Nic Deslauriers Drops The Gloves For Heavyweight Fight In His First Game Of The Season

The Philadelphia Flyers and Washington Capitals kicked off this season's Frozen Frezny, and it's safe to say their two big men couldn't wait to drop the gloves.

While Gary Bettman faced backlash for his scheduling of the NHL's Frozen Frenzy in 2024/25, things couldn't have started any better for the league, with the Capitals and Flyers leading the charge for the NHL. The game features two Metropolitan Division rivals, and while their rivalry isn't as heated as others within the division, it's safe to say that they still don't like each other.

Because of that, it's lucky for the Flyers that Nic Deslauriers was back in the lineup for the first time this season, and shortly after the game began, he dropped the gloves for a heavyweight tilt for the ages.

WATCH HERE AS DYLAN MCILRATH AND NIC DESLAURIERS GO TOE-TO-TOE

With the Flyers trailing 1-0 just five minutes into the game, Deslauriers did his thing in an attempt to get the home crowd into the game, but it appears he didn't get the job done. The fight was as spirited as any we've seen in recent years, and while the smart money would have been on Deslauriers, it looked as though the 32-year old McIlrath may have gotten the best of him in this one.

While fighting in the NHL is becoming less and less common, it's a part of the game that casual fans absolutely love, and given the appeal that the NHL is trying to make on a day like the Frozen Frenzy, this is exactly what those casual fans tuning in want to see. With all 32 games in action, it's expected to be a jam packed evening of fights, hits, great goals and robberies in net, and if every game brings this level of excitement, it will be a win for Gary Bettman and the NHL.

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