Maple Leafs GM Warns Against Decline in Hockey Fighting

Brian Burke told ESPN he's wary of the decline in on-ice fighting because of what he sees happening on game nights: "If you want a game where guys can cheap-shot people and not face retribution, I'm not sure that's a healthy evolution," he said. "The speed of the game, I love how the game's evolved in terms of how it's played. But you're seeing where there is no accountability." Burke argues that players, some more than others, are seeing that there's no longer a price to pay for throwing a cheap shot at the opposition, and they're taking advantage of that change. "I wonder about the accountability in our game and the notion that players would stick up for themselves and for each other," Burke said. "I wonder where we're going with it, that's the only lament I have on this. The fear that if we don't have guys looking after each other that the rats will take this game over.

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