What would your interest level be if fighting was completely banned from the NHL?

[Canadiens Ghost]

I'll always like a heat of the moment fight (Iginla vs Lecavalier comes to mind). But most fights nowadays are just snooze fests and don't add anything to the game. When I want to watch real fights, I turn towards MMA.

 

[Ben White]

I think fighting and “the man code” is a unique asset to the game of hockey. Makes it somehow more genuine and less manufactured/controlled. Closer to a real “war on ice”. It’s special. No other team sport has that element.

 

[SotasicA]

During the covid break, I greatly enjoyed watching old classic games. Maybe I'll do that.

 

[heretik27]

This is a pretty good point.

Most fights just make me cringe because both guys are swinging bare fists against the other guys helmet and visor. It's not entertaining, it's just watching someone hurt their hand.

If you're going to allow them to fight, they should drop the helmet with the gloves. But the rulebook (rule 46.6) says a player can't remove their helmet before a fight. That rule killed fighting for me.

I actually laughed out loud reading this because I remember a game where the announcers bust a gut over the two players about to fight casually removing each others helmets before fighting to get around that rule.

 

[TheDawnOfANewTage]

In all honesty, from an entertainment perspective, very few NHL fights do it for me. It usually just 1 or 2 punches and then a wrestling match to the ice. It’s like how in school two kids would agree to fight but the fight is just a shouting match between the two :/

I liked seeing a kid like Cozens have a go, but if they wanna limit injuries fighting is kinda a big one. We’ve talked about this forever, the league will never do anything until legal concerns or a really bad injury occurs. I’m glad enforcers are largely done with, fights are just down because players would rather not risk it.

 

[ESH]

I think fighting and “the man code” is a unique asset to the game of hockey. Makes it somehow more genuine and less manufactured/controlled. Closer to a real “war on ice”. It’s special. No other team sport has that element.

The thing about fights is that they’ve become mostly manufactured/controlled. The majority of the time a fight happens is after a big hit, and because of this “man code”, someone’s gotta go out and punch someone.

 

[Ben White]

The thing about fights is that they’ve become mostly manufactured/controlled. The majority of the time a fight happens is after a big hit, and because of this “man code”, someone’s gotta go out and punch someone.

thats what I mean that’s the beauty of the “man code” not manufactured at all. Like following a gang fight in real life. If you play dirty you’ll have to answer for the consequences, like a man. The judges won’t save you (at least they won’t completely protect you).

 

[Shaman464]

I wouldn't be for banning it, mostly because I think its become such a minor part of the game and for the most part less battle royale than it use to be.

 

[Stive Morgan]

I wouldn't care either way.

 

[banks]

I actually laughed out loud reading this because I remember a game where the announcers bust a gut over the two players about to fight casually removing each others helmets before fighting to get around that rule.

Yep. It's also why so many scraps instantly become a hug fest. They're trying to get a helmet off the guy so they can actually fight. You can't just square up and throw fists, you'll just break your hand.

 

[txpd]

Fights will happen that need to happen no matter what the penalty is. You cant ban what someone is willing to pay for. I think the evolution of the game has taken all but the most needed fights out of the game anyway

 

[Hisch13r]

Literally couldn't care less if fighting was gone when it comes to my interest in the game. Most fights are incredibly boring and a waste of time anyway

 

[jetsforever]

This question is phrased wrong IMO.
I'd still watch the same amount because fighting isn't a main aspect of the game, but I'd be annoyed that they took it out as a significant feature.

 

[Taluss]

I’d watch it the same. But I’d be pretty butthurt if it did happen lol.

 

[HanSolo]

Fighting isn't what got me into hockey. Nice that it's there. Like an appetizer. But I can enjoy my meal without it. I'd be pissed if it was gone but I'd still watch just as much.

 

[HockeyVirus]

Ask any player and they say fighting has it's place.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

I would watch it as often as I do. I would think it’s a stupid rule, but that’s about it.

 

[bukwas]

Still enjoy a good scrap but I wouldn't reduce my viewing frequency.
Start settling playoff games via shootouts and i would have a very different answer.

 

[MikeyMike01]

The league has already nearly banned fighting with the combination of mandatory visors and not being able to remove helmets.

 

[Gaylord Q Tinkledink]

I liked seeing a kid like Cozens have a go, but if they wanna limit injuries fighting is kinda a big one. We’ve talked about this forever, the league will never do anything until legal concerns or a really bad injury occurs. I’m glad enforcers are largely done with, fights are just down because players would rather not risk it.

I'm not sure how fighting is kind of the big one.

Hitting definitely has to be leading cause of injury to players. Pucks (shots) might be 2nd.

Fights are so few and far between now that they don't nearly have the same unit impact as once before. Not only that, but you don't see 2 guys taking turns hitting each other until one can't anymore.

Most fights seem to stem from a hit, whether clean, or dirty, so if someone was looking to get rid of fighting, you would need to eliminate hitting.

If you're viewing the league solely for player safety, getting rid of hitting and subsequently fighting would increase player safety considering most players can't hit properly.

However, stick work would more than likely rise.

As for OP's question, I'd still watch it more than likely as at least there's some more action in it compared to baseball and football and more reasons to get excited when your team scores oppose to Basketball.

 

[Peat]

Most fights seem to stem from a hit, whether clean, or dirty, so if someone was looking to get rid of fighting, you would need to eliminate hitting.

Just need to get players accustomed to the idea that if you don't like the hit, you respond in a different way than a fight.

Which, tbh, best as I can tell hockey players have already mostly done. The level of fighting is pretty low by the sport's history already. They could go further if the players, or the league, wanted them to.

 

[ijuka]

If I want to watch fighting, I watch MMA. Not sure why fighting is in hockey.

 

[bambamcam4ever]

Since fights are so rare now, I will say they are more exciting from a curiosity perspective. A decade ago I would usually tune out for a minute when each team's designated fighter fought each other since it had nothing to do with the game and my team scoring. Nowadays, fighting is at historic lows and my team almost never fights or hits, so I'll actually enjoy it a little more when it does happen since it's so infrequent, like a goalie shooting for an empty net.

 

[HotPie]

I love the fights. A unique aspect of the sport. Makes it better than all other team sports.

I might be done completely, but honestly I'd probably tune in for the playoffs especially if the Hawks made a deep run. But banning fighting would just make the game so lame. It'd be like basketball or football. Damn. Why not just watch one of those sports instead? We already have so many sports without fighting. Can't we just have this one?

So people with clearly zero actual fighting ability grabbing each others jersey's and aimlessly throwing mostly ineffective punches at each other is entertaining to you? So much that you would stop watching hockey if it was gone? Yikes dude.

If fighting is that important to you, I suggest Boxing or UFC.

 

[Skinnyjimmy08]

Its basically gone already