Has Anybody Even Once Thought About The Enforcers During All Of This?
Getty Images.As the days go by, it's starting to look more and more like the NHL is the only major sport which will actually be able to resume the rest of their season. Not just because hockey players are naturally tougher than the rest of the athletes in the world, but because the NHL was smart enough to say "yeah let's get the fuck out of America for a while since they can't figure out this virus, and let's just set up shop in Canada".
And it's great. I'm very excited. I can't wait to see the boys buzzing around the ice again. I especially can't wait to see the Flyers finally win the Stanley Cup for the first time in my life, only to win it in either Toronto or Edmonton. So that will be awesome, no doubt about it. But with all the precautionary protocols in place to keep the players safe during this return to play, has anybody stopped to think about the enforcers here? I mean has anybody even consulted any of them about all of this? Because I just don't see any possible scenario where Zack Kassian can get a hold of Matthew Tkachuk and start unloaded fists to the skull while still maintaining some semblance of social distancing. I mean just look at how players are going to have to celly, for Gretzky's sake.
If the boys can't even touch each other when they celly, I doubt the league is going to be thrilled about Ryan Reaves tossing his gloves to the side and beating somebody's face to a pulp out there. The league is basically robbing these guys of their roles out there on the ice. What are they supposed to do now? Zack Kassian was a first liner. You really think he's staying on that top line if he can't beat the absolute piss out of somebody out there if needed? It's just not right.
All I'm saying is if the stars align and we actually get to still see a Battle of Alberta playoff series, the league needs to do the right thing here and throw the safety guidelines in the trash. I know playing in an empty barn will take some of the intensity out of it but we'd still get at least a couple of donnybrooks out there in a 7 game series. If for any reason the NBA and/or MLB's return to play plans fall through, then we'll need those fights more than ever. And don't even get me started on how much a tilt in the Stanley Cup Final would boost the morale of the whole world. If you don't think a scrap like this will instantly turn 2020 around for the entire globe, you're fucking high.
#SaveTheEnforcers
