Hockey is a high speed, high intensity game....I can only speak for us Canadians,but most guys and girls who have played the game would likely agree that fighting is a by product of the intensity and truly does have a place in the sport.
The NHL is constantly trying to do things to eliminate it and it had dulled the game down IMO....I know if I was an owner and I had a Sidney Crosby caliber player on my team...I would certainly have a bargain basement priced enforcer to watch his back....that one player is the center peice of your team...you have to protect your investment...if you don't,you will have opposing players taking cheap shots and possibly injuring that investment....not many teams see it like that anymore though.....