by Derek Abma, CNS, montrealgazette.com

Mario Lemieux's recent threat to sever connections with the NHL after a brawl involving his Pittsburgh Penguins and the New York Islanders has us talking about hockey violence again - and this is good.

Every few years something happens - such as Todd Bertuzzi's career-ending attack on Steve Moore in 2004 or Marty McSorley knocking Donald Brashear unconscious with a stick to the head in 2000 - that prompts people to debate fighting's place in hockey.

In the end, those who run the National Hockey League and other branches of the North American hockey industry tend to decide these are isolated incidents that warrant no extraordinary action.