Why hockey players fight after a clean hit…

#nhl #hockey #newyorkrangers
Fighting in hockey is something that is a polarizing topic for fans, but in a game between the Calgary Flames and the New York Rangers, this debate was brought up again. Defending your teammate & trying not to take a silly penalty is a fine line that many NHL players have to ride, but we discuss why players do this in the first place & why it's important.
This video is also sponsored by Hockey Helps The Homeless. A not-for-profit hockey charity with over 20,000 donors, 3,000 players, and 1,000 volunteers that participates annually, and together, we “play with purpose.” Since 1996, HHTH has granted over $21 million to face-off against homelessness.
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[@nyrplayer]

Don't fight the player after a big hit, and you get accused of being soft. Fight the player after a big hit and you get labeled for taking a dumb penalty. You can't win.

[@NCS06]

Exactly, people just want to complain about everything

[@rew3809]

In my opinion, if the nhl makes it so the player who was forced to fight doesn’t get sent to the box for 5 minutes, people wouldn’t instigate as much and it wouldn’t be seen as soft if you decided not to fight.

[@dannyl-p1543]

@@rew3809 yeah but then people would come back about the usual getting rid of fighting in hockey, league is getting soft bs... people will always complain

[@RG-lr4pk]

Instigator rule

[@rew3809]

@@dannyl-p1543 anyone who doesn’t want fighting in hockey shouldn’t be watching hockey

[@tbertrand81]

I think it's more about making the player who was hit feel like his teammates have his back, than it is about changing how the other team hits your players. Players like Trouba aren't afraid of a fight and will continue going for big hits no matter what.

[@Cohdiboi]

*In Heath Ledger Joker voice* It’s not about the hit….it’s about sending a message.

[@yd4723]

Best answer.

[@kevinsabko7011]

step up for your team mates it's just the nature of hockey and like you said playoffs you do a big hit back instead of a fight

[@blueshky]

I must be the only fan that loves the instigator. That penalty usually DOES hurt the team that decided that clean hit wasn't okay.

[@btgkg9639]

Exactly.

[@donziperk]

Maybe the guy that throws the clean hit then has to fight doesn’t get a penalty or gets a roughing and the instigator gets 2 and five.

[@Butts_]

If you want to lay out big hits, then you have to be ready to answer. It's part of the game.

[@richardconstantin5424]

Im for backing your teamate and I also like the fights that ensue..

[@leeham6230]

Sometimes it's a great idea to start a fight after a hit.

[@pohateos9394]

I love this new generation of hockey fan that has forgotten THIS IS NOT NEW BEHAVIOR. Fights have been happening after cleans my entire life... actually even longer than that. Toughen up or go watch a new sport because fighting after a big hit has been and will always be a part of the game. No one forced Trouba to stand there after the big hit WAITING for someone to fight him, he knew and still threw it so there is no issue.

[@ajmpatriot4899]

Mickey Redmond would love this video! Well done! 👍

[@dnormore1814]

I believe the difference is that in today's game, players dont EXPECT to get hit hard like this. They play recklessly ( turning their back at the boards as an example) bc they grew up without the hitting that was more prevalent years ago. The players today go much faster ( no redline, no d man holding up a forechecker etc) and play a lot more with their head down and are exposed when they do get hit.

[@pickelsvonbrine]

All I have to say is this game was awesome! But regardless, a clean hit can be game changing. Oh and lets go Rangers!

[@DannyEssner]

I'd like to see players not get assessed a 5 minute fighting major for defending themselves after a clean hit. Only the person who instigates the fight in support of his teammate should get any penalty minutes.

[@renstein8210]

This is why there is a rarely used "Instigator" rule in hockey.

