Picture it: You’re at a stoplight, waiting for the green light, when all of a sudden, a huge brawl breaks out in front of you. You know exactly what happens next: Someone gets hurt. Maybe it’s you.
You’re distracted by the fighting, so you don’t notice the kid in front of you wearing a camouflage jacket.
Did you just get punched in the face? Do you realize there are more than 5,000 fights every year in the NHL?
You may know that hockey is a physical game and can be dangerous, but did you know that even an innocuous comment can lead to a bench-clearing skirmish? Or that there are certain words that can bring out the worst in even the most seasoned hockey player?
Let’s explore what causes fights, how to prevent them, and what are grinders in hockey, exactly.
Table of Contents
The Reasons For The Brawls
Hockey is a physical game and, for the most part, a competitive one. The majority of fights happen for one of three reasons: A power play goal; a goal that was assisted by a fight; and, most commonly, an altercation over a lost puck. Sounds pretty standard, right?
These scenarios play out regularly and are usually enough to get any hockey player’s blood boiling. Sometimes, however, the fights go beyond the standard fare and result in injuries. According to the National Hockey League (NHL), around 3.8 million pounds of food are wasted every year in the league because of fights. That’s 14% of the league’s total food waste. It’s also the equivalent of wasting 35,000 lbs of beef, 33,000 lbs of pork, and 15,000 lbs of chicken. Think of all the energy that’s wasted sitting in those unnecessary fights. Talk about a major problem.
Aside from the fact that food is wasted, fights also take up a ton of officials’ time. In 2017, the NHL spent over 500 hours of game time on fights. That’s an insane amount of time that could’ve been spent developing player skills or just having some fun.
The good thing is that all of this time can be credited towards improving player safety. Since the inception of the rule where players are mandated to wear helmets, there have been significant decreases in the number of serious brain injuries in the NHL. Thanks to technology and better training, players are now better prepared for the physicality of the game. Still, you have to respect the courage it took for those players to wear helmets in the first place.
The Most Effective Way Of Preventing Brawls
It’s no secret that fighting is commonplace in hockey. Like many professional sports, the NHL is a copy-cat league and encourages its players to take part in a rivalry match even if it’s just for fun. So if one of your teammates is itching for a fight, you may be in for a bit of a battle. A physical fight is how you gain respect in hockey and standing up for yourself is a critical part of propelling your team to victory.
That being said, you don’t always have to go it alone. Your fellow players are there to back you up whenever you’re in a fight and, depending on the situation, they may even start throwing punches of their own.
The key to preventing fights is proper conditioning. Hockey is a game that’s played outdoors on ice and it requires a significant amount of cardio work to maintain your stamina for the full 2 hours. Make sure that you’re always prepared for physical play and keep your muscles loose by practicing some form of aerobic activity, like hiking or running, at least three times a week.
You don’t need to go overboard and cut out all forms of fun, either. Watching fights in hockey is often exciting and it can help you develop a thicker skin. After all, it’s only a game and, in the grand scheme of things, it’s not even close to being as dangerous as many other sports. Remember that there are players whose jobs depend on them staying injury-free and that’s why they have to take such good care of their bodies. Fighting is a part of hockey and it’ll probably always be that way because, at the end of the day, it’s a physical game played by men who are bigger, stronger, and faster than you.
What Is A Grinder In Hockey?
A grinder is a person, or a group of people, who work in the crease — the area directly in front of the net — for the opposing team. The name comes from the sound that the puck makes as it rolls around in the net. It can be a dangerous role, especially if you’re not careful. A puck can quickly turn into a deadly weapon and cause serious injuries, including blindness and brain damage, if it’s not handled properly.
Although they have their uses, pucks can also be a source of anxiety. When a puck is in the net, it’s not easily seen by the officials and prevents them from calling an obvious goal.
“It’s such an awkward situation when the puck is in the net, and you know that the referee can’t see it,” said one NHL player. “I hate that when that happens. It takes the fun out of the game.”
Not being able to see the puck makes it trickier for the defense to play the percentages and guess where it’s going.
Luckily, there’s a simple solution to this problem. When the offensive player with the puck scores, his teammates immediately start celebrating and, as a result, the officials are usually forced to intervene and remove the puck from the net.
After the puck is kicked out of the net, the goalie can return and resume playing.
The Roles Of The Goalie And The Grinder
The goalie is responsible for stopping the puck and keeping it out of the net for as long as possible. When the puck is in the net, he plays a role in directing it around the boards and, occasionally, kicking it out to the corner for an extra attacker. As the name suggests, a goalie’s main job is to protect the net and stop the puck. He does this by using his body and equipment to block shots and push the puck away from the net.
Although having a strong defense is important, you still need someone who can stop the puck. Puckscan be annoying and lead to injury, so it’s always good to have a goalie who is confident in his ability to make the saves.
On the other hand, the role of the (female) netminder is almost completely different. They wear a smaller mask and have smaller hands than the male goalie, making it easier for them to maneuver the puck. A female goalie’s job is to take care of the net and deflect shots into the corner for her teammates to finish off.
This role doesn’t have the same appeal as the one of the male goalie. Aside from the fact that they have to wear a different colored uniform, their masks are also smaller and they have smaller gloves. While there are no statistics available, it’s estimated that only one out of every 25,000 NHL players is a woman.
Despite these huge differences, the two roles are still very similar and they both require the same tenacity and skill to perform at the top level.
The Injuries From Pucks
One of the most dangerous weapons in hockey comes in the form of the puck. Like any other weapon, pucks can be used for both good and bad. It’s up to you how you choose to approach it.
If the puck is traveling towards you and you don’t have a chance of stopping it, it’s usually a good idea to duck or slide to the right to avoid being hit by the flying hockey puck. You may not be able to predict where it’s going to go, but it’s always a good idea to prepare for the worst.
Even when the puck is going in the right direction, it can still do a lot of damage. Pucks are often used to start fights and, if you take a hit in the face while fighting, it’s possible that you’ll lose your teeth. Other injuries that can be caused by pucks include concussions, broken bones, and bruises. Aside from the fact that pucks can cause major injuries, they can also lead to minor ones if you don’t know how to handle them properly.
What’s important is that you always remember the proper way to take care of the puck and avoid situations where it can cause you problems. Like any other weapon, there are certain things you need to know before you can effectively use it. For instance, you need to make sure that it’s not been frozen and that it’s not been contaminated by saliva or any other substance.