Fighting numbers in the NHL are up this season.
At least compared to last year.
Hockeyfights.com has kept track of fighting in the NHL since the 2000-01 season and it keeps stats on the subject.
There is an average of 0.52 fights per game in the NHL this season. That's up from 0.44 fights per game last year.
However, while that's a fairly sizable increase from last year to this year, it's right in line with fight numbers from the previous four seasons. From 2007-08 through 2010-11, no season had an average of less than the 0.52 fights per game.
The NHL is concerned about concussions and other head injuries. While fighting has long been part and parcel of the NHL product, NHL disciplinarian Brendan Shanahan has suspended players with great frequency for any illegal head shots.
Shanahan moved into his position at the start of the 2011-12 season. Prior to the start of the season, former NHL enforcers Wade Belak, Rick Rypien and Derek Boogard all died tragically (source: NBCSports).
The combination of those deaths and Shanahan's elevation may explain why fighting was down in 2011-12. Other than that, the numbe ...
Read Full Article at Bleacher Report - NHL
Article written by Steve Silverman
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