A majority of Canadians (54%) believe that the NHL should ban fighting, according to results of a new Ipsos Reid poll. Canadians were asked what they think about violence in hockey and what should be done, if anything, to deal with it. Around 37% felt that fighting is an important part of hockey, while 79% felt that the NHL should increase penalties for infractions such as cross-checking and roughing. Data showed that younger Canadians are less likely to support the banning of fighting and stiffer penalties. Around 40% of Canadians aged 18-34 believe that the NHL should ban fighting, compared to 56% of those aged 35-54 and 65% of those aged 55+. Nearly half of 18-34 Canadians polled believe fighting is an important part of hockey. The poll was conducted online among 1,097 Canadian citizens from Feb. 15-17 (Ipsos Reid).
| RESPONSE |
18-34 YEAR OLDS |
35-54 YEAR OLDS |
55+ YEAR OLDS |
THE NHL SHOULD BAN FIGHTING |
| Strongly agree |
14% |
31% |
39% |
| Somewhat agree |
25% |
24% |
25% |
| Somewhat disagree |
37% |
25% |
22% |
| Strongly disagree |
23% |
19% |
14% |
THE NHL SHOULD INCREASE PENALTIES FOR VIOLENCE-RELATED PENALTIES SUCH AS CROSS-CHECKING AND ROUGHING |
| Strongly agree |
29% |
50% |
62% |
| Somewhat agree |
36% |
32% |
27% |
| Somewhat disagree |
30% |
13% |
9% |
| Strongly disagree |
5% |
5% |
3% |
VIOLENCE IS JUST A PART OF HOCKEY AND PENALTIES FOR
PLAYING ROUGH AND TOUGH SHOULD NOT INCREASE |
| Strongly agree |
11% |
8% |
6% |
| Somewhat agree |
33% |
23% |
17% |
| Somewhat disagree |
37% |
33% |
29% |
| Strongly disagree |
19% |
35% |
47% |
FIGHTING IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF HOCKEY |
| Strongly agree |
13% |
11% |
6% |
| Somewhat agree |
33% |
25% |
23% |
| Somewhat disagree |
34% |
26% |
29% |
| Strongly disagree |
19% |
38% |
43% |
THE NHL SHOULD ALLOW LINESMEN TO CALL PENALTIES
AFTER THE PLAY HAS STOPPED |
| Strongly agree |
20% |
33% |
45% |
| Somewhat agree |
55% |
49% |
43% |
| Somewhat disagree |
21% |
14% |
11% |
| Strongly disagree |
4% |
5% |
2% |
