The goons are there to protect the stars. If someone tries to take them out with some dirty stickwork, you're going to see them get flattened by the team goon. As for dangerous, I'd rather take a fist to the jaw than a stick to the back of my head any day. The fist may leave a bruise, it may break a bone, but a well-placed stick can end a career. Fights are almost always by invitation.
Goons defend the stars.
Back when I lived in L.A., it was a common occurrence to see some poor fool go after Gretzky with a dirty hit, only to get the crap beaten out of him by Marty McSorley on the next shift. Like it or not, fighting is an integral part of North American hockey, and is far less dangerous than one might imagine. Join the debate. Though the NHL is clearly Mario's world again, Dave Chamberlain says the league is full of talented players who make hockey fun to watch. The second part of our two-part series on hockey's greatest player.