By this I mean what ever it takes to let the players on the other team know not to touch that guy. This player is not out there to score a goal, but he is out there to police the ice. This is done many different ways, it may be a slash or a big body check or even a fight, however the policing is done it is only there to let players know that shots directed at their star players will not be tolerated. This intimidation and policing has been in the game since the beginning. This is the game.
People are as entertained by the fist a cuffs as they are by goals being scored.
Removing fighting and the players that participate would only harm the sport of hockey. We feel that there are many other ways in which hockey can police it self. For starters when an altercation occurs that goes beyond the bounds of what is tolerable or flagrant, there should be stiffer fines and longer suspensions. Players are more likely to feel the affects of a loss of salary rather than a few minutes in the box. Through the years, hockey has been known to be a very physical sport.