Random Hockey Book of the Week, Week 10: The Code

Week 10: The Code: The Unwritten Rules of Fighting and Retaliation in the NHL. After many weeks in the dark, this feature is back.

Back in All Its Splendor

The Random Hockey Book of the "Week" returns with a book that will make Brendan Shanahan roll over in his plush office chair in the league offices. Read all about fighting and the other dark arts in the NHL before they are banned.

Where the Rule Book Leaves Off

Ice hockey has always been a sport steeped in a culture of violence, and players universally calibrate the level of physical contact by adhering to unwritten rules known simply as "the code". "The Code" picks up where the rule book leaves off and fills in the gaps, all in an effort to govern the game and its players, allowing them to compete in a manner deemed fair and respectable.

Fifty Players and Coaches

To fully understand the significance and history behind "the code", Bernstein interviewed more than 50 past and present players and coaches. Their insights and stories explain why fighting is allowed, and how players police themselves on and off the ice.

The Week in the Feature

A random interesting-looking hockey book every Friday, whenever the schedule allows. This one is about the part of the game the rule book never quite covers.