I'm a Canadian living in Chicago and know how negligible hockey interest is even in an original six city. I stopped watching hockey on tv for two reasons: too many stoppages; and fighting. When the Olympics were played in Salt Lake City, many raved about the pace and brevity of the games. Fighting may be unavoidable but it should carry an automatic match penalty plus an appropriate suspension. Until the NHL wakes up, I'll never watch another game.

Fighting has been around for over a hundred years. In the past before the instigator rule players and teams could use fighting to police the league on their own. Decades ago there were no sticks to the temple or rabbit punches that could paralyze an opponent because players knew if they did something like that, there would be someone twice their size the next shift ready to beat them into kingdom come.

Its the instigator rule, not fighting, that has led to the deterioration of Hockey

Fighting is an integral part of the sport and, wisely used, can represent a turning point in the game. I'm not for guys bashing each other's faces in just for the hell of it. In its proper context, fighting sends valuable messages to opposing players who have gotten away with dirty hits or taking runs at a team's skill players.

The best fighters know exactly when to drop the gloves and when to ignore the opposition's invitations. It takes two to fight and the best enforcers are the ones who are choosy about when and who they fight.