<p>The subject of fighting in the National Hockey League has been subject to much questioning lately—specifically, questions about whether or not it will continue to be a part of hockey in the face of increased awareness of brain injuries and an overall downward trend.</p>
<p>Such questions are too complex and layered to be answered in a single blogpost, but what we can do is zero in on the future of fighting as far as the Vancouver Canucks are concerned.</p>
<p>The first stop on our two-part tour will take a good look at how and why the Canucks dropped the gloves throughout the 2018/19 season—before Part 2 takes an even gooder look at whether or not it is necessary for them to continue doing so in the future.</p>
<p>The Canucks fought just 13 times in 2018/19—matching their total from the previous season—<a href="https://www.hockeyfights.com/teams/29">according to HockeyFights.com</a>. It was the first time in several years that the team’s total didn’t decrease.</p>
<p>Speaking of our sister site, we’ll be using HockeyFights.com’s definition of a fight in this analysis—meaning that at least one of the participants picked up a five-minute major for fighting. That means that a few kerfuffles—like Erik Gudbranson’s devastating uppercut on Danick Martel, will not be included.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h1><strong>Fight #1</strong></h1>
<h2><strong>Erik Gudbranson vs Travis Hamonic</strong></h2>
<h2><strong>1<sup>st</sup> Period, October 3, 2018</strong><strong> </strong></h2>
<div class="jetpack-video-wrapper"><iframe loading="lazy" title="Travis Hamonic vs Erik Gudbranson Oct 3, 2018" width="1424" height="801" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/t8qBwnUgyfc?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
<h3><strong>Why Did This Fight Happen?</strong></h3>
<p>Gudbranson was asked to “answer the bell” after an earlier questionable hit on Dillon Dube.<strong> </strong></p>
<h3><strong>How Did The Canuck Do?</strong></h3>
<p>Gudbranson demolished Hamonic, breaking his jaw in the process.</p>
<h3><strong>Did The Canucks Win This Game?</strong></h3>
<p>Yes. 5-2 victory.</p>
<p><strong> </strong></p>
<h1><strong>Fight #2</strong></h1>
<h2><strong>Bo Horvat vs Noel Acciari</strong></h2>
<h2><strong>2<sup>nd</sup> Period, October 20, 2018</strong><strong> </strong></h2>
<div class="jetpack-video-wrapper"><iframe loading="lazy" title="Noel Acciari vs Bo Horvat Oct 20, 2018" width="1424" height="801" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/GpXzEJdwWnc?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
<h3><strong>Why Did This Fight Happen?</strong></h3>
<p>Horvat was immediately called to task for a clean but hard hit on an unsuspecting Joakim Nordstrom.</p>
<h3><strong>How Did The Canuck Do?</strong></h3>
<p>A dominant victory. At one point, Horvat ragdolled Acciari with one hand while raining down punches with the other—before mercifully allowing Acciari to regain his balance.</p>
<h3><strong>Did The Canucks Win This Game?</strong></h3>
<p>Yes. 2-1 overtime victory.</p>
<p><strong> </strong></p>
<h1><strong>Fight #3</strong></h1>
<h2><strong>Darren Archibald vs Torey Krug</strong></h2>
<h2><strong>3<sup>rd</sup> Period, November 8, 2018</strong></h2>
<div class="jetpack-video-wrapper"><iframe loading="lazy" title="Darren Archibald vs Torey Krug Nov 8, 2018" width="1424" height="801" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Wg-EsUbaMGo?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
<h3><strong>Why Did This Fight Happen?</strong></h3>
<p>Near the end of a lopsided game, Krug overreacted to a strong hit by Archibald on Joakim Nordstrom and chased Archibald down for a fight. Interestingly, this was the second consecutive Canucks fight caused by a hit on Nordstrom.</p>
<h3><strong>How Did The Canuck Do?</strong></h3>
<p>Archibald pummelled the much smaller Krug with ease.</p>
<h3><strong>Did The Canucks Win This Game?</strong></h3>
