Fighting is an established tradition in North American ice hockey, with a long history that involves many levels of amateur and professional play and includes some notable individual fights. Fights may be fought by enforcers, or "goons" —players whose role is to fight and intimidate—on a given team, and are governed by a system of unwritten rules that players, coaches, officials, and the media refer to as "the code". Some fights are spontaneous, while others are premeditated by the participants. While officials tolerate fighting during hockey games, they impose a variety of penalties on players who engage in fights.
Two skaters fight one another during the 2008 Calder Cup finals, as a linesman watches behind them.
Dylan Holloway of the Edmonton Oilers fighting with Vince Dunn of the Seattle Kraken during an NHL game.
An altercation between two skaters during an NCAA game
Finnish ice hockey clubs Karhu-Kissat and RU-38 performing an ice hockey fight for British espionage film Billion Dollar Brain.
Enforcer is an unofficial role in ice hockey. The term is sometimes used synonymously with "fighter", "tough guy", or "goon". An enforcer's job is to deter and respond to dirty or violent play by the opposition. When such play occurs, the enforcer is expected to respond aggressively, by fighting or checking the offender. Enforcers are expected to react particularly harshly to violence against star players or goalies.
Dave Semenko won two Stanley Cups as an enforcer in the 1980s.