[@GeneratedAi]

you showed trouba doing an elbow to the face mate XD

[@LarryGailNaselli]

Full disclosure, I love a good hockey fight; but when it comes to a big hit that was clean, I prefer that a clean hit be answered with a clean hit; in fact, I prefer that a dirty hit that isn't penalized, be answered with a clean or dirty hit on a key player. In that case, you'll get the best of both worlds: repayment by a hit, AND a fight. Topic suggestion (one of my pet peeves): after a whistle, when a player on team A is already tied up by a player on team B, and a second player from team B grabs the player from team A around the head. Ganging up on an opposing player to headlock him, at least constitutes Roughing. So, how often does this happen after a whistle? To me it seems like a very common occurrence, and how often does it result in a penalty? To me it seems like almost never. This dangerous, unfair (two-against-one), and thuggish, practice would cease immediately if it drew a minor penalty every time -- ah, but that would require a modicum of CONSISTENCY from NHL officials, and we know that ain't gonna happen.

[@MeSoOnFire]

Everyone saying, “why” have never played an elite level of hockey. You either get it, or you don’t.

[@OthellZethus]

I personally love it, we get to see an emotional fight rather than a dumb staged "fun fight." Also fighting after hitting isn't a new thing. I grew up on 90's Hockey and have watched thousands of videos from past era's and even though hitting happened much more during those times, you still saw people jumping in after their teammate got leveled. This is something people have been WHINING about for a decade now and it's getting worse on social media every year. No, this is not a "problem" that needs to be discussed. If the NFL didn't have rules on fighting you'd see the same happen there, but the NHL isn't the NFL and in Hockey you can fight. Hitting is an act of aggression, these players see their linemates as brothers. Let the players be and stop trying to act like something needs to change.

[@m____w____6981]

Another reason that fights ensue after a big hit is to send a message that you should "think twice" before leveling a player. Hockey players are big and fast, a big hit can easily injure someone. Players obviously don't want to be on the receiving side of these hits, so they police themselves in essence, ensuring everyone knows there will be consequences after a bone-jarring hit.

[@matickosir3020]

Well said… the OP liked ur comment but said the exact opposite in the video. Just goes to show he wants interaction and views from other people bcos hes spineless

[@isthatujeebus]

You absolutely did not see players fighting anywhere near as much back in the day after clean hits. That is just fact.

[@OthellZethus]

​@@isthatujeebus I have watched far too many Vindiggs videos to not believe your facts. Players would fight back in the day by over-celebrating a goal, staring at someone the wrong way, chirping/trash-talking, spearing, butt-ending, cross-checking, roughing up another player, running the goalie, tripping etc.. If you believe it didn't often happen after hitting then I don't know what league you are watching. And even if it didn't happen pre-2000's, who decided that it was dishonorable to fight and stand up for your teammates? People who never touched a Hockey stick and who whine on social media all day lol. It's a split-second reaction in Hockey, no one knows if anything was "clean," they just see their teammate on the ice while the crowd is cheering. Should the player ask the opposing team if it was a clean hit before acting? Maybe he should go to the bench first and check the replay out, then make his decision. Come on.

[@isthatujeebus]

@@OthellZethus I said "after CLEAN HITS". Nothing else.

[@nodefense]

Hockey fans confuse me so much... a couple months ago we were hating on the Oilers players for not sticking up for McDavid after he copped a bit of a check and now we're complaining that fights are starting after hits?

[@ts13f65]

Nobody was hating on the oilers, McDavid is a big boy and he knows how to protect himself, he just won’t

[@McAwesomePants69]

@@ts13f65 He's broken his hand fighting, and any coach would tell the best offensive talent in the game to let someone else do it for you so as to not break his hand

[@btgkg9639]

@@ten1706 And then you cry for lack of fighting in the game.

[@btgkg9639]

@@ts13f65 Yes they were.

[@paulhegwood5062]

You can't let the other players punk you like that. Stand up for yourself and have your teammates stand up for you.

[@LtSarged]

the nhl needs more fights

[@gameimprovements4347]

100%

[@TrenbologneSandwich]

Just not pansy fights like these. It needs more real enforcer fights and genuine line brawls.

[@SRGNTSLUGHTR]

@Trenbologna Sandwich Eric Lindros is my favorite player. I couldn't take my eyes off him knowing he was going to break a guy's collarbone, hit, fight , score. Love it all. More is needed 100%.