<p>Yes. 8-5 victory (that had already been decided when the gloves were dropped.)</p>
<p><strong> </strong></p>
<h1><strong>Fight #4</strong></h1>
<h2><strong>Darren Archibald vs Cody McLeod</strong></h2>
<h2><strong>2<sup>nd</sup> Period, November 12, 2018</strong></h2>
<div class="jetpack-video-wrapper"><iframe loading="lazy" title="Darren Archibald vs Cody McLeod Nov 12, 2018" width="1424" height="801" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/GETfLQKOmsk?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
<h3><strong>Why Did This Fight Happen?</strong></h3>
<p>McLeod didn’t really give Archibald a choice, instigating an altercation in an apparent attempt to spark his team.</p>
<h3><strong>How Did The Canuck Do?</strong></h3>
<p>Archibald was quickly overwhelmed by the more-experienced McLeod.</p>
<h3><strong>Did The Canucks Win This Game?</strong></h3>
<p>No. 2-1 loss.</p>
<p><strong> </strong></p>
<h1><strong>Fight #5</strong></h1>
<h2><strong>Antoine Roussel vs Brandon Tanev</strong></h2>
<h2><strong>2<sup>nd</sup> Period, November 19, 2018</strong></h2>
<div class="jetpack-video-wrapper"><iframe loading="lazy" title="Brandon Tanev vs Antoine Roussel Nov 19, 2018" width="1424" height="801" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/R4vM7SuhhC4?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
<h3><strong>Why Did This Fight Happen?</strong></h3>
<p>With the Canucks down 4-1, Roussel went right after Tanev on a faceoff in an attempt to turn the momentum of the game.</p>
<h3><strong>How Did The Canuck Do?</strong></h3>
<p>Roussel definitely won, but with a caveat. Many of the punches that Roussel landed came after Tanev had fallen to the ice, which is strictly against “the code” and cost Roussel a misconduct.</p>
<h3><strong>Did The Canucks Win This Game?</strong></h3>
<p>No. 6-3 loss.</p>
<p><strong> </strong></p>
<h1><strong>Fight #6</strong></h1>
<h2><strong>Ben Hutton vs Cedric Paquette</strong></h2>
<h2><strong>2<sup>nd</sup> Period, December 18, 2018</strong></h2>
<div class="jetpack-video-wrapper"><iframe loading="lazy" title="Cedric Paquette vs Ben Hutton December 18th, 2018" width="1424" height="801" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/sOfD5WUWgR8?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
<h3><strong>Why Did This Fight Happen?</strong></h3>
<p>Brock Boeser grabbed Paquette in response to a questionable hit on Elias Pettersson—in a game full of questionable hits—and Hutton stepped in to pull Paquette off of Boeser.<strong> </strong></p>
<h3><strong>How Did The Canuck Do?</strong></h3>
<p>Hutton quickly pounded Paquette to the ice with a couple hard right hands.</p>
<h3><strong>Did The Canucks Win This Game?</strong></h3>
<p>No, 5-2 loss.</p>
<p><strong> </strong></p>
<h1><strong>Fight #7</strong></h1>
<h2><strong>Antoine Roussel vs Yanni Gourde</strong></h2>
<h2><strong>2<sup>nd</sup> Period, December 18, 2018</strong></h2>
<div class="jetpack-video-wrapper"><iframe loading="lazy" title="Yanni Gourde vs Antoine Roussel December 18th, 2018" width="1424" height="801" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/NhbRkKedy28?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
<h3><strong>Why Did This Fight Happen?</strong></h3>
<p>Gourde instigated the fight after Roussel ran him into the turnbuckle in a game that was already full of rough stuff.</p>
<h3><strong>How Did The Canuck Do?</strong></h3>
<p>Roussel worked Gourde over, forcing him to a knee with several raining rights.</p>
<h3><strong>Did The Canucks Win This Game?</strong></h3>
<p>No, 5-2 loss.</p>
<p><strong> </strong></p>
<h1><strong>Fight #8</strong></h1>
<h2><strong>Tim Schaller vs Ben Harpur</strong></h2>
<h2><strong>1<sup>st</sup> Period, January 2, 2019</strong></h2>
<div class="jetpack-video-wrapper"><iframe loading="lazy" title="Tim Schaller vs Ben Harpur on January 2, 2019" width="1424" height="801" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/LoakTk8DeLU?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
