A lot has been written about the evolution of the game of hockey. The speed and skill of the game have increased dramatically, while certain physical elements, such as fighting, have decreased. As a result, the role of the “enforcer,” or player whose primary skillset is fighting, has been severely culled across the league.
As a whole, the slow decline of fighting in hockey has been brought about by the introduction of the instigator rule, the salary cap, and mandatory visors. A recent emphasis on suspensions for dangerous hits has exacerbated teams moving away from a designated policeman and over to a reliance on the referees and league officials to sort out the fate of a cheap shot artist.