Since its inception, hockey has always been a physical, feisty sport no matter where or at what level it is played. But why is hockey such a violent contest? And how can tempers on the ice be controlled beyond just the basic rulebook?

Firstly; we should look at how hockey became such a violent and physical game and how it gained its reputation as a fighters’ sport.

From the long-list of enforcers who’ve dominated their side’s PIMs and fighting minutes, to the high case numbers of line brawls and incidents of over-aggression which have resulted in long bans or fines, violence in hockey is rife and ever-evident, but where does it come from?

The now infamous ‘Broad Street Bullies’ and ‘Big Bad Bruins’ teams of the 1970s were some of the first NHL teams to incorporate fighting into their Modus Operandi.

That Flyers’ team won back-to-back Cups in 74’ and 75’ while the Bruins claimed two Cups in three years between 70’ and 72’.

The success of these teams coined the idea that in order to get a better grip on the cup, you’d have to take your gloves off.

This set up a long-term stigma in the NHL, which still in part stands to this day, that teams had to be willing to go toe-to-toe in order to be number one.

We’ve seen since then though, that this simply isn’t true. 

Both the Flyers and Bruins were halted from reaching higher heights in the 70s by the same team, the Montreal Canadiens. 

The Habs won eight cups in 12 years during this period, including four-straight from 75’-79’, and relied on the skill, speed and intelligence of their players to get their names on Lord Stanley.

The Flyers still haven’t seen their bright orange reflection on the Stanley Cup since 75’, while the Bruins took almost 40 years to hoist the Cup again after the success of their barbaric early 70s side.

When Zdeno Chara got the eight-spoked B back on the face of the trophy in 2011, their success was once again largely down to the physical nature of the squad.

The Bruins were second in the NHL for fights per-game that year, at a rate of .72 fights per game, lacking only behind the New York Rangers who had a rate of .77.

The preparedness to drop the gloves at any moment and the physical determination of the 2011 Bruins side was an anomaly among Stanley Cup winners since the 1980s though.