--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Hockey is a tough, physical game, and it…" description: "\"Hockey is a tough, physical game, and it always should be.\" — Mario Lemieux" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e5/mario-lemieux-14276_game_hockey-is-a-tough-physical-game-and-it-a_2674671.jpg" --- # Hockey is a tough, physical game, and it always should be. ![“Hockey is a tough, physical game, and it always should be.” quote by Mario Lemieux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e5/mario-lemieux-14276_game_hockey-is-a-tough-physical-game-and-it-a_2674671.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e5/mario-lemieux-14276_game_hockey-is-a-tough-physical-game-and-it-a_2674671.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e5/mario-lemieux-14276_game_hockey-is-a-tough-physical-game-and-it-a_2674671.jpg) > “Hockey is a tough, physical game, and it always should be.” [Mario Lemieux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-lemieux/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Physicality defines hockey; the sport's toughness is essential to its identity. **In simple terms:** Hockey must stay tough and physical. Key Takeaway Preserve the sport’s physical nature. Themes sports culture physicality tradition Mood reflective passionate Type sports philosophical When to use this quote - coaching - player development - rule changes - fan engagement Key Concepts athletics competition team dynamics Questions to Reflect On - How can hockey stay tough yet become safer? - What role does skill play alongside physicality? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on violence can deter inclusivity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Game](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/game/) [Games](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/games/) [Hockey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hockey/) [Hockey Tough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hockey-tough-2341339/) [Physical Game](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/physical-game-1497147/) [Should](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/should/) [Tough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tough/) [Tough Physical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tough-physical-625023/) ## Related quotes > [You know, Slams are tough. It's the most physical, in my opinion. You're playing three out of five.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-isner/you-know-slams-are-tough-it-s-the-most-physical-in-my-opinion-you-re/) [John Isner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-isner/) > [I am extremely tough and extremely physical, and that is because my father taught me to be tough, physical, and not to take no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baron-corbin/i-am-extremely-tough-and-extremely-physical-and-that-is-because-my/) [Baron Corbin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baron-corbin/) > [Hockey is a tough game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-orr/hockey-is-a-tough-game/) [Bobby Orr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-orr/) > [I feel hockey is a tough game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diljit-dosanjh/i-feel-hockey-is-a-tough-game/) [Diljit Dosanjh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diljit-dosanjh/) > [Hockey is a tough game. With all the talk and everything that's going on right now, it frightens me a little bit that we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-orr/hockey-is-a-tough-game-with-all-the-talk-and-everything-that-s-going/) [Bobby Orr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-orr/) > [It's a physical game, and it's honestly a fight out there every play.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-amendola/it-s-a-physical-game-and-it-s-honestly-a-fight-out-there-every-play/) [Danny Amendola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-amendola/) > [This is a physical game, and that's how you have to play. When you do that, the defense eventually gets tired of tackling you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezekiel-elliott/this-is-a-physical-game-and-that-s-how-you-have-to-play-when-you-do/) [Ezekiel Elliott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezekiel-elliott/) > [I play a good physical game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aleksandar-mitrovic/i-play-a-good-physical-game/) [Aleksandar Mitrovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aleksandar-mitrovic/) > [It’s not a playoff game, it’s like the Super Bowl. … This is going to be a blood bath out there. I know they’re…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-pierre-paul/it-s-not-a-playoff-game-it-s-like-the-super-bowl-this-is-going-to-be/) [Jason Pierre-Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-pierre-paul/) > [I was always fighting with everyone when I was a kid. I was playing with people two or three years older than me, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fernando-torres/i-was-always-fighting-with-everyone-when-i-was-a-kid-i-was-playing/) [Fernando Torres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fernando-torres/) > [In England and Germany, perhaps, there is more of a focus on the physical side of the game, in breaking down the opposition's play,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-kroos/in-england-and-germany-perhaps-there-is-more-of-a-focus-on-the/) [Toni Kroos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-kroos/) > [The National Football League is a very physical game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dorsey/the-national-football-league-is-a-very-physical-game/) [John Dorsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dorsey/) > [I played volleyball, basketball, softball, and I started to love soccer the most around 7-8 years old because it was a physical game. