IDK what you're watching then. I saw in a documentary, a fighting one, where players who were interviewed told stories how some of their team mates cam down with mysterious illnesses when they had to face the broad street bullies. Sounds like they were afraid.
but the myth is... that a dirty guy that otherwise would be running around and taking liberties... wont if theres a big tough guy on the other side that will beat him up
the broad street bullies were a team of good fighters... but they didn't have that one nucleur deterent right? bobby Clarke would slash you... moose DuPont would rub you out in the corner... battle ship Kelly would cross check you... it wasn't about fighting it was about getting mugged and if you stood up for yourself there would be a bench clearing brawl
you say that teammates would get the flu... okay, but arnent those the teammates that are weak and never play physical anyhow? phillys fighting didn't cause terry oreilly to get the flu... or larry robinson... or brian sutter... or anyone that had any physicality to them.
my first hockey I ever remember was boston vrs philly from aroun 1976 or so... and wayne Cashman didn't have the flu and stan Johnathon didn't and bobby orr never did and even rick middleton and jean ratelle didn't
I'm sure there are some guys that get the flu against a tough team... and those exact same players probably get the flu many other times too because those players are losers
but that's besides the point. my point was that no tough guy ever said... I cant play tough tonight because I'm afraid
it doesn't happen
in reality... on teams that employ goons... what does happen... is fans on the call in show the next day say why didn't the goon do anything when star player was run last night? the other team kept going after star player and goon did nothing all night long...
in Edmonton I have heard on the radio for the past 25 years... why doesn't laraque fight.. why doesn't debrusk fight... why is gadzic so useless... why doesn't lucic or kassian fight... and on and on and on it goes
and in the meantime the team keeps losing and losing and losing