Professional hockey players eat, sleep, and breathe the game. This passion breeds a rare type of diehard fan to follow the sport. The game of hockey is over 100 years old and fighting is one element that has kept players engaged and fans hooked throughout the years. The first indoor hockey game was played in 1875 and the NHL was formed 42 years later in 1917. In 1922, fighting was added to the rule book as a regulated aspect of the game. Looking at the history of hockey shines a light on the players and fans’ passion for the game. Hockey fights should stay in the game for the protection and safety of skilled players, rivalries between teams, and finally because it's a unique part of the sport. Hockey fighting should stay in the game for …show more content…
It is also perhaps the most important part of the sport. NFL, MLB and NBA are always going to be #1, #2, and #3 in America. One of the few ways hockey players can differentiate themselves from other professional athletes is by the physicality in their game says thesportster.com. (Andrew Maggio) The physical aspect of hockey still needs to be policed. To put it another way, enforcers are a backup regulation system to the referees. It is important to realize the enforcer’s role is to prevent injuries, not cause them. Thesportster.com also states the alternative to allowing fighting in professional hockey is even more vicious than the fighting itself. (Andrew Maggio). The most vulnerable players on the ice are often the goal scorers. As a result, skilled players feel protected and can do their job of scoring goals more effectively when fighting is allowed within reason. Under these circumstances, skilled players have room to move and perform to the best of their ability because their opponents are afraid of the consequence of taking a cheap shot. “The simple reason fighting takes place in the NHL is to create space for the offence” says Darren Pang, a former NHL goaltender, when interviewed for the book: The Code. (Pang) While some may consider fighting in the NHL barbaric, one could argue it has a place on the simple statistical fact that players had less concussions and major …show more content…
In the event that a player makes a dirty hit on a skilled player, the enforcer’s role is to send a message to the other team. For fear that a skilled player will be hurt and unable to play, an enforcer will take matters into his own hands. As a result, skilled players feel protected and can do their job of scoring goals more effectively. All things considered, fighters are there for protection, not violence. Fighting as part of the game reduces injuries drastically. At the present time, fighting in the NHL is being heavily debated and there are two very different sides to the argument. In the meantime, with the stricter regulations against fighting, NHL injuries are at an all-time high. My coach, Kelly Chase—a retired NHL enforcer—says that with concussions being such a focus in sports, only 2% of the ones in the NHL are caused by fights. The other 98% are caused by dirty hits. In the background of the controversy, the game has evolved to where fighting is not an enforcer’s only role on the team. Beyond a reputation for being tough, an enforcer good hockey player. All things considered, fighters are here for protection, not
There is no sporting event that brings an explosion quite like that of an ice hockey fight. Ice hockey has always been stereotyped as brutal and unnecessarily violent, a game full of players who are nothing but “goons”. Fighting in hockey is a form of sanctioned violence, as it has deemed acceptable in hockey since the introduction of the National Hockey League in 1917. The league did note even penalize it until the 1922 NHL season (Brandon 2013). A recent political uproar has taken place within the hockey world as more people are pushing to have fighting completely removed from the game. As a hockey player for over 25 years, I have
There are many images that the word hockey conjures up. Gen X-ers might remember “Game on!” from Wayne’s World, while San Antonians might think of hockey as the “other” sport played in the AT&T center. Edward McClelland’s article “Blame Canada! Fighting Has Turned Hockey Immoral” attempts to explore the differences between National Hockey League (NHL) and international styles of play and call for reforms to the current practices in the NHL. In order to evaluate McClelland’s article thoroughly, it is important to consider the use of rhetorical strategies and structure.
