Not completely. It is not like it used to be. But teams have to protect their stars from being targeted. Teams also have to retaliate for cheap shots on teammates. Take fighting out completely and guys like McDavid, Crosby, Ovechken,....., would probably have shorter careers. It is a game within a game. IMHO. Love Hockey. Go Pens.
Not really. The instigator penalty really killed the enforcer. That extra 2 minutes for the guy that started the fight meant you could no longer punish the cheap shot guy, he just wouldn’t drop the gloves, or would wait, and your enforcer spends more time in the box than him. The trailing ref did a lot to get rid of the cheap hits. There’s still some. Just as there as still some fights. But overall it’s a more open game, nobody wants to waste a bench spot on a pugilist when you could put a goal scorer there. 3rd and 4th line scoring gets your name on the Cup.
Two clowns staging a fight on the ice does nothing to protect the stars of the game. That’s as true today as it was 25 years ago.