[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by MattyC

This has always bothered me. It's not accepted. There's a penalty for it. It is against the rules.

Whether or not the penalty is enough to deter it is kind of a different debate (it's not, especially for people instigating after clean checks).

Culturally accepted by fans and players? Yes. Against the rules? Yes.

I liken it to touch down dances in football. Are they allowed? No. Do they happen? Yes and are acceptable by the players and the fans, but not the league rules.

It is accepted. If it wasn't accepted the repercussions of fighting would be greater. Thrown out of the game and banned from the next.

The NHL accepts fighting. All the talk about "the code" further supports that fighting is accepted. If it wasn't accepted there wouldn't be a "code" to fighting in the game.