Does the NHL Need to Adjust the Fighting Rules?

I am sure we will hear more about this argument as we go along. I don't see fighting in the NHL going away anytime soon.

More Sean Avery...

Someone sent me this story, this one is too good to pass up. You almost have to wonder if Avery is going to be a distraction with the Dallas Stars this winter. You can't make this stuff up, Avery is like this vain male model trapped in a hockey players body.

New Line producing Avery film -- Chronicles hockey player who became a Vogue intern...
By Borys Kit
TORONTO -- Do real men wear Prada?

New Line Cinema will presumably answer that question in a film about professional hockey player Sean Avery's experiences in the fashion world, including his stint as a summer intern at a fashion magazine.

Avery, who considers himself something of a fashion jock, in May began a summer internship at Vogue, where, among other duties, he served as guest editor of MensVogue.com.

New Line, which is developing and will produce a big-screen account of his experiences in the fashion world and the relationships he made there, has hired ICM-repped Stan Chervin to write the screenplay. Contrafilms' Beau Flynn and Tripp Vinson, who were behind New Line's sleeper hit "Journey to the Center of the Earth," will produce.

Avery, also repped by ICM, was a member of the NHL's New York Rangers at the time of the internship; he's since signed with the Dallas Stars. Avery told The Hollywood Reporter he's always been a fashionista. "I was always trying to be the best-dressed kid in school," he said.

Avery said that though his experiences made for great storytelling, it was his friends that pushed him into Holly wood's stylish threads. Lauryn Flynn, a friend and director of celebrity services at Burberry, brought the idea to her brother, Beau. Lauryn Flynn will co-produce.

The movie will be a romantic comedy.

Avery, an instigator and fighter who piles up penalty minutes, said he took some razzing for the experiences but has learned not to worry about the stereotypes of sport.

"I think it's great to be into something that you care about," he said. "But I'm still an athlete who likes to beat the crap out of people."

Links to the Story:
Also check out the Devil Wears Prada Ice Skates.
Devil Wears Prada gets cross checked.

The top ten NHL goons...

Edward Fraser from the Hockeynews looks the his version of the top ten goons/scrapper in the NHL. I think the list is pretty solid and might be void of a few of the goons I would have listed. For the Wild fans notice the Boogeyman is not one of the players he has listed in his top ten. I also wouldn't consider Zedano Chara a scrapper or a fighter, although he is not afraid to mix em up.

THN.com Blog: 10 scrappers worth talking about
Milan Lucic, Boston (13 fights in ’07-08)
He probably can’t throw with the heavyweights, but watching the young buck prior to concussion problems last season was still a true treat…oh, and he has the potential to develop into a top power forward, too.

Georges Laraque, Montreal (13 fights in ’07-08)
With Laraque, it’s more about quality than quantity. And that’s a product of no one wanting to step up to the 240-pound behemoth. The Habs took a big step forward in the arms race this off-season.

Jared Boll, Columbus (27 fights in ’07-08)
Led the league in tilts last season. As soon as he adds a few pounds to his 6-foot-2, 190-pound frame he’ll be one of the game’s elite, if he isn’t already.

George Parros, Anaheim (23 fights in ’07-08)
The man with the moustache was part of several memorable scraps last season; his toe-to-toe with David Koci jumps to mind (has Koci ever been in a boring fight?).

Riley Cote, Philadelphia (24 fights in ’07-08)
I couldn’t very well leave the league’s second-most prolific fighter off the list, could I? This guy can’t do anything but chuck, but Philly liked him enough to give him a three-year deal in July.

Zdeno Chara, Boston (four fights in ’07-08)
He’s too valuable to be tossing haymakers on a regular basis, so when the extra-large Slovak decides it’s time, it’s a real bonus.

Sean Avery, Dallas (six fights in ’07-08)
He doesn’t drop the gloves often, but when he does get into it his opponent really wants to hurt the new Stars agitator, which makes for added entertainment value.

David Clarkson, New Jersey (21 fights in ’07-08)
Another NHLer who fits into the more-than-just-a-fighter category, the sophomore right winger found the net nine times in between knuckle-chuckings.

Daniel Carcillo, Phoenix (19 fights in ’07-08)
One of only two fighters amongst the 10 standing under six feet tall (Avery), he’s also the list’s second-most complete forward (again, Avery). It’s not beyond the realm of possibility he’ll develop into a 30-goal, 300-PIM beast.

Zack Stortini, Edmonton (23 fights in ’07-08)
Tied with Parros for third-most tilts in the NHL – in three less games – Stortini, 22, is another up-and-coming scrapper. If the Oil’s plethora of young offensive talent doesn’t excite you, maybe Stortini will do the trick.

Hockey punk Sean Avery reports for duty at Vogue

This doesn't even sound right. Sean Avery a hockey player who makes his money beating up other players tough guys is working for Vouge magazine. Seriously!

