Full-blown frustration sets in as Mitchell and Raymond square off at Canucks practice

From the Vancouver Sun:

They can't win a game to save their lives, but the Vancouver Canucks have their game faces on at practice today at UBC.

Losers of eight straight home games, the Canucks' tension and frustration boiled over with a practice altercation involving defenceman Willie Mitchell and winger Mason Raymond.

Mitchell ran at Raymond during a drill and, when the speedy sophomore came back at the veteran in the corner, Mitchell punched Raymond in the head and cross-checked him hard on the shoulder. VIDEO OF THE INCIDENT

The fracas drew several players and coaches, and tough defenceman Shane O'Brien skated to Raymond's defence and challenged Mitchell to fight before tempers calmed.

This only adds to speculations that team chemistry is in question, one of many problems that are plaguing the group.
I don't have many further comments or opinions on this depressing mess right now. It's tough to be positive. It's also too bad they couldn't go on a massive road trip to get away from the pressure-packed GM Place. But they have to wait until February 10 for that to happen. In the meantime they play Minnesota, Carolina and Chicago at home.
This could get ugly. At some point a change has to happen if this team cannot turn it around. I just hope that some kind of change happens before they get too far into the hole.

The Sun article also mentions that Mats Sundin was assigned to the Kesler-Burrows checking line. That may just work. There hasn't been much chemistry between Sundin and anyone else lately, except maybe Pavol Demitra, who remains out with a sore groin.

Below is a clip of several fights between teammates in the past. Remember the Probert-Primeau tilt in the Red Wings practice in 1994?





**UPDATE**
Here is some post-practice interviews. The players and coach like the aggression in practice and understand the frustration levels right now.

It appears that Wellwood and O'Brien are going to sit out against the Wild, while Rob Davison and Pavol Demitra will draw back in.

Image above from Vancouver Province

T Tags: Mitchell+Raymond+fight+video Canucks+fighting+at+practice Mason+Raymond Willie+Mitchell Shane O'Brien frustration

Lee Goren smash

Wow. Former Canuck Lee Goren (in white) is seen turning Linkoping's Andreas Pihl face into mashed potatoes. What a bloody massacre. Shouldn't be too surprised here. Lee Goren is from Winnipeg.
The clip of the fight is seen below. Pretty much an ass kicking by Goren.
Yes, I still read Hockeyexpressen. Sometimes it seems the Swedish Elite League is more violent than the NHL.








MORE GOREN

- Goren tribute video, including footage of him playing with Linden, scoring his first goal as a Canuck, and some NHL tilts.

- You gotta see this. A Goren Swedish commercial about local bloggers. He actually drops an F bomb there. I love Sweden!

- The Swedish hockey fans love fighting...and Lee Goren.

Tech Tags: Lee+Goren fights Andreas+Pihl video Goren+stats

Oh slap me silly, Semin!

Marc Staal hits Semin, then Ovechkin hits Staal, then it looks like Semin crashes in the goalie intentionally and Staal takes offence to that and drops the gloves. The only problem is the skilled Russian looked like a little girl when he was slapping the sh*t out of Staal in their brief tilt. The play by play guys get a good laugh out of it. So did I.



Tech Tags: Alexander+Semin+fights+Marc+Staal video joke girl+fight slappy Rangers Capitals

Crosby fights McLean

I'm not usually a fan of Sid the Kid. But when he tunes on a guy like he did tonight to Florida's Brett McLean I can appreciate that. This where a goon would come in handy, and the instigator rule abolished. Sid is obviously sick of getting jabbed, slew-footed, etc.
Oh and the Penguins lost 6-1.




This is not the first time Crosby has fought. He took on Andrew Ference in his first NHL tilt on December 20, 2007.

T Tags: Crosby+fights+Brett+McLean video

Ontario hockey player dies after fight due to head trauma

From TSN:

Whitby Dunlops defenceman Don Sanderson died early Friday morning at Hamilton General Hospital. He passed away due to head trauma suffered in a fight during a senior hockey game on December 12th in Brantford, Ontario.

He had been in a coma and on life support since undergoing brain surgery on December 13th.

Sanderson, a student at York University, was only 21-years-old.

The native of Port Perry, Ontario got into a fight with Corey Fulton of the Brantford Blast in the third period of the game on December 12th. According to witnesses, Sanderson's helmet came off during the fight and both players fell to the ice, with Sanderson's head striking the ice surface.

