Report: NHL Instructs Linesmen To Stop Fights If They Can (Video)
By Phil Watson
It appeared as if Colorado Avalanche forward Jarome Iginla and Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Dion Phaneuf were going to brawl Tuesday night, before a linesman jumped in.
More from Colorado Avalanche
- NHL Mock Draft: Connor Bedard No. 1, but who’s next?
- NHL rumors: Calgary in Flames, Kings, Flyers set for big deals, Hall to Chicago
- Hockey Hall of Fame Class of 2023 revealed: Welcome to immortality!
- Hockey Hall of Fame Election: Who is eligible and how to watch
- When is the 2023 NHL draft?
Tuesday night in Toronto, Colorado Avalanche forward Jarome Iginla and Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Dion Phaneuf dropped the gloves and were ready for one of those star vs. star fights that are a rare occurrence in the NHL.
But a funny thing happened on the way to playing the feud—rather than waiting for the combatants to throw a few punches and jump in once a player had gone to the ice, a linesman immediately intervened and the fight between Iginla and Phaneuf was over before it started.
According to a report, that’s exactly what the NHL wants to happen.
Darren Dreger of TSN reported via Twitter:
Most wanted to see Iggy and Dion scrap, but league wants linesmen to stop fights before they start when safe to do so. Great example.
— Darren Dreger (@DarrenDreger) October 15, 2014
The worst-kept secret in the NHL is the league’s desire to reduce the amount of fights without coming out and banning the practice or enacting stronger penalties for those who get into a scrap.
This is a very subtle way of doing it. Take a look at how the linesman jumped into the fray before there was an actual fray. Call it a pre-fray maneuver (but let’s stay away from calling it fore-fray).
That’s a significant change from established protocols, wherein the officials didn’t get involved until it was safe enough for them to intervene or if one of the players is in a dangerous situation.
There have been other ways the NHL has tried to limit fighting—a rule implemented last season calls for a penalty if a player removes their helmet before a fight.
And with all players coming into the league mandated to wear visors on their helmets, fighting could limited even more. Only football players seem to be dumb enough to punch a guy wearing a facemask.
The players continue to insist they want fighting to remain part of the league and the NHL appears to be employing the age-old tactic of making it so annoying, that more players won’t bother.
In any event, even without an outright ban on fighting, it appears times, they are a’changin’ in the NHL.