[@njdevseddie741]

I think the sport has swung a bit too far into the skilled side of the game where you can see there’s less grit than there was a decade ago. For example I’m a devils fan and it’s full of the “future” of hockey and while it’s amazing to watch all the skill it kills me to see so many guys not finishing checks just lightly tossing a poke check and skating away after the puck. When opposing players have no fear of getting hit, there’s allowed to get comfortable and have the space and time to make the right decision and clean play. Also, it’s so plain to see an all speed skill team still gets beat by the physical team. With a rink this small compared to international there’s only so much room for the speedy skilled guys and an efficient and effective, well coached team can bring a team like the Devils to a halt just by throwing the body and shrinking the size of the rink by using their size and physicality. The ridiculous complaining about fighting stems from this lack of physicality that’s sweeping across the league. Less often guys are getting punished for having their head down and cutting hard into the middle. Therefore when a big clean hit does happen it’s seems like a HUGE deal and someone has to stick up or the Twitter nerds start complaining. All in all hopefully the game finds a balance where guys realize the importance to bulking up and being physical, height doesn’t matter it’s just mental determination and willingness to play hard for the team and the fans.

[@njdevseddie741]

Obviously we all still wanna see sick dangles and snipes but at the same time it shouldn’t get to the point where it looks like an all star game where guys are just doing tricks all game. There really should be an effort by all coaches to teach effective safe and clean checking methods and MOST importantly how to take the finishing checks into the boards and KEEP YOUR HEAD UP! That helps a player in all aspects of their game anyway

[@shawnperepelytz6397]

No hockey fan gets upset about a fight. What are you going on about?

[@cedarbay3994]

The point of fighting after a big clean hit is to dissuade these type of plays since they are optional.

[@mattwilner3848]

I love the fights in hockey and the example you used from the Ranger Calgary game was probably the best game of the year. Spots should be picked.. take a number and respond smart.. the skill guys these days can stand up for themselves most of them. I have mad respect for Nazem Kadri he did take it like a man and he was about to respond himself which is the best response I think to a clean hit.. .Dirty hits totally different. They deserve a ass whoop!! lol

[@ji3946]

Crosby always looking to the ref for a call while someone else does his dirty work, Mario taught him that.

[@ji3946]

Going after a player after a clean hit is sending a signal your primadonna can't take the rough stuff, period. Most highly skilled players avoid putting themselves in vulnerable positions on the ice, but it happens on occasion and you get popped. Get up like you can take it, that sends more of a message than looking for a call or someone else coming to your defense.

[@howardcraigiv518]

this really is a lose, lose. If you fight after a big hit your in the wrong, if you dont fight your labeled as a soft player. Back when i was watching Hockey growing up in the late 80’s - early 2000’s if a player laid a big hit on a team’s Goal scorer, it was handled by handing out a receipt to that opposing teams best offensive player. Thats how it used to be handled. Now im a fan of fighting and think it should never be taking out of Hockey

[@patriciajames6601]

For a clean hit. The other team should get a 2 minute instigator penalty for starting the fight

[@neg4013]

its about standing up to the bully. taking a number is an old time hockey thing when shifts were 7 minutes but with the pace of play now, you may not have a chance to get back at the player unless its a cheap shot which punishes your teammates while you're in the box resting. You stand up to the bully right then and let everyone in building know that you and your teammates are not there to be pushed around. its a mental thing not physical and anyone who doesn't know that has never stood up to a bully face to face. Let you team know you've got their back so they can make the right play, not the scared play

[@mplslawnguy3389]

This wasn’t really a thing when I was playing in the 80s and 90s. I noticed it in the late 2000’s become more and more prevalent. Not sure why, maybe it’s the generation of younger players that can’t handle being hit, but we used to just take the number down in our heads and line him up later. I think it’s ridiculous that players can’t seem to take a hit these days.

