Edited Jul. 30, 2021 at 2:11 p.m.
I really hate to be asking this...sigh...here goes.... Do you live under a rock!?😉
Just teasing. It's because of this well reported brawl:
https://youtu.be/T4JJhC5iISg
... And the revenge the next game:
https://youtu.be/FJ364V_vWN4
Since then:
- Wilson was only fined;
- NYR fired their GM because he wouldn't denounce Wilson's violence;
- NYR overpaid for Goodrow to add grit;
- NYR signed Tinordi to add grit;
- Buchnevich was (badly) traded for Blais to add grit;
- NYR lost this trade for Reaves, an enforcer;
Tl:dr: NYR makes repeated bad hockey decisions in the name of violence since they had their ass kicked by Wilson.