As always, the debate of fighting and hard hitting comes up in the NHL.

I think at any level you will get bad hits and cheap shots. I'm not so sure his hit was truly thought out and planned. There are times when it's just totally intended to hurt a player. That is definitely uncalled for and not necessary at all. But enforcers play a big part in the game and have always been a force to be rendered with for players who take cheap shots at the "best players". Tim Connolly has been out for injuries he incurred both via the head injury from the hit he took last year and then this year from a perfect legal shot. When he played here in Erie he was never a real "tough guy" but a great player. When he'd get hit he would go down often and truly be a drama queen. I'm not saying he's not a good player, but he's been known to not be able to take a hit. So in his case it really hasn't been just the one shot that took him out.

I have to disagree. Tim Connolly did take a cheap hit that kept him out of the playoffs last year with a head injury. That was a confirmed fact. He is now dealing with continued pain from the leg injury (some sort of stress fracture), which could be part of his drama routine which you mentioned. But the head injury was what put him out last year, and it made a major impact on our playoff season. The hit on Chris Drury was a matter of 4-5 seconds late, so I can see where people would judge that as legal; I might even agree with that one. How about Simon's attack this week? I'm sure that you would agree that he should never again play in the NHL! That type of brutality has no place in a game of sport.

I agree- A few of these guys should be kicked out of the league and have their careers ended. That would straighten everyone out in a hurry.

Personally I think Bertuzzi's hit was something that he should have been tossed out of the game. His hit was done so long after the original hit and then continued on with such violence that it was definitely meant to hit and was done out of nothing but anger and lack of self control. I don't think ALL bad hits can be categorized like this though. In Cam's case he was in the action of play. Yes, the hit was after the fact but not well after the play itself. He went after him and he DID raise up off his skates but again, I've seem players do this simply out of the fact that they are shorter and in order to hit shoulder to shoulder it takes that little jump. In his case, I think he deserved the time off to remind him but kicking enforcers out in general would be a bad move all around. Hockey is not a sport for toddlers. If you can't take a hit like a man then you don't belong there. If you hit constantly in an illegal fashion, then you don't belong there. But if you're generally a good, hard hitting, enforcer then I think you deserve to stay in and kick some butt. Cam was known from his OHL years as being a hard a$$ and that's what got him in his spot. Off the ice he's the furthest thing from... but on the ice he has intentions of making his presence known and that's what he gets paid for. Just like many other hard hitters, Stephens, Bertuzzi, Domi and many more there are just certain names that are synonomous with toughness. And hockey is a tough game.

First off Die hard Canuck Fan I have to disagree about the Bertuzzi hit he should not of been pounished like he was how many times in a game do you see players get sucker punched the main difference here was Bert connected, there was a dog pile on top of them, morris went straight to the ice to protect himself, the Av's coach should nto of dressed morris, and the media hyped that match up to the point where u knew something was gonna happen and it did. They were asking the players who was gonna get the guy and who was gonna protect him. Secondly Morris was a fourth string player who maybe had another 2 yrs if he was lucky in the NHL and should not of been in that game after a very cheap shot on a star player. Thirdly both coachs and team managment should of done more to prevent the players form going after morris they were trying to draw fans in and start a rumble of the ice to get A$$es in the seats to make a dollar. Fourthly the NHL players Association should of grieved the suspension of bert becasue there is so much cheap and dirty play amonsgt the players. The only difference is he got caught and every one was waiting for it to happen. Watch a game specifically to count the number of punches and cheap shots that are given that are not needed to be done. If you were to do things liek that in Lacrosse you get a penalty and there is a lot less fighting in that sport. Finally the real victimes in this whole thing are we the fans and the players some have there careers cut short others become heros to people cause they busted up so and so in a fight. We as fans loose out on seeing if an up and commer got what it takes to be a superstart but the in injury prone casue of the dirty work out there.

I think a lot of the style of "hitting up" has come from the lack of support in the youth divisions. I've watched my sons high school aged players hit and they are truly clueless as to how to do it correctly. Hitting is a definite art and something that should be taught. Hurting others enough to cause injury is not something that should be tolerated at all. But I really think a lot of improper checking needs to be addressed from the lower levels of play. I know locally they are SUPPOSED to have checking clinics. We had them ONE time for the boys teams and never again. In the girls' league, which actually isn't even a checking league, they teach not only HOW to hit but how to take the hit and how to fall. You'll notice a lot of the high hitters tend to be the younger guys. I think it's a matter of not teaching them from the youth hockey years.

Agree that cheap shots are not needed but do remember that often a hit happens in the heat of the moment and isn't truly well thought out. Mistakes will happen in the heat of the moment. But I do agree that cheap shots are not needed. I have to argue that the hits, the fights and such are a very meaningful point of the game and have been since the first days of the game. It's definitely a pretty fast paced game already and a few good hits and enforcers to put some fear on the ice I think are needed. Just my thought though! LOL

You got that right! Why dojesn't it surprise me to see you in this discussion,ken? lol

I agree completely. There is a tolerance level for sure and being out there to mame is simply not good but for God's sake we can all recall or read about the original days of hockey when it was a given that there would be a price on a players head for who could take him out first. This is what hockey was about. Hockey wasn't meant for the baseball or soccer players of the world. The guys were tough and hard. They play with broken bones, gashed faces and lost teeth. They stitch up on the bench. THAT is what hockey is about. Anyone that wants to make it an ice skating event needs to buy tickets to the Ice Capades and leave the game to the real men who want to play it. Can you tell I love the enforcers? LOL I guess I'm especially adamant about it because I know Cam from his OHL years and have spent time talking with hiim. He is a big, bad player and he definitely doesn't have Gretzky's style and suaveness. But he is the guy I want behind MY back when I have the Gretzky style and ability and some big goon gets mad because I'm scoring over and over on them. I think most of the players feel this way too. The ones that don't are generally the pansy players that have been catered to, given huge salaries and primped when they have a cut. And in most cases these are the ones that I don't want to see on the ice playing because they can skate pretty. I want to see the REAL game.

Appreciate your thoughts.. but can't agree. There's no question as to the level of stick handling and puck handling at this level. It's not going to "increase" based upon removal of enforcement. Your enforcers are there to keep the guys from literally picking on your prime players. If you're going to be able to hit and hurt the smaller guy that plays awesomely with NO reprecussions then you'll do it. If you know that attack is going to bring out a little bit of retaliation you won't be so quick to go after them. The little guys appreciate their ability to concentrate on the game and do what they do best while knowing someone has their back. At this stage you're not going to see huge improvements based on any changes like fighting and such if you ask me. My 2 cents. With that and your 2 cents... we now have ALMOST a nickle! LOL Thanks for the discussion!

I do agree that refs tend to take a bit more in hockey but I think perhaps that comes from the fact that the adrenalin is just pumping with this game. I do agree... goon and an enforcer are two differnt things and by all means GOONS are the bad connotation of an enforcer. Enforcers definitely have their place! OMG... and Bobby Orr... if you know of him at all now in days the poor guy limps along amazingly. His knees went on him big time. His days were when you fought for yourself most of the time until your team found a goon to help you out. THOSE were amazing days and definitely politically INcorrect to our times eh?

Those were the what some call the good ole days of hockey. Bobby Orr was the first real true "Great One" cause he had to do it all Lacrosse refs if you beak to them when they call soemthing or treat them the way hockey refs get treated then you would be in the box for 2. Lacrosse has jsut as much emotion adn adreline pumping as hockey. It comes to self control and resepect for the game and those who play.