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Alfredsson: Players shouldn’t need to fight after dishing big hits

Detroit Red Wings v New York Islanders

skates against the New York Islanders at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum on November 29, 2013 in Uniondale, New York. The Red Wings defeated the Islanders 5-0.

Bruce Bennett

New Jersey Devils enforcer Cam Janssen recently suggested that the Shawn Thornton-Brooks Orpik incident could have been avoided had Orpik brawled with Thornton after his big hit on Loui Eriksson. The Boston Bruins star forward suffered his second concussion of the season as a result of the blow.

With the Detroit Red Wings getting ready to play the Pittsburgh Penguins tonight and the decision on Thornton looming after his in-person hearing yesterday, 41-year-old forward Daniel Alfredsson was asked if players should fight after delivering a big hit.

“Not at all,” he told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review’s Josh Yohe. “That’s the old school. Let ref decide if it was illegal.”

Orpik didn’t receive a penalty on the play, but because of Thornton’s actions, Orpik is also dealing with a concussion. To be clear, Janssen doesn’t think that what Thornton did was “correct,” even if he feels that a fight would have prevented things from escalating further.

The NHL is expected to announce Thornton’s punishment around 4:00 p.m. ET, according to Sportsnet’s John Shannon.

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