This has been a terrible offseason for the NHL. I hesitate to use the word ‘family’ because I’m not part of the NHL family in any way but I can imagine for anyone who is connected to the three players who have died since Boston hoisted Lord Stanley’s Cup in June has had a difficult time processing all of this. I’ve seen it on Twitter. I’ve seen the articles. I’ve seen the insensitive comments that have led to bitter backlash. None of it has been pretty and everyone deals with loss in their own way. I’ve found it best to stay out of the way (though I guess that's about to change right now). I didn’t know these people personally and I don’t know anything about what they’ve been going through. I have, however, seen depression first hand and it’s serious. Just because someone appears happy doesn’t mean that the bad thoughts aren’t inside wreaking havoc. I can only hope people who need help can muster up the strength to speak up and get it as soon as possible.

That said, we’re a hockey blog that proudly features a segment called Friday Night Fights. We make dick and fart jokes and sometimes we even make fun of peoples’ weight. Sometimes those fat jokes are told by (gasp) fat people. Even the arbiters of morality over at Deadspin took their shots at those who took shots at poor Big Buff and his rediscovered girth. Something called Barry Petchesky is quite upset that people are making jokes at Dustin’s expense. Is operating a motor vehicle while wasted funny? No, it’s fucking stupid and dangerous. And when you do something stupid and dangerous and get caught people are going to have some fun at your expense. Barry takes exception to that and gives us his version of Chris Crocker’s impassioned defense of Britney Spears. Leave Dustin alone! I think the pot might be calling the kettle black here, but you can be the judge of that. Thanks for your two cents Barry. We’ll be sure to check out Deadspin next time we need to find out which athlete is sending out mass texts of their chode to uninterested parties.  

Unfortunately, this offseason has been full of heavy stuff (and I don’t just mean Dustin Byfuglien doing his best impersonation of a human pontoon) but much like the story of Gabriel rollerblading through downtown Manhattan on 9/12 we’re going to carry on. If we stop being who we are, the terrorists win. We can wallow in the depths of sadness or we can pull ourselves out of the mire and look for a brighter future. One thing that’s going to help heal all these wounds of young men dead and young men concussed and young men boating after downing a 30 pack of Hamm’s is actual hockey games.  

So this is Hockeenight, after all. I know what you need. You’re thinking: Friday Night Fights, I need you tonight. Happy to oblige. We’re honoring Wade Belak who was lost to the world this week. Unfortunately, we don’t know if Wade had a devil inside or what kind of a new sensation he was feeling when he decided to take his own life. By all accounts he was a great guy and it’s way too soon for him to disappear. Here’s one of Wade’s better fights against heavyweight Donald Brashear, who has since retired from the NHL and taken his considerable talents to the world of MMA. Enjoy your long weekend.