First of all, hockey fights send a message to the other team. Tie Domi absolutely makes the list. Without further ado, here at the top 15 enforcers that were good hockey players! It can be stressful, and any single punch can lead to a concussion. Nilan dreamed of playing for the Boston Bruins growing up, but was drafted as the enforcer for their rival Montreal Canadiens. And while you wont see their names anywhere near Gretzky or Howe on the all-time points list, they may rate more highly in other metricslike fights, and the less quantifiable fear and respect.. Had he spent more time on skates, hed likely be better positioned on this list. How do the rankings stack up? McSorely was charged with assault as a result of the incident and was eventually found guilty. He was also a solid contributor, as he chipped in 303 points in 500 games. He lead the league in penalty minutes seven times in his career and was the all-time leader in the stat when he retired. Tiger played with a number of teams over his career but he is best known as the enforcer for the Vancouver Canucks when they went on their Stanley Cup run in 1982, before losing to the New York Islanders. Dave Semenko was entrusted with protecting Jari Kurri, Mark Messier, Paul Coffey, and, most importantly, Wayne Gretzky during his time with the Edmonton Oilers. A fearedplayer like Dale Hunter also cannot be considered because amidst all his penalty minutes and dirty plays, he barely fought. Berube is seventh all-time in career penalty minutes with 3,149 in 1,054 games played. For example, Jarome Iginla is an example of an exceptional hockey player that can take care of himself and his teammates. He was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2002. Bob formed one half of the Bruise Brothers along with teammate Joey Kocur, and the pair were one of the most fearsome enforcer tandems in the NHL while playing for the Detroit Red Wings. So it is interesting how much the game has changed over the years. Domi finished his career with 274 fights, but his most memorable did not even count because it came against a Philadelphia Flyers fan that fell into the penalty box. Tales of Horner wrecking people are legendary. [4][5] He unexpectedly played a key role in his division's victory by scoring two goals, where fan response also led to him being named the most valuable player of the tournament. Not bad for a "goon.". Schultz holds the all-time record for penalty minutes in a season with 472, which he earned during the 1974-75 season, when he won the Stanley Cup with the Philadelphia Flyers. Howe was not the most frequent fighter, due to his immense skill at doing just about everything else on the ice, but Gordie was certainly not afraid to drop the gloves. Director: Jay Baruchel | Stars: Seann William Scott, Alison Pill, Marc-Andr Grondin, Liev Schreiber Votes: 14,115 2. The World's Most Entertaining Car Website. News on all your favorite celebs, reality TV, and movies. Goon (2011) R | 92 min | Comedy, Drama, Sport 6.8 Rate 64 Metascore They must be dosing the water supply with testosterone in the province. The Third Man In ejection rule was implemented in 1977 to prevent all out line brawls that plagued the NHL throughout the early 1970s. Major penalties for fighting declined by 25% annually in the first half of the 20112012 season.[10]. McSorley would go on to lead the NHL in penalty minutes during the 1992-93 season, where he had 15 fighting majors. P.A.L. The role of the enforcer has diminished since rule enforcement changed following the 200405 NHL lockout to increase game speed and scoring. [7] Some skilled players, such as legends Gordie Howe, NHL all-star Jarome Iginla, and Ryan O'Marra, are also capable fighters and can function effectively as their own enforcer. Sports journalist and writer Roy Macgregor opines that in light of recent tragic events there should be more done about it, including eliminating the role altogether. From Chris Neil to Chris Nilan. During that time, he watched the back of legends like Phil Esposito, Ray Bourque, and Bobby Orr. During one playoff campaign, the Hammer spent 139 minutes in the penalty boxin 17 games. . Domi certainlytowed the line more than a few times in his career. He was found dead in his suburban Toronto home, and police quickly ruled out foul play. At times, he would take heavy haymakers and stand there unfazed until he would throw one of his own and drop his opponent like a sack of bricks. When he was done, he'd stick out that stupid tongue and frustrate everyone even more. Gillies had remarkable goal scoring ability in addition to his fighting skill and toughness, netting 304 goals during his time in the NHL. Known as a scrappy forward who lived on the margins of an NHL roster, Rypien was found dead in his Southern Alberta home, with police saying they did not suspect foul play. He finished his career with 1,468 penalty minutes in 749 regular-season games. ", http://www.hhof.com/LegendsOfHockey/jsp/SearchPlayer.jsp?player=11688, "Ryan VandenBussche hockey