The NHL has a problem on its hands, all right: The games don't mean much right now. The solution for the recent spate of fights is as simple as waiting for the playoffs start.

At first glance, that seems counterintuitive. You'd assume that players are more bored, even somewhat disinterested, after 50-some games with 30 to go. You figure they would be tired and run-down.

It's the good old-fashioned "pick your spots" advice that coaches constantly preach brought to life – 6-0 in game number 50? If you don't have a green light then, you never do (which would be just fine).

Enough of the schedule has gone by that teams have started to develop a little in-season history with their respective rosters. Say, for example, Max Talbot makes a hit on Blake Comeau that the Islanders deem to be cheap or something like that. It takes some time for that hate to develop, given that rosters change considerably each year. When the season starts, it's just particular players you hate, not teams.

That doesn't last forever.

And so it begins, with one team looking to exact revenge on the other for a misdeed in some previous contest. At the very least, they play that opponent with a little bit more of an edge.

Those unique, ever-changing rosters are a big reason there aren't a lot of massive brawls early in the season. Things are far from established on the depth chart and the majority of the team is healthy. Aside from maybe mixing in the odd tilt just to show you will, it makes no sense to take yourself off the ice for that many minutes while risking injury and suspension when teams are still moving players up and down throughout their line-up. 

In short, you're playing for your job – which is less certain at the start of the year – and you're playing to get off to a good start.

You're playing actual hockey.

As the playoffs approach, priorities come into clearer focus. If that Islanders-Penguins game from last week was played in the final week of the season and both teams were on the playoff bubble, there's a zero percent chance it happens. In fact, there's about a 10 percent chance Jack Capuano and Garth Snow even dress that particular four tough-guy lineup.

So you pick your spots, because you know during the season's most intense moments, you team doesn't want to be risking dumb penalties and depleted line-ups. And obviously, we've just been cruising through that not-so-sweet spot. It's less of a reflection on the state of the league (Mario), and more of a reflection of timing.

We're getting awfully close to the time where we won't see any more brawls – around trade deadline, a lot of guys are trying to show what they can do, and that requires being on the ice.

Then comes the playoff push, then playoffs, then time for rosters to get shuffled like deck chairs again.

I think we're through it. Maybe the League has one more dust-up left in it before things settle down, but the end is near. 

As far as I'm concerned, that's a good thing.

Photo by Getty Images

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