Of course, then you will have fans saying that it is just part of the game, and urge them to play on. One thing that the NHL could do is to make the players wear full facemasks and bigger helmets when they are playing. Wearing facemasks would help protect the players from a high stick, or a flying puck. The violence would probably still be there, but it would not seem as bad, because not as much damage will be done to the player. In both high school and college, players are required to wear the necessary masks.
People still watch the game, and there are still fights.
In fact that I have been in the Tabernacle and seen something on besides soap operas is during the Minnesota Hockey state playoffs. It would be almost impossible to completely eliminate all of the violence from hockey. It is just too big apart of the game. However, by further protecting our players, hockey games can continue without the worry of an injury due to a high stick. All sports either in a professional or college setting require fan support to generated revenue.