Hockey fights

Sugar Jim Henry and Maurice Richard

With the increasing focus and litigation on concussions and head injuries in professionals sports, there's one that's "fighting" the trend, and that's ice hockey.

USA Today recently ran opposing editorials for and against fighting.

Brian Burke, a former NHL player and now head of hockey operations for the Calgary Flames, shared his thoughts for why fighting works:

"Ninety-eight percent of NHL players voted to keep fighting in the game, yet somehow members of the news media take it upon themselves to try to convince the players that the scribes know what is best for them. They don't write about the times a heavyweight skates by his opponent's bench to say, "Settle down, or I'll settle you down," and it works. They don't notice a tough guy warning an opponent at a faceoff. They've never heard a star player march into their office, slam the door and demand the team get tougher because he's getting killed out there by opponents playing without fear. They've never seen a chippy game on the edge settle down after a good fight.

"It's not a perfect system. Not every fight is a good fight. Not every fighter is a perfect policeman. There are a small number of rats in the game who live outside the code. But our game is improved tremendously by players' ability to police the game. It makes it more exciting and honorable. It allows skill players to focus on the skilled aspects of the game because someone else can watch their back. And it fundamentally makes our game safer."

 P.S. The photo above is considered one of the most iconic photographs in hockey history. Here's the backstory.