Ethical Issues In Hockey

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The National Hockey League (NHL) is at risk of losing a key contributor to player safety. For years, players, fans, league officials, and the media have been debating player safety associated with fighting in hockey. Referring to NHL gameplay, the NHL represents the top of the hockey hierarchy and sets an example for everybody within the game. From amateur hockey to the pros, the NHL plays a pivotal role in the state of fighting in hockey. Some suggest abolishment may lead to long term player health and safety. However, there is reason to suggest fighting belongs; and likely playing a supplementary role in player safety. Commonly used to give reason to why fighting needs to be eliminated, Derek Boogard, Rick Rypien, Wade Belak, and now Todd Ewen represent a class of former NHL players that were victims of suicide. Derek Boogard, for example, was discovered to have chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). CTE is a brain disease caused by repetitive head…show more content…
Without fighting, the National Hockey League already embodies a physical style of hockey. A CBC article from 2013 stated that “64 per cent of NHL concussions were caused by bodychecking.” Supplementary to this is the role illegal incidents play in association to concussions. CBC stated, “About 28 per cent of concussions, and 28 per cent of suspected concussions, were caused by illegal incidents where the aggressor was given a penalty, fine or suspension” (CBC). In addition, Dr. David Milzman and a group of researchers “documented 710 fights in 1,239 pre-season and regular-season games, and counted 17 injuries, for a rate of 1.12% per combatant per fight” (Stinson). Given this information, if fighting does not risk long term health and safety of the players then it would be absolutely absurd to remove it from the game. NHL players and coaches even suggest that instead of hindering player safety, fighting encourages

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