statistics and profile at hockeydb.com", "Dennis Vial hockey statistics and profile at hockeydb.com", https://www.detroitathletic.com/blog/2009/03/16/remembering-the-red-wings-enforcer-bryan-bugsy-watson/, "Where Are They Now? However,when you consider that he averaged slightly more than 10 minutes of ice-time per game and still managed to put up 245 points in 1020 games, that isn'thalf bad! Discussing Bobby Robins and Zac Rinaldo, Steve Lepore of Rolling Stone wrote the tw. Domi started his career with Toronto, beforemaking an impact for the New York Rangersand leadingthe league in penalty minutes after being traded to Winnipeg. Dave Brown During the heyday of enforcers during the 1980s, Dave Brown entered the scene as an immediate heavyweight contender. Here are the top five enforcers in NHL history. According to the autopsy, Boogaard died from a cocktail of oxycodone and alcohol. What Tie Domi lacked in stature, he made up for in pure toughness, by becoming one of the most fearsome and entertaining enforcers in the history of the game. Here's a breakdown of the 10 best hockey enforcers of all-time (fight stats courtesy DropYourGloves.com): Bob Probert (Career PIM: 3,300) While he didn't have the most NHL fights of all-time - he actually comes in fourth on the list at 303 - Probert is certainly one of the most well-known enforcers in the history of hockey. Knuckles was adept enough with his stick to be chosen to represent Team USA at the 1987 Canada Cup, and he was a member of the Stanley Cup-winning 1986 Montreal Canadians. He. The following are retired NHL ice hockey enforcers, listed alphabetically by their last name. In the age of NHL Disciplinary Committee reviews and video replay, this role has been diminished, but fighting can still serve as a valuable tool for players to use to motivate their teammates and get the crowd back into a game. Finally, hockey fights can settle scores as there is an unwritten rule that if you made a dirty hit or injured a player, you will have to pay the price at some point. Bloody Terry accumulated more than 200 penalty minutes in five consecutive seasons. He also managed to find the back of the net 21 times in the 1984-85 season. The term is sometimes used synonymously with "fighter", "tough guy", or "goon". When he was done, he'd stick out that stupid tongue and frustrateeveryone even more. Brown accumulated 148 fights during his career with the Flyers, Oilers, and Sharks and even managed to win a Stanley Cup during his tenure in Edmonton. Retired players [ edit] On-ice enforcers struggle to rise through the professional ranks of the world's most prestigious hockey league, only to be confronted with a new found fight for the existence of the role itself. Stock hockey statistics and profile at hockeydb.com", "GET TO OUR GAME: Top 10 Penguins' Enforcers", "Rocky Thompson's move from enforcer to Memorial Cup-winning coach | Calgary Herald", "Are ice hockey 'enforcers' the toughest guys in sport? Throughout his career, Clark Gillies may not have been the most frequent fighter, but he made a tremendous impact for the New York Islanders and Buffalo Sabres. Terry OReilly spent his entire career protecting his teammates while playing for the Boston Bruins. This list features the best fighters in the history of the sport, many of whom had an impact and provoked changes to the rules of the game. However, he had to tone down his act after a fight with Montreal Canadiens forward Sergio Momesso. Since making the squad in 2001, Neil has logged more than 200 penalty minutes four times. NHL Fighting Majors Leaders for the 2022-2023 Regular Season NHL Fighting Majors Leaders 2022-2023 Regular Season As of Feb 28, 2023 Player Away Fights Home Fights Total Fights Nicolas Deslauriers 7 4 11 Austin Watson 5 5 10 Jonah Gadjovich 7 2 9 Tanner Jeannot 6 3 9 Patrick Maroon 3 6 9 Mathieu Olivier 2 7 9 Arber Xhekaj 2 7 9 Sam Carrick 5 3 8 He remains the Flyers all-time leader in Gordie Howe hat tricks and holds the league record for them in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. For much ofhis career, he was also an absolute madman, as his nickname wasn't "Charlie" for no reason. A couple of decades ago enforcers had one role on the team: fights. With Jay Baruchel, Gino Odjick, Wendel Clark, Chris Chelios. McSorley was also a participant in an epic 100 second duel with Bob Probert that is one of the greatest fights in hockey history. Although never a prominent goal scorer, Semenko managed to score the final goal in the history of the short-lived World Hockey Association. Unique lists featuring pop culture, entertainment and crazy facts. After being drafted fourteenth overall in the 1971 draft, the enforcer didn't take long to earn the nickname "Bloody O'Reilly" with five consecutive seasons where he amassed over 200 penalty minutes. The NHL is quickly phasing out players that are only there to fight, as teams simply do not want someone that will be a liability every timethey're on the ice. When TieDomi won their first fight, he did the