Summary: The Importance Of Fighting In Hockey

There are numerous arguments that support or oppose the presence of fighting in hockey. The reasons to retain fighting in hockey are that it’s a hockey custom, which motivates and excites the fans and the players. According to CBC Sports (2011), there is a significant poll led by the National Hockey League Players ' Association that signifies about 98% of hockey players want fighting to be a part of the game because it inspires and entertains them in a captivating manner (para.1). Moreover, the enforcer who is also the fighter of the NHL team is often the most popular player and has a significant role to play in the game. For example, John Scott who is an enforcer was voted by the fans to play in the NHL All-star game, which is mostly played by skilled players (Cleveland, 2016, para.3). Enforcers

2). Furthermore, the rebuttals that oppose these arguments are that the fans invest their time and money to see the skills of significant players instead of fighting (Tolensky, 2007, para. 2). Enforcers could have significant roles in the game but they are not the most popular players on the ice. According to NHL shop (2016), the merchandises of skillful players like Sidney Crosby are more likely to be sold than enforcers’ merchandises. The reasons to prohibit fighting are that there is a significant risk of injury among hockey players. For example, CTE (chronic traumatic encephalopathy) is a “brain degeneration that is caused by repeated head traumas.” (Mayo Clinic, 2016,