I mentioned earlier in the thread but the goal for the NHL should be playoff hockey in the regular season, in the playoffs fighting pretty much stops because the goons are out of the lineup so teams can actually roll 4 line. The only fights that happen are spur of the moment, emotion driven fights that actually serve to change the game.
The goal shouldn't be to completely eliminate fighting but to remove the need of the "goon" or "enforcer" in the regular season, much like it is removed during the playoffs.
Maybe you just need stricter penalties and some "fighting accumulation" penalties.
In Game Penalties:
First fight: 10 minute major for fighting-5 minutes really is nothing. A player misses 2 shifts during a 5 minute major.
Second Fight : Game misconduct
Player Fight Accumulation Penalties: Does not punish the spontaneous fights but the goons.
0-5 fights: no suspension
6th fight: 1 game suspension
8th fight: 4 game suspension
10th fight: 6 game suspension
12th fight: 10 game suspension
15th fight: 15 game suspension
Team Fight Accumulation Penalties:
10th fight: 25k fine
15th fight: 50k fine
20th fight: 100k fine
25th fight: 200k fine & 1 game coach suspension
30th fight: 400k fine
35th fight: 600k fine
40th fight: 1M fine & 2 game coach suspension.
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