Rodney Dangerfield once said "I went to a fight and a hockey game broke out," and for a lot people that's what hockey is. An excuse to go watch grown men get into fist fights with each other. But for me, hockey isn't about the fighting, or how muscular and tall you are. It's about the skills you have to be able to get that puck down the ice, past the goalie, and into the net. It is said that some fans just go to the games to watch the fighting, but for some fans, it doesn't matter if there are guys picking a fight with each other on the opposite side of the ice. Not only does fighting make the game of hockey slower, it is also a major health risk to anyone in the NHL. There have been countless debates over whether or not fighting in the NHL should be banned. Many who support fighting say that fans would stop coming to the games, and that revenue would plummet. However, I don't think fighting should be in hockey and the dangers that it presents to the players is unnecessary. .
Hockey is considered to be one of the most violent and brutal sports. Fighting has been part of the NHL since the very beginning of the league in 1917. Even a simple fight can be a disaster for a team. Fights can lead to all sorts of injuries as severe as brain damage and even death. Fights take away from the actual game, and can permanently harm the players. Since the NHL began, fighting has been a large factor when it comes to fans. Most argue that if fighting was removed from the NHL, attendance would severely decrease. In many places fighting in hockey is not acceptable as a part of the game. In Collegiate, International, and Olympic levels of hockey fighting is viewed negatively. The Olympics, the most watched hockey in the world, does not tolerate fighting. Players that fight in the Olympics will be ejected from the game, where as in the NHL fighting may result in a five minute penalty. A simple restriction on fighting would make the game much safer.