Sometimes it is easy to forget the game played on frozen ponds and backyard rinks, and get lost in the overwhelming professional sport known as hockey. However, we strive to remember that hockey became Canada's game because it made our never-ending winter months more bearable . The game gradually became a sport, then an entertainment industry. It seems like the lockout was one of the biggest news stories of the year. Part of the amazing nature of the game is that it's origins are fairly vague. However, we always remember that hockey is our game. It may not be our official sport, like lacrosse is, but hockey is what Canada seems to be most well-known for, and it continues to have immense influence on our free society, with its unique style
The NHL has had to change many rules in their league in order to have their players continue being safe. In 1959, Jacques Plante was the first goalie to wear a face mask. He received a blow to the face by a puck, it caused his lip to split, and he bled everywhere. He came back with a cream-colored mask and told the coach that if he couldn’t wear the mask, he refused to play. Although he was made fun of by reporters, fans, teammates etc. he continued to wear his mask and stated that he already had broken his nose, jaw, cheekbones and had countless of stitches in his head due to injuries. It wasn’t until 1979 that the NHL made their helmets mandatory, and unfortunately many had experienced severe injuries from playing this sport. This wasn’t the first change that happened in order to ensure safety of the public and players. In 2002, a spectator named Brittany Cecil, died at an NHL game due to a puck flying over the glass and hitting her. This caused the NHL to have to change their arena layouts and have netting above the glass. In addition to this change, in 2011, the NHL passed new rules governing hits to the head and his behind due to the increase of concussions in the game.
Claude Lemiuex who played for many teams throughout his 21 year career in the NHL was known as one of the biggest pests that has been in the league. Pests in the NHL are players that attempt to antagonize opposing players with physical play and by chirping. He is best known for the infamous hit on Kris Draper where he hit him from behind, forcing Drapers face into the boards. Draper suffered a broken jaw, shattered cheek, and orbital bone which needed surgery that involved his jaw being wired shut and a lot of stitches. This hit lead to the rivalry of the Detroit Red Wings and the Colorado Avalanche. Throughout the next 5 years there were 2 or 3 line brawls between the two teams that even included the goalies fighting. Darren McCarty got his revenge on Lemieux in the first brawl since the Draper incident and blindsided him after a whistle in the game. That game had 18 major fighting penalties that totaled up to 144 penalty minutes combined for both teams. If the NHL didn’t have fighting who knows what else he would have done in games to opposing players but by having fighting in the game he knew that he would have pay for his actions so he did not play how he usually did against the Red Wings. Lemieux only received a 2 game suspension and $1000 dollar fine for the hit so having someone knock him around a little bit was a more suitable punishment. If fighting wasn’t allowed he never would have faced any consequences for that hit because in todays game he would have been suspended for maybe 20 games or
Head, Face, and eye injury in women’s collegiate field hockey can lead to a serious problem like a concussion. A concussion is an injury to the brain that is caused by something hitting the head very hard. In most colleges that sponsor the sport they have found out that most of the injuries that do occur are either related to the ball or stick hitting off of the head. In a recent study done by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) they discovered that concussions accounted for about 43 percent of the injuries. Collegiate field hockey rules and style of play are much different from the high school and elementary level of competition.
Nolan Fowler Professor Slayton English Composition I 25 November 2017 Should Fighting Stay in Hockey? Many people do not know that ice hockey is the only organized sport that allows bareknuckle fighting. Unlike most sports that issue ejections, suspensions, and fines, hockey hands out a relatively minor punishment for bare knuckle brawls. After dropping the gloves and engaging in a fist fight hockey players are assessed a major penalty of five minutes to sit in the penalty box until their time is over.
NHL Hockey and Olympic hockey are very different due to each league having their own style of play. In Olympic hockey Fighting is frowned upon, those who fight receive a penalty match, and will be ejected from the game. In the NHL fighting, is what most fans come to watch fighting allowed and after the fight is over all players involved in the scuffle will be penalized and put into the penalty box? The penalty box is where players have to sit after a fight and other behavior infractions for a certain amount of time.