<h3><strong>Why Did This Fight Happen?</strong></h3>
<p>Schaller was looking to keep his spot in the lineup after several healthy scratches in a row by taking on a much larger opponent. Earlier, Schaller was seen on camera asking Mike McKenna for notes on Harpur’s fistic abilities.</p>
<h3><strong>How Did The Canuck Do?</strong></h3>
<p>Schaller definitely bit off more than he could chew in this one, and was jerseyed and pummelled before the linesmen stepped in to save him.</p>
<h3><strong>Did The Canucks Win This Game?</strong></h3>
<p>Yes, 4-3 overtime victory.</p>
<p><strong> </strong></p>
<h1><strong>Fight #9</strong></h1>
<h2><strong>Erik Gudbranson vs Michael Haley</strong></h2>
<h2><strong>1<sup>st</sup> Period, January 13, 2019</strong></h2>
<div class="jetpack-video-wrapper"><iframe loading="lazy" title="Micheal Haley vs Erik Gudbranson Jan 13, 2019" width="1424" height="801" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/p1Ka95_VBbE?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
<h3><strong>Why Did This Fight Happen?</strong></h3>
<p>Gudbranson was attempting to make Michael Matheson answer for his concussing of Elias Pettersson, and Haley stepped in to protect the cowardly Matheson.</p>
<h3><strong>How Did The Canuck Do?</strong></h3>
<p>At the very least, Gudbranson ensured that Matheson had to eat his fair share of vicarious punches through the sturdy face of Haley.<strong> </strong></p>
<h3><strong>Did The Canucks Win This Game?</strong></h3>
<p>Yes, 5-1 victory.</p>
<p><strong> </strong></p>
<h1><strong>Fight #10</strong></h1>
<h2><strong>Josh Leivo vs Ryan Kesler</strong></h2>
<h2><strong>1<sup>st</sup> Period, February 13, 2019</strong></h2>
<div class="jetpack-video-wrapper"><iframe loading="lazy" title="Josh Leivo vs Ryan Kesler Feb 13, 2019" width="1424" height="801" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/yQt1C54Qppc?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
<h3><strong>Why Did This Fight Happen?</strong></h3>
<p>Kesler was harassing Elias Pettersson, and Leivo noticed and chased Kesler down for a fight.</p>
<h3><strong>How Did The Canuck Do?</strong></h3>
<p>The bout was close, but the veteran Kesler probably had the overall edge.</p>
<h3><strong>Did The Canucks Win This Game?</strong></h3>
<p>No, 1-0 loss.</p>
<p><strong> </strong></p>
<h1><strong>Fight #11</strong></h1>
<h2><strong>Erik Gudbranson vs Ryan Getzlaf</strong></h2>
<h2><strong>2<sup>nd</sup> Period, February 13, 2019</strong></h2>
<div class="jetpack-video-wrapper"><iframe loading="lazy" title="Erik Gudbranson vs Ryan Getzlaf Feb 13, 2019" width="1424" height="801" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/I2JgDyYgAE0?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
<h3><strong>Why Did This Fight Happen?</strong></h3>
<p>Gudbranson called Getzlaf to answer the bell for his “accidental” collision with Jake Virtanen earlier in the game—a play that resulted in an injury to Virtanen.<strong> </strong></p>
<h3><strong>How Did The Canuck Do?</strong></h3>
<p>Getzlaf did his darnedest to hold Gudbranson off, but the Canuck still managed to land several solid blows.</p>
<h3><strong>Did The Canucks Win This Game?</strong></h3>
<p>No, 1-0 loss.</p>
<p><strong> </strong></p>
<h1><strong>Fight #12</strong></h1>
<h2><strong>Zack MacEwen vs Barclay Goodrow</strong></h2>
<h2><strong>2<sup>nd</sup> Period, February 16, 2019</strong></h2>
<div class="jetpack-video-wrapper"><iframe loading="lazy" title="Zack MacEwen vs Barclay Goodrow Feb 16, 2019" width="1424" height="801" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/g3Rt2Ctl428?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
<h3><strong>Why Did This Fight Happen?</strong></h3>
<p>In his first callup from the AHL, MacEwen was looking to prove himself—and Goodrow obliged with his team trailing.</p>