[@steverochon1620]

You succinctly summarized this issue. I have non-hockey watching friends, who, when I praise the sport, as me "Do they still fight in hockey?" I try to explain the rationale of that, how it can be too fast for officials to see everything, and how players need to police the sport to discourage undue dangers of moving at 25 MPH and carrying a weapon. I stopped watching hockey for decades following the rise of the Philadelphia Flyers in the 70's (and the teams who tried to copy their style). Hockey was turning into pro wrestling, and I blamed the fans as much as anyone for that. I returned to hockey in 2008, when catching a glimpse of the game I once loved and noticed how fast it had become, how there was an emphasis on allowing skilled players to be skilled players. We won't ever eliminate fighting in hockey, nor should we, but it can easily get out of control in the manner you describe. Perhaps taking the policing role away from players is necessary. A dirty hit could retroactively result in a player sitting for a game, or perhaps a team losing one spot on its roster for one game. I don't think I have a solution, but those smarter than I should give thought to the problem you so articulately described.

[@topgoat4421]

@@RJF8888 shut up retard. If you get intimated by the word succinctly you should eat another mouthful of crayons.

[@ChristopherLeeRephor]

bring back "instigation" penalties

[@Flagrum3]

I miss Bobby Baun hipchecks!

[@warmonger1389]

This is just the evaluation of fighting plain and simple. The NHL has pretty much removed enforcers from the game and this is the result. Fighting is still very much needed and this is the modern day "send a message".

[@XXXSuperNerdXXX]

Look at Seider and Kronwall. They're big hitters who avoid fights.

[@Soapford]

Anybody who doesn’t think fighting after a hit is normal never played the sport. You see your buddy go down and you go punch the guy in the head, it is what it is. Every team ever has done it to some degree and it is really great for team morale.

[@assbutter7627]

OK then you will take a penalty, simple as that

[@btgkg9639]

@@assbutter7627 Taking a penalty for what is looked at as sticking up for your teammate is a penalty you take.

[@assbutter7627]

@BT GKG96 ok if that is how the coach feels then fine but I dont think many coaches would agree with taking 2 penalties in an important game because the other team knows how to hit.

[@donaldleider7382]

Somebody tell today’s players to keep their heads up and this won’t happen!

[@drdrai7479]

Still pissed no one stepped up against Weeger.

[@Legnacra6]

well if you look at 80's hockey, there were enforcers, you hit a star player you were going to have to fight the fighter on the team. In todays hockey everyone is so big, everyone can defend themselves, but you are still on a team and you want to look after each other, i can give you big examples like after vancouver lost naslund, after a big hit, a few games later burtuzzi took it that the retaliation needed to happen because naslund was taken out concussion, and elbow bone chip. Burtuzzi then had to show that he wouldn't put up with the crap that moore's hit hurt naslund, leaving naslund to not play like he had been. So not to show any type of force after a hit whether dirty or clean leaves teams hurt and if you cannot put out the hit, and not take the punishment after don't deliver hits that can injure others.

[@The-Dom]

If a guy is targeting the talent or young guys with hits, then fine, fight. But these were guys getting caught with their head down, or expecting the defender is just going to play the puck.

[@b0ssbeerreviews83]

The more fights the better!

[@TheThinkingPhilosopher]

Not at the cost of the integrity of the game

[@peter-jx3uc]

I think players are sometimes not willing to take a number for later cause of how inconsistent officiating is. Like the first hit is clean doesn't get a penalty but the response a shift later can easily also be clean but get you 2 mins. Until this became a talking point this year there wasn't a risk of the extra 2 for instigating. Instead its a crapshoot how the refs would doll out the penalties. Even now it can be that way, so a fight holds less risk sometimes than hitting back

[@valitsemllaluokanavahyvaks3556]

Fighting is part of the game, i dont care even if fights happen after clean hits. Once fighting in hockey dies the whole game dies.

[@fellspoint9364]

Clean hit , no fight…. Just keep your head on a swivel for the next opportunity. Now if you want to send a message and shake things up then go ahead and drop ‘em.

