Hockey fight pro game how to#

However, in the ’70s and ’80s, fighting in hockey increased 100%, resulting in at least one fight in every game! In the modern era (90’s to present) there is around one fight per three games.

It wasn’t until 1922 that an official rule was put into place stating that any player involved in a fight would receive a five-minute Major Penalty, instead of automatically being removed from the game completely.īecause of the addition of the rule, fighting in hockey was relatively rare between the 1920s and 1960s.

Since the National Hockey League’s creation in 1917, fighting has been part of the game. There are good arguments both in favor of, and against, fighting in the NHL, which we will discuss in the next section. However, as of late, fans of the game have been questioning the motive behind it remaining in the game. As mentioned earlier, the NHL is the only major sports league in the United States where fighting is allowed, according to the rulebook. The Current & Future State of Fighting in the NHLįighting is allowed in hockey because it adds another element to the game that almost all major sports leagues in the world do not have.Keep yourself fully protected by checking out our website for a wide variety of hockey helmets and gloves! In this article, we will dive into the NHL fighting rules, the pros and cons, along with what the current state, and future, look like for fighting in hockey! However, although it is allowed, it does not mean that Fighting in the NHL comes without consequence. In 1922, the league incorporated Rule 56 (now Rule 46) stating fighting as an “official part of the game.”įast-forward to 2020, and the NHL is the only major sports league out of the big four in the United States (NHL, NBA, NFL, MLB), that, by rule, allows fighting. Since the introduction of Ice Hockey in 1917, fighting has been part of an NHL hockey game. So, even if you have only been to a handful of NHL games, it is almost guaranteed that you have seen at least one fight! In 2013, a Canadian ice hockey tournament that allowed only players ages 80 and up had over 100 teams entered in the competition.During the 2016-2017 NHL season, there were 372 fights out of 1,230 games for an average of 0.3 fights per game. Players begin playing in roller or ice hockey leagues between ages 5 and 8 and continue playing into their 80s and 90s. Hockey is a part of the fabric of life in Canada and the U.S. Many people are turned off by this aspect of the game and some parents may discourage their kids from participating in a sport that allows the occasional fisticuffs. In international play and college hockey, fighting is seldom seen, but in North American minor leagues, Junior hockey and to a lesser degree the NHL, fights are a longtime component of the game. While fighting is only a small part of the game, players and teams use it to settle differences and defend teammates. Disadvantage: ViolenceĬasual fans think of hockey as a game often marred by fighting and cheap shots.

Hockey fight pro game how to#

Hockey teaches you how to play hard, but when the game is over, you treat each other with respect. The players, from kids on up to the pros, shake hands one by one with their opponents. When the game is over, a long-standing tradition in hockey is the handshake line at the end of a game or a series. Tempers may run hot and the penalties abound during the game, but a time-out in the penalty box teaches players the direct correlation between action, reaction and the consequences. Participating in any team sport develops a sense of teamwork and good sportsmanship. A study published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal found that there are three times as many injuries in youth leagues that allow contact than those that don’t and among teen hockey players, body checking accounted for 86 percent of hockey-related injuries, and 23 percent of those were to the head and neck. Whether checking or non-checking, the fast-moving sport still has plenty of contact and spills on the ice. Disadvantage: Injury RiskĮven in a non-checking league, hockey players suffer from concussions, shoulder, elbow, back, hip, knee and ankle injuries. The quick moves and direction changes in hockey also improve your balance and coordination. It strengthens your leg and back muscles, and builds up your arms when dangling your way through the defense and shooting the puck. Thirty minutes on the ice burns 240 calories in a 125-pound player and 355 calories in a 185-pound player. Hockey provides a cardiovascular workout as you race up and down the rink, pushing the limits of your heart rate and lung capacity.