Red Wings

[chemiclord]

Didn't say anything about being scared. Lemieux had no choice but to defend himself b/c of his behavior and that only. He could get away with all his crap today without payback

The problem I have with this statement is the idea that the "payback" somehow changes anything.

I really don't think it does. Lemieux was a cheap-shotting goon before the Turtle. He was a cheap-shotting goon AFTER the Turtle. If he had Draper sized up in 2008 in the exact same position... there would have been no hesitation. He'd have turned Draper's face into hamburger again.

I think you're confusing the lack of opportunity with a lack of action. Lemeiux didn't GET another chance like that against the Wings.

As for back-pedalling, if that's what you want to call it. I have no particular problem with fighting in hockey... but I question the argument that it's some sort of preventative measure against thugs in the NHL.

[WingsFan]

It does changes things.

You picked the dirtiest player ever to play in the NHL - yes? A guy who even you agree will take a cheap shot at someone anytime he could have got the chance, right?

Its not like there were all these Lemieux types skating around then or now. Players policing themselves is the best way. I really don't think about fighting at all until something like this happens.

[WingsFan]

Yes but his lifestyle in general wasn't conducive with good health if you read his book he talks several times about being drunk/high and riding around on his Harley with no helmet only to crash it and luckily not break his head open on concrete.

I love Probie, but he fought more on/off the rink than any hockey player from here on out will (I think).

Yes , good post, he was a train wreck off the ice as much as on it. Getting hit with the taser gun 3 times by the cops before you go down - well that says a lot. My xwife was in rehab with him once at Maplegrove (not sure if its still around). He shared plenty of drunken -drugged story's that didn't make the news.

[froot loops]

The CTE happened from the repeated hits to the head. You guys are starting to sound like the NFL.

[chemiclord]

It does changes things.

You picked the dirtiest player ever to play in the NHL - yes? A guy who even you agree will take a cheap shot at someone anytime he could have got the chance, right?

Its not like there were all these Lemieux types skating around then or now. Players policing themselves is the best way. I really don't think about fighting at all until something like this happens.

I don't know, man. I personally saw just as many thugs and goons 15-20 years ago as I do now. Vicious cheap-shots are no more prevalent now than they were then, in my opinion. Chris Pronger... Steve Marchant... Tie Domi... there's a nice long list of guys from way back in the days of yore that didn't seem the least bit chastised by frontier justice.

Removing the fighting element hasn't made it any better... but I don't think its made it any worse either.

[WingsFan]

Pronger and Marchant were bad, I dunno about Domi though, besides that one incident he was just a tough guy.

Removing the fighting element hasn't made it any better... but I don't think its made it any worse either.

Don't have the numbers, but I don't remember hearing about concussions almost everyday back in the 90s.

[froot loops]

No sport does because concussion diagnoses were lax. It wasn't until they started dissecting brains that figured out that they had a problem. But there were concussions, Eric Lindros and the Primeau brothers had their careers cut short.

[WingsFan]

I was thinking that after my last post, player playing hurt. Something has to be done is how I started this discussion. The (NHL ?) and NFL may be more popular now than 20 years ago, but the product on the ice/field is no where as good. I still say its the equipment that does most of the damage.

[froot loops]

The football helmet is not much different from the models of the last 40 years.

[WingsFan]

Red Wings win 3-1 victory over Buffalo


With goalie Jimmy Howard winless in seven starts (0-4-3), Gustavsson has earned the lone two victories in the last 10 games for the Red Wings.

[WingsFan]

The football helmet is not much different from the models of the last 40 years.

Yea, that's IMO the reason all these xplayers in their 50s are having early dementia and other brain medical problems.

[froot loops]

It isn't just guys in their 50s, Cullen Finnerty was 27.

[Malto Marko]

The problem I have with this statement is the idea that the "payback" somehow changes anything.

I really don't think it does. Lemieux was a cheap-shotting goon before the Turtle. He was a cheap-shotting goon AFTER the Turtle. If he had Draper sized up in 2008 in the exact same position... there would have been no hesitation. He'd have turned Draper's face into hamburger again.

I think you're confusing the lack of opportunity with a lack of action. Lemeiux didn't GET another chance like that against the Wings.

As for back-pedalling, if that's what you want to call it. I have no particular problem with fighting in hockey... but I question the argument that it's some sort of preventative measure against thugs in the NHL.

Yes, a cheap shot player will continue to take cheap shots if he thinks he can get away with it.

Lemeiux may have still taken cheap shots after McCarty kicked his ass but, he never took cheap shots against the Wings because he knew what would happen.

[Drew]

We had such a well rounded team for all those years too. Not only did you have those highly skilled guys but we had some grit too.

DMac would protect the guys, Laponte was tough as nails and Shanny wouldn't take shit from anyone. I miss Maltby in his prime, he was such a great agitator and could score those timely goals when you wouldn't expect. At the end he was a wasted roster spot for bad penalties but in his day he was so fun to watch getting underneath peoples skin

Nice post. I was grinning while reading it. ...and then StevieY and the Russians on top of all that.

[chemiclord]

Yes, a cheap shot player will continue to take cheap shots if he thinks he can get away with it.

Lemeiux may have still taken cheap shots after McCarty kicked his ass but, he never took cheap shots against the Wings because he knew what would happen.

No, he never GOT another cheap shot like that because the Wings didn't give him that sort of opportunity again. In 1998 he took a run at Fetisov that could have been just as ugly, but Slava side-stepped it because he knew Lemeiux was prowling out there.

Lemeiux was not the least bit concerned about "frontier justice." Neither was any cheap-shot artist. Having to fight some other thug didn't dissuade them at all.