Yes, this is going to fuel the fire that is already burning about whether or not fighting hockey players should have their helmuts remain on during fights.
I don't want to sound to insensitive so early after the incident, but this kind of tragedy does not happen all that often and I don't believe it is something that should constitute a sudden rule change.
It seems that sooner rather than later a helmut rule will be implemented. That's how safety policies usually work: a loss of a life results in a knee-jerk reaction.
Some might say that fighting should be taken out of the game completely as it doesn't hold much bearing on a game's end result. To that I say "bunk." The entertainment factor of fighting must remain in tact. The instigator rule must be abolished. Star players should be protected by means of force and/or players should be able to fire up their teammates with a scrap.
Helmuts worn during fights is a lame concept. It's almost like fighting while wearing a helmut and a visor. Lame.
Maybe they can compromise. Maybe they should but a boxing ring somewhere just outside the glass and two willing combatants can step into the ring with a padded surface. Sarcasm alert.
I'm old-fashioned. I think that wearing helmuts period should be optional. If I didn't think that way, then I couldn't say to you that helmuts should not be worn during fighting, because the same risk of a head injury is there.
What's your opinion?

T Tags: Sanderson Ontario+hockey+player+dies+after+fight head+trauma coma helmuts fighting rule+change opinion

Canucks place Cowan and McIver on waivers; Ducks claim McIver

It comes as little surprise that Cowan is one of the odd men out with the acquisition of Darcy Hordichuk. Cowan shouldn't leave town without a proper "thank you." Yes, he lost most of the fights he got into, and his stone hands failed him most of the time. But that one brief period in March of 2007 Cowan scored a hand full of goals (5 goals in 3 games I believe) and Bra Power was born, although short-lived. He was affectionately named Cowan the Brabarian. I doubt that most Canucks fans will ever forget that.
Video of Bra Power's birth. Good times! Nice pass by Bulis too.

Nathan McIver only played 18 games in a Canucks jersey, scoring no goals and no points. But he can fight, and that is why Brian Burke and the Ducks picked him up today.
A couple clips of McIver fighting:

-Cory Sarich pummels McIver in preseason.

-McIver fares much better against Aaron Voros in a Valentine's Day tilt.

-McIver nails Ribeiro and Brenden Morrow answers the bell on McI.

-McIver leaves the penalty box and immediately fight Ian Lapperiere. Good fight.

Best of luck to both players and thanks for the memories.

T Tags: Canucks+place+Jeff+Cowan+Nathan+McIver+on+waivers bra+power Cowan+the+BraBarian Ducks+claim+McIver

Chris Simon and Darcy Verot raising hell in the KHL

I think it's fair to say that the Russian hockey fans like Chris Simon. Simon, who was basically exiled from the NHL, now plays for Moskvalaget HK MVD. Recently, in what was Simon's KHL debut I believe, a brawl broke out and Simon pounded on Mikhail Fedosejev, leaving him bleeding and retreating. That fight can be seen below:



There were several fights in that game. Over 160 minutes in penalties were handed out. Did you hear the fans cheer Simon? Did you see his teammates tapping their sticks on the ice as he left?

Simon did state that he's not in Russia to fight, but to play hockey. But I don't think his brawler side can always be contained for all that long. Apparently, Fedosejev considers himself a tough guy and went after Simon to prove himself. Well that was a mistake.
I know that more fans are going to these games, according to the reporter in the Simon story, but the KHL is threatening suspensions to Simon and any other player for continued brawls. Apparently, there is no such thing as "suspended without pay" in the KHL, correct me if I'm wrong. So what do the fighters have to lose?
Either way, I love old-school brawls. Seeing Simon pound that guy amuses me.
Link to the Simon story.

Darcy Verot, who played for the Capitals for about a third of a season about 5 years ago, is in his 2nd season in Russia. He has 29 penalty minutes in 3 games with Chekhov Vityaz so far. Last season for the same team he scored 2 goals in 43 games and amassed 511 penalty minutes! Goon city! From the same game as the Simon incident, here is Verot putting a beating on Alexey Krovopuskov.




VEROT TUBE

- How about a Darcy Verot tribute/compilation from his rugged butt-kicking 2007-08 season.

- Verot wouldn't get away with this shit in the NHL. But it sure as hell is entertaining. Listen to the hundreds.......and hundreds of the Vityaz fans chanting Darcy's name.

-Tootoo vs Verot 1

- Tootoo vs Perot 2. Not so tough now, are ya Darcy? Owned twice in the same game by the same guy.

T Tags: Chris+Simon+fights+Mikhail+Fedosejev Darcy+Verot+fights+Alexey+Krovopuskov KHL Goons brawls blood videos YouTube

When NHL superstars fight

Sidney Crosby fights Andrew Ference. I will say this, and I hate to, my respect level for Crossby just went up a little.



Wayne Gretzky fights Neal Broten




Mario Lemieux fights Gary Lupul, Bob Carpenter, Bobby Gould, and Todd Krygier



And for some added violence to the collection to take you down memory lane:

Ulf Samuelsson knocks out Janet Gretzky.
McCreary knocks Wayne Gretzky on his ass, and apparently never plays another game in the NHL.
Dave Taylor cold cocks Gretzky and knocks him out, nearly.
Tie Domi sucker punches Ulfie Samuelsson. Listen to Harry Neale afterwards. Never get away with saying that nowadays, and that is a shame. This is still one of my fave NHL moments ever. Gad I hated Ulf.

