FanSided’s Interview With Jared Boll

Oct 1, 2013; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Newcomer Montreal Canadiens right wing George Parros (15) before the game against Toronto Maple Leafs at Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: Jean-Yves Ahern-USA TODAY Sports

If you haven’t heard by now, George Parros of the Montreal Canadians suffered a concussion on October 1st, opening night of the NHL, while fighting with Colton Orr of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Parros was removed from the ice on a stretcher, and was taken to a nearby hospital – he was eventually released the next day. If you did not get a chance to see the incident occur, it was not pretty. In short, Parros fell over Orr and his head/face went straight into the ice. This injury/incident reignited the dispute over whether fighting should be allowed in the NHL.

Katrina Cappelli, Senior Editor of Fansided’s Too Many Men On The Site, had the opportunity to interview Jared Boll recently. In fact she had the chance to interview several enforcers in the league and asked about the ongoing debate about fighting and its place in the NHL.

Here is the interview conducted by Katrina Cappelli with Jared Boll…

How would you describe your role on the team?

"Just a good team mate. A hard nosed player that sticks up for his team mates."

If fighting is taken out of hockey, does it change the game?

"Yeah, absolutely. I think it should always have a place in the game and it’s good for it."

Any memorable fights you watched as a kid?

"One fight that always sticks out to me is P.J. Stock and Stephen Peat. I’ve seen that a couple times and thought is was a pretty good one."

Which fight of yours is the most memorable?

"I don’t know. I’ve had some good ones that were long with Cam Janssen. I know he always likes to have long ones. When I fought Jody Shelley here at home, that was pretty cool because I looked up to him a lot when he was here."

[Hockey Fights- A Player’s Perspective: Jared Boll by Katrina Cappelli]

Mandatory Credit: Russell LaBounty-USA TODAY Sports

Boll has racked up 938 penalty minutes in his previous 6 seasons with the Blue Jackets, he has yet to play a game this year due to an injury, but he is expected to add quite a few more minutes in the box, as he will be the main enforcer on the team. In the last two seasons alone Boll has fought 30 times, 12 in the shortened season, and 18 in the 2011-2012 season. The most fights Boll has had in one season is 27, which was actually his first year playing in the NHL with the Blue Jackets.

So, after hearing what Boll had to say about fighting in the NHL, what are your thoughts? Should it stay or should it go? Or should the NHL find a happy medium and create some changes?

Myself and Union and Blue would like to thank Katrina Cappelli for sharing her interview with us. We greatly appreciate it.