Notice there's no bench clearing brawls anymore unlike some other sport *cough*baseball*cough*. I've never bought into the argument that Americans don't like hockey because there's fighting in it. Hogwash. Aside from the original four American markets and the original expansion markets, there isn't much interest because there is no natural ice there. No skating, no hockey. Baseball, football and basketball can be played anywhere and they've been in the American conscious for much longer than hockey, again excluding the limited original four markets.

Eliminating fighting means that the stick-work will go up. That's classic in American college and European hockey. That's where players get hurt. Aside from bruises and the odd cut, you never see players get hurt from fighting. Now of course, as in anything, there is a limit on how much fighting there should be. Too much and it takes away from the game. Another thing that should be cracked down on severly is the showy bullshit stuff after fights some players do. The refs should tack on an extra two minutes on the five minute penalty and give the other team a powerplay. That'll cut that shit down.