Have you ever heard the one that goes "I went to a fight and a hockey game broke out."? Since the inception of the NHL in 1917 fighting has been a major issue The physical nature of the game is one of the major factors attributed to fighting in the NHL. The NHL rulebook did not cover "fisticuffs" until 1922 when a 5 minute no substitution penalty was assessed for fight, before then the players were ejected. Proponents see it as an outlet for frustration during the game and self policing by the players. Opponents feel it detracts from the game and sends the wrong message to children. Smaller players, less protection, a non-aggressive style of play, and slower game play helped to curtail fighting in the early days of the NHL. The player's increased size and speed coupled with better protection added to an increase in fighting. In 1971, the NHL added the "Third Man In" rule, which states additional players who join a fight will be ejected. The rule was added to stop bench clearing brawls.
References:
Website: Wikipedia - Fighting in Hockey: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fighting_in_ice_hockey
Book: The official rules of hockey, By James Duplacey, Dan Diamond, ©2000
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