The NHL is back for another season. And so is the fighting.
Controversy resumed after a fight in the league’s opening game left Montreal enforcer George Parros out with a concussion. It was Parros’s second fight of the game against Colton Orr. Unable to get up, Parros was taken off the ice on a gurney.
Watch and listen to the commentary:
“Parros is out. He is out cold. He hit his face on the ice and he is out cold,” says play-by-play commentator Craig Simpson.
“The second bout of the game for George Parros and Colton Orr,” continues Jim Hughson. “Colton Orr has fought 124 times [and] George Parros 160 times. And in one of their fights a few years ago you may remember that it was Colton Orr who went down hard and hit his head on the ice and we thought his career might be over after that scrap against George Parros.”
George Parros has fought 160 times in his NHL career.
The Parros-Orr fight caused some big names to speak out against fighting. Their words carry significant weight, coming from high-ranking, highly-respected people in the organization.
Hall of Famer Steve Yzerman believes “a player should get a game misconduct for fighting. We penalize and suspend players for making contact with the head while checking, in an effort to reduce head injuries, yet we still allow fighting,” he says.
“We’re stuck in the middle and need to decide what kind of sport we want to be. Either anything goes and we accept the consequences, or take the next step and eliminate fighting.”
What do you think? Should fighting be eliminated from hockey?
