Squaring Off: NHL To Hold Talks On Fighting This Summer

NHL Competition Committee To Look At Fighting In Offseason

The NHL’s competition committee this summer will hold a “wide-ranging discussion on the consequences of fighting,” according to Michael McCarthy of USA TODAY. The committee, which includes active players, “might look for ways to ensure injured fighters are ‘fully healed’ before returning and possibly getting re-injured in another scrap.” NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said, “We don’t want to be in a situation where too many players are being hurt.” He added that there are “no plans to change” the five-minute penalty for fighting or the two-minute penalty for an instigator call. Bettman: “We’re not going to gimmick this game up because our fans are too loyal and too passionate.” NHL Deputy General Counsel Julie Grand said the league is concluding a study of concussions from ’97-’03, with the results to be published next year (USA TODAY, 4/5).

SURVEY SAYS: A survey of 1,000 Canadians conducted by Decima found that 76% of respondents who call themselves avid hockey fans “oppose a ban on fighting.” Among those who “follow the game occasionally,” 43% want fighting eliminated while 52% want it to stay. People claiming not to follow hockey were the “only respondents who favour a ban,” by a 52%-30% margin. The survey was conducted March 30-April 2 after NHL Exec VP & Dir of Hockey Operations Colin Campbell said he was willing to look at banning fighting, and has a 3.1% margin of error (CP, 4/5).