Hockey Prompt:

Fighting is on the decline in the NHL and it’s a shame. Not so long ago, every team had a pest or an enforcer on their squad but since the instigator rule was put in place back in the 90s, the game has slowly changed as teams don’t want to potentially give the other team a powerplay and fighters have been replaced for guys who have more skill than size and strength. Because of this, you don’t really see a lot of fighters out there and thus less fights. But, people often forget the sport is safer overall because of fights since they hold players accountable for their actions. It’s also highly entertaining. Nowadays if someone elbows your buddy in the face, you might get suspended and/or docked pay, but there is a much less physical threat and in my opinion, suspensions can only do so much (without getting into the sometimes seemingly random punishments from the DoPS). Ultimately, fighting is a hockey tradition and while I may sound like an old man yelling at a cloud, it’s disappointing to see it go away.