Daily Cupcakes - Links From Around the NHL - April 30th, 2012

One OHL coach didn't want to see fighting, and he got a lot of flack for it.

Sherry Bassin just wanted to see if his players could skate, shoot and play it smart. He wasn’t interested in how fast they could yank an opponent’s sweater over his head. So he decreed there would be no fighting among the teenagers trying out for his Erie Otters of the Ontario Hockey League.

You would have thought Bassin had spit on the Memorial Cup. Some hockey types told the Otters’ managing partner and general manager he was sadly out of sync. Worse was the reaction from the players’ mothers and fathers.

Some interesting dates for violence in the NHL during the playoffs.

The first round of the 2012 playoffs has been marked by wild brawls, questionable hits and an unprecedented string of suspensions. From Raffi Torres to Matt Carkner to Shea Weber to virtually the entire Penguins roster, it seems like each night of action brings another embarrassing incident to keep the referees and Brendan Shanahan busy.

But despite what some recent coverage might lead you to believe, playoff violence is hardly a new phenomenon in the NHL. In fact, the league has a long history of regrettable incidents in the post-season, many of which would put this year’s efforts to shame.

There is a legal battle brewing.

The legal battle between the NHL, Labatt and Molson is over, but the marketing war is alive and well. And it’s getting as nasty as a bench-clearing playoff brawl.

With the NHL playoffs under way, the league took a public shot at a promotional campaign by Labatt, which offers fans "Hockey Tickets for Life." The Playoff Payoff promotion is offside, says the league, which hinted in a statement on its website that the tickets might not even exist.