Penguins Update: A Primer on Fighting and Physical Play
This piece was originally intended as a response to a comment posted by Mike concerning a rise in fighting majors in 2019-20 following several seasons of decline, not to mention the importance of physical play in today’s game. Which started me on a ramble. Always dangerous.
So, Mike, this one’s for you.
For a while it appeared as if fighting in hockey was going to die a natural and spontaneous death…especially after our Penguins won back-to-back Cups without employing anyone remotely resembling a heavyweight. Then the Capitals won the Cup in 2018, in part, by embracing a physical style. The equally muscular Blues followed suit last season, while speed-oriented teams like Toronto and Carolina fell short.
Yes, I do think it reinforces the notion that there will always be a place for physical play (and physical teams) in the sport. Since the two generally go hand-in-hand, I’m going to shift the focus to fighting for a bit.
To my eyes, hockey appears to be returning to its pre-1970s roots, which is good for the sport and the collective welfare of the players. With the notable exception of the “Big, Bad Bruins” and the equally nasty Blues, teams of that era generally carried a “policeman” or two using the vernacular of the day…usually a forward and a defenseman…to protect their teammates and occasionally stir up a little mayhem of their own.