[@254zero]

I dont complain about fights after big hits. You gotta let them know running over teammates won't go unanswered. To me it shows a strong team backing each other up. I'll never forget whe. Lucic ran miller and not one guy for the sabres stepped up. Embarrassing

[@Jonoman792]

Okay it's borderline a clean hit. He does leave his feet, but not much. I think the issue people were having is that he hit a player with their head down(keep your head up), he didn't need such explosive force to leave his feet.

[@bigmeetssmall7522]

If you can easily play the puck but smash your shoulder into someone’s chest instead clean or not you should fight

[@kdhaliwal5881]

They need to make rule to change this if it’s a clean hit

[@ossihurme7572]

Luckily this hasn't crossed the pond yet and we can play our games like we used to. Just asses the situation after the whistle and fight later if it's warranted. Most of the times the guy who got hit just keeps playing anyways.

[@Christoph5782]

The instagator penalty needs to be called far more often for these types of plays. If you immediately go to fight a player that delivered a clean and legal hit, it should always be a 2-5-10 penalty

[@steve8803]

You don't want to get blown up by a hit, clean or dirty doesn't matter. You want the opposition to know they if they demolish you, they will pay the price. Maybe then, they'll think twice about demolishing you next time.

[@oldsingingstudentdougbillf1665]

Overall I don’t like the fight after a big and clean hit. However…there are some 230 lb players out there and many of the skilled players are in the 5’10” 185lb range. If I want my skilled players in the game not out with an injury then someone has to stand up for them and you can’t let that happen. Showing Kari is an oxymoron because he would rip your head off with a dirty hit if he could.

[@bluethunder1951]

When a player hits another player in open ice coming in from the blindside and his feet “leave the ice” it’s not a clean hit, the Range, Flames game was a prime example, their feet left the ice in a lunging motion and there was head contact, that’s intent to injure, clean hits are when both feet on the ice and no head contact. As for fighting after any hit it’s mostly about who’s doing the hitting, guys get a reputation of dirty hits.

[@slime_street]

why don't they just wait for their own chance to land a big hit as "revenge"?? that's way more fun than just punching the guy and getting sent to the box

[@RG-lr4pk]

Teams don't have players like that anymore. There are 99% skill players these days. Even Trouba was a skill player when he came into the league.

[@btgkg9639]

Yet people cry that the league is soft because the lack of fighting.

[@CashMacGregor]

the instigator rule is already there. why the hell aren't they calling it?

[@terrymartin7993]

As stupid as it sounds I enjoyed being the recipient of a good clean hit...made me feel alive, made me feel I was in it !!! Part of a battle ..part of a war ...us against them !!!! ...good for the soul !!!...I don't understand what's going on today ? ...actually turning me off regular season hockey 😢

[@kvltntr00]

it's fine

[@ToaastyKoyote]

When I hear people yell at the I've to shoot or move, etc. Whatever it be they love to shout how the game works in their eyes but they aren't the ones on the ice. I will never see a player lowly for not dropping the mitts after a great clean hit. Especially when it's a hard, clean follow through. Rewatching it NEVER disappoints. It's one of the greatest aspects of the game it just sucks that it slows down the game. We can have a mix of those big clean hits with the speed. Love the game of hockey. Nothing else like it.

[@Fausto_4841]

What? Fans don't like fights? you're serious? i've never heard a fan complain about a fight unless it was their boy getting his ass beat.

[@logand3957]

I understand the hit on Lucic turning into a fight because that looked like it primarily made contact with the head in real time. Otherwise, completely agree it should not lead to a fight

[@btgkg9639]

Kadri is a star player on the Flames. You stick up for star players regardless if the hit is clean or not.

[@logand3957]

@@btgkg9639 I disagree. You hit them harder the next chance you get, you don’t drop the gloves

[@detangojet]

Depends. Who’s hitting who matters. Score of game matters. The hit on Kadri should always be allowed !! 😂

[@NXT_LVL]

Ok say you saw that hit on your teammate via a player who's known for dirty and broadline dirty hits and already hit/fought someone earlier in the game... Do you A stand up for your teammate and fight the guy or B, let it slide and let them demoralize you as to "they're afraid" Now with this, Calgary got an instigation penalty and NYR scored on that powerplay... then won the game in OT. By fighting you didn't tilt the ice in your favor during a tie game You had screw ups, two fights w/ penalties, and the powerplay scored on you, and you ended up losing the game in OT. All because you went from "playing hockey" to "grrr yeah I want to take this guy out." Thems the breaks in playing hockey and not keeping your cool and playing through it.

