They “allow” fighting in hockey mainly because the rules treat it as a penalized but manageable part of the game’s culture, not as an automatic ejection offense, and many in the sport still see it as a safety valve and crowd‑pleaser. It is changing, though, with growing concern about concussions and a slow trend toward less fighting, especially outside the NHL.

How the rules treat fighting

  • In pro leagues like the NHL, fighting is explicitly covered by a rule (Rule 46) that assigns a five‑minute major penalty rather than an automatic ejection, so it’s “contained” rather than fully banned.
  • Referees usually step back once two players square up, then step in once one player goes down or they tire out, which makes the whole thing look “allowed” even though it is officially a rules violation.

Why it was historically tolerated

  • Since the early days of pro hockey, fighting has been seen as part of the sport’s identity and entertainment value, something many fans came to expect during intense games.
  • Teams long used “enforcers” whose informal job was to fight, protect star players, and respond to cheap shots, which reinforced fighting as a normal in‑game response rather than an out‑of‑bounds act.

The “self‑policing” argument

  • Supporters say fighting acts as a kind of thermostat on violence: if someone throws dangerous hits or uses the stick recklessly, the threat of having to fight supposedly keeps them in check.
  • This view, sometimes called “the code,” frames fights as players enforcing their own consequences when referees miss or under‑penalize borderline or dirty plays.

Momentum, emotion, and fan appeal

  • Players and coaches often talk about using a fight to “change momentum,” wake up a sluggish bench, or rally teammates after a bad stretch or a big hit against them.
  • Leagues also know that many fans see fights as dramatic emotional peaks in a game, which historically boosted ratings and ticket sales, even if that’s more controversial today.

Why it’s being questioned now

  • Medical research and public debate around brain injuries and long‑term health risks have made sustained bare‑knuckle fighting harder to justify, leading to rule tweaks and fewer pure “enforcers.”
  • Junior, college, and many international competitions punish fighting more harshly than the NHL, and there is an active debate in media and ethics circles about whether it should be phased out entirely.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.