<h3><strong>How Did The Canuck Do?</strong></h3>
<p>“The Big Guy” laid a big whooping on Goodrow while alternating between lefts and rights.</p>
<h3><strong>Did The Canucks Win This Game?</strong></h3>
<p>No. 3-2 loss.</p>
<p><strong> </strong></p>
<h1><strong>Fight #13</strong></h1>
<h2><strong>Luke Schenn vs Michael Haley</strong></h2>
<h2><strong>1<sup>st</sup> Period, April 2, 2019</strong></h2>
<div class="jetpack-video-wrapper"><iframe loading="lazy" title="Micheal Haley vs Luke Schenn Apr 2, 2019" width="1424" height="801" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/x4zZkKcnCq0?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
<h3><strong>Why Did This Fight Happen?</strong></h3>
<p>After the Canucks scored an early goal, Haley challenged Schenn in an attempt to spark the Sharks—and Schenn obliged in an attempt to further justify a new contract.<strong> </strong></p>
<h3><strong>How Did The Canuck Do?</strong></h3>
<p>Schenn got literally bent over in this one, and worked over pretty convincingly.</p>
<h3><strong>Did The Canucks Win This Game?</strong></h3>
<p>Yes, 4-2 win.</p>
<p><strong> </strong></p>
<h1><strong>2018/19 Fighting By The Numbers</strong></h1>
<h3><strong>Who Fought?</strong></h3>
<p>Erik Gudbranson- 3</p>
<p>Darren Archibald- 2</p>
<p>Antoine Roussel- 2</p>
<p>Bo Horvat- 1</p>
<p>Ben Hutton- 1</p>
<p>Josh Leivo- 1</p>
<p>Zack MacEwen- 1</p>
<p>Tim Schaller- 1</p>
<p>Luke Schenn- 1</p>
<h3><strong>How Many Of Those Fighters Are Still With The Team?</strong></h3>
<p>With the in-season departures of both Gudbranson and Archibald, the Canucks lost their two most frequent fighters and more than a third of their total fights—though we’re working with a pretty small scale here.</p>
<h3><strong>When Did The Canucks Fight?</strong></h3>
<p>The Canucks fought <strong>five times </strong>in the 1<sup>st</sup> period, <strong>seven times </strong>in the 2<sup>nd</sup> period, and <strong>just once </strong>in the 3<sup>rd</sup> period.</p>
<h3><strong>Why Did The Canucks Fight?</strong></h3>
<p>Answering the Bell- <strong>4</strong></p>
<p>An Opponent Trying To Spark Their Team- <strong>2</strong></p>
<p>Responding To A Hit On Elias Pettersson- <strong>2</strong></p>
<p>Proving One’s Self- <strong>2</strong></p>
<p>Responding To A Hit On Jake Virtanen- <strong>1</strong></p>
<p>Trying To Spark The Team- <strong>1</strong></p>
<p>Actually Protecting Pettersson From Harm- <strong>1</strong></p>
<h3><strong>How Well Did They Fight?</strong></h3>
<p>The Canucks won <strong>nine fights </strong>and lost <strong>four fights. </strong>Many of their victories were quite decisive. In other words, the Canucks fought quite well—if not often—in 2018/19.</p>
<h3><strong>Did It Impact The Boxscore?</strong></h3>
<p>Not really. The Canucks performed slightly better than their overall average in games in which they fought—with a record of six wins and five losses. Interestingly, the Canucks were 5-1-0 when they fought in the first period of a game, suggesting that perhaps there is something to the notion of an early scrap to spark the team.</p>
<h3><strong>Compared To The Rest Of The League</strong></h3>
<p>Overall, the NHL had its lowest rate of fights-per-game in recorded history, with a rate of just <strong>0.19. </strong>Fans attending a Vancouver Canucks game had even less of a chance at seeing a bout than the average league attendee, with the Canucks involved in only <strong>0.16 </strong>fights-per-game.</p>
<h3><strong>Conclusion</strong></h3>
<p>With only one fight from the 2018/19 season looking like an actual preventative measure against the Canucks’ star players getting injured—and little if any correlation between fighting and on-ice success—it’s difficult to see the relevancy of pugilism in the Vancouver organization moving forward. Later this week, we’ll take a close look at just how many gloves fans can expect to be dropped in the coming seasons.</p>


