Very interesting number if it's accurate. Like you said, hitting isn't necessary either. I guess slap shots (they cause more injuries than wristers) aren't really needed either. They could soften the puck up as well, go back to the old icing rules etc., etc.
I think the entire move is part of a legal strategy designed to reduce liability in light of some (valid or not, I don't know) ECT research. Nothing more. Fighting is a huge part of the game to the casual fan. I am a long time STH to the ECHL Cincinnati Cyclones and I'd say that 75% or more of the crowd on any given night gets much more psyched about a 30 second fight than a huge skill play.
At the beginning of this season, linesmen were jumping in to stop fights before they started. They're not doing very much anymore. I think the league knows where its bread is buttered. I will go to games even if fighting is banned. I'd hazard a guess that a fair amount of people would stop coming if fighting actually was completely banned.
The NHL will survive a reduction in fighting. If they ever fully eliminated it, I'd think that many casual fans wouldn't be "casual". They'd be former fans.