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 2019, in part, by embracing a physical style. The equally muscular Blues followed suit last season, while speed-oriented teams like Toronto and Carolina…