2013-2014 NHL Regular Season begins with new debate over fighting in hockey

Is this something that still has a place in hockey?
Game on – the National Hockey League’s 2013/2014 regular season got officially underway yesterday with three games on the opening night schedule. The beginning of a new season should always be an exciting time for hockey fans, with this year being especially unique with the newly-aligned divisions that created new rivalries going forward this year. Questions of how players perform on new teams, or which teams rise and fall from their previous performances get answered over an 82-game schedule.

However, last night’s game between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Montreal Canadiens featured an ugly injury that reignited the recent debate about fighting in the NHL. Partway through the third period, heavyweight enforcers George Parros and Colton Orr squared off for the second time in the game. As both players wrestled with each other’s jerseys, Parros lost his balance and was knocked unconscious with a hard fall on his chin. Parros was later stretchered off the ice and diagnosed with a concussion.

There is a general consensus among surveyed players today that fighting is still a integral part of hockey. However, it has sparked a fresh debate from media writers who are questioning whether fighting should be eliminated from the game. The latest questions stem from the possibility that the NHL could be held liable for the long-term effects of head injuries suffered from fighting – a debate gaining momentum following concussion-related lawsuits and settlements from the National Football League.

What do you think about fighting in the National Hockey League? Do you think it still has a place in the game in either the amateur or professional level?

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Vancouver Canucks vets to report to training camp September 11, tickets on sale this Saturday

It’s back to school and back to the rink, folks:

  • In a press release today, the Vancouver Canucks announced that veteran players will officially report to training camp on Wednesday, September 11. At that time, players will be made available to the media and undergo physical testing. A total of 36 players will be reporting to camp, which includes prospects invited from the Young Stars Tournament that is currently underway.
  • The Canucks also announced that free on-ice scrimmage sessions will be open to the public from September 13-15 at Rogers Arena. Fans can register and view the training camp schedule via the Vancouver Canucks website.
  • Around the NHL, single-game tickets will go on official onsales to the public on Saturday, September 7 at noon local time. You can already buy tickets for the Vancouver Canucks, Toronto Maple Leafs and all 30 NHL teams through ShowTimeTickets.com.

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    Schedule for Round 1 of 2013 NHL Playoffs Set

    Late Sunday night, the National Hockey League released the game and broadcast schedule for the conference quarterfinal round of the 2013 Stanley Cup Playoffs. The puck drops on Tuesday, April 30th as matchups begin between Chicago/Minnesota, Anaheim/Detroit and St. Louis/Los Angeles.

    As for the four Canadian teams in action, the Vancouver Canucks (3rd) kick things off at home on Wednesday as they host the San Jose Sharks (6th). Despite a trend of dominance in years past, the Sharks have had the edge in head-to-head play in this abbreviated season, winning all three regular season games (2 in regulation, one in a shootout). Both teams will have a lot to prove going into the playoffs.

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    On Thursday, the other three Canadian teams get going on their series, with an all-Canadian matchup between the Ottawa Senators (7th) and Montreal Canadiens (2nd) at the Bell Centre, and an Original Six series between the Boston Bruins (4th) and Toronto Maple Leafs (5th).

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    Leafs Look to Burke to Make Tough Calls

    kadri_4121Five games into the preseason, and the Toronto Maple Leafs have already had their share of ups and downs. The team that finished 29th last season has looked to the Dion Phaneuf and Fredrik Sjostrom trade made on January 21st to turn their lackluster performance around. From the trade until the end of the season, the leafs had the 7th best record in the Eastern Conference. Since then, they have (re)signed a number of dominating players.

    So far in this preseason, we have gotten mixed signals from the Leafs. We’ve seen both optimistic play as well as signs of old habits.

    Now, more than half way through the preseason games, the Leafs must start making the hard decisions. The first of which will be what to do with Nazem Kadri. The 19 year old London Knights player Read More

    It's Hockey Season!

    NHLlogoThe NHL preseason has begun.
    There are a couple of things to be remember in the weeks leading up to the first regular season game on October 7th.
    The first is that preseason games do not influence who makes the playoff or directly affect a team’s Stanley Cup run.
    The second, these games are a great opportunity to showcase new talent, watch players up from the minors or recently added to the roster, and see the coaches and GMs test out lines, positions, special teams, and game strategy.
    A perfect example of the experiments that come in preseason games was seen by the split team strategy in the Vancouver Canucks vs. Calgary Flames on September 21st.
    Most teams have only played one or two games, but already the predictions are starting to fly. Read More

    It’s Hockey Season!

    NHLlogoThe NHL preseason has begun.

    There are a couple of things to be remember in the weeks leading up to the first regular season game on October 7th.

    The first is that preseason games do not influence who makes the playoff or directly affect a team’s Stanley Cup run.

    The second, these games are a great opportunity to showcase new talent, watch players up from the minors or recently added to the roster, and see the coaches and GMs test out lines, positions, special teams, and game strategy.

    A perfect example of the experiments that come in preseason games was seen by the split team strategy in the Vancouver Canucks vs. Calgary Flames on September 21st.

    Most teams have only played one or two games, but already the predictions are starting to fly. Read More