As Sunday night’s brawl between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Buffalo Sabres proved again, stupidity is frequently a hallmark of the NHL exhibition season, when the goons and the wannabes are all trying to catch an organization’s attention.

Every year, the NHL playoffs provide the most entertaining and sensibly played hockey of the season. It’s far superior to the regular season, which in turn, is miles ahead of the preseason. Year in and year out, exhibition hockey remains a tedious, tiresome minefield for teams to skirt as carefully as possible, lest there be the sort of unintended consequences that have occurred - 10 games on the sidelines for the Leafs’ David Clarkson (who will be suspended for leaving the bench to join the fight) or an indefinite time in sick bay for Gagner .

For Edmonton especially, in a year when the Oilers legitimately believe they can end a seven-year playoff drought, this is no way to start.

-Eric Duhatschek of the Globe and Mail where you can read more on the injury issues with the Oilers.