When someone thinks about the sport of ice hockey, one of the first things they think about is the fact that fighting is a common occurrence in it. It's almost a guarantee that if you ask someone who isn't an avid fan of the sport what their favorite element is, they'll tell you something about fighting. A commonly heard and repeated quote is "The other night I went to a fight and a hockey game broke out." However, in recent years, the question of whether or not this component should still be allowed in the game has been a source of discussion and controversy. Pros and cons have been suggested about the impact a fighting ban could have on the sport of hockey, but as yet nothing has been done to change the rules and regulations. The question to ask is: how has fighting in hockey evolved throughout history to get us to where we are today, and should it remain in the game because of its history? Or should it be banned because of its history? I have been a huge hockey fan my entire life and have experienced it first hand. I manage the team here at West Chester University and grew up with two older brothers who play. For this reason I have a preconceived idea that I have always been quite firm about. When I watch my friends play on the team here, people I spend a lot of time with and know both personally and athletically, or when I watch my brothers play or even my favorite professional players, I don't necessarily want them to fight. But when they do, I'm proud, especially when they win or hold their own in the altercation. You might ask yourself: “but don't you see them getting hurt? Doesn't that make you wish they would stop fighting altogether? Are you condoning the fistfight?" And my response to... half a sheet of paper... I know" (The Canadian Press, 2013). Hockey is one of the hardest sports around, and dropping the gloves and looking another fighter straight in the face is one of the most challenging parts. Getting rid of combat won't necessarily make the game safer and could potentially cause a decrease in viewership. Players and leagues understand what they are getting themselves into and are aware of the culture of the sport, which is rich in fighting history. They respect that aspect of the game and they respect their opponents as players and fighters. There will never be a time when everyone is happy with the situation fighting in hockey, but for now the NHL is taking the right steps to maintain this historically important part of the game, while also making changes to keep players as safe as possible.