Less regular recently, but still happens. Only 20 years ago though this was very very common. There were players whose entire career was “the enforcer” who were only decent at hockey in professional terms but protected other, more highly skilled players from other teams dirty play or violence on the ice. The position still exists, at least tacitly, on most teams
I knew a dude who was an enforcer, he was huge, like 6'9" and 300 lbs, he said the only time he got scared was when he was pounding a dude in the face and the guy just smiled at him with bloody gums. Hockey players are something else.
I mean, the joke is among us hockey fans that we went to a boxing match and a hockey game broke out. It's not really all that true anymore, to be completely honest, but it used to be. It's still a very physical game, and you will see a lot of pushing and shoving, and maybe someone takes a quick swing here and there, but fights are rare these days. All out brawls even rarer. A few decades ago, though, fighting and bench clearing brawls were quite common. I mean, “Fight Night at the Joe” (or “Brawl in Hockeytown”) is considered one of the sport's greatest moments for a reason. Quite a few documentaries have been made about that night, and the anniversary of it is celebrated every year. But, if something like that were to happen today, it would be SHOCKING.
lmao wasn't expecting them to just square up and throw hands nowhere near the puck, is this a regular thing in hockey?
Less regular recently, but still happens. Only 20 years ago though this was very very common. There were players whose entire career was “the enforcer” who were only decent at hockey in professional terms but protected other, more highly skilled players from other teams dirty play or violence on the ice. The position still exists, at least tacitly, on most teams
I knew a dude who was an enforcer, he was huge, like 6'9" and 300 lbs, he said the only time he got scared was when he was pounding a dude in the face and the guy just smiled at him with bloody gums. Hockey players are something else.
Depends on the league and how lenient the refs are, but it's not uncommon. Peeling off the gloves and fisticuffing is a bit odd though.
I mean, the joke is among us hockey fans that we went to a boxing match and a hockey game broke out. It's not really all that true anymore, to be completely honest, but it used to be. It's still a very physical game, and you will see a lot of pushing and shoving, and maybe someone takes a quick swing here and there, but fights are rare these days. All out brawls even rarer. A few decades ago, though, fighting and bench clearing brawls were quite common. I mean, “Fight Night at the Joe” (or “Brawl in Hockeytown”) is considered one of the sport's greatest moments for a reason. Quite a few documentaries have been made about that night, and the anniversary of it is celebrated every year. But, if something like that were to happen today, it would be SHOCKING.