek had his nose broken and probably suffered a concussion. Not to long after Boogard had a fight with Matt Carkner where Boogard took a wallop and exacerbated an already festering problem, namely, a concussed brain.

A terrible string of events followed for Boogard ending with his untimely passing...

Since then we really have not seen Carkner engaged, at least with the same passion and intensity. He seems to be in the line-up, but is virtually invisible. Time has sufficiently passed to heal any nagging physical injuries.

I believe that the Boogard situation has dramatically effected Matt Carkner.

[Stevens Lindros]

i never thought of it that way, but I think it did.

[srehm1]

That could be part of it. carkner has dressed in only 29 games this year. so if we take that combined with the major shift away from the pure enforcer HW's, i can see why he hasn't fought much this year.

[Phillyfan11]

I don't think so. I have a friend at college who's family is close to Matt up in Ottawa and I asked him if he was alright and like feeling guilty over the Boogard thing. He said Matt's fine and that he knows full well the fight isn't why Boogard died. He knows that he OD'd etc.

I think the reason Carkner isn't fighting much this year is the same reason Engelland didn't fight much this year. Just isn't as many willing combatants. Every game versus the Flyers he's only had Rinaldo to even bother with and has challenged him every game and tried to get him to go. If Carkner was that devastated about things he wouldn't have fought that non fighter from Tampa a couple months back.

[Stevens Lindros]

Originally Posted by Phillyfan11

I don't think so. I have a friend at college who's family is close to Matt up in Ottawa and I asked him if he was alright and like feeling guilty over the Boogard thing. He said Matt's fine and that he knows full well the fight isn't why Boogard died. He knows that he OD'd etc.

I think the reason Carkner isn't fighting much this year is the same reason Engelland didn't fight much this year. Just isn't as many willing combatants. Every game versus the Flyers he's only had Rinaldo to even bother with and has challenged him every game and tried to get him to go. If Carkner was that devastated about things he wouldn't have fought that non fighter from Tampa a couple months back.

That may be just what he's saying. It might still be in his mind a little. After all after the fight he was ****-talking the injured Boogaard and then flicked his own blood at the Ranger bench.

As for that and the fight against the guy from Tampa, nobody said Carkner was a classy fighter, he's not. He also knows he has to fight a little to stay in the league.

[fcm]

I don't think so. If he had remorses, he wouldn't go against notable enforcers like Adam Hall and Mark Stuart.

[Blues 34]

Good discussion only Carkner really knows if this has effected him I would be more inclined to think the decline in his fighting has to do with the general decline in guys in his weight class though

[CBarnes]

I have no doubt the Boogaard fight has changed the way he thinks, he threw Boogaard to the ice like a friggin wrestler which did more damage to Derek than the punches thrown essentially ending the year and soon enough the life of Boogaard.
Look back and you could see a change in the way Boogaard fought after becoming friends with Todd Fedoruk and realizing the effect he had upon other people and their lives, Boogaard still fought to win but if you watch his fights you can see him holding up when the other player was in a real vulnerable position where as in his early NHL career he didn't think twice about it.

[BaddaBing Badda Boom]

Originally Posted by CBarnes

I have no doubt the Boogaard fight has changed the way he thinks, he threw Boogaard to the ice like a friggin wrestler which did more damage to Derek than the punches thrown essentially ending the year and soon enough the life of Boogaard.
Look back and you could see a change in the way Boogaard fought after becoming friends with Todd Fedoruk and realizing the effect he had upon other people and their lives, Boogaard still fought to win but if you watch his fights you can see him holding up when the other player was in a real vulnerable position where as in his early NHL career he didn't think twice about it.

Interesting revelation, was not aware of that. I like to cite Carkner's mediocre performance against Milan Lucic earlier in the season. This is not to take away from Lucic who is a force, however, Carkner seemed only to be going through the paces and not really interested in taking care of business at that high level we have become accustomed with.

[rondo]

I have wondered about that myself. But really I think it'a more of what was said above. No Orr, Boogaard, Brashear, Macintyre. Time will tell and don't forget he also dropped Rick Rypien last year and he is now gone to. Not saying Carkner had anything to do with it but you would think it has crossed his mind...

[5 4 Fighting]

I was waiting for this thread to come up all year...i believe it has effected Carkner...he did technically end the career of Derek...

i think fighting in general is down in the NHL due to the fact of the tragedies we had in the off-season...