How to Keep Fighting in Hockey

There have always been many arguments as to whether fighting in the NHL should be banned. However, with 21-year-old Whitby Dunlops defenseman Don Sanderson dying as a result of an on-ice fight, the argument has become heated.

Thinking about fighting in hockey, I figured that with the death of Sanderson, this is the perfect time for the NHL—maybe even Parliament and the U.S. government—to look into fighting in hockey.

Here are three options for whoever decides to look at fighting in hockey:

1. Don't bother with it.
2. Ban fighting all together, so you get kicked out of the game, or even maybe the league, whenever you fight (depending on the severity of the fight).
3. Add time onto a fighting major.

You cannot ban fighting all together, because fighting is just part of the game.

Imagine this: Donald Brashear and Georges Laraque get into a shoving match. Brashear says, "Hey! Wanna go?" Laraque says OK, and they circle center ice—ready to dance.

They drop their gloves and sticks and take off their helmets. They "chuck some knuckles" (something Darren Dutchyshen said) for about three minutes.

Wouldn't you miss that?

You cannot leave fighting the way it is, either.

If they do, then we may see yet another player get severely injured, or possibly die—just like Don Sanderson.

The most plausible option is to add another two to five minutes onto a fighting major. This will allow us to watch hockey fights without having to watch players lying on the ice—after having their head smash the ice while falling.

I would like to see penalty time added onto a fighting major. Perhaps no one else will die from fighting.