The American Hockey League has changed their fighting rules. Their new rules are very similar to the OHL's fighting rules. I have to wonder if the NHL is next? The rules are supposed to affect this fall.
Rule 46 (“Fighting”)/Rule 23 (“Game Misconducts”)
• Players who enter into a fight prior to, at, or immediately following the drop of the puck for a faceoff will be assessed an automatic game misconduct in addition to other penalties assessed.
• During the regular season, any player who incurs his 10th fighting major shall be suspended automatically for one (1) game. For each subsequent fighting major up to 13, the player shall also be suspended automatically for one (1) game.
• During the regular season, any player who incurs his 14th fighting major shall be suspended automatically for two (2) games. For each subsequent fighting major, the player shall also be suspended automatically for two (2) games.
• In any instance where the opposing player was assessed an instigator penalty, the fighting major shall not count towards the player’s total for this rule.
This is a step in the right direction towards cleaning up the game, but as a deterrent to goon tactics and thuggery still not as effective as the NCAA's automatic ejection and one game suspension for all instances of fighting.
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