T Tags: NHL fights Crosby+fights+Ference Gretzky+fights+Broten Lemieux+fights violence Janet+Gretzky+knocked+out McCreary+hits+Gretzky

Rob Brown vs Jim Kyte

An ass-kicking off astronomical proportions.....



T Tags: Kyte Brown fight video

Canucks-North Stars blast from the past

Round 1......FIGHT!


Love the organ music in the background!
Can anyone tell me who the Canucks players were in those fights? I actually can't tell.

TSN Panel talks about the Orr-Fedoruk incident - Zanstorm loses it

Here is the TSN panel's initial reaction to the fight:


I feel like I am going to snap. First of all, I admire Darren Dreger's stance on the matter. Good on him. He said that Fedoruk is 'that kind of guy' that goes out there and takes on Orr.
Mike Keenan's opinion is silly really contradicts Dreger. He makes it sound like the coaching staff forced Fedoruk to go out there to tangle, and that maybe Fedoruk shouldn't play at all. I really doubt it. Regardless of whether or not the Flyers are in the playoffs and Fedoruk had his face beat in earlier in the season, you have to think that Fedoruk wanted to take on Orr.
But it's Bob McKenzie's comment that really angers me. He said that 'someday someone is going to get killed, and that all of us that say now that fighting is a part of the game going to have alot of explaining to do.' Are we really going to have to explain anything? Not a chance. If a guy gets a fatal blow to the head one day during a fight, I would hope we'd chalk it up as 'chance', especially if it would happen in the same instance as Fedoruk-Orr. There is no point in making a big deal out of the Orr-Fedoruk tilt. Can we please keep it in perspective? Sure, it looks bad seeing Fedoruk laying on the ice, knocked out and bleeding. It looks even worse seeing him taken off on a stretcher. Aha! That is the worst part isn't it? It's the stretcher that gets the media in a frenzy and scares the shit out of them. And then they make a big deal out of it.
It wasn't that long ago that a stretcher would not have been required for this predicament. They probably would have gave him some smelling salts, woke his ass up, and had 2 teammates escort him off the ice. That wouldn't be so bad would it? It sure wouldn't LOOK as bad. Oh, but the whole concussion thing...we sure are sensitive about that nowadays, huh? We have all these precautions.
Well get over it! Players are going to get hurt in hockey. It's part of the job that they signed up for in the first place. The goons are going to get cut and/or knocked out eventually. It goes with the job.
Then Mike Keenan goes off about how it hurts the game in the U.S.A. because of it's ugliness, (and believe me, there are ALOT of people who feel that way) and that it is difficult to market the game with this stuff going on.....
Well fuck them! If people don't want to see that in hockey, or come to games because of it, then stay the fuck home! Watch soccer, or golf, or a Jimmy Swaggart marathon.
Last time I checked the audience was loving that fight. It's outcome was circumstancial. Let's not change the whole game because one goon gets his head beat in....twice in one season. Maybe Fedoruk should change his profession instead.
McKenzie then mentioned the larger size of the players nowadays and how the blows are more severe. I am not gelling with that concept either, except for the guys like Boogard. Goons in general are not that much bigger. Ironically, Colton Orr is 6'3" and 220 pounds. Fedoruk is 6'2" and 241 pounds! Maybe it should have been Orr laying on the ice.
I wouldn't say goons are that much bigger in general at all. Dave Semenko was 6'3" 215 pounds. Bob Probert was 6'3" 225 pounds. Shawn Cronin was 6'2" 210 pounds. Craig Coxe was 6'4" 220 pounds. You get my point.
As soon as you start bringing the moral code of human rights into the fighting in the NHL and become sensitive to potential injury, you are pretty much asking for fighting to be eliminated all together, or at least that will be the end result. But I get this sickening feeling that fighting in the NHL is going the way of the dinosaur anyway. Colin Campbell is already looking into it and is concerned.
And in a game that is losing alot of it's physicality already with the new rules, that is a god-damned shame. Alot of the essence that is and always has been NHL hockey is going down the toilet.
And the most ironic thing is: if Fedoruk plays again, guaranteed he will tussle with a Derek Boogaard or a Colton Orr once again. Why? Because he WANTS to. So why is this incident even such a big deal? Let it go. Stop being so damned sensitive! Todd Fedoruk isn't sensitive about is he?

Technoranti Tags: Colton Orr Todd Fedoruk Fighting Concussion

Colton said "Knock You Out"

What a devastating punch by Colton Orr! I'd say Fedoruk was spitting chicklets, but I think he was too fast asleep to even do that! The guys at TSN got all soft about it last night, as usual. But in my opinion, there is no use in analyzing it and looking for a change to avoid this from happening. I'm sure Fedoruk would agree.

Other fights from Colton Orr:

versus George Laracque George beats him down.

versus Cam Janssen. Wow, what a tilt!

versus Wade Belak. Decision: Belak.

A few tilts from Todd Fedoruk.
versus Derek Boogaard. Oh boy. Boogeyman breaks Todd's face.

A Fedoruk tribute.