The Colorado Avalanche: News from around the NHL - December 3rd, 2013

Stu Grimson wrote an interesting piece for the Denver Post.

In the summer of 1991, I'm negotiating my new deal with the Chicago Blackhawks, and general manager Bob Pulford stares across the table and counters: "Stu, I can't pay you $300,000 a year; I don't think there's going to be fighting next year."

Nice try, Pully. But is it any wonder we're still having the debate 22 years later?

Will the NHL ever ban fighting? Maybe, maybe not.

But ever since Steve Yzerman added his voice to the anti-fighting lobby, there seems to be more appetite inside the NHL's circle of decision-makers to take that step. I am for leaving things as they are, but let me make a couple of points before I explain why I take that position.

If you're going to make a change and ban fighting, do it for the right reasons. For starters, don't do it to save the enforcers from themselves. These guys realize the risks associated with what they do, and they accept that risk. I understand the concern for player safety, but save it for the reckless, deliberate blows to the heads of unsuspecting, vulnerable players.

It's the time of year that the World Junior rosters are being closely considered.

In Hockey Canada’s perfect world, its world junior team would feature a reunion of Nathan MacKinnon and Jonathan Drouin, the playmaking ability of Sean Monahan, the poise and leadership of Morgan Rielly and the size and toughness of Tom Wilson.

That would be a world without the NHL’s hold on those players. Canada got that luxury last year during the lockout, when defenceman Dougie Hamilton and forwards Jonathan Huberdeau and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins got to participate.

This time around, Canada will hold its selection camp with just one NHL player: Minnesota Wild defenceman Mathew Dumba. While MacKinnon was never a real consideration given his role with the Colorado Avalanche and Monahan is injured, the Washington Capitals won’t release Wilson and it’s highly unlikely the Toronto Maple Leafs let Rielly leave to play in the tournament, which begins Dec. 26 in Malmo, Sweden.

This time HBO may showcase a coach who doesn't swear as often.

While his team practices on the ice, Randy Carlyle is practicing some self restraint with his blue language.

The coach is very aware that when HBO camera crews arrive in force on Wednesday that his cussing is going to be picked up and possibly broadcast to a world-wide hockey audience. The show is the popular 24/7 format surrounding the lead-up to the New Year's Day Winter Classic against the Red Wings before a six-figure crowd in Ann Arbor, Mich.

"I'm going to hold my profanity to the minimum," laughed Carlyle, when reminded Bruce Boudreau took flak for reaming his Washington Capitals in a previous episode.