Fighting has been a staple of hockey since the inception of the sport. It has played a major role in the way the sport is played, and how different teams are built. What other sport has a style of play that specific job is to beat someone up? Well, that is what a goon is supposed to do in hockey. Yes, fighting has ingrained itself as one of the most important aspects of the sport.
However, this has not come without controversy. There are concerns about player safety when it comes to fighting. What will blow after blow have on a player’s health after they retire? They’re also concerned about whether hockey should encourage violence. All of these concerns have led to people seriously debating whether or not fighting should be banned in hockey.
The first domino in this debate has fallen though as the QMJHL announced that they will be banning fighting in the 2023-24 season. This is a major decision that will have a large impact not only on the QMJHL but on the entire sport of hockey.
Why This is Significant
Embed from Getty ImagesThe QMJHL is the first major North American league to ban fighting. Sure, other leagues from around the world have banned it. But, this has mostly come in European leagues, where the style of play is much different. The European style is more focus on skill and speed, rather than tough gritty play. This also g goes for international competitons, where you’re trying to avoid injuries at all cost.
However what makes this league so important that it’s a major feeder league to the NHL. Many star players have come out of this league such as Mario Lemieux, Guy Lafleur, Sidney Crosby, Patrick Roy, and Martin Brodeur. There are many more, and it could may as well include top prospects who could become the next stars of the NHL. Having a league so close to the NHL make a drastic change to the rules has the potential to send shock waves throughout the hockey world.
How is the rest of the hockey world going to look at this? More specifically, how will this rule change the way prospects in this league are viewed. There are still lots of people in high postions in NHL front offices that believe in gritty players. Are scouts and general managers going to look down on this league because there is no fighting in it? They don’t do it for European leagues, but that’s because of the different style of play. Because the OMJHL is closer to the North American style, will they be looked down upon now?
How the Other Leagues Will Respond?
Embed from Getty ImagesThe other possiblity is that more leagues begin to follow what the QMJHL is doing. The OMJHL has a strong connection to the other Canadian minor leagues, the WHL and OHL. The three leagues play each other in the Memoral Cup at the end of each season. So with this close connection, if one changes the rules, the other will proably follow. The commissioner of the OHL, Dave Branch, said that it’s going to be interesting to see what happens.
If the fighting ban doesn’t change the product of the QMJHL, it wouldn’t be surprising if the WHL and OHL follow their lead. If those two league ban fighting, then it would basically leave the NHL and AHL as the only two major hockey leagues that allow fighting. They might begin to feel the pressure and begin to seriously look into fighting rules. Is the death of fighting in hockey, imminent? No. However, this is the first domino to fall.
Thanks for reading! Credit for my feature image goes to Minas Panagiotakis. You can find more hockey content at Belly Up Sports, and follow me on Twitter.
