Should Fighting Be Allowed?

The ongoing debate about fighting in hockey continues to raise it’s ugly head once again, only this time, it’s because a young up and coming star was injured in a fight.

The debate is huge on sports talk shows as well as on social media after OHL star, who is said to be the potential first-overall pick in the 2015 NHL draft was injured in an on-ice fight.

Connor McDavid, of the OHL’s Erie Otters, suffered a fracture of the fifth metacarpal bone in his right hand and will be out five to six weeks. He will not require surgery.

The injury occurred after McDavid hit his hand on the top of the boards during a fight with the Mississauga Steelheads’ Bryan Cianfrone.

The fight and McDavid’s injury have reignited the discussion surrounding the role of fighting in hockey, and whether skill players should be trading punches.

Paul Bissonette Former NHL enforcer chimed in on Twitter saying that writers don’t understand the role of fighting in hockey.

“At this point take fighting out of hockey just to shut up writers who have never been involved in a competitive sport in their life.”

Some fans wondered why McDavid’s Otters teammates didn’t step in to defend the 17-year-old star centre when this all started, but at the heat of the moment, you do what you have to do.

Bob McKenzie (TSN’s hockey insider) indicated about McDavid’s youth as a reason for what he calls a questionable decision at the time.

He continued “Because he’s 17 and because he’s a hockey player lots of guys who don’t have the first excuse only invoke the second. Live and learn.”

So regardless of his point tally, should Fighting be allowed in the NHL, Junior Hockey or even at the Minor Hockey level.

In Minor as per Hockey Canada rule listed under 6.7 on page 93 any player involved in a Fight will be assessed a Major plus a Game Misconduct and it goes on to emphasise the part about the instigator and/or aggressor.

The only problem is what one person see’s as a Fight, others might call a pushing match if only a couple of punches were thrown by each player.

McDavid currently leads the OHL with 16 goals and 35 assists in just 18 games this season while the Otters top the Western Conference with a 16-1-0-1 record.

McDavid played minor hockey with the York-Simcoe Express of the OMHA and the Toronto Marlboros of the Greater Toronto Hockey League.

In 2011–12 he recorded 33 goals and 39 assists for 72 points in 33 games, and was named the GTHL Player of the Year.

The Otters have announced that he will be sidelined 5-6 weeks as he fractured the fifth metacarpal bone in his right hand and fortunately will not require surgery.