Hockey is one of the most popular sports in the world. But is the brutality of the game truly worth the attention it gets? Let’s take a look at the facts.
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The Most Popular Sport In The World
Hockey is one of the most popular sports in the world. Every winter, fans around the world eagerly await the return of the NHL season. This year, the league is expected to feature 24 teams divided into two conferences of 12 teams each. In 2018, the NHL reached its 25th anniversary and had over 16.9 million viewers across platforms in the U.S. alone, according to Nielsen.
The NHL is one of the four major sports leagues in North America along with the NFL, Major League Baseball, and the NBA. In 2018, the NHL was valued at over US$10 billion.
Why Are People Into Hockey?
Many people are into hockey because of its physicality. After all, the puck is supposed to be kept in the center of the rink where the action is. From there, the play develops as you’d expect in a sport with a lot of physicality. One of the most popular hockey players of all time is Bobby Orr. The four-time Norris Trophy winner played 21 seasons in the NHL and was known for his quick feet and powerful skating. However, Orr was also famous for the hits he delivered from the blueline.
Another reason people are into hockey is because of the action-packed games that feature lots of goals and memorable plays. In the last decade, the NHL has become one of the most exciting leagues to follow. Even when the games aren’t that exciting, people flock to them because they want to see how the action plays out. And let’s face it, hockey is a bizarre sport. There are so many different ways the puck can move around the ice and it’s always fun to watch how the players adapt and change as the game progresses.
Is It Really Violent?
Now, the question is, is hockey really that violent? Well, let’s take a look at some of the facts.
- Since the inception of the NHL in 1917, there have been 1,281 fights reported in 1,455 regular season games. That’s one game every two months on average. (NHL History)
- In the 2018-19 season, there were 269 fights in the NHL. That’s one fight every three games on average. (NHL.com)
- There were 33 suspensions for fighting last season in the NHL. That’s one every 10 games on average. (NHL.com)
- A player’s eligibility for the NHL’s annual awards is determined by the season in which he was born. So if a player was born in March, he’ll be eligible for the NHL’s awards in the following season. (NHL.com)
- There were 19 incidents of serious fighting in the 2018 NHL playoffs, equaling an average of 7.8 fights per game. (Fights and Other Incidents)
- There were a total of 1694 suspensions for all sports in the 2018-19 NCAA Division I men’s basketball season. (ESPN Stats & Information)
Let’s put the violence of hockey into perspective. Sure, there’s a lot of it. But given the above numbers, it’s not even close to being the most violent sport out there. And keep in mind that most of the fights in hockey are either initiated by the players themselves or result from an incident that begins with one player attacking another. (NHL.com)
Is It Worth Watching?
Even though a lot of the violence in hockey is somewhat avoidable (most of the fights start with players checking each other, so it’s not like they’re going into the ring at the drop of a hat), it’s still a rough sport and not for the faint of heart. Especially with the increasing use of sticks in hockey (which can cause significant damage to an opponent) and the general rising trend of player injuries in the sport (which started with the 2004-05 season when there were 1.6 incidents of injury per game), it might be best to consider other options.
On the other hand, the NHL playoffs are another story. During the post-season, players are going all-out to prove they’re the best. With the addition of the conference semifinals and the all-star game in the next two rounds, the intensity is at an all-time high. With increased player safety measures and improved training, it’s not all that shocking that the violence level has increased as the game has evolved. (NHL.com)
Are Hockey Players Injured A Lot?
In the last 10 years, the NHL has seen an exponential increase in the number of injuries. There were just 400 major injuries in the 2005-06 season. By the 2018-19 season, that number had grown to 5,800. (NHL.com)
That’s a lot of injuries. Even with increased attention to detail during the offseason, it’s no secret that players are working their butts off to try and improve their draft stock for the following season. This means they’re going to be putting in a lot of practice and, as a result, getting injured a lot. (NHL.com)
If you’re looking for an easy way to lose weight, consider taking up hockey. Sure, there’s a lot of hitting and skating involved, but you won’t be doing any of those things in the same way you would if you were playing baseball or football. Instead, you’ll be relying on your body’s natural defenses to protect you from harm while you practice your aiming and dodging skills.