Hockey fan or not, there is something alluring about its fighting culture, a vestige of a bygone American sporting landscape that celebrated Toughness, Perseverance and Willingness to Endure Bodily Harm above all. And while it’s being phased out of the modern game for legit reasons, watching two men in ice skates clumsily try pull sweaters over each other’s heads will never get old. But it’s also a tradition that, as evidenced by a new documentary, is more complicated than you think.
The creators of Ice Guardians — which will premiere in Toronto on September 12th — wanted to explore the unique role enforcers play in the sport and demonstrate there’s way more to ritual ice-boxing than just gooning it up. “It’s not here to advocate for fighting and it’s definitely not here to put a negative spin on it,” producer Adam Scorgie told the Hockey News. “It’s just here to honor these guys and their place in hockey history, because they deserve to be there just like anyone else.”
Sounds watch-worthy to us.
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