Quote:
Originally Posted by strombad
...Fighting, while misused in some regards, is a tool that only affects the mental state of players. That is it's role. The only evidence therein that is even applicable in this situation is the word of players.
If someone were to undertake this study, it would not be a study that is comparable to something like "Does stick stiffness result in harder shots?" where you could in fact take a measurable form of physical data and apply it to your study, this is something more like "Does a particular food improve mood?"
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Preposterous. Of course studies could be undertaken, and not with much difficulty. The actual affect that a fight does or does not have can be measured in terms of in game events that occur as a result. The players continue to tell us that the effects are there, so one should be able to detect them.
Furthermore, tests to measure or at least account for the impact of fighting in hockey could occur by running a test season in one of the minor leagues, or in the CHL. Track the instances of stick fouls and unsportsmanlike play through the course of a regular season, and measure those against the test season and draw conclusions.