Fighting to the death: Does hockey fighting in the NHL affect players' longevity?

Abstract

Hockey is a sport known for its violent nature. Specifically, hockey fights have consistently been an integral part of the National Hockey League. Past research has demonstrated that players are likely to be involved in fighting as a mechanism to gain fan support, generate game momentum or enhance team camaraderie. However, fighting naturally has negative health ramifications. In the current study, we sought to investigate if players' involvement in hockey fights throughout their career was associated with shorter life spans. Previous mortality studies have not distinguished hockey fighting from other aggressive aspects of this sport (e.g., in game physical contact with other players). We conducted an archival study examining the frequency of hockey fighting during the 1957-1971 NHL seasons and player longevity. A Kaplan-Meier survival analysis log-rank method and a subsequent Cox regression accounting for correlates showed no relationship between an elevated number of fights and a reduced lifespan. The lack of effect may indeed demonstrate a negligible influence on long-term health consequences in the context of a generally very physical game. However, with the relatively moderate levels of fighting in the period studied we recommend that the association be explored also in a subsequent era when NHL fighting peaked.