The subject of fighting in the National Hockey League has been subject to much questioning lately—specifically, questions about whether or not it will continue to be a part of hockey in the face of increased awareness of brain injuries and an overall downward trend.

Such questions are too complex and layered to be answered in a single blogpost, but what we can do is zero in on the future of fighting as far as the Vancouver Canucks are concerned.

The first stop on our two-part tour will take a good look at how and why the Canucks dropped the gloves throughout the 2018/19 season—before Part 2 takes an even gooder look at whether or not it is necessary for them to continue doing so in the future.

The Canucks fought just 13 times in 2018/19—matching their total from the previous season—<a href="https://www.hockeyfights.com/teams/29">according to HockeyFights.com</a>. It was the first time in several years that the team’s total didn’t decrease.

Speaking of our sister site, we’ll be using HockeyFights.com’s definition of a fight in this analysis—meaning that at least one of the participants picked up a five-minute major for fighting. That means that a few kerfuffles—like Erik Gudbranson’s devastating uppercut on Danick Martel, will not be included.

&nbsp;
<h1><strong>Fight #1</strong></h1>
<h2><strong>Erik Gudbranson vs Travis Hamonic</strong></h2>
<h2><strong>1<sup>st</sup> Period, October 3, 2018</strong><strong> </strong></h2>
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t8qBwnUgyfc
<h3><strong>Why Did This Fight Happen?</strong></h3>
Gudbranson was asked to “answer the bell” after an earlier questionable hit on Dillon Dube.<strong> </strong>
<h3><strong>How Did The Canuck Do?</strong></h3>
Gudbranson demolished Hamonic, breaking his jaw in the process.
<h3><strong>Did The Canucks Win This Game?</strong></h3>
Yes. 5-2 victory.

<strong> </strong>
<h1><strong>Fight #2</strong></h1>
<h2><strong>Bo Horvat vs Noel Acciari</strong></h2>
<h2><strong>2<sup>nd</sup> Period, October 20, 2018</strong><strong> </strong></h2>
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GpXzEJdwWnc
<h3><strong>Why Did This Fight Happen?</strong></h3>
Horvat was immediately called to task for a clean but hard hit on an unsuspecting Joakim Nordstrom.
<h3><strong>How Did The Canuck Do?</strong></h3>
A dominant victory. At one point, Horvat ragdolled Acciari with one hand while raining down punches with the other—before mercifully allowing Acciari to regain his balance.
<h3><strong>Did The Canucks Win This Game?</strong></h3>
Yes. 2-1 overtime victory.

<strong> </strong>
<h1><strong>Fight #3</strong></h1>
<h2><strong>Darren Archibald vs Torey Krug</strong></h2>
<h2><strong>3<sup>rd</sup> Period, November 8, 2018</strong></h2>
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wg-EsUbaMGo
<h3><strong>Why Did This Fight Happen?</strong></h3>
Near the end of a lopsided game, Krug overreacted to a strong hit by Archibald on Joakim Nordstrom and chased Archibald down for a fight. Interestingly, this was the second consecutive Canucks fight caused by a hit on Nordstrom.
<h3><strong>How Did The Canuck Do?</strong></h3>
Archibald pummelled the much smaller Krug with ease.
<h3><strong>Did The Canucks Win This Game?</strong></h3>
Yes. 8-5 victory (that had already been decided when the gloves were dropped.)

<strong> </strong>
<h1><strong>Fight #4</strong></h1>
<h2><strong>Darren Archibald vs Cody McLeod</strong></h2>
<h2><strong>2<sup>nd</sup> Period, November 12, 2018</strong></h2>
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GETfLQKOmsk
<h3><strong>Why Did This Fight Happen?</strong></h3>
McLeod didn’t really give Archibald a choice, instigating an altercation in an apparent attempt to spark his team.
<h3><strong>How Did The Canuck Do?</strong></h3>
Archibald was quickly overwhelmed by the more-experienced McLeod.
<h3><strong>Did The Canucks Win This Game?</strong></h3>
No. 2-1 loss.

<strong> </strong>
<h1><strong>Fight #5</strong></h1>
<h2><strong>Antoine Roussel vs Brandon Tanev</strong></h2>
<h2><strong>2<sup>nd</sup> Period, November 19, 2018</strong></h2>
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4vM7SuhhC4
<h3><strong>Why Did This Fight Happen?</strong></h3>
With the Canucks down 4-1, Roussel went right after Tanev on a faceoff in an attempt to turn the momentum of the game.
<h3><strong>How Did The Canuck Do?</strong></h3>
Roussel definitely won, but with a caveat. Many of the punches that Roussel landed came after Tanev had fallen to the ice, which is strictly against “the code” and cost Roussel a misconduct.
<h3><strong>Did The Canucks Win This Game?</strong></h3>
No. 6-3 loss.

