Detroit Red Wings mailbag: Who should fight when needed?
Detroit Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman said recently he wants Anthony Mantha playing hockey, not sidelined from a fight. His comments prompted a reader to wonder: If not Mantha, who should drop their gloves for the Wings?
Once again, this question would be pretty much moot if the Department of Player Safety did their job, but apparently that’s not going to happen. For example, if, just off the top of my head, the league suspended for an extended period of time a player who slewfooted another player, causing the second player to miss a large portion of the season, fights as retaliation for hits would dramatically decrease.
(Givani Smith should be on the team next season, so problem solved. Note, I’m saying “should be” not “will be”)
Top center in NHL in 3 seasons debated
NHL Network is spending the offseason presenting the best current NHL players at each position. On Sunday, the network’s producers and analysts chose the top 20 centers in the League in a special program that airs at 6 p.m. ET on NHL Network. To add to that conversation, we asked eight NHL.com writers to pick the player they think will be the best center in three seasons. Here are their choices:
- Stay away from NHL Network lists ranking players by position. I’m convinced they are purposefully bad in order to promote discussion.
- This is a little different, but it’s not that surprising, although I think there will be a lot of discussion about who should be #4.
