NHL players are thought of as some of the toughest athletes in all of sports, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t nice guys.
Despite the bone-crushing hits, fisticuffs and missing teeth, hockey players can be as kind as they come. This notion was on full display during Saturday’s San Jose Sharks vs. Nashville Predators matchup.
It all started with Sharks defenseman Brenden Dillon, who politely challenged Predators center Austin Watson to a fight. After the bout, the two men shared a very pleasant conversation in the penalty box, mere minutes after punching each other in the face.
You can hear Dillon mic’d up in the video below. The action starts at the 2:06 mark.
So while fans probably assumed the two were chirping each other in the box, they were actually making self-deprecating jokes about their stamina and wishing each other well for the rest of the season.
Although not every hockey fight is as mild-mannered as this one, this was pretty cool to see.
Thumbnail photo via Stan Szeto/USA TODAY Sports Images
