Fast-paced action, bone-crushing hits, 100 mile-per-hour slap shots, and let's not forget the fights. These are just a few reasons that hockey can be so entertaining to watch every night. However, people might only see the game and only the game, so here are eight more reasons why hockey should be on par with all other major American sports.

1. The athletes on the ice

Most people don't realize what hockey players will do to hoist the Stanley Cup at the end of the season. In 2013, Boston Bruins center Patrice Bergeron played through a broken rib, torn cartilage and a separated shoulder. Basically that means he couldn't breathe normally or move one of his arms. In the 2015 Stanley Cup Finals, Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Ben Bishop suffered a torn groin and played another three and a half games on it. Most people can't walk with a torn groin, let alone skate. They're freak athletes, and what they do on the ice shows that.

2. Goaltending

It's not everyday you see a fully grown man doing the splits, but you'll see it every hockey game you watch. They're the greatest athletes in the world — they have to do this AND stop a piece of polarized rubber coming at them almost 100 miles per hour. It's the hardest position in sports for a reason.

3. The atmosphere

This is nothing against the NBA Finals, World Series or the Super Bowl, but it's just different being in an NHL arena for a playoff game. There's something oddly satisfying about not being able to hear your friend talk who's right next to you. When everyone else is loud, you want to be loud too and cheer your team on. If you're at home, you instantly wish you were there.

4. You don't know what will happen next

New York Rangers defenseman Dan Girardi was battling for the puck in the corner, and the next thing he knew, the play had to be stopped because by some act of God, the puck managed to wedge itself perfectly between his left eye and his visor. The fast-paced action makes hockey one of the most unpredictable sports in the world — anything can happen, even something as crazy as that.

5. The fights

Ahhh, the fights... One of the unique things about hockey is that you can fight one of the opposing players, sit in the penalty box for a few minutes and that's it. The game goes on. It might not happen as often as it once did, but it still makes the game exciting, unique and fun for the fans.

6. The hardware

The Super Bowl trophy is all good and well, but I mean, just look at these things. And these are the awards that individual players receive for their accomplishments throughout the season. While these trophies are some of the best in sports, every hockey player would agree that they'd rather have Lord Stanley.

7. International play

I know what you're thinking: "Don't NBA players compete internationally?" Well, yes they do. But nearly three quarters of NBA players are American, whereas the number of American-born hockey players is about 25 percent. Canadians make up about 49 percent of the NHL, and the rest are from various countries around the world, mostly European. So when the American basketball team competes internationally, we hear about how dominant they are. In hockey, it's anyone's game; obviously there are powerhouse teams like Canada and Russia, but most of the teams are evenly matched. It makes for great competition on the international stage where anyone can win.

8. The athletes off the ice

Last fall, then Montreal Canadiens defenseman P.K. Subban pledged $10 million to a children's hospital in Montreal. The money will be raised through Subban's charity and was the largest philanthropic commitment by a Canadian athlete in history. It might just be me, but I rarely hear about athletes from other major sports leagues pledging to donate this much money. It's a huge commitment, but it shows that Subban and the hockey community understand that there's more to life than hockey. He wants to make a difference in the Montreal community, and by helping the children of Montreal, he's doing just that. Good for you, P.K.