Official Site of Darcy Hordichuk

It’s becoming tougher to be a tough guy in the NHL.

Although fighting remains a prominent and fan-enticing part of the game, these days an enforcer needs to pair skating skills with swinging fists for a true one-two punch.

“Throughout the league everyone is getting better,” feisty Predators forward Darcy Hordichuk said. “You have to keep up with the times.”

Rules changes in the wake of the lockout that wiped out the 2004-05 season led to a perceived decline in “staged” fights — one player calling out another — yet fighting majors are on the rise.

Such an evolution has created an interesting challenge for traditional tough guys like Hordichuk.

Known for his slugging but not necessarily his slap shot, Hordichuk has been asked to follow the lead of hard-hitting teammates like Jordin Tootoo and Shea Weber by contributing offensively as well as aggressively.

Across the league fighters are being forced to keep pace with the game’s speed and skill elements.

Failure to do so, as Hordichuk learned earlier this season, can mean an extended stay on the bench.

“The pure tough guy who struggled to get around the ice is a little bit of a dying element,” Predators Coach Barry Trotz said.

“Now you not only have to be the toughest hombre on the ice, you also have to be able to play a regular shift.”

Full Story: Enforcers fight to keep place in game – [Tennessean.com]