THIS: Contact sports have existed since the Middle Ages. Football was also already used as a sport by China during the dynasties. Implicitly, players on both teams agreed to be hit, pushed, shoved and possibly fought. What can be used to consider when or where a player crosses the line? Using examples from previous court cases, we will examine how NHL players could be charged when excessive force against other players on the opposing team comes into play. Using hockey as an example, we will review and consider the rules of the NHL, as well as how Todd Bertuzzi of the Vancouver Canucks crossed the line and was charged with assault. The National Hockey League (NHL for short) was founded on November 22, 1917 in the city of Montreal, Quebec. It was initially intended to be an unincorporated non-profit organization that operated a major professional ice hockey league consisting of thirty franchise member clubs from around the world. Six of them are at our home in Canada. Furthermore, twenty-four teams are in the United States of America. Furthermore, the NHL is widely considered to be the premier and one of the best professional ice hockey leagues in the world. The organization requires highly skilled players from all over the world. Twenty different countries are currently members of the organization. However, Canadians historically made up the majority of NHL players; due to the league's expansion many years later, the percentages of American and European players trained increased and became more common. By 1967, expansions from six to thirty clubs had taken place, and the increasing availability of highly skilled European players was becoming increasingly common. The NHL... middle of paper... you have to be careful, and don't cross the line.ResourcesAadet (May 31, 2011). Todd Bertuzzi. Retrieved from http://www.aadet.com/article/Todd_BertuzziWikipedia (May 25, 2011). 2004-2005 NHL lockout. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/2004-05_NHL_LockoutWikipedia (May 28, 2011). Assault. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AssaultWikipedia (February 22, 2011) Assault and battery. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assault_and_batteryWikipedia (May 29, 2011). Assault (misdemeanor). Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assault_(tort)Wikipedia (May 10, 2011). National hockey league. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Hockey_LeagueWikipedia (May 28, 2011). Todd Bertuzzi. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Todd_BertuzziWikipedia (31 May 2011). Wrong. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tort