Arizona Coyotes: Former Coyote Paul Bissonnette Trades Barbs With Rich Clune
Former Arizona Coyotes pest Paul Bissonnette weighed in on the new AHL rules changes in a series of hilarious tweets between Bissonnette and Marlies forward Rich Clune.
The AHL is making some rule changes and there was a bit of buzz around the ones concerning fighting, so naturally former Arizona Coyotes forward and pest Paul Bissonnette had something to say.
He didn’t quite get the first word in, however.
That honor went to Toronto Marlies/Toronto Maple Leafs forward Rich Clune, another player more noted for dropping gloves and chirping than scoring goals.
Clune tweeted and then later deleted his thoughts on the new rule changes. “Save you reporters some time. The 10 fight limit and no fighting off the face-off rule is great. Fighting isn’t done, just guys who suck are.”
Biznasty couldn’t skip the opportunity to throw in his two cents.
The American Hockey League changed several rules regarding dropping the gloves prior to the 2016-17 season.
Players will no longer be allowed to fight straight off of a face-off like the “good” old days. That will earn the players an immediate game misconduct.
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The rule changes also stipulate that if a player fights 10 times in the season, on the occurrence of their 10th fight the player will be suspended one game. They will also be suspended one game for every fight past the 10th up to their 13th fight of the season. Starting with a player’s 14th fight, they are suspended two games for each subsequent engagement.
In short, it’s pretty much what Clune implied. You better be able to skate and move the puck or you’re likely to be replaced in the near future.
Unless you’re Biznasty, apparently.
The discussion that ensued between the two was a fun little back and forth between two gentlemen who know a bit about getting under a man’s skin. There was also a rather tantalizing tidbit from Bissonnette referencing something Rich Clune may have said about Shane Doan that agitated his Arizona Coyotes teammates.
I think we’d all love to hear the story behind Cluner and Doan and when the incident occurred.
While playing for the Nashville Predators, Rich Clune did fight Kyle Chipchura on January 28th, 2013. It wasn’t much of a scrap as neither fighter could get free of the other’s clutches, but perhaps that was the retaliation for his misdeeds?
Whatever the real story is, Clune made it clear that he’s not too fussed about it.
Next: Every Coyotes Fight: 2012-13 Season
It’s a bit of a shame the NHL doesn’t have these two personalities among it’s ranks.
Then again, it all goes back to Rich Clune’s initial quote, doesn’t it?