The Fischler Report: NHL Fighting, Yay or Nay?

Take your pick on what has become an endless debate. Fighting has been part of the The Game since Eddie Shore beat up everybody, until Muzz Patrick beat up Eddie Shore!

Fighting is good for hockey.

Fighting is bad for hockey.

Take your pick on what has become an endless debate with absolutely no clear winner on either side.

The bad parts are the stupid fights. Exhibit A was recently available during a Rangers-Islanders conflict followed by Pittsburgh-Buffalo.

Isles captain Anders Lee torpedoed Blueshirts prospect Mac Hollowell with the kind of clean bodycheck that coaches only dream about. It was so clean, in fact, it already has been given The Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval.

There was only one problem. It did not meet Rangers Barclay Goodrow's seal of anything except anger; maybe even jealousy since Goody only wished that he threw the body not Lee.

As a result, Not-So-Goody Barclay dropped the gloves and challenged Lee leaving Cap'n Anders no choice but to fight back…

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I'M JUST SAYIN'

* I remember John MacLean when his kid, Kyle, was knee-high to a grasshopper. Now the lad is an aspiring pro in the Islanders' system.

* The oddity here is that Johnny Mac goes down as one of the all-time Devils heroes, playing under Lou Lamoriello.

* A year ago Auston Matthews was picked the second best NHLer by the Hockey News Yearbook. This year it's Cale Makar.

* Nix to that, says The Maven, I go with Auston Matthews who THN has relegated to fifth.

* How about this for a plunge. A year ago Johnny Gaudreau was listed sixth best. This term he didn't even make top 50. Can't blame Mike Babcock for that…

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