I'm glad I can expand my role and not just be a fighter. It can get a little old doing the same thing over and over. The presence of a bonafide bouncer can earn vital room on the ice for his offensively talented teammates. That can be the small difference between winning or losing. And that's just one way to use abrasiveness on the ice, explains VandenBussche.
Fighting is a little bit of everything.
It can change the momentum of the game. Say you're losing 3-0. Sometimes you get a guy taking liberties on your smaller players, and you've got to answer that. Intimidation still plays a big role on the ice. The brawlers also make life easier for their less-violent teammates.