Them is Fightin' Words

Much discussion on the topic of fighting has followed the recent death of Ontario senior league player Don Sanderson, who died after losing his helmet and striking his head on the ice.  Soon after the incident, the Ontario Hockey League instituted a rule that any player who removes his helmet or undoes his chin strap for a fight will be issued a game misconduct and a one-game suspension.

NHL GM's are considering a similar rule right now, but it doesn't seem to be gaining the popular vote.  In my opinion this rule can't make it in the NHL.  How are players with helmet visors supposed to fight?  Its an unwritten rule that a player who fights without taking off his visor-equipped helmet is a pussy.  So, unless the NHL intends to let players with visors fight players without visors, thus deeming them pussies, this rule shall not be instituted.

Hockey is a man's sport, and although the recent death of Don Sanderson is tragic, and seems as though it could have been avoided, there has not been a good enough rule proposed to make fighting safer without drastically changing that important element of the game.

"The NHL is a very different environment than any other hockey league that exists today. What might be right for the Ontario Hockey League might very well not be the correct answer for us" said GM Mike Gillis.