Connor McDavid should not be fighting, ever. A game built on warp-like speed and quickness, brilliant puckhandling abilities and a mind that processes the game at speeds only seen in Silicon Valley, should not include fisticuffs. The argument that he is standing up for himself doesnt hold when you consider the impact he has in the game. That impact is lost when he isnt available whether it is for five minutes or for weeks if he suffers an injury. Lets look at the cost-benefit analysis. The benefits are numerous. He produces points, he makes everybody around him better and he gives the team a great chance to win. Eries record is 16-1-1, and the excitement he brings to the fans both at home and on the road is measured in ticket revenue. The cost is obvious and fighting, which in and of itself poses definitive risk of injury, offers no benefit. He will continue to draw close checking, even opposing players running at him and potentially the odd cheap shot and him fighting – as he has now done twice this season - will do nothing to stop that. He may derive satisfaction from it, but my feeling is he derives considerably more satisfaction from playing and being the dominant player he has become. McDavid entered action Tuesday vs. Mississauga averaging 2.9 points per game, better than the full year scoring marks of OHL single season points record-holder Bobby Smith (2.8), Wayne Gretzky (2.7) and Eric Lindros (2.6). McDavid and fans are deprived of the chance to see him go for the history books. When you are a star player, attention on and off the ice is to be expected. As a major junior player, McDavid is in the same stratosphere as Gretzky and Sidney Crosby – and there is no record of either of them fighting in the CHL. Do opponents target the best players? Yes, but those players respond in a manner that is far more damaging to an opponent. They beat them up with their enormous skills and leave the game victorious knowing the best response was through their play. Emotion is part of the game and, at times, they get the better of players - even superstars, but it is not a reason to fight when the cost is so much greater than the benefit. Erie Otters head coach Kris Knoblauch lost Joel Wigle, a top 6 right winger who is expected to provide finish, to a broken hand as the result of a fight in the first game of the season; Wigle has not played since. McDavid witnessed that and referenced it as a reason not to get involved in fisticuffs when asked by Bob McKenzie in late September if he ever expected to fight. You can watch that interview here. You can imagine how Knoblauch feels losing McDavid to a fight with Mississaugas Bryson Cianfrone, a second-year Steelhead who until Tuesday had never fought in the OHL or earned a penalty minute this season. We hear, You cant take the emotion out of the game and competitiveness is what makes him special, and on it goes but the reality is that being smart is just as important. More important. I dont think Team Canada head coach Benoit Groulx is extolling the virtues of standing up for yourself and fighting because he knows full well the impact of potentially losing McDavid as does Kris Knoblauch. What does it mean for Team Canada? Every country has injuries and many countires have eligible players in NHL, but as the host country endeavouring to end a five-year gold drought (and two years without a medal), here are who will or could be missing from Team Canada: McDavid, Sam Bennett, Aaron Ekblad, Jonathan Drouin, Nate MacKinnon, Curits Lazar, Bo Horvat and Anthony Duclair. Canada has great depth, will ice a very good team and understands all too well that each year there will be certain players not available because of their ability to perform well at a young age in the NHL. But while others are unavailable due to being in the NHL, McDavid may find himself on the sidelines due to entirely different reason and that makes Canada a little less formidable. Performing outside your abilities and strengths is never something any coach encourages and whether it was in the heat of the moment or not, Connor McDavid did something you rarely see him do on the ice - make a mistake. Bobby Orr Jersey . Gough finished in fourth, 0.433 seconds behind American Erin Hamlin, who took the bronze medal at the Sanki Sliding Center in Rzhanaya Polyana. Corey Crawford Jersey .Martin Caceres marked his return from injury by scoring in the 3-1 win at Napoli and he believes Juventus sent out a warning to the rest of the league with that result.We go out on the pitch every game looking to give our all, Caceres said. http://www.authenticblackhawkspro.com/Cm...wks-jersey/.com) - Real Madrid claimed its 20th consecutive win across all competitions by cruising to a 4-1 victory at Almeria on Friday. Brandon Manning Jersey . The Goldeyes (10-7) lost 4-1 to the Saltdogs (8-9) Sunday afternoon before 5,834 sizzling fans at Shaw Park. The loss drops Winnipegs record to 3-4 during this past weeks seven-game homestand. Brandon Saad Jersey . He spent the rest of the game making up for lost playing time. Green scored a career-high 36 points, including eight in overtime, and the Phoenix Suns beat Denver 112-107 on Tuesday night to hand the Nuggets their fifth consecutive loss.NEW YORK -- Curtis Granderson is heading across town, where the New York Mets hope his home run swing wont suffer at Citi Field. The free-agent outfielder agreed to a $60 million, four-year contract with the Mets, according to a person familiar with the situation. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Friday because the deal was pending a physical and no announcement had been made. Granderson, who turns 33 in March, comes over from the crosstown Yankees and gives the Mets much-needed power in their punchless outfield. He batted .229 with seven homers and 15 RBIs this year, when wrist and hand injuries limited him to 61 games. But he surpassed 40 homers in each of his previous two seasons in pinstripes. The move marks general manager Sandy Aldersons most expensive free-agent signing -- by far -- after three years of bargain shopping as the Mets rebuilt. A three-time All-Star, Granderson provides proven thump from the left side of the plate to complement right-handed hitter David Wright in a lineup that managed only 130 home runs last season -- tied for 25th among 30 major league teams. New York also signed free-agent outfielder Chris Young to a $7.25 million, one-year contract this off-season. Granderson has played centre field most of his career but spent time in both left and right last season. He figures to fill a corner spot with the Mets, who plan to use defensive whiz Juan Lagares or Young in centre. New Yorks outfield combined to hit .238 this year (29th in the majors) with 50 homers (tied for 24th) and 209 RBIs (16th), speedy left fielder Eric Young Jr., the NL stolen base leader. Granderson turned down a $14.1 million qualifying offer from the Yankees to test the open market. The Mets, however, would not have to forfeit their first-round draft pick to sign him because they own the 10th overall selection.dddddddddddd The top 10 picks are protected. Granderson hit 41 home runs in 2011, when he led the American League in runs (136) and RBIs (119) and finished fourth in MVP voting. He had 43 homers and 106 RBIs in 2012, taking advantage of the short right-field porch at Yankee Stadium. The Mets hope his power will translate to spacious Citi Field, where its more difficult to clear the fences. Grandersons numbers have declined the past two years, down to a .317 on-base percentage and .407 slugging mark last season. He also is prone to strikeouts -- whiffing 364 times from 2011-2012 -- and joins a Mets lineup that fanned 1,384 times this year, tied with Atlanta for most in the NL. But his bat is a significant upgrade for the Mets, starved for offence following their fifth straight losing season since moving into Citi Field. Now, the club can focus on other areas of need -- shortstop, first base, the pitching staff -- heading into baseballs winter meetings next week. Granderson was on the disabled list twice last season after getting hit by pitches. He missed the first 38 games after breaking his right wrist when he was plunked by Toronto left-hander J.A. Happ in his first spring training plate appearance on Feb. 24. Not long after he returned, Granderson broke a knuckle on his left pinkie when he was hit at Tampa Bay on May 24. That kept him out until August, making Granderson one of several Yankees stars to be sidelined much of the season. New York was unable to overcome all the injuries, missing the playoffs for only the second time in 19 years. Grandersons agreement with the Mets was first reported by the New York Post. ' ' '