Older fans of the New York Rangers remember enforcers like Nick Fotiu and Colton Orr, players who drew cheers from the crowds at Madison Square Garden and often sparked their teammates at the same time. More recently, forward Matt Rempe quickly became a fan favorite because of his willingness to drop the gloves.
However, the average number of fights in the NHL dropped from about one per game 40 years ago to one every 4-5 games today. Speed and skill are the key attributes teams look for in today’s players, and physicality generally means hits rather than fights.