[@G8AR]

Life time hockey player and watcher. My biggest frustration with the game is that after every clean hit there has to be a fight. Its turning our game into pond hockey. Pretty soon it will be like watching the All Star Game which I stopped watching years ago because of the lack of energy and physicality of the game. Bobby Orr, arguably the greatest player ever, was targeted by many players. He always stepped up and was will to fight anyone who wanted to drop the gloves. Gordie Howe, another of the greatest, was feared for his physicality. This trend to fight started with Gretzky, who admittedly wanted fighting out of the game, was never body checked because Semanko would take your head off afterwards. Hockey is a contact game where clean hard hits without fights are needed so it remains the greatest sport. Just look at the playoffs, everyone likes the style of play.

[@corbinhayduk1698]

I think it’s completely apart of the game to fight after any hit. It’s not just to blindly show they have support for there teammates, but to set a tone, fighting stops momentum from shifting in the hitting players favour (if you or anyone you know who’s played hockey knows big hits shift momentum tremendously), it also goes back to the reason there were enforcers.. (ex. Gretzky and Semenko) when teams screwed with stars like Gretzky they sent out Semenko as a message of f*ck around and you’ll find out, and once they found out what happened after they f*cked around a little too much and got their noggin a little rattled they quit hitting and messing with stars like Gretzky which made it easier for stars to do what stars do, which won games. Fighting after hits is apart of the game, whether it’s to stop a momentum shift to overall protecting teammates by sending a message.. if you hit my players I’m gonna come and hurt you more so you’re not gonna wanna hit em again sort of mentality.

[@aaabbbccc1939]

Gudas has been called a rat for not dropping the mitts every time he decks someone. People need to understand he is the best and most consistent hitter in the league, if he drops the mitts after every big hit he'll be in the box more than he'd be on the ice three fold.

[@gregbiddlecome4320]

Player that instigates a fight on a clean hit goes for 5. Player that is "attacked" should get nothing. Problem solved!

[@troyortego4655]

perfect analysis ...

[@pierre-pete-martin7576]

Clean hits are great, missed dirty hits by the refs is what fans hate, dropping the gloves after a clean hit deserves a double minor to the innitiator.

[@pohateos9394]

Double minor?! Hahaha 😆

[@jadenmonych3369]

I think if it’s a clean hit on a player don’t fight let that player get the player back

[@makattack85]

if a hits clean and clearly fine in the eyes of the refs, and a fight ensues they need to call an instigator penalty on the guy who drops what they are doing and only on that guy. no double major or minor just the one so you really have to think about fighting the guy after. the guy who makes the hit and is forced to fight gets a warning but no penalty the first time around but after that it penalties for both parties. problem solved

[@melanisticmandalorian8909]

protect your best players

[@jocelyn5196]

Yeah, isn’t that half the point? Even if it’s clean, a big hit on a top player could have massive repercussions

[@ts13f65]

Or have them protect themselves, they are grown men and it is hockey after all

[@EweCantHandletheTruth]

Protect them from what? A body check? Lol…just take hitting out of hockey then? Or make them wear different coloured jerseys that make it illegal to hit a guy with a pink jersey on

[@melanisticmandalorian8909]

@@EweCantHandletheTruth that is some of the most ridiculous take, I have ever read and the d u m b e s t. 1) No one is taking hitting out of hockey 2) protecting your players doesn't mean they are sissies.

[@EweCantHandletheTruth]

@@melanisticmandalorian8909 ya, it’s supposed to be ridiculous. That’s the point! The question was, protect them from what? From a body check? Heaven forbid somebody does something that’s within the rules. Dirty hit, go ahead, scrap the guy. Clean hit, take the number and hit him with an equally clean hit OR go hit their star player with a clean hit.

