Oilers forward speaks out about the importance of fighting in the NHL

The Incident

During a match between Canada and Switzerland, Joe Veleno of Team Canada appeared to deliberately stomp on Nino Niederreiter's foot with his skate. The incident went unnoticed by officials, and Veleno escaped without a penalty. It was a controversial moment, and many view it as an intentional act.

Kane's Reaction

In response to a video of the incident, Kane retweeted it, labeling the act as "disgusting" and "embarrassing." He believes this incident exemplifies why fighting is necessary in the NHL. Tournaments like the IIHF discourage fighting and often result in suspensions.

Kane expressed, "This is why fighting in hockey is needed; it discourages actions like this and effectively polices the game. It was a disgusting play to witness, especially after my injury earlier this year. Embarrassing."

Kane refers to his own injury during the 2022-23 NHL season when he suffered a wrist cut from Pat Maroon's skate, causing him to miss over 30 games.

Overall, Kane emphasizes the role of fighting in deterring such incidents and maintaining a sense of accountability in the game.