Jim Thomson on Don Cherry and fighting in the NHL
Former NHL enforcer takes your questions on the recent controversy and the future of fighting in hockey
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Jim Thomson is one of three former NHL enforcers attacked by Don Cherry during last Thursday's episode of Coach's Corner on CBC's Hockey Night in Canada.
Cherry called Thomson, Stu Grimson and Chris Nilan a "bunch of pukes", "turncoats" and "hypocrites" for what the outspoken television personality perceived as comments made by the three linking violence in hockey with linking the issue of fighting in hockey to alcohol and drug addiction or emotional problems later in life.
Tuesday morning the three former players issued a statement saying “Cherry inserted himself into a prominent debate that involves the recent tragic deaths of three (3) NHL players, drug addiction, alcohol abuse and mental illness. In doing so, Mr. Cherry targeted the above-named individuals, some of whom have suffered from such diseases, as a result of views they previously expressed. Mr. Cherry’s comments were more than inappropriate; they were vulgar and malicious.
The three are considering further action against Cherry.
Thomson will join me, globesports.com editor Darren Yourk, here at 11 a.m. ET Tuesday to discuss the controversy and his views on the future of fighting in hockey.
Born in Edmonton, Thomson played for the Washington Capitals, Hartford Whalers, New Jersey Devils, Los Angeles Kings, Ottawa Senators and Anaheim Ducks during his NHL career. -
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From the night I heard it while sitting with my family and kids....let's just say it was not pleasant to be called a puke. Obviously it has gained a lot of attention. Don Cherry doesn’t have to apologize to me. I believe he owes the people out there fighting these illnesses - alcoholism, drug addiction and mental illness an apology.
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Not one bit. If you listened to DC on Saturday night he said that the guy sitting in the middle of the bench just to play for two minutes isn’t needed. Well, that was us...that’s the enforcers. He’s contradicted himself...he says I’m costing these guys jobs and yet on Saturday he said there’s no need for the guy sitting on the bench just to tapped on the shoulder to fight. That was our damn job.
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Yes. Brandon, I think Coach’s Corner is his platform. Although he makes some good points at time, his disrespect of European players and butchering their names on purpose is a disgrace. He’s been after those guys for years and they’re some of the best teammates I ever had....good people with beautiful families. He takes shots at innocent people and we’ve put up with his behaviour for years. I don’t think it is right.
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I’ve been saying for a few years it should be banned. Our game is too violent. There’s no need for two guys to drop their gloves and punch each other in the head with their knuckles. There’s no need for it. We’re learning so much about concussions and brain trauma and how these injuries ruin lives. I think there are enough cameras and referees in the building now that we can let the cheap shots be policed that way - just like Brendan Shanahan is now.
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It has changed because the game has changed. The way two guys dropped the gloves back when I played is no longer needed. You don’t need designated enforcers to protect the Gretzkys or Crosbys like you used to. Let the league enforce the rules and take care of the cheap shots. The bare-knuckle violence does nothing but push parents and kids away from participating in our sport.
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Jim, I don't like the "staged fight" and believe it has no place in the game. That said, what do you feel about the "spontaneous" unplanned fight. Do you believe if you take that away that there will be increases in high sticking spearing possible stick swinging incidents?
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The most ridiculous part of DC's rant is that he called you, and others, hypocrites. But there is plenty of new information out showing the damage that can occur from head shots and fighting. We're learning more all the time. How can it be hypocritical to change your mind about something in the face of new information? I haven't even seen anyone in the media point this out, but it seems far more hypocritical to ignore new information, the way DC is, than to learn from it.
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"Enforcers" would be out of the game entirely if NHL referees simply called proper penalties and tossed guys out of games for stupid behaviour, like Brad Marchand's glove-boxing on Sedin's face in the Cup Final. Face-washing and scrums after the whistle should be an automatic 5-minute major, in my opinion. Brendan Shanahan is doing a stellar job so far in tossing guys for head shots and illegal hits and I think that standard should extend further to deal with the Brad Marchand-type stuff after the whistle and also to anyone else that fights when one of their teammates is given a clean open-ice hit or check. Suspensions should become automatic for that kind of behaviour as well in my opinion.
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I think Don Cherry has done a disservice to all the kids playing by sending out a conflicting message about fighting that the rest of the league seem to follow and by also sending out conflicting messages himself. He needs to have the children health come first, not his opinions.
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Don has been doing it for years and it has to stop. I have three kids who play and I think we need to get the violence out. He started Saturday’s Coach’s Corner by showing the importance of moving the sticks and puck out of the way when two guys are fighting. Was he trying to show a safe way to fight? I don't get it.
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It has become such a business. The players, unfortunately don’t seem to respect each other. The head shots, the spearing....it goes on and on. Until the players decide to start respecting each other the violence will continue. The game can be played to a level of aggression without all these unnecessary head shots and hits from behind.
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I have to agree with Jim on pretty much everything he has said. Jim has made the most sense with his comments on Landsberg's show and followup responses. DC has a lot of people that agree with him but that doesn't make him right. His thinking on this is old school and has passed. For me last year when watching a game there were fights within the first minute. For me that just ruined my viewing and I ended up changing the channel. battle.
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We’re talking about the lack of respect. Don gets to say what he wants and he crossed the line. He’s shown he has no respect for people struggling with mental health issues or fighting addiction. We’re looking at our options. Do we want this in the game? Do we want Don Cherry pukes and turncoats? We’re letting people know we’re not going to tolerate this kind of language and behaviour.