REPORTING FOR DUTY: Sean Avery started his internship at Vogue on Monday, and already staffers at Condé Nast Publications Inc. are buzzing about the New York Ranger star's presence at 4 Times Square. Observers say he's involved in all sections of the magazine, including features and accessories, and attends edit meetings. And while Avery pulled down $2 million last year with the Rangers, he's earning minimum wage for his time at Vogue, a magazine spokesman confirmed, denying speculation Avery was being paid $5,000 for his summer job. While Vogue has been mum on the specifics of Avery's internship, insiders say there's been talk of the hockey hard man attending the couture shows in Europe next month along with Vogue editor in chief Anna Wintour and editors André Leon Talley, Hamish Bowles and Sally Singer (which would be sure to raise the eyebrows of jealous Voguettes). No word yet on if he'll be filing reviews on the shows, or, like tennis star (and Wintour favorite) Roger Federer, appearing on an upcoming cover of Vogue or Men's Vogue.

Interesting perspective on hockey goons.

Here is an interesting story that I found on hockey goons. Check out this hockey player Jon "Nasty" Mirasty.
This is actually the first time I have heard of this guy but he seems to be an impressive specimen that was in 18 fights this season. Mirasty is also not known for his offensive prowess: 55 games 1 goals 2 assists for 3 points and 180 minutes in penalties.

No one takes the bait. Not Gillies, a former NHLer who missed 20 games of the current AHL season after breaking his hand against Mirasty's skull. Not Joel Rechlicz, an up-and-coming enforcer Mirasty pummeled the last time they tangled. In fact, Rechlicz won't even look at Mirasty, and when he finally sneaks a peek through the Plexiglas separating the Syracuse and Albany benches, the result is swift and strange: River Rats coach Tom Rowe grabs Rechlicz's helmet with both hands, then points his head toward the ice.

"Look at that," Cochrane mutters. "I knew it."

The whole scene is wrong. Gillies owes Mirasty a fight. Rechlicz owes Mirasty a fight. That's the code, the unwritten order that has governed hockey fighting since just about forever. They know. Everyone knows.

There should be blood. Only there isn't. So Cochrane smells a rat. Namely, me. His theory goes like this: Another fight fan, Peatycap, knew I
would be in Syracuse to see Mirasty fight. Peatycap got excited and posted a note on the message boards. Cochrane told him to take it down. Too late. Somebody associated with Albany saw the note and told Rowe, who in turn has ordered his players not to fight ... out of sheer spite.

Blast from the past.

Check out this fight from February 11th, 2003, it lasted a total of one punch. You have to wonder if Jesse Boulerice regretted getting involved in this fight. Boulerice took a swipe at Downey before he floored him with one hay-maker. Wow...

Chris Simon's act of Thuggery gets him a 30 games

There is just no room in hockey for this type of thuggery, a deliberate act to injure a fellow competitor who was in a vulnerable position the reward for Chris Simon is 30 games. I think it is time for Chris Simon to retire from hockey, there is no room for this type of brutality. Hockey is a tough game, however, there is no need for these types of acts, this last act by Simon was absolutely senseless. This is after Simon was suspended for 25 games for this act of goonery Someone at the league office needs to stand up and say the next one and your gone for life fro the NHL, 55 games in two season is a lot of games to be lost due to suspension.

TORONTO -- New York Islanders forward Chris Simon has been suspended for 30 games, without pay, for deliberately kicking Pittsburgh Penguins forward Jarkko Ruutu at 14:06 of the third period of NHL Game #472 on December 15, 2007. Simon will be eligible to return to NHL play in two months (February 21, 2008 vs. Tampa Bay).

"Several factors were considered in imposing the longest suspension in NHL history for an on-ice incident," said NHL Senior Executive Vice President of Hockey Operations Colin Campbell. "While it was fortunate there was no serious injury to Mr. Ruutu as a result of Simon's action, the deliberate act of kicking an opponent with an exposed skate blade, especially where the opponent is in a vulnerable position, is and always has been a repugnant and totally unacceptable act in the game of hockey.

“In addition, while the act itself was extremely dangerous, the fact that this is the eighth incident requiring the imposition of supplementary discipline on Simon compelled me to impose a very severe penalty in this case. When a player repeatedly evidences the lack of ability to control his actions and conducts himself in total disregard of the rules, as well the health and safety of other players on the ice, each subsequent incident is deserving of enhanced scrutiny and more severe discipline. This response serves not only the purpose of imposing appropriate punishment for the player involved, but also the purpose of deterring the player and all other players from engaging in similar conduct in the future - hopefully creating a safer long-term work environment for all NHL players."

Based on his average annual pay, and the fact that he is considered a repeat offender, Simon forfeits $292,683.00. The money goes to the Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund.

Rumor Mill

Jupiter from Gopher Puck Live is reporting that Kyle Okposo will not be returning to the Gophers and will sign a professioal contract.