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-morgan/i-played-volleyball-basketball-softball-and-i-started-to-love-soccer/) [Alex Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-morgan/) > [I play a pretty physical game, trying to run around and hit a lot of forehands, using my serve, and using my legs on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-sock/i-play-a-pretty-physical-game-trying-to-run-around-and-hit-a-lot-of/) [Jack Sock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-sock/) > [The way I play, it's very much more a mental game than a physical game. I'm looking for space and where are players leaving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/becky-sauerbrunn/the-way-i-play-it-s-very-much-more-a-mental-game-than-a-physical-game/) [Becky Sauerbrunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/becky-sauerbrunn/) ## More by Mario Lemieux > [I'm only 35, and I felt that the time was right to try to come back and have a chance for him to see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-lemieux/i-m-only-35-and-i-felt-that-the-time-was-right-to-try-to-come-back/) [Mario Lemieux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-lemieux/) > [We feel that, with Sidney, we have a great opportunity over the next few years to put a great team on the ice. We're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-lemieux/we-feel-that-with-sidney-we-have-a-great-opportunity-over-the-next/) [Mario Lemieux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-lemieux/) > [I think the lottery changed everything for us. Once we got Sidney, it helped us turn this franchise around overnight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-lemieux/i-think-the-lottery-changed-everything-for-us-once-we-got-sidney-it/) [Mario Lemieux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-lemieux/) > [I can no longer play at a level I was accustomed to in the past.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-lemieux/i-can-no-longer-play-at-a-level-i-was-accustomed-to-in-the-past/) [Mario Lemieux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-lemieux/) > [For as long as I can remember I wanted to be a professional hockey player.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-lemieux/for-as-long-as-i-can-remember-i-wanted-to-be-a-professional-hockey/) [Mario Lemieux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-lemieux/) > [I didn't speak English until I came to Pittsburgh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-lemieux/i-didn-t-speak-english-until-i-came-to-pittsburgh/) [Mario Lemieux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-lemieux/) > [I don't try to match wine with food, I just drink what I like. And I think a lot of people are going towards…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-lemieux/i-don-t-try-to-match-wine-with-food-i-just-drink-what-i-like-and-i/) [Mario Lemieux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-lemieux/) > [As I've said, in 2007, we're free to go and we'll just have to do what's best for the business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-lemieux/as-i-ve-said-in-2007-we-re-free-to-go-and-we-ll-just-have-to-do-what/) [Mario Lemieux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-lemieux/) > [Of course, my family has been a big reason for me to come back, especially my son who loves the game of hockey -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-lemieux/of-course-my-family-has-been-a-big-reason-for-me-to-come-back/) [Mario Lemieux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-lemieux/) > [This is really a new NHL and it's built on speed and young guys.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-lemieux/this-is-really-a-new-nhl-and-it-s-built-on-speed-and-young-guys/) [Mario Lemieux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-lemieux/) > [He's only 4 years old, so I don't think he realized, you know, that I played so many years. Of course, we watch tapes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-lemieux/he-s-only-4-years-old-so-i-don-t-think-he-realized-you-know-that-i/) [Mario Lemieux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-lemieux/) > [When it comes to hockey, it's been in my blood since I was 3 or 4 years old. I love coaching the kids, especially…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-lemieux/when-it-comes-to-hockey-it-s-been-in-my-blood-since-i-was-3-or-4/) [Mario Lemieux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-lemieux/) > [When someone screams at me to hurry up, I slow down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-lemieux/when-someone-screams-at-me-to-hurry-up-i-slow-down/) [Mario Lemieux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-lemieux/) > [I think people in Montreal smoke a lot, and I used to smoke when I was 17-18, and just picked it up when I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-lemieux/i-think-people-in-montreal-smoke-a-lot-and-i-used-to-smoke-when-i-was/) [Mario Lemieux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-lemieux/) > [If I could play this game at a decent level, I'd come back and play.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-lemieux/if-i-could-play-this-game-at-a-decent-level-i-d-come-back-and-play/) [Mario Lemieux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-lemieux/) [Explore all 47 Mario Lemieux quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-lemieux/) ## More Game quotes > [Raised by game where niggas ain't phased by fame. Come to the crib, get banged, they take your chain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/common/raised-by-game-where-niggas-ain-t-phased-by-fame-come-to-the-crib-get/) [Common](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/common/) > [If you take your eye off the ball or lose focus for even a minute you can lose a game against any team.