Hockey’s Toxic Culture

Written by: Eliora Tan (21-E5)

Designed by: Jovielle Bruto (22-A2)

Photo Credit: New York Post

In the first-round series opener of the recent National Hockey League (NHL) Playoffs, things got bloody and violent quickly in the third period. The on-ice brawl between the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Toronto Maple Leafs ended with Lightning defenseman Jan Rutta skating off the ice with his forehead covered in blood after receiving a harsh blow from Leafs defenseman and alternate captain Morgan Rielly. 

Hockey remains the only major team sport where players can punch one another in the face, and get away with it. In hockey, fighting is part of “The Code”, an unwritten set of rules and regulations that players have to abide by. A long-accepted part of hockey culture at the professional level is that violent conflicts are the norm, not the exception. After all, Gordie Howe, nicknamed “Mr. Hockey”, came up with a variation of a hat trick - one that involved, a goal, an assist, and a fight in a single game.

But why is fighting even allowed in hockey? In the book "The Code: The Unwritten Rules of Fighting and Retaliation in the NHL," author Ross Bernstein explains that fighting ensures checks and balances for hockey to “police itself”, and it serves as a reminder that the violation of “The Code” will bring about inevitable consequences. Often seen in leagues today, cross-checks on star players by the opposing team that are perceived to be unnecessary stir up unrest in the star players’ teammates, thereby escalating the tension to the possibility of a brawl. There are even players whose role is simply to intimidate and hold the opposing teams’ players accountable for injuring one's own teammates. They are nicknamed “enforcers”. 

Leagues around the world recognise that this culture of fighting is toxic, and for many reasons. Firstly, fighting causes players to be more susceptible to health-related issues, from traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) like concussions to mental health problems. Naturally, the role that enforcers take on subject them to greater risks. While they may be hailed as the “tough guy” that fights for the welfare of their own teammates by protecting them, they should not have to put their lives in danger for it. In fact, many retired enforcers have stepped up to share their sentiments, through interviews and social media, shedding light on the haunting trauma they experienced. 

Secondly, hockey is a breeding ground for toxic hyper-masculinity, and promotes unhealthy qualities like aggression and anger. More often than not, brawls in hockey are triggered by the most trivial of circumstances, where players challenge one another to fight simply to put on a show for the audience, and to put their opponent down. 

Lastly, since hockey's history and culture is steeped in fighting lore, it glorifies violence and aspiring hockey players have the misconception that in order to play hockey well, they have to fight well. Children who grow up watching their favourite hockey idols throw punches on ice, will have no qualms mirroring the violent actions of these so-called “role models”. For those who have the necessary skills to succeed, such as great footwork and exemplary stick-handling skills, they will almost never showcase their talent on ice if they are not up for some fighting once in a while. After all, the message that the hockey culture sends today is that what makes a hockey player is more than just his ability to pass, score, and defend, but also his ability to injure his opponent. 

Thankfully, fights in hockey are less common today. There has been progress made by leagues, including the NHL, to combat this toxic culture of fighting. Instead of a two-minute “roughing” penalty that has no actual consequences off-ice, players are evaluated and fined for unsportsmanlike conduct after the game has concluded. Notably, referees and linesmen today also take on a more active role in separating players from each other when faced with scrimmages on ice, as compared to the past, where they would normally stall and allow serious damage to take place before stepping in. Additionally, younger players entering the leagues are stepping up to showcase their outstanding talent, which far surpasses the need for fights and brawls, much to the dismay of ageing traditionalists who value a good hockey game as much as a good hockey fight. It is indeed heartening to see that there has been a culture shift. 

However, while progress has been made, it is an unfortunate and undeniable fact that fighting will remain in hockey. “The Code”, as we know it, is not a set of rules and regulations that is easily overturned. Fighting is intertwined with hockey itself, and while many have now come to see the negative effects of the violent and bloody brawls that take place, it may take generations before hockey fights are gone for good. For now, as long as there is a hockey player who wants to start a brawl, or a fan who cheers on their team to win a scrimmage, hockey’s toxic culture of fighting is here to stay. 

Bibliography

1. Branch, J. (2021, July 19). Fighting in the NHL Reveals Few, if Any, Winners. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/07/sports/hockey/nhl-fighting-rangers-capitals.html

2. Flanagan, G. (2021, July 7). Why fighting is allowed in the NHL, and there are no plans to ban it. Business Insider. Retrieved June 17, 2022, from https://www.businessinsider.com/fighting-nhl-hockey-violence-sports-code-referee-2017-2

3. Forbes, A. (2022, March 31). The Gordie Howe Hat Trick. The Hockey Writers. https://thehockeywriters.com/gordie-howe-hat-trick-explained/

Tasch, J. (2022, May 3). Lightning, Maple Leafs get into frantic, bloody brawl in NHL playoff opener. New York Post. https://nypost.com/2022/05/03/lightning-maple-leafs-get-into-bloody-brawl-in-nhl-playoffs/