USA Hockey, Hockey Canada considering ban on fighting in junior leagues
Discussions at the USA Hockey annual congress indicate there is cross-border interest in eliminating fighting from hockey at the junior level.
USA Hockey is talking with Hockey Canada about removing fighting from Junior hockey. #USAHAnnualCongress
— USA Hockey Magazine (@USAHMagazine) June 6, 2014
The announcement came after a presentation by Dr. Michael Stuart, who helped raise awareness on the severity of head injuries and wants to reduce concussions and other serious injuries in hockey.
"Perception among the general public is that fighting is part of ice hockey, which we all know is not true." -- Dr. Michael Stuart
— USA Hockey Magazine (@USAHMagazine) June 6, 2014
According to Stuart, the scientific evidence supports a ban on fighting in junior hockey, where players (and their brains) are still developing physically.
Fighting may not be a part of the run of play, but it is still a very prominent and popular part of Canadian major junior leagues. 947 fighting majors were assessed during the 2013-14 regular season in the Ontario Hockey League alone.