Fighting Remains a Big Part of Preseason Auditions
In NHL preseason, fighting can be ticket to get yourself noticed by coaches
Despite a consistent decline in regular season fights over the past several seasons — five-minute fighting major penalties have dropped 36 percent since 2008, according to HockeyFights.com — exhibition games remain a hotbed for bouts as players on the bubble for roster spots seek to impress coaches.
“Obviously, there’s rule changes, the [two-minute] instigator penalty that basically takes you out of the game, head injuries, a number of things,” Brown said, by way of explaining the decline. A two-minute penalty for removing helmets also has been a factor in curbing fights.
“Still,” he continued, “there’s going to be times where action needs to take place.”
No time better than the open audition period of the preseason. In 2013-14, 56.73 percent of preseason games (59 in 104) included a fight. That rate dropped to 29.76 percent during the regular season.