<strong> </strong>
<h1><strong>Fight #6</strong></h1>
<h2><strong>Ben Hutton vs Cedric Paquette</strong></h2>
<h2><strong>2<sup>nd</sup> Period, December 18, 2018</strong></h2>
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOfD5WUWgR8
<h3><strong>Why Did This Fight Happen?</strong></h3>
Brock Boeser grabbed Paquette in response to a questionable hit on Elias Pettersson—in a game full of questionable hits—and Hutton stepped in to pull Paquette off of Boeser.<strong> </strong>
<h3><strong>How Did The Canuck Do?</strong></h3>
Hutton quickly pounded Paquette to the ice with a couple hard right hands.
<h3><strong>Did The Canucks Win This Game?</strong></h3>
No, 5-2 loss.

<strong> </strong>
<h1><strong>Fight #7</strong></h1>
<h2><strong>Antoine Roussel vs Yanni Gourde</strong></h2>
<h2><strong>2<sup>nd</sup> Period, December 18, 2018</strong></h2>
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NhbRkKedy28
<h3><strong>Why Did This Fight Happen?</strong></h3>
Gourde instigated the fight after Roussel ran him into the turnbuckle in a game that was already full of rough stuff.
<h3><strong>How Did The Canuck Do?</strong></h3>
Roussel worked Gourde over, forcing him to a knee with several raining rights.
<h3><strong>Did The Canucks Win This Game?</strong></h3>
No, 5-2 loss.

<strong> </strong>
<h1><strong>Fight #8</strong></h1>
<h2><strong>Tim Schaller vs Ben Harpur</strong></h2>
<h2><strong>1<sup>st</sup> Period, January 2, 2019</strong></h2>
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LoakTk8DeLU
<h3><strong>Why Did This Fight Happen?</strong></h3>
Schaller was looking to keep his spot in the lineup after several healthy scratches in a row by taking on a much larger opponent. Earlier, Schaller was seen on camera asking Mike McKenna for notes on Harpur’s fistic abilities.
<h3><strong>How Did The Canuck Do?</strong></h3>
Schaller definitely bit off more than he could chew in this one, and was jerseyed and pummelled before the linesmen stepped in to save him.
<h3><strong>Did The Canucks Win This Game?</strong></h3>
Yes, 4-3 overtime victory.

<strong> </strong>
<h1><strong>Fight #9</strong></h1>
<h2><strong>Erik Gudbranson vs Michael Haley</strong></h2>
<h2><strong>1<sup>st</sup> Period, January 13, 2019</strong></h2>
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p1Ka95_VBbE
<h3><strong>Why Did This Fight Happen?</strong></h3>
Gudbranson was attempting to make Michael Matheson answer for his concussing of Elias Pettersson, and Haley stepped in to protect the cowardly Matheson.
<h3><strong>How Did The Canuck Do?</strong></h3>
At the very least, Gudbranson ensured that Matheson had to eat his fair share of vicarious punches through the sturdy face of Haley.<strong> </strong>
<h3><strong>Did The Canucks Win This Game?</strong></h3>
Yes, 5-1 victory.

<strong> </strong>
<h1><strong>Fight #10</strong></h1>
<h2><strong>Josh Leivo vs Ryan Kesler</strong></h2>
<h2><strong>1<sup>st</sup> Period, February 13, 2019</strong></h2>
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQt1C54Qppc
<h3><strong>Why Did This Fight Happen?</strong></h3>
Kesler was harassing Elias Pettersson, and Leivo noticed and chased Kesler down for a fight.
<h3><strong>How Did The Canuck Do?</strong></h3>
The bout was close, but the veteran Kesler probably had the overall edge.
<h3><strong>Did The Canucks Win This Game?</strong></h3>
No, 1-0 loss.

<strong> </strong>
<h1><strong>Fight #11</strong></h1>
<h2><strong>Erik Gudbranson vs Ryan Getzlaf</strong></h2>
<h2><strong>2<sup>nd</sup> Period, February 13, 2019</strong></h2>
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I2JgDyYgAE0
<h3><strong>Why Did This Fight Happen?</strong></h3>
Gudbranson called Getzlaf to answer the bell for his “accidental” collision with Jake Virtanen earlier in the game—a play that resulted in an injury to Virtanen.<strong> </strong>
<h3><strong>How Did The Canuck Do?</strong></h3>
Getzlaf did his darnedest to hold Gudbranson off, but the Canuck still managed to land several solid blows.
<h3><strong>Did The Canucks Win This Game?</strong></h3>
No, 1-0 loss.