symbol of the championship belt around his waist. This copy is for your personal non-commercial use only. Wendel Clark, Craig Coxe, Tie Domi, Stu Grimson, Marty McSorley; Probert dropped gloves against them all and battered them all. What more can you ask for from an enforcer? After all, a Gordie Howe hat trick is when a player scores a goal, gets an assist, and has a fight in the same game. That set the tone for the rest of Neil's career. Anthony Rory Twist (born May 9, 1968 in Sherwood Park, Alberta) is a former professional ice hockey player. Pests and enforcers often play together on the same line, usually the fourth line., The greatest of these soldiers on skates have spilled blood and broken bones for their squads across decades. He's also been a stapleon Ottawa's third line for well over a decade and is the type of player that every team wants. He averaged 4.12 penalty minutes per game, which is second all-time. . He was also asturdydefenseman that could movethe puck and had a cannon of a shot from the point. Brashear had a lengthy career in the NHL as one of the top enforcers in the league. He also became known for his drug use, among other off-ice issues. These warriors serve as the on-ice police force that . Rob Ray: Ray dominated NHL fighters throughout the 90s and into the 2000s and was well-known as an all-time popular Buffalo Sabre. Robert Alan Probert (June 5, 1965 July 5, 2010) was a Canadian professional ice hockey forward. The league is not far removed from a time when teams had players on their roster for the purpose of fighting and roughing up other players. As the rules evolve, hockey may be seen as "softer," he says. [1] A year earlier, Bob Probert had died in July 2010, of an apparent heart attack in his mid-40s. In my heart of hearts, I dont believe fighting is what did this to Bob, his widow, Dani, told The New York Times in 2011. I think people will look at themselves a little bit, too, about how we so readily prop these athletes up and consider them invincible, Branch said in an interview, and we dont really take a hard look at what theyre going through.. Tommy Davis. Their circumstances vary, but in the wake of Todd Ewens death, attention is again being focused on similarities found among NHL enforcers who have died in an era of increasing concern regarding repeated head trauma in sports. When such play occurs, the enforcer is expected to respond aggressively, by fighting or checking the offender. Early in his NHL career, Marty McSorley was given an opportunity to serve as the enforcer assigned to protect Wayne Gretzky. The pest's primary role is to draw penalties from opposing players, thus "getting them off their game", while not actually intending to fight the opposition player (although exceptions to this do occur). Philadelphia Flyers Top 5 Enforcers of All Time. Matthew Barnaby None of that is true, but what a great song, right? During his final full season of play, the Kings 1986-1987 campaign, Williams netted 16 goals and tallied 358 penalty minutes. Ray finished his career with 241 fights and led the league in penalty minutes during two seasons. In the 1998 playoffs, he notched a hat-trick against the Habs in game 2 of the quarter-finals en route a sweep. Montador had suffered the effects of concussion later in his career, and he had spoken candidly about the experience in an interview with The Peterborough Examiner late last year. Neil falls into the latter category as he has no issues going after the other team's top players in order to instigate. At 5'8 and 175 lbs, Stan Jonathan was very unassuming, but it was certainly a different story when the gloves came off. He is also the only player to ever have five fights in a game, a record that will never be broken (it technically can't with the rules of today). New Jersey Patriots Ice Hockey, Morristown, New Jersey. What some casual hockey fans may not understand is that hockey fights do indeed serve a purpose in the game and are not just a contest in machismo between two goons. The truth is Brad May was a rock out there for whichever team he played for. You'd think May was a 50 goal scorer with the way he deked Ray Bourque out of his jock-strap. You can imagine what his role was on the team. For his career, Probert averaged 3.53 penalty minutes per game, fifth all time, and his fights with other top enforcers are legendary. Barnaby oftentimes ended up on the receiving end of a beat-down, but he did not take a step backwards from anyone as he fought the league's toughest, including his buddy Rob Ray and even Zdeno Chara. Schultz brawled with the games best including five duels with Terry OReilly. Carbo and Gainey both won Selke trophies as the league's top defensive forwards, but Nilan was a huge part of their success. You can call them what you wish, but these men play a critical and necessary role in the game of professional hockey. Even after his namesake technique was banned, Ray continued his dominance as one of the games best enforcers. Probert finished fifth all-time in