Nerds That Geek Movie Review: 'Ice Guardians'

Written by Zeke Perez Jr.

You may have heard the old adage, ‘I went to a fight and a hockey game broke out!’ Fighting in hockey is well-known among even the most casual of hockey fans, often featured in pop culture through films like Goon or websites such as HockeyFights.com. Fighting has become so ingrained in hockey culture and fandom that even this year’s Adidas replica NHL jerseys feature a fight strap, the tie-down on the back of the jersey used to prevent it from being pulled off during an altercation. No matter where you stand on fighting in the sport, the wonderfully enthralling documentary Ice Guardians will change how you view the players that go to battle.
 
Ice Guardians was released in 2016 and has just been added to Netflix in October 2017. The film delves into the history of enforcers in the NHL with interviews by some of the most storied names to take on that role. A laundry list of players - including Scott Parker, George Parros, Eric Godard, and Wendel Clark, just to name a few - lend their voices to an eye-opening account of what it takes to be a career brawler in the AHL or NHL. They provide emotional tales of the ups and downs of the job, as well as a unique and personal insight into the future of enforcers and fighting in the league.
 
Fighting is a polarizing feature in the hockey world; adored by many, abhorred by some, and recently targeted by the media and even by the league itself. The idea of banning fights was floated around a few years ago, but that was opposed handily by players and fans, especially die-hard fans. Often pegged as barbaric or unneeded, Ice Guardians counters by showing that hockey fights are anything but. 

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Players in the documentary argue that the media and other outsiders who dislike fighting often base their opinion on movies like Slap Shot or on particularly bad incidents that rarely occur. Enforcers usually aren’t portrayed accurately, labeled as dumb goons with few morals and fewer skills. The respect, ethics, and talent that go into the enforcer role are often overlooked. Personally, I was taken aback by scenes of players boxing and hitting the heavy bag, training to fight. I had taken for granted how much time and effort they put into honing their craft. As pointed out, none of them began playing hockey just to fight. They had the same dreams as any other youth hockey player. But with so few spots to go around, some had to adopt new skills to survive.
 
Ice Guardians takes the time to address all sides of the topic. Featuring interviews from former enforcers, refs, reporters, fans, a criminologist, a mass behavior expert, and a neurosurgeon, the film provides the most interesting and holistic account of hockey fights to date. It takes the viewer through the highs and excitement of an enforcer’s life, making the case that hockey is actually safer when enforcers are patrolling the ice. It explains that, without enforcers, a team’s star becomes a target with nobody to protect him. Injuries and cheap shots pile up when there aren’t any fighters to keep the peace. But the film also addresses the darker side of things. While other players may be safer by having enforcers as teammates, the fighters themselves unfortunately face some dire challenges. As former player Zenon Konopka puts it, boxers fight once or twice a year, with gloves, while enforcers fight 20 to 30 times a season, bare knuckle, while on skates. Concussions and the mental toll of brawling night in and night out cast a shadow over the careers of many players.
 
I grew up a fan of the Avalanche and of the guys who were willing to drop their gloves for the team. Over the years, I’ve cheered for (the aforementioned) Scott Parker, Adam Deadmarsh, Jeff Odgers, and Cody McLeod, among many others on a list that could keep going. Yet despite watching the sport for just about all of my life, there was still so much I learned from the film. Ice Guardians repaints what an enforcer is. It is a must-watch for hockey fans and has something to offer sports fans, documentary lovers, and anyone who has ever been intrigued by fighting in hockey.

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