Due to COVID-19, the QMJHL has found themselves in a predicament. Because the upcoming season will be played without fans, their financial situation has become relatively strenuous. The QMJHL pays its players poverty wages, something many other leagues do not, and with a lack of income, they are in dire need to find it elsewhere.
The QMJHL Is Looking For $20 Million
In an effort to secure proper funding for the upcoming season, the QMJHL is looking for $20 million from the Quebec government. The governing body is interested in helping but there is a catch. In order for funding to be pushed through, the QMJHL must change its rules on fighting.
So, one of the premier junior hockey leagues not only in North America but the entire world faces an extremely tough decision. Do they continue business as usual and hope that they can get enough funding from streaming services and advertisements, or do they alter the fundamentals of their league for at least this season in order to secure funding?
The question is met with harsh criticism from all parties and will by no means be taken lightly. On the one hand, fighting is an integral part of the game, especially at this level. On the other hand, in order to promote the league and secure some of the top talent from around the world, they need money to operate.
Vote to Keep Fighting in the QMJHL
For many players in the QMJHL, the next step in their career is to play D-1 hockey and or be drafted by an NHL franchise. With a draft selection, it often means they’ll play at some level of professional hockey. In all levels above the QMJHL, fighting takes place on nearly a nightly basis. For players who do continue their hockey career, it is more than likely than not that they’ll encounter a fight at some point in their career. It’s the nature of the game.
Not to say that fighting makes a good hockey player, but fighting is somewhat of a right of passage in hockey. Players have made a name for themselves by being the “Goon”, “The Bruiser”, “The Enforcer”. Fighting helps players protect their teammates. It helps the home crowd get excited if things aren’t going their way. It’s a way for teams to punish their opposition after a blindside hit or an injury. Fighting is part of hockey.
Last season there were 323 pre-season, regular season, and playoff fights in the QMJHL (according to hockeyfights.com). Compared to the Western League which has four more teams (22), there were 528 fights over the same time period. In the eyes of the league, commissioner Gilles Corteau proposed a 15-minute penalty for all fighting and the fighting players would be suspended for one game after five fighting penalties in a season. It’s noted that there were only nine players in the league who had five or more fights last season. The proposition would do a good job to punish players who do fight without causing a tremendous ripple in the player’s season.
The vote for the legislation halted at a 10-8 vote due to the fact that 12 of the league’s teams need to be in favor of the change.
Vote to Increase Fighting Penalties in the QMJHL
Teams and leagues need money to pay their players. It’s as simple as that. Without proper funding, teams may fold. The league may have to declare bankruptcy. Or the league as a whole would need to relocate to another province in order to conduct their routine business operations. All scenarios still revolve around the main issue, money.
In other junior leagues around Canada and the United States, fighting penalties are relatively severe. Players often miss the next game for a fight regardless of it being their first of the season or tenth. These developmental leagues are designed to improve a player’s skills and advance their hockey careers. They aren’t designed for players to walk out on crutches and fewer teeth to enter the real world once their hockey career has ended. Player safety is front of mind for junior hockey. Or at least that ideal is pushed.
On average, there is one fight for every four QMJHL games played. A number that has been decreasing over the past several years. Some league officials want to ban fighting all together to protect players while others want to increase penalties in order to curtail players from fighting. Both sides still have player safety in the front of their minds.
For those who are pushing to keep fighting but invoke harsher penalties, they ask other league officials to look at professional leagues. In the MLB, NBA, NFL, any player who is involved in a fight is automatically subject to a suspension. The length of that suspension is up to the commissioner of the respective league. Each league essentially says it can happen, however, you will be penalized.
A Verdict
As of now, there is still uncertainty as to when the date of the legislation will be voted upon. There is a valid argument to both sides. In my opinion, invoking a 15-minute penalty is reasonable and if a player racks up five fights in a season, they’ll be penalized with a two-game suspension. This allows players to fight, defend, and earn respect while continuing to further their hockey career and personal development.
I don’t believe that fighting turns boys into men. I do however think it is part of the game and should be respected as such. Is it really any different than an MLB player hitting a homerun and staring the pitcher down, saying something, and tossing their bat? The pitcher often retaliates by hitting the next batter or the respective batter his next time up. In the NBA when a player dunks over a player and disrespects him, that player will often commit a hard foul or even technical next time in order to send a message of toughness and respect for themselves and the team.
To Fisticuffs or Not?
I don’t believe fighting in hockey should be promoted or even tolerated in players under fifteen years old. I think that once players hit a certain level of juniors, fighting is to be somewhat expected. How can a player defend their teammate when the opposition had blindside hit after hit and referees either miss the call or don’t call a penalty? In hockey, players take it upon themselves to make a statement and stand up for themselves and their teammates. Respect is earned, not given.
