QMJHL bans fighting, citing need for 'culture change'

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Quebec Major Junior Hockey League bans fighting, citing need for 'culture change'

By Mike Santa Barbara | Last updated 3/16/23

Since the first players laced up a pair of skates, fighting has been a part of hockey. However, one of the three major junior ice hockey leagues has taken steps to ban the time-honored tradition of self-policing.

On Thursday, the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, or QMJHL, announced plans to institute a new rule beginning with the 2023-24 season, which makes nearly all fights on the ice illegal.

"The QMJHL is planning to have a rule in place that will ban fighting, making it black and white that it is no longer a part of our game."

The end of fighting in hockey could be right around the corner and the #QMJHL is spearheading the movement. https://t.co/ytcNuQ2Aqa
— Tony Ferrari (@theTonyFerrari) March 15, 2023

The fighting ban is part of an overall "culture change" for the QMJHL following a shocking hazing scandal that ultimately led to the resignation of commissioner Gilles Courteau. Now, under new commissioner Mario Cecchini, change is coming.

"How do you make a culture change?" Cecchini said, via Marc Antoine Godin of The Athletic. "With a lot of determination, with a lot of conviction, and with a lot of precision and clarity in how you expect everyone to behave. For me, that's going to be paramount."

Since 2020, fighting in the QMJHL drew 10-minute misconduct instead of only a five minutes. Now, fighting will result in a game misconduct. However, there will be wiggle room for players engaged in a scrap while defending themselves.

Fighting has always been a hot topic of conversation in the hockey world. While some will rally against the change, it's probably overdue. Perhaps there are excuses for fisticuffs at the professional level, but at the junior level, it borders on unnecessary barbarism.

The only question that remains is if the rest of the Canadian Hockey League, including the Western Hockey League and Ontario Hockey League, will follow suit.

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