Know the importance of fighting in ice hockey, fight rules and why it is allowed despite the dangers involved
Fighting remains one of the most unique aspects of ice hockey, with the sport being the only one where throwing punches is not only permitted but occasionally even encouraged. Although its prevalence has decreased in recent years, fighting continues to be an integral part of the game. According to the official rulebook, a fight occurs when at least one player punches or attempts to punch an opponent repeatedly.
Why is fighting allowed in ice hockey and the NHL, fight rules, origin and history
Why fighting is permitted in Ice Hockey?
While fighting is technically a violation of the rules, former NHL referee Kerry Fraser explained that it is often not stopped once it begins. Much of the reason fighting has become ingrained in hockey is due to the unwritten code of conduct among players, which dates back almost as long as the game itself. Fights in today’s NHL often occur when a player stands up for a teammate, especially after a big hit or physical altercation.
Hockey players get into a heated scrap ending with a brutal finish pic.twitter.com/KOzT9Hcd4C
— FIGHTFLIX (@Fightflix_) October 6, 2024
However, fights can also break out for reasons such as trash-talking or seeking revenge for something that happened in a previous game. The importance of fighting in hockey is underscored by the role of “enforcers,” players who are specifically known for their fighting skills. Enforcers follow an unwritten rule that they should fight players of similar size and that they should remove their gloves and helmets before engaging in a fight to minimize injury.
Fighting is only allowed to occur on the ice during periods of play or players will be fined and fights result in major penalties for rarer scenarios. These can include players who jump off the bench to start a fight, fighting off of the playing surface and figiting non-player personnel such as coaches (yes, all of this has actually happened before).
Fighting is a 5 minute major penalty for both participants and the officials will let a fight go as long as it’s only involving two players and doesn’t get out of hand and once someone falls down, they break it up, or if a third player tries to join the fight, that gets broken up to.
One of the most notable is rule 46.11, often called the “instigator rule” and hile any player who fights automatically receives a five-minute major penalty, the player deemed to have instigated the fight is subject to additional penalties under this rule. While often cited for causing more problems than solutions, the instigator rule is one of a number of regulations that fall under the scope of fighting.
Question: what are the rules on fighting?
byu/Bubbly-Butterfly-724 inhockey
According to The Hockey News, after the first indoor ice hockey game in Montreal in 1875, a fight broke out between players and spectators. The first documented in-game fight occurred in 1890, and by the time the NHL was established in 1917, fighting had become a regular part of amateur leagues. In the early days, fights were not regulated and sometimes escalated to dangerous levels.
For example, in 1905, a player named Alcide Laurin died after being punched and hit in the head with a stick, becoming the first player to die as a result of an on-ice incident. The player responsible for the attack was charged with murder but was later acquitted. As the sport became more physical and players trained to be stronger, fighting became more common. By the 1990s, players like Tie Domi, Bob Probert, and Rob Ray had become synonymous with fighting and made it a major aspect of their playing styles.
OLD TIME HOCKEY 🥊🥊🥊
The Wild and Flyers game erupted for THREE fights in a span of 16 seconds in the 1st period 😱 pic.twitter.com/CESvB5E1GV
— Gino Hard (@GinoHard_) January 27, 2023
However, players are now more conscious of the risks to their health, and data shows that fighting is becoming less common. For instance, fewer than 200 NHL games involved fights during the 2018-19 season, which marked a significant decline from the 2006-07 season, when over 31% of games featured at least one fight. While the frequency of fights has decreased, it’s clear that fighting still remains an integral part of the game.