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felipe-anderson/if-you-take-your-eye-off-the-ball-or-lose-focus-for-even-a-minute-you/) [Felipe Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felipe-anderson/) > [I've been lucky enough to, for the most part, surround myself with a lot of people who are more talented than me and who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-franco/i-ve-been-lucky-enough-to-for-the-most-part-surround-myself-with-a/) [Dave Franco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-franco/) > [It's no wonder Pep is one of the best coaches in the world. When I knew I could work with him I was very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ederson/it-s-no-wonder-pep-is-one-of-the-best-coaches-in-the-world-when-i/) [Ederson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ederson/) > [I loved the game so much that even though our playing field was muddy and we had many trees on it, I used to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-clemente/i-loved-the-game-so-much-that-even-though-our-playing-field-was-muddy/) [Roberto Clemente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-clemente/) > [I've always been very hard on myself, and I never want to get to a point where I'm like, 'Alright, I'm kicking butt,' but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/becky-sauerbrunn/i-ve-always-been-very-hard-on-myself-and-i-never-want-to-get-to-a/) [Becky Sauerbrunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/becky-sauerbrunn/) > [The human element should be the two players on the court, not the officials. The best officials are the ones you never notice. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-scott/the-human-element-should-be-the-two-players-on-the-court-not-the/) [Gene Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-scott/) > [Windmills and solar cells are carbon-free sources of electricity. But they are costly. If you've been investing in those, give it up. That game…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-fisher/windmills-and-solar-cells-are-carbon-free-sources-of-electricity-but/) [Kenneth Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-fisher/) > [Often in my game as an actor, someone else pays for your travel and there's nothing like being able to lie flat on a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ioan-gruffudd/often-in-my-game-as-an-actor-someone-else-pays-for-your-travel-and/) [Ioan Gruffudd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ioan-gruffudd/) > [Look at music for what it's worth around the world and not just America. In other countries, people are still buying CDs and going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/snoop-dogg/look-at-music-for-what-it-s-worth-around-the-world-and-not-just/) [Snoop Dogg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/snoop-dogg/) > [With the Capital One Bowl, the average fan might think whoopty do. But if you are a team member, you win that game and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirk-herbstreit/with-the-capital-one-bowl-the-average-fan-might-think-whoopty-do-but/) [Kirk Herbstreit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirk-herbstreit/) > [I remember throughout middle school and high school how excited my mom, sister and I would be when a UNC game was on TV.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harrison-barnes/i-remember-throughout-middle-school-and-high-school-how-excited-my/) [Harrison Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harrison-barnes/) > [Obviously, I want to win, but at the same time, at the end of the day, it's a game and that's what I'm going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-rendon/obviously-i-want-to-win-but-at-the-same-time-at-the-end-of-the-day-it/) [Anthony Rendon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-rendon/) > [It's more than a game. It's an institution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hughes/it-s-more-than-a-game-it-s-an-institution/) [Thomas Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hughes/) > [There are things you can do in training like learn from the manager and talk with team-mates, but it's the game that tests you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-burke/there-are-things-you-can-do-in-training-like-learn-from-the-manager/) [Oliver Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-burke/) [Browse all 13,309 Game quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/game/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Hockey is a tough, physical game, and it always should be.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Mario Lemieux" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-lemieux/hockey-is-a-tough-physical-game-and-it-always-should-be/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Game" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-lemieux/hockey-is-a-tough-physical-game-and-it-always-should-be/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e5/mario-lemieux-14276_game_hockey-is-a-tough-physical-game-and-it-a_2674671.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e5/mario-lemieux-14276_game_hockey-is-a-tough-physical-game-and-it-a_2674671.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e5/mario-lemieux-14276_game_hockey-is-a-tough-physical-game-and-it-a_2674671.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Hockey is a tough, physical game, and it always should be.” — Mario Lemieux", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Mario Lemieux", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-lemieux/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Hockey is a tough, physical game,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-lemieux/hockey-is-a-tough-physical-game-and-it-always-should-be/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-lemieux/hockey-is-a-tough-physical-game-and-it-always-should-be/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```