[@j.thomas7128]

Give the additional 2 min instigator or 5 min unsportsmanlike for fights after clean hits and within 30 days, the endless scrums go away. Yes, you absolutely stand up for your teammates when they receive a dirty hit. You don't stand up for your teammate when your teammate is caught watching his pass or not headsup. When that happens, you go over to your teammate and remind him to keep his head up. This is why hockey was Was WAS referred to as a gentleman's game. This latest urge to illegally hit (mug) a player after they made a legal and proper play is the number one reason why hockey is no longer considered a gentleman's match. These latest clowns aren't policing each other. They are simply retaliating because they can't even police themselves.

[@frankverisco4722]

Calgary lost that game cuz of 2 power play goals due to fights after clean hits. Fighting after clean hits is dumb.

[@johnnywishbone932]

Just play clean hockey. Like Brad Marchand does.

[@jasonanglinuspsa982]

Make it reviewable. Clean hit, the instigator goes for 5, the player that made the clean hit gets nothing. If you want to send a message you'll have to pay for it, you don't get it for free.

[@ts13f65]

Most annoying part of the game other than Jack Edwards

[@mrmoose6619]

BINGO!

[@DiamondKingVideos]

Love Jack Edwards. Every comment like this I see just makes me love him more. I'm so glad he pisses off random scrubs online.

[@williamuptgraft1755]

Where is your date showing that hockey fans hate this? Every time I see it happen the crowds go crazy. This is an important part of the game to make sure that players know where the line is. You take the relatively harmless scrums and most fights then players will cross the line more often. Which is way more dangerous than a few fights.

[@t.lledsmar6052]

Testosterone, ever heard of it?

[@Knotdead73]

Clean hits are clean hits. That's what hockey is all about. I get real frustraded when seeing a clean hit and then players start running after the hitter. WT* That is what hockey is all about and guys fight for it ??????????

[@matthewsecord7641]

You got it wrong imo, it's s old school. There is a line that you can take it too far. I am a fan of clean hits, BUT I am not a fan of seeing a clean hit and then deciding to absolutely murder another guy. In the older days, everyone understood, that the guy you are about to demolish is trying to feed his family. Now more so with staggering salaries, the all but disappearance of enforcers to self police...it's gone forever. The Lindros/Stevens Era was about the time this shift in philosophy fundamentally changed. The 70s Flyers were over the top and lots and lots of exceptions as well, welcome the comments.

[@bradleypittman9370]

Very often a clean hit results in a turnover and then the play stops for a scrum

[@TrenbologneSandwich]

It should be an extra penalty for starting a scrum after a clean hit. Whether there are penalties during the scrum or not there should be an instigator penalty on the player who initiated the scrum that guarantees a powerplay for the other side

[@blahblahblahblah6546]

I don't think there should have to be a hit to start a fight. You should be able to skate up behind anyone at any moment and give them 10 good sucker punches for no reason other than "ItS pArT oF tHe GaMe!" It's very embarrassing, as a fan, to watch most of the players fight because they are terrible and uncoordinated at it. Also, where do you draw lines? Is ground and pound legal? Why can't you put someone in an armbar and break their arm? Are you allowed to eye gouge? Copley (the goalie) got kicked out because he punched somebody with a glove on? I'd rather get punched by Copleys blocker than get run over clean by prime Lucic. Maybe we should just take all hitting out of the game if the players can't handle it? Or are we destined to fight forever?

[@Sigma-Unknown]

momentum,

[@PS-vc2yz]

Trouba is a head hunter

[@TrenbologneSandwich]

Kadri called it clean 🤷‍♂️

[@PS-vc2yz]

@@TrenbologneSandwich I didn't hear Crosby, MacKinnon or Hischier say that

[@beastofman77]

🤡

[@brodyhess5553]

A lot of the comments here make me scared for hockey

[@samuellarsson4706]

Elaborate

[@Eric.43]

Double minor for instigating who says no?

