Scott Schaefer
Mrs. West
4th ELA
4/13/11
Drop Your Gloves… NOT!
On January 2nd 21-year-old Don Sanderson lost his life to a fight (Martino). Not just any
fight, a hockey fight. Hockey fights have been a part of the NHL since the beginning of hockey.
People are excited when they see two players drop their gloves and start fighting. It’s
entertaining for some people, but for me I find it disturbing. Hockey fights should be banned
from the NHL because it gives players bad reputations, also it is promotes violence for kids, and
lastly it gives players serious injuries.
In, hockey some players get reputations as being a team player, but if you’re like some people
like Aaron Downey your known as a dirty, fighting player, that gets a bad reputation. “Right
winger Aaron "Diesel" Downey has a reputation in the hockey world as a prime enforcer, a man
who'll let his fists speak for him when words have become pointless” (Smizik). Another player
more infamous than Downey is big, Chris Pronger. Last year, I saw on the Detroit Red Wings’
game, Pronger injured one of the players on the Red Wings. It was an unnecessary illegal hit and
then a fight broke out between players. Chris Pronger gave me a bad impression and I don’t see
him as a friendly guy. On the internet world, you can browse the many things. One thing you
could see on YouTube is hockey fights. You will find a collection of two players brawling, such
as “Osgood vs. Roy.” This gives another bad reputation when anyone in the world can surf the
web and find this. As bad, dirty play continues for some people like Aaron Downey he gets
more and more noticeable as a fighter.
If you search on YouTube, PEEWEE hockey fights, you will find loads of little children
fighting, thus, bringing me to my next reason, which is it promotes violence for children.
Children might think it’s OK to go out in a hockey game because their favorite player goes out
there and fights. “People feel as if fighting is a side show to the game, as well as a bad influence
on the children of our society. Search “junior hockey fight” or “children’s ice hockey fight” on
Youtube.com” (Scarnato). If one kid watches a NHL hockey game and sees a fight, he might
think it’s all right. Then he gets into a fight in school. Children in the school might see this fight
and do it themselves. This makes children more violent because indirectly, a hockey fight has
caused it. Even in video games such as yearly NHL 2K series, there is fighting. Children
generally play the video games often and that promotes violence, also. Obviously, kids are
influenced by sports idols, but do you want kids fighting just like their favorite players?
I have gotten a concussion and it does not feel good, but some players get that and a
worse injury from fighting, which leads me to my most important support, fighting can cause
serious injuries. It can get a superstar injured or knocked out of there career. “Do we want to see
Alexander Ovechkin or Sidney Crosby taken down with a career-ending injury by some
enforcer?” (Thompson). Fights can become long term injuries. I saw on T.V. Andrea Lilija got
into a hockey fight and got hit in the head. He got a concussion and missed the rest of the season
including the playoffs. As I said earlier, Don Sanderson, a young hockey player, died because he
hit his head on ice. This is not a good way to die at all. So, when you fight you put yourself at
risk for snapping a neck, breaking a bone, or possibly death.
Some people may disagree that hockey fights should be banned, possibly because it’s
entertaining, also it might show intimidation, and lastly it’s a part of the game that shouldn’t be
taken out. One person may say, “It is entertaining.” I think that it takes away from the art of the
game of hockey. Another rebuttal might be it shows intimidation for the team. I think hockey
should be respected more and more intimidation and fear would not make people respect the
game. The last rebuttal is it’s a part of the game that shouldn’t be taken out. You don’t receive
points for “winning” a fight, so therefore it’s not part of the game. Some people may have a good
argument that hockey fights should stay in the game, but I believe my points are more valid.
Hockey should be banned from the NHL. Hockey has been a part of the NHL since the
beginning of its existence. It doesn’t mean it’s safe or right. Every year players get injured for
putting them self at risk during a fight. Kids are exposed to their favorite player that they idolize
and try to follow in their footsteps. Players get bad reputation’s that stick with them the rest of
the career. So, is getting into a hockey fight, really worth the risk?
Works Cited
"NHL Continues to Encourage Violence." Community Voices from The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
Web. 01 Apr. 2011. <http://communityvoices.sites.postgazette.com/index.php/sports/bob-smiziks-blog/27808>.
Scarnato, Dave. "Is It Time to Drop “Dropping” the Gloves in Hockey? | The Wood Word." The
Wood Word: Marywood University's Official Student Newspaper. Web. 01 Apr. 2011.
<http://thewoodword.org/2010/04/is-it-time-to-drop-“dropping”-the-gloves-in-hockey>.
"Tragic Death of Club Player Don Sanderson Forces Hockey World to Question Violence - New
York Daily News." Featured Articles From The New York Daily News. Web. 01 Apr.
2011. <http://articles.nydailynews.com/2009-01-18/sports/17914153_1_hockey-fighthockey-fight-don-sanderson>.