By Chris Pryor

One of the most intriguing aspects about the game of hockey is that it’s the only one of the four major sports to have fighting be a PART of the game.

There is an ongoing debate raging on the significance of fighting in today’s game. With the tragic deaths this past summer of some of the sport’s reputable tough guys, the push is on to eliminate fighting once and for all.

This unique side of our sport has been there since the first drop of the puck. Due to the sometimes violet nature of the game, it is in itself a relief point for some players. Because the game is a contact sport, emotions run high at times and need to be diffused. Fighting does just that.

For the most part, guys come away with a black eye/bloodied lip or some bruised hands or egos. I feel it is an integral part of our game. I’m not saying that we need the bench clearing brawls of the 1970s but a fight every now and then is good, not only for the players to blow off steam but it’s also exciting for the fans.

Sometimes it’s not the fight, per se, but the build up that it could happen at any moment. Next time there is a fight going on, take look how many fans are on their feet vs. sitting on their hands and that will give you a good barometer of what the fans think of fighting.

Chris Pryor is the director of hockey operations for the Philadelphia Flyers. He is in charge of the amateur and pro scouting departments. A native of St. Paul, Pryor spent eight seasons as a scout for the Flyers. He played parts of six seasons in the NHL with the Minnesota North Stars and New York Islanders. If you have a question for a pro hockey scout, e-mail it to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

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