By:WILL MESINGER

In 2008, Don Cherry made the case for hockey fights at the junior level. The argument was this: “You have young guys who are there because they are exceptionally skilled. Then, you have older, bigger guys who are there to protect their young guys from the other team’s older, bigger guys.” If you eliminate fighting, Cherry said, “it would be an open season on the skill-players who can’t protect themselves.”

The same argument is echoed by NHL fans. The fighters exist to protect an unwritten code. You touch Crosby, you get knocked out. The fighters dish out the occasional black eye to prevent violence on a larger scale.

So, why do we see a decline in fighting? To be clear, there is a decline – compare the 0.38 fights per game this past season to the 0.65 fights per game in 2001-02. What is happening?

First, there is not a much of a practical use for these guys anymore. The game has changed so that the benefits of taking a shot at a skill-player no longer outweigh the consequences. Where enforcers would previously receive a major penalty or a game misconduct, we now see lengthy suspensions and widespread condemnation. The rules have changed so that it is not always worth it anymore. But the main reason for the death of the hockey fight is organic. Teams are starting to substitute their third and fourth line bruisers for skill-players who can dance around the big guys and contribute statistically. Naturally, other teams are forced to do the same to remain competitive.

This spiral has continued for years, and now we see enforcers like Colton Orr and Bobby Robins relegated to the AHL. Ken Holland, general manager of the Detroit Red Wings, referred to one-dimensional fighters as being “…past tense.”

I still love hockey fights. And it sucks, especially now that: They no longer serve their original purpose. We know much more about the serious, long-term effects that brawling can have on these guys. They suffer from alcoholism, addiction and depression. Hockey is an entertainment sport, but cheering for hockey fights gets harder and harder the more I know about it.