Should fighting be eliminated from hockey?

by Evan Mathias

An age-old debate is again at the forefront of hockey discussions. Fighting in hockey has been under scrutiny for years and experts, players and fans have all weighed in on whether it should be removed from the sport. The verdict is…undecided.

Fighting has been a part of hockey since the creation of the sport in 1875. The original root of the aggression and fighting in hockey was a result of cultural differences between teams in Montreal where the game originated. Scottish, Irish, English and of course French clashed on the ice, their aggression taken out on each other because of their hatred of each other’s cultures at the time. Fighting was the “safety valve” for players to let out some steam before something really drastic happened.

Well something drastic has happened. Players in hockey who are known as “enforcers” who are essentially paid to fight are beginning to yield to the negative effects of significant blows to the head, including depression and drug abuse.

Robb Serviss, professor of hockey, culture and society at St. Clair College, said in today’s society there is pressure on youth and junior level players to play a physical game. These athletes though are beginning to feel the effects of the physical play. “We’re starting to get the scientific research coming back that the blows to the head in fighting are having a major impact on the physical well-being of these elite athletes,” said Serviss.

Serviss said he doesn’t believe there will be more dirty plays with fighting removed from the play. He thinks the game will be improved if fighting is removed.

“If you eliminate fighting then what you’re doing is allowing more of the smaller finesse players into the game, a little bit more like what you see in (European hockey),” said Serviss. “It opens the door for guys who aren’t 6’2” or 6’3”, but can play the game better, more opportunity to play.”

Windsor Spitfires forward Ty Bilcke is known for his physical style of play and his knack for dropping the gloves. Bilcke said he doesn’t think fighting will be able to be eliminated from the game because of the presence fighting has in the sport.

“The tough side of hockey is part of my game. My job is to go in, hit, use my body, get pucks to the net and use my body to my advantage,” said Bilcke. “Fighting isn’t the first thing for me, I use my physical play. It is a part of hockey.”

The Ontario Hockey League has already reduced the amount of fighting in the game. The current rule only allows a player to fight 10 times before suspensions and fines take place. Bilcke said the rule forces players to pick their fights a lot more carefully to avoid going over the limit.

He said fighting polices the game in a way that referees are unable to do. “Guys are going to start taking more liberties on some guys and we don’t want that either,” said Bilcke. “With the reduced fighting they definitely have to crack down on the dirty hits and things like that.”

However, the reduction in fighting isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

“With reducing fighting, there is nothing wrong with that. It makes the league a much better, more skilled league,” said Bilcke.

Serviss said that with the prominence fighting holds in the media right now, he believes it is inevitable that fighting will be eliminated from the game.

“It is really becoming an issue and I think there is going to be a strong push (to remove fighting) and I think there is going to come a point that it will be taken out of the game,” said Serviss.

Serviss said he thinks the penalties for fighting are not strict enough. In the Canadian Hockey League a five-minute major penalty is given for two players who partake in “fisticuffs” while in university hockey players are immediately ejected from the game for a fight.

Fighting in the game has been a controversial topic. Some believe it is a natural element of the game, while others think the violence has gotten out of hand. It will continue to be under scrutiny until league officials are willing to take charge and really make a change. For the time being fighting isn’t going anywhere.