Quebec Major Junior Hockey League bans fighting

[bapo!]

We've been over this before in various threads over the years, but this is a big deal, no? Still some details to work out, but should be in place by next season.

Here's the Athletic thread (paywalled) for some context. Sounds like the Quebec government was pressuring the league. Not sure how this will be going forward, with the Ontario and Western leagues still allowing fighting. That seems like a pretty fundamental difference for three leagues under the same umbrella.

[MaxWebster]

just read that - i'm all-in.

i've been to my share of junior games over the years and i'll admit to being a total hypocrite at times (especially during one long-ago epic Ray Emery vs some London goalie i've forgotten about) but i always end up feeling gross afterwards because we're watching literal teenagers beat the crap out of each other in front of a crowd. And in juniors it happened *every game* - far far overdue and you have to think the O and W have to follow suit at some point.

[bapo!]

you have to think the O and W have to follow suit at some point.

If major-junior is a prep league for the pros, then I can see the argument that the Q is at a disadvantage for not allowing fighting, even if fighting is being de-emphasized across all levels. I'm curious to see how the Memorial Cup handles this.

Eh. They'll figure it out eventually. I'm anti-fighting, so the less fighting, the better.

[Pruitt IV]

Long past time.

Interesting that the politician pushing for the ban

Enrico Ciccone, a Liberal member of Quebec's national assembly and a former NHL enforcer with 85 fights in 374 NHL games, according to hockeyfights.com. Ciccone has been vocal about wanting change in the QMJHL so players don't have to go through what he and his teammates went through.

The other two leagues the OHL's "three fight rule" means that a player's fourth fight (and subsequent fights) gets him a two game suspension. Which is a step in the right direction, but the WHL's rule is

In 2021-22, the WHL began assessing a misconduct against anyone who tries to remove their own or an opponent's helmet. Enforcing helmets to stay on during fights forces players to reconsider whether they want to be punching at a helmet rather than an opponent's head.

[wlu_lax6]

From a recruiting the best player perspective, not having to goon it up, probably is a good thing. I don't know the rules on playing in which league, but seems this could encourage more skill folks to go to this league.

[Nonlinear FC]

ETA - To wlu's point: One of the draws for college hockey is the absolute kibosh on staged fighting.

I see this through the prism of that long-standing arms race.

[Pruitt IV]

Don Cherry has disappeared since being fired by the CBC - this could be what kills him.

[degenerasian]

Don Cherry has disappeared since being fired by the CBC - this could be what kills him.

He hasn't, he's got a weekly podcast which is a much better format for him. And it doesn't have Ron MacLean.

[bapo!]

I've admitted before that I have a soft spot for Cherry simply because he was such an anachronism. I even read one of his books after he was fired. There's a part of me that misses him.

[sancarlos]

Don Cherry has disappeared since being fired by the CBC - this could be what kills him.

He hasn't, he's got a weekly podcast which is a much better format for him. And it doesn't have Ron MacLean.

But you can’t see his cheesy suits on a podcast!

And, Degen and Bapo!, I love you guys but I don’t for one second miss Don Cherry.

[bapo!]

And, Degen and Bapo!, I love you guys but I don’t for one second miss Don Cherry.

Hey, we're allowed to disagree on personalities like Cherry or Howard Cosell. I expect opposition there. But if you ever tell me that you're not a Charlie Chaplin fan, or a Marx Brothers fan, that might break my heart.

[sancarlos]

And, Degen and Bapo!, I love you guys but I don’t for one second miss Don Cherry.

Hey, we're allowed to disagree on personalities like Cherry or Howard Cosell. I expect opposition there. But if you ever tell me that you're not a Charlie Chaplin fan, or a Marx Brothers fan, that might break my heart.

I particularly love the Marx Brothers!

[bapo!]

I particularly love the Marx Brothers!

Okay, good. I'll sleep easier tonight. I've spent the past year reading and watching everything about those guys. My biggest pop-culture surprise of 2022 was falling in love with Harpo.

Anyway, to get back on-topic, here's a mic'd-up Marc-Andre Fleury complaining to the linesman when he wasn't allowed to fight Jordan Binnington a couple of nights ago. I'm anti-fighting, but I'll always be pro-Flower.

[govmentchedda]

Long past time.

Interesting that the politician pushing for the ban

Enrico Ciccone, a Liberal member of Quebec's national assembly and a former NHL enforcer with 85 fights in 374 NHL games, according to hockeyfights.com. Ciccone has been vocal about wanting change in the QMJHL so players don't have to go through what he and his teammates went through.

The other two leagues the OHL's "three fight rule" means that a player's fourth fight (and subsequent fights) gets him a two game suspension. Which is a step in the right direction, but the WHL's rule is

In 2021-22, the WHL began assessing a misconduct against anyone who tries to remove their own or an opponent's helmet. Enforcing helmets to stay on during fights forces players to reconsider whether they want to be punching at a helmet rather than an opponent's head.

Ciccone! Loved him as a Bolt. He's in Tampa this weekend for the 30th anniversary festivities.

[sancarlos]

Long past time.

Interesting that the politician pushing for the ban

Enrico Ciccone, a Liberal member of Quebec's national assembly and a former NHL enforcer with 85 fights in 374 NHL games, according to hockeyfights.com. Ciccone has been vocal about wanting change in the QMJHL so players don't have to go through what he and his teammates went through.

The other two leagues the OHL's "three fight rule" means that a player's fourth fight (and subsequent fights) gets him a two game suspension. Which is a step in the right direction, but the WHL's rule is

In 2021-22, the WHL began assessing a misconduct against anyone who tries to remove their own or an opponent's helmet. Enforcing helmets to stay on during fights forces players to reconsider whether they want to be punching at a helmet rather than an opponent's head.

Ciccone! Loved him as a Bolt. He's in Tampa this weekend for the 30th anniversary festivities.

Given his current anti-fighting stance, I wonder how he’ll react when fans gush to him about fights of his back in the day.

[bapo!]

Given his current anti-fighting stance, I wonder how he’ll react when fans gush to him about fights of his back in the day.

Hey, remember that fight you had against [guy who died of an overdose]? Or that fight against [another guy who died of an overdose]?