The Code – Creating Honor Amongst Enforcers, or Excuses

“The Code”.  That mythical set of rules that is trotted out at various times to create honor amongst  hockey enforcers and excuse the dishonorable conduct that more often results from enforcers in the game.  Those who support fighting will mention the history and tradition of dropping the gloves and that players have long used “The Code” to police the game.  But just how long has “The Code” existed.

With Apologies to Bobby Orr and Brian Burke, All Fights Are Stupid

Over the past few weeks we have heard from two prominent hockey insiders on why fighting belongs in hockey.  An excerpt from Bobby Orr’s new book was widely distributed by the media and Brian Burke had his own guest column on the subject.  Both tried to show that fighting was an honorable and necessary activity in the NHL.  And then Emery demonstrated why all of their arguments are bullshit.

No Surprises From Leafs – Sabres Brawl

So last night the Buffalo Sabres visited the Toronto Maple Leafs for a meaningless preseason game and anyone who is a hockey fan has read an article or watched the video.  If you missed then you can catch up on the news here at the National Post or at The Toronto Star.   Any long-time hockey watchers wouldn’t be surprised by the action or the results.

An Alternate View of The Code in Hockey

There were several articles published this week, and quite a few tweets sent, that talked about “The Code” and its place in Hockey.  The incident that prompted this week’s activity was a fight between Raffi Torres and Jamal Mayers.  Many saw the bout as proof that fighting is necessary and that “The Code” was honored by both players.  I saw it as a simple case of revenge and wondered why anyone would see this as positive for the image of the sport.

What’s In A Name?

The designated tough guy on any hockey team has been referred to as: an enforcer, a policeman, a fighter, a goon, and probably some other not-so-polite terms called out from team benches.  Let’s explore the term “enforcer” to see if the name is still valid in today’s hockey, and if role still has the same meaning.