This NHL season (2014-2015) has seen a marked shift in the way the NHL polices physical play and fighting. Fights are broken up before they start. Hard hits are penalized when they should not be. This is simply unacceptable, and is ruining a sport that millions love AS IT IS, and have loved for generations.
This petition specifically targets the obvious changes in how the league approaches fighting. Scraps and dust ups have been a part of the game since its inception as Canada's national pride and joy over a century ago. They function as an integral part of The Code by which all players of the game should operate. When someone steps out of line, they answer for it. The Greats all understand this. All hockey players understand this. We don’t care what anyone else thinks or feels about it. If you don’t like it, don’t play and don’t watch.
Recently, the NHL has CLEARLY increased its push to rid the league of fighting (and some physical play). No matter what the NHL front office says (bunch of corporate wusses), there is a measured POLICY in place to push fighting and physicality out of the game. Clear evidence can be seen night in and night out on the ice, as Linesman break up fights before they start and interfere in the exchange between two willing combatants. Ridiculous. This does not make the game safer, and has not lessened the amount of cheap or borderline play by players who don’t respect the games written rules. As a player myself, I am disgusted.
The greats of the games played the same game with little pads and no helmets. Today's players are armored like soldiers. Enough about “player safety”, this is HOCKEY. We play because the game is the most beautiful mix of speed and skill and strength and stamina and teamwork and violence and courage on the planet.
While the league should have player safety as a concern, taking hitting and fighting out of the game denigrates the game to a point where the game becomes something other than ice hockey. If people want a sport where there is no hitting or fighting, they can watch soccer or European "ice hockey".
Sick and tired of the NHL’s babysitting.
