Class Match-Ups & Patrick Kane’s Video Game Pass

Brandon Prust gets a little kung fu on Tanner Glass. AP Photo/The Canadian Press, John Woods

Class Match-Ups & Patrick Kane’s Video Game Pass

Oct 26, 2011 1:06 AM David M Singer

It's been a slow few days in the NHL, but outside of last night, which didn't feature many fights despite a decent schedule, the number of games have been light as well. The NHL has a very wax on, wax off schedule so far.

The fights we have seen have been evenly matched. Last night pests Steve Downie and Patrick Kaleta threw down. The fight looked like it was going to be all Kaleta, until Downie was able to get Kaleta's helmet+visor off, and then took over. Downie was not happy about Kaleta keeping his shield on. There was no replay to see how the fight started.

There was one other fight last night, Sheldon Brookbank taking on similarly-sized Jamal Mayers. It was a short fight, with a few punches and grappling in the corner.

Perhaps the opposite of that scrap was Monday night's bout between middleweights Brandon Prust and Tanner Glass. The two went the distance, trading punches back and forth until tiring out after almost a full minute. This was the third time they've fought in the NHL. The previous two times Glass was with Vancouver and Prust with Calgary. As they're both in the "East" now, they may meet again a few times this season.

Speaking of visors

James Mirtle has a story in the Globe and Mail about Brian Burke and Paul Holmgren calling for mandatory visors. They each have a personal story, a turning point when they changed their mind about the topic.

I've personally never cared much. I know it comes into play with fighting, but if a player wants to wear one, it should be his call. I don't think the league or player's association will need to legislate it: insurance underwriters will.

On the fighting front, if there's a square off, remove it. If there's not one, there's little you can do. There's a Jarome Iginla quote I'm having trouble finding, but he was speaking about how it's frustrating that there's an extra penalty called if he instigates a fight with a visor, and he's encouraged to play tough — but he's also encouraged to wear the visor. While I understand the extra penalty for instigating with a visor now, as the majority of the league is moving towards wearing them, it'll be time to ditch the extra two minutes soon.

In the NHL, visor usage has risen steadily over the past decade, with roughly two-thirds of skaters in the league wearing one – up from just 30 per cent 10 years earlier.

So as visors phase themselves in, or get forced in from contracts, I'd rather the league and PA focus on figuring out what to do with the armor some players wear that's just as harmful to other players as it is protective to the one wearing it; and, if players do become more reckless with more protection, how to deal with that.

Only in a video game

Patrick Kane's spin-o-rama pass to Marian Hossa is sick. If there was luck involved, I don't want to know. This can't even be done in a modern video game. You need to go back to NHL '97 to get this kind of move off.

Videos added

Sheldon Brookbank vs Jamal Mayers Oct 25, 2011
Steve Downie vs Patrick Kaleta Oct 25, 2011
Brandon Prust vs Tanner Glass Oct 24, 2011
Raffi Torres vs Luca Sbisa Oct 23, 2011
Steve Montador vs Cam Janssen Jan 3, 2006

Comments

Anon is 100% correct. I played before mandatory face protection in youth hockey and as the rules changed and required face shields during my college playing days I noticed the increase in facial injuries increase at every level. It is all about accountability and respect. Get rid of the intigator rule and look at reducing the amount of protection on the equipment.
Posted by sporr on 2011-10-27 16:42:20 I'm young so I never played without a visor in any competitive games, but I think it should be the player's choice to wear or not wear one. Obviously, the smart move is for everyone to wear a visor, but NHL players are adults capable of making their own decisions. In my opinion, this issue runs parallel with the concussion issue in the NHL. I'm a firm believer that all of the changes in equipment and rules are changing the culture of hockey and making it even more dangerous. With all of the new equipment everybody feels invincible out there and they get careless. Players are routinely turning towards the boards when they are about to get hit and expect the opposing player to hold up at the last second (you didn't see this nearly as much even just 10 years ago). The culture in hockey used to be one of pride, but now players are flopping all over the place trying to draw penalties like its soccer. Players know that they do not have to defend themselves for cheapshots, so you have players like Max Lapierre hiding behind the instigator rule. Players used to have the responsibility to keep their heads up, but now all of the responsibility is put on the player throwing the hit. If the league is so worried about touch icing, they should get rid of the trapezoid and not hang defensemen out to dry just for the small chance of a scoring opportunity that it creates. Hockey is a violent game that has been played pretty safely for over 100 years with inferior equipment because the culture demanded responsibility, accountability, and respect. Unfortunately, that culture is dying and being replaced with one of carelessness and lack of respect. Mandatory visors will only contribute to the carelessness in hockey now.
Posted by Anon on 2011-10-26 18:57:12 Queue the endless parade of tough-guy pundits who have never even skated, let alone face a 100 mile an hour puck, to tell us all what a pussy you are if you wear a visor.
Posted by Anklebenders on 2011-10-26 06:32:37 Visor is for pussies! Sorry guys :-). My opinion
Posted by Scott on 2011-10-26 03:10:02