Even fans who do not watch the game know there is fighting in hockey, but they may wonder why violence is tolerated in the sport.
If you’re reading this, you’re probably new to hockey or just wondering about why fighting is allowed. And by “they,” I mean the NHL. After all, if you watch an NFL game and two players fight, they are usually ejected, and the same is true when the benches clear in the MLB or punches are thrown in basketball.
However, in hockey, two players drop their gloves, everyone else, including the officials, backs off, and the two players trade blows until the refs intervene, one of the players falls to the ice, or both players end up on the ice.
So, why is fighting allowed? The quick answer is that fighting is allowed in the NHL rulebook, therefore it will continue as long as it is tolerated.
However, there is a deeper solution to this topic, which is that fighting gives players more power to control the game. When you watch a hockey game, you’ll notice a number of scuffles, the majority of which do not escalate into a brawl between two players. This occurs because, if you look closely, one player may have hit an opponent after hearing a whistle, used their stick to take a quick stab at the goaltender, or after a questionable contact, such as when one player boards another.
Fighting in hockey has its repercussions in more than just one way
Often, when a skirmish between all five skaters on each team develops, the officials separate them, and sometimes, you’ll see two-minute minors issued for roughing. But when two players agree to go further and actually drop gloves, this is when the officials back off and allow the fight to commence.
Once the fight ends, both players are given a five-minute major, and once they serve their penalty, they’re allowed to return to action as though nothing happened. Compare that to the NFL, MLB, or NBA, and there are times you’ll see them talking about a fight or altercation for the entire week. For the NHL and in many levels of hockey, it’s just part of the game.
However, there are times when a player could receive an additional punishment, and one way is if one player tries to force another to fight. The player attempting to instigate the fight will face more severe repercussions, as Rule 46.11 in the NHL Rulebook states, “A player who is deemed to be the instigator of an altercation shall be assessed an instigating minor penalty, a major penalty for fighting and a ten-minute misconduct.”
Yeah, so if one player wants to drop gloves, they best make sure their opponents are also willing to drop them, or they will face serious consequences. Furthermore, the two players who initially consented to the fight are the only ones permitted to fight in that particular frame. Any more fights that break out, or if a third man attempts to intervene in the fight, may result in a game misconduct if the officiating crew feels it necessary.
Famous fights in Sabres history
If you’re on this site, chances are, you’re likely interested in the Buffalo Sabres and some of their history. Well, there is one rather infamous moment in team history when it comes to fighting, one that is sometimes dubbed “The Ottawa Brawl,” or the “Sabres-Senators Brawl.”
There was also the fierce rivalry between Rob Ray and Tie Domi, two enforcers who dropped gloves against one another 13 times throughout their respective careers. And the two crossed paths often, with Ray having suited up for the Sabres between 1989-90 and 2002-03, while Domi played for the rival Toronto Maple Leafs between 1995-96 and 2005-06.
Of course, Rob Ray was involved in several fights throughout his career, which is why he accumulated 3,189 penalty minutes as a Sabre. Ray also topped the league in penalty minutes twice during his stint in Buffalo: once in 1990-91, with 350 minutes, and again in 1998-99 with 261.