Even with all the positives of changing the rules, equipment standard upgrades and decreasing player aggression for safety reasons, there is always negative outcomes that must be addressed. As a hockey fanatic myself, I tend to somewhat enjoy “rough” games where opponents or rivals such as the Philadelphia Flyers and the Pittsburgh Penguins battle it out to be the victorious one in the end, as do fan bases of teams around the league, and to them by increasing safety and positionally altering the pace of the game could damage their likeness to the game. But to these fans I do have to rebut. Admittingly I do agree that it will change the game to be more of a caution-filled sport, and that players won’t be as rough as per say the 1975 “Broad
The NHL is questioning getting rid of fighting in hockey. Should fights in the NHL be allowed? Although hockey fights can permanently damage someone, it is a necessary skill to have in order to dominate and intimidate our opponent. To begin, hockey fights are a great intimidation factor that can be used to generate momentum toward your team. When there is a fight and you feel the rush of adrenaline, that is what you can do for your team.
In 1987, a junior hockey brawl involving Todd Betruzzi, broke out at the world junior hockey tournament. This fight was one that people will never forget, and personally, I find it to be quite disturbing. While watching the video, it was clear to see that this game was very chippy. Meaning, the players were hitting one another after the whistles, and I can imagine that they were saying some not so nice things to one another. I believe that considering the fact that Canada was up two goals in a gold medal game it, it could have been predicted that the game may have gotten aggressive. However, I would not have inferred that a fight clearing the benches would happen. I don’t think anyone could have predicted that, as it was unacceptable behaviour
THESIS: Contact sports have been here since the medieval times. Soccer was also already being put into sport use by china in the dynasties. Implied, players on both teams have agreed to be hit, pushed, shoved, and possibly fought. What can be used for considering when or where a player crosses the line? Using examples from previous court cases, we will examine how players in the NHL could be charged when excessive force against other players in the opposite team come into play. Having hockey being used for an example, we will examine and look at the rules of the NHL, as well as how Todd Bertuzzi from the Vancouver Canucks stepped over the line, and was charged with assault.
First, the aggressor in this situation is only 15 years old. At 15 years old, the aggressor felt it both necessary and acceptable to violently attack another player. Moreover, the 15 year old victim subjected to the attack was incredibly damaged emotionally from the event. Secondly, the verbiage used is so violent which highlights the significance of racism in minor hockey. The nature of the sport evokes intense and sporadic emotions which encourages the oppressor to express their truest emotions. As a result, one can conclude that racism is deeply rooted within that player’s beliefs, and which is not exclusive to this incident.
"I went to a fight the other night and a hockey game broke out." Rodney Dangerfield. Ever since the start to the game of hockey, violence has always played a role in the sport. While that role both contributing positive and negative aspects to the game, violence has taken its toll on not only the players but the fans as well. As violence in hockey is as many fans say part of the game and what makes “hockey” hockey, the negative outcomes overweigh the positive. From fights to brawls, slashes to high sticks, boarding to head contact the violence surrounds the entire game. As fans cheer and rant at their full potential when a fight breaks out during a hockey
Tick, tick, tick. You look up to see you only have a few precious seconds to sprint down the field past the two remaining defenders and hit a shot with precision and enough speed and force to get past their goalie. As you sneakily avoid the first defender the other comes from the side and shoves you causing you to fumble your stick and lose possession of the ball just as the time runs out. While some may shy away from any activity involving an opposing player shoving, slamming into you or pushing you out of the way I yearn for field hockey season. I pride myself as an athlete on being the type of player that can take a hit get right back up and make you pay on the next play. I have always believed that no matter what sport or even what gender an athlete's true character in displayed when in the face of adversity. It did not take long for adversity to find me. Summer had ended and I was back at school for my senior year. My first two classes had gone just fine, it was the usual get to know your teacher and get to know the class stuff, but here in third period English things had just changed. Our teacher told us to write about what we had done this summer, pass it to the person to the right of us to read and then discuss with one another what we had read. I sat next to a friend as usual and she passed me her paper on all the exotic trips she had gone on. I always made sure to sit next to someone I knew, but what I forgot to take into consideration was who was sitting to my