[@dadadadoog]

Enough with the fights. Make boxing rings on ice for those who want it. Boxing ringks.

[@jimlangdon1947]

Would like to see a 5 minute Major & a 1 game suspension - if players react to a “clean hit” by attacking the player who gave out the clean hit. This would bring more hard clean hits back into the game. Would also like to see - elbow & shoulder pad equipment redesigned back to what was used in the past late 1960’s (padding rather than body armour) to reduce injuries.

[@McAwesomePants69]

I think the body armour design IS to reduce injuries

[@RLSteffler]

Trouba has never made a clean hit...

[@upload638]

If you've played the game and actually hit someone, you'd know that the hit being clean means fuck all to anyone. Why does a hit being clean automatically mean I can't square it right there? If you rock my teammate because he was looking a half second too long, and I think you could have pulled up on the hit or slow down on it and you light him up clean I'm still knocking you out.

[@dyingfromthelying]

Thank you. That was well addressed. I agree. Grow up take your lumps like a man. let's play some hockey boys. It used to be after a nasty hit. I understand sticking up for your teammates so other teams don't take liberties. But not every hit. why don't we just take hitting outta hockey then.

[@pmon8597]

"Clean" hits that can potentially injure a player are the problem. Dangerous hits should simply be illegal. Attempting to injure a player should be illegal. If players are held responsible for their sticks, they should be held responsible for their hits as well.

[@lilbiggs4661]

I think another interesting aspect to it is that it slows the game down enough so the next big hit isn’t it the same sequence with some guy seeing red. Fighting is a way to police the game imo.

[@JohnDoe-pf3ue]

clean hits suck it up get up and keep playin if its not a head shot or interference i dont see what the deal is all part of the game.

[@just6979]

If Trouba stops jumping and leaving his feet, not a "clean hit" according to the current rules, maybe guys would stop getting pissed at him and others

[@austins161]

If players didn't get caught staring at the puck with their heads down, something drilled into their heads since peewees, they wouldn't get their socks rocked by trouba

[@DiamondKingVideos]

Yeah he's rocking people with their head's down, but he still doesn't need to keep coming up so high. Kadri was a fish in a barrel there and Trouba still managed to come flying off the ice up high. Dangerous player, deserves every scrum.

[@just6979]

@@austins161 Not every hit he throws is against someone looking down. Yes, there are some, but other guys are hitting those same dudes looking down and they're not getting wrecked. These are NHL stars, they know how to skate heads up, but when someone jumps at you so that a hit that starts at the shoulders still ends up connecting with your chin and whipping your head back the other way, it doesn't matter where you're looking.

[@joeybellavance9844]

Do you realise that the difference between a clean hit and a hit to the head is a difference of centimeters and millaseconds which in most cases is impossible to avoid so If people really cared about players safety then open ice hits would be banned but it will never happen because most people love hits and fighting and that brings in revenue. I'm not against it cause it's fun and has its pros and cons but i would prefer no hits, no fighting, and most importantly that all nhl rinks be olympic size to advantage skilled players and disadvantage poor defence, poor positioning and poor decision making.

[@TrenbologneSandwich]

Just ban skating too fast

[@alext3571]

Makes the game more exciting 🤷‍♂️

[@seanvanderlee2419]

He was running at guys and got called onto the carpet, fairs fair

[@samuellarsson4706]

So you rather not have hits in hockey?

[@seanvanderlee2419]

@@samuellarsson4706 sit down Samuel, men are talking

[@unclebubs5286]

TRUE OR FALSE: In the last 5 seasons Brad Marchand has more points than Crosby, Mathews, Ovechkin, Stamkos, Giroux, Tavares and many other highly regarded players. TRUE.

[@btgkg9639]

🐀

[@unclebubs5286]

@@btgkg9639 Why is rat suck an insult I never got that? Is it because he has a big nose?

[@TrenbologneSandwich]

If you see it and it's dirty, fight. If it's clean but they're injured, fight. If it's clean but it's on a younger rookie in their first 20 games, fight. If it's any other situation you do not fight. Simple as that.