career penalty minutes with 3300 in 935 games played. Rick Tocchet entered the league as one of the most fearsome fighters, quickly racking up two 20 fight seasons in his first three years in the NHL. 14 14. Schultz was born in Waldheim, Saskatchewan, but grew up in Rosetown, Saskatchewan. In NHL history, the 400-minutes-in-the-penalty-box mark has only been topped four times. to colleagues, clients or customers, or inquire about Gillies played for the New York Islanders and the Buffalo Sabres during his 14-year NHL career (1974-1988). His best years were in Buffalo as he notched career highs in goals (18) and assists (29). Neil is an example to future NHL tough guys: establish your reputation as a hardass as soon as you lace up your skates and head out onto the ice in your rookie season. Mr. Hockey himself? The feat has never been equaled. Referees are limited in their powers to punish players for illegal or dangerous behavior and fighting was used by players to police these offenses themselves. 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Unfortunately, people just remember the fact that he got busted for using an illegal stick in game two. Men's Ice Hockey Support Staff. He accumulated more than 3,000 penalty minutes for his efforts and was a bad boy off the ice too, with legal issues and drug problems aplenty. April 25, 2019. "Fergy" was the ultimate team guy. His son, Max Domi, is a promising prospect for the Arizona Coyotes. Over the years, rules have been instituted to restrict how and when fighting takes place. The organization has found immediate success - promoting nearly 20 players to college hockey and higher levels of junior hockey. Assistant Coach. Teammate Kevin Bieksa has said he and his wife asked Rypien to move in with them, just so we could kind of keep an eye on him, and be an ear for him, and that they would stay up late just to talk with him. Pests and enforcers often play together on the same line, usually the fourth line. Schultz began wearing boxing wrist wraps in order to prevent injury to himself while fighting, but the league quickly outlawed the practice when it began to catch on. While never much of a contributor on the offensive end of the ice, Tony Twist mastered the art of throwing hands. Standing at an intimidating 65 and 240lbs, The Grim Reaper took on all comers during his time in the league playing for eight different teams. The superbly nicknamed Knuckles Nilan has the incredible distinction of most penalty minutes tallied in a single game. Tocchet then developed into one of the games premier power forwards, with five30 goal seasons. Standing at six-foot-five, 220 pounds, Belak was a ferocious fighter. His real name was Dave. The most up-to-date breaking news for the New Jersey Devils including highlights, roster, schedule, scores and archives. A player likeCorson coulddo it all as he was a consistent contributor on the second line for most of his career, while hecould fight with the best of them. Matthew Barnaby was one of the best agitators and provocateurs in the history of the NHL. In the 200708 NHL season fights occurred in 38.46% of the games, up from 33% the season before, which was just below the pre-lockout fighting level of 41.14% of games in the 200304 season. Out of his 71 career fights, he barely lost any. If you want to see what a classic NHL enforcer was like, look at Domis career stat line: 1,020 games played, 245 career points, and 3,515 penalty minutes, good for third all-time in NHL History. During the 1979-1980 campaign, OReilly accumulated 265 minutes in the sin bin while playing in 71 games. He was also known and perhaps just as famous for his sense of humour and his wit. Nilans 1983-1984 and 1984-1985 campaigns are the stuff of penalty minute-accumulating legend: His tallies for those two years: 338 and 358 minutes, respectively. I'm sure. Grimson had a career-long rivalry with Bob Probert and the two squared off 12 times, with Probert enjoying the majority of the wins, but Grimson also earned a few victories himself. To order News on all your favorite celebs, reality TV, and movies. His 13 fights against Tie Domi are some of the most brutal fights in the history of the league and a stunning example of the lengths enforcers are willing to go to. They can skate a little bit, will maybe pop in a goal or two, but are there primarily to protect his teammates from the other team's goon.. Chillin' out maxin' relaxin' all cool and shootin' some bball outside of the school. Ray used this practice to enormous success during his career until the practice was banned. Even Don Cherry himself admitted that he thought Jonathan was about to get fed. Gordie Howe: Wait what? Newspapers Limited, 8 Spadina Avenue, 10th Floor, Toronto, ON M5V 0S8. Alongside Mike Bossy and Bryan Trottier, he helped the Islanders win four Stanley Cups in the early 1980s. Free shipping for many products! His most famous act of violence was a crushing hit on Irvine "Ace" Bailey, resulting in Bailey sustaining near life-ending head trauma.
