The Quebec Major Junior Hockey League has released sanctions as part of its controversial ban on fighting that will begin in the 2023-24 season in September.
The league says the penalties are aimed at creating a safer game for players. Automatic game misconducts will be imposed on any players that drop the gloves.
The rules from the QMJHL, released on Thursday, include:
- As soon as a fight happens, the players are out of the game.
- A player who instigates a fight will receive a further one-game suspension.
- If a player is deemed the aggressor during the fight, they will receive a minimum two-game suspension.
- For a player’s second fight of the season, a further suspension will be imposed.
During the 2022-23 season, the league says there were 86 fights, down from 188 during the 2018-19 season.
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“The guidelines are the result of recommendations made by a committee comprised of owners, general managers and some staff members from the Commissioner’s Office,” the league said in a statement.
“These new rules show that the League is taking a proactive approach to safeguarding its athletes’ physical and emotional well-being, and are crucial to fostering a secure environment for all players.”
A Halifax hockey coach says over the past 10 years, he’s seen a significant drop in players fighting at the junior level, and below. That includes just two fights at the major midget level.
Tim Boyce also said Friday that most QMJHL scouts aren’t looking for players who are fighters. The bench boss for the Halifax McDonald’s major midget team also noticed the role of the enforcer is declining, including in the NHL.
“The game has progressed into more of a skill game over the past 10-15 years,” he said. “Contact is down, and it’s definitely something you don’t see anymore.”
At a local hockey game in Bedford, N.S., on Friday, chatter on the bench included debates about the league’s new ban.
Darren Welsh, a former player with the Cape Breton Oilers of the American Hockey League, said he has mixed emotions about the changes.
“I’m from the old school, and I think that fighting takes care of a lot of the garbage that goes on,” he said on Friday,
“When you’re out there, and guys are out there high sticking and cross-checking with the skill players out there. Someone has to take care of business.”
Fighting remains in North America’s professional leagues, including the NHL. The OHL and WHL have moved to reduce fighting in recent years, but have not taken the same steps as the QMJHL.
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