system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
ELI5: Why are hockey fights allowed to happen, but fighting is stopped ASAP in all other sports?
gpt
Everyone's hitting the right notes, but in order to really get a hold of why fighting is allowed in hockey, you have to consider that protecting star players is of utmost importance, as the opposing team can get away with a lot of cheap shots.

Case in point: When Gretzky played for the Kings, the opposing teams players used to come after him all game long. So the Kings got Marty McSorley (Big Fighter) on board. Any time a player would go after Gretzky for a few shifts, or cheap shot him, McSorley would get on the ice and fight him. This was to send a message that there is a price to pay for picking on important players.

Nowadays, fighting is still around, but much less than before because referees are a lot more strict in enforcing penalties. Nonetheless, it is still allowed. Nowadays, perhaps, also for entertainment purposes.

EDIT: There is also another reaason, which is basically when you see a team start fights late in the game. Often times it is the captain who starts a brawl late in the game when his team is down. This is to get the team pumped up, and to have them realize it's time to step their game up!