Fighting for a career in the NHL

From Kevin Paul Dupont of the Boston Globe:

No surprise, hockey also played a key role in determining Shawn’s shift assignment that summer. So did fighting, then and now perhaps his No. 1 playing strength. The mill is a 24/7 operation, with many workers assigned three 12-hour shifts, followed by two days off, followed by three more 12-hour shifts. The young Thornton was eager to earn $21 an hour that summer, but not so eager to be left at the whim of the scheduler maker, who could choose between day and overnight shifts. Thornton much preferred a “straight days,” Monday-Friday schedule, and was eager to sign on when his father presented him with that possibility. Only one hitch: He would have to fight for it.

“Not fight another guy at the mill,” explained Thornton. “It was another player – Jeff Ware.”

Read the entire article by Dupont here.

Great article by Dupont. It is certainly worth the read.