<strong> </strong>
<h1><strong>Fight #12</strong></h1>
<h2><strong>Zack MacEwen vs Barclay Goodrow</strong></h2>
<h2><strong>2<sup>nd</sup> Period, February 16, 2019</strong></h2>
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g3Rt2Ctl428
<h3><strong>Why Did This Fight Happen?</strong></h3>
In his first callup from the AHL, MacEwen was looking to prove himself—and Goodrow obliged with his team trailing.
<h3><strong>How Did The Canuck Do?</strong></h3>
“The Big Guy” laid a big whooping on Goodrow while alternating between lefts and rights.
<h3><strong>Did The Canucks Win This Game?</strong></h3>
No. 3-2 loss.

<strong> </strong>
<h1><strong>Fight #13</strong></h1>
<h2><strong>Luke Schenn vs Michael Haley</strong></h2>
<h2><strong>1<sup>st</sup> Period, April 2, 2019</strong></h2>
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x4zZkKcnCq0
<h3><strong>Why Did This Fight Happen?</strong></h3>
After the Canucks scored an early goal, Haley challenged Schenn in an attempt to spark the Sharks—and Schenn obliged in an attempt to further justify a new contract.<strong> </strong>
<h3><strong>How Did The Canuck Do?</strong></h3>
Schenn got literally bent over in this one, and worked over pretty convincingly.
<h3><strong>Did The Canucks Win This Game?</strong></h3>
Yes, 4-2 win.

<strong> </strong>
<h1><strong>2018/19 Fighting By The Numbers</strong></h1>
<h3><strong>Who Fought?</strong></h3>
Erik Gudbranson- 3

Darren Archibald- 2

Antoine Roussel- 2

Bo Horvat- 1

Ben Hutton- 1

Josh Leivo- 1

Zack MacEwen- 1

Tim Schaller- 1

Luke Schenn- 1
<h3><strong>How Many Of Those Fighters Are Still With The Team?</strong></h3>
With the in-season departures of both Gudbranson and Archibald, the Canucks lost their two most frequent fighters and more than a third of their total fights—though we’re working with a pretty small scale here.
<h3><strong>When Did The Canucks Fight?</strong></h3>
The Canucks fought <strong>five times </strong>in the 1<sup>st</sup> period, <strong>seven times </strong>in the 2<sup>nd</sup> period, and <strong>just once </strong>in the 3<sup>rd</sup> period.
<h3><strong>Why Did The Canucks Fight?</strong></h3>
Answering the Bell- <strong>4</strong>

An Opponent Trying To Spark Their Team- <strong>2</strong>

Responding To A Hit On Elias Pettersson- <strong>2</strong>

Proving One’s Self- <strong>2</strong>

Responding To A Hit On Jake Virtanen- <strong>1</strong>

Trying To Spark The Team- <strong>1</strong>

Actually Protecting Pettersson From Harm- <strong>1</strong>
<h3><strong>How Well Did They Fight?</strong></h3>
The Canucks won <strong>nine fights </strong>and lost <strong>four fights. </strong>Many of their victories were quite decisive. In other words, the Canucks fought quite well—if not often—in 2018/19.
<h3><strong>Did It Impact The Boxscore?</strong></h3>
Not really. The Canucks performed slightly better than their overall average in games in which they fought—with a record of six wins and five losses. Interestingly, the Canucks were 5-1-0 when they fought in the first period of a game, suggesting that perhaps there is something to the notion of an early scrap to spark the team.
<h3><strong>Compared To The Rest Of The League</strong></h3>
Overall, the NHL had its lowest rate of fights-per-game in recorded history, with a rate of just <strong>0.19. </strong>Fans attending a Vancouver Canucks game had even less of a chance at seeing a bout than the average league attendee, with the Canucks involved in only <strong>0.16 </strong>fights-per-game.
<h3><strong>Conclusion</strong></h3>
With only one fight from the 2018/19 season looking like an actual preventative measure against the Canucks’ star players getting injured—and little if any correlation between fighting and on-ice success—it’s difficult to see the relevancy of pugilism in the Vancouver organization moving forward. Later this week, we’ll take a close look at just how many gloves fans can expect to be dropped in the coming seasons.

The Canucks And Fighting Part 1: How And Why The Canucks Fought In 2018/19

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