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Fighting In Hockey

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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
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