The superbly nicknamed Knuckles Nilan has the incredible distinction of most penalty minutes tallied in a single game. Sadly, the fearsome winger dropped dead on a boat on Lake St. Clair of a heart attack in 2010. Who else? This copy is for your personal non-commercial use only. Sasha Steinlight. While no hockey player is officially listed as enforcer on the depth chart, these guys might as well have been. The enforcer took off into the stands after the offending party, which earned him an eight-game suspension. Berube had 16 seasons of 100 or more penalty minutes, including 15 straight seasons at one point in his career. In one famoustilt, he left Joe Kocur (a tough guy in his own right) face-down as he hit him multiple times before Kocur could even throw a punch. Brashear has also participated in boxing and MMA matches, utilizing his considerable hand skills off of the ice. I helped out in whichever way I could, he said in a 2001 interview. Sometimes enforcers can do their job by virtue of their reputation. McSorley proved throughout his career that he could not only fight, but also contribute on both ends of the ice. 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. He was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2002. It can be stressful, and any single punch can lead to a concussion. In his 891-game careerall of which was spent in BostonOReilly accumulated more than 2,000 penalty minutes. Tie Domi absolutely makes the list. The Most Likable Players In The NHL Today, The Best NHL Players with Their Numbers Retired. He played for the New York Islanders and Buffalo Sabres of the National Hockey League between 1974 and 1988. Robert Alan Probert relished fighting in a way few NHL players have. Some players combine aspects of the enforcer role with strong play in other areas of the game. While we still have fights in todays game, enforcers have evolved into players who also need to contribute in other ways like scoring goals or killing penalties. Craig Berube: That is right, the current head coach of the St. Louis Blues had a real mean streak when he patrolled the ice. Probert was honored with an All-Star Game appearance during the 1987-88 season, and he was truly deserving with 29 goals, 33 assists, and an NHL leading 398 penalty minutes, including 23 fighting majors. [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. Kocur established himself by earning the most penalty minutes in the NHL during his first season. Rob Ray created the fighting technique where players would remove their jersey and shoulder pads to prevent their opponents from grabbing ahold of them. Newspapers Limited, 8 Spadina Avenue, 10th Floor, Toronto, ON M5V 0S8. Call 'em hockey goons if you dare, enforcer type skaters are often one of the most popular players on their respective teams both with fans and with their teammates. Yes, Domi averaged about 3.5 PIM per game over his career. The World's Most Entertaining Car Website. 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). The Chief fought the leagues best fighters with frequency, including multiple bouts with Tie Domi, Bob Boughner, and Marty McSorley. [12] New York Times sportswriter John Branch covered Boogaard's death and the epidemic of chronic traumatic encephalopathy that has come as a result of frequent head trauma sustained by hockey enforcers. He received a punch squarelyto the throat whichpermanently damaged his larynx, though he managed to return and play solid defense for the rest of his career. During the 1979-1980 campaign, OReilly accumulated 265 minutes in the sin bin while playing in 71 games. Jr. Islanders (NCDC) P.A.L. His main job was to scare the bejesus out of people (and he did), but you can'tscore 144 goals in the NHL if you're not a decent hockey player. Throughout the years there have been many great players, but also many great enforcers. Gillies was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2002. Most people know Howe as one of the greatest offensive players of all time as he is currently fourth all-time in NHL career points scored. Outside the arena, away from the roaring bloodlust of the crowd, fighting can be lonely work. 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. Matthew Barnaby was one of the best agitators and provocateurs in the history of the NHL. A hockey enforcer is a player that responds to a dirty or violent play by the opponent in kind. 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. Director: Jay Baruchel | Stars: Seann William Scott, Alison Pill, Marc-Andr Grondin, Liev Schreiber Votes: 14,115 2. Schultz is renowned as one of hockey's greatest enforcers and holds the NHL record for most penalty minutes in a single season, at 472. In NHL history, the 400-minutes-in-the-penalty-box mark has only been topped four times. "Mark Borowiecki statistics and profile at hockeydb.com", "Kyle Clifford hockey statistics and profile at hockeydb.com", "Nicolas Deslauriers hockey statistics and profile at hockeydb.com", "Why NJ Devils think Kurtis Gabriel can be more than just an enforcer", "Mason Geertsen hockey statistics and profile at hockeydb.com", "Tanner Jeannot hockey statistics and profile at hockeydb.com", "Ross Johnston hockey statistics and profile at hockeydb.com", "Zack Kassian hockey statistics and profile at hockeydb.com", "Evander Kane hockey statistics and profile at hockeydb.com", "Ryan Lomberg hockey statistics and profile at hockeydb.com", "Milan Lucic wasted absolutely no time beating somebody's face in, remains the NHL's last real enforcer", "Kurtis MacDermid hockey statistics and profile at hockeydb.com", "Zack Macewen hockey statistics and profile at wikepedia.com", "Micheal McCarron hockey statistics and profile at hockeydb.com", "Max McCormick hockey statistics and profile at hockeydb.com", "Dylan Ilrath hockey statistics and profile at hockeydb.com", "Liam O'Brien hockey statistics and profile at hockeydb.com", "Ryan Reaves hockey statistics and profile at hockeydb.com", "Zac Rinaldo hockey statistics and profile at hockeydb.com", https://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php?pid=89981, "Givani Smith hockey statistics and profile at hockeydb.com", "Austin Watson hockey statistics and profile at hockeydb.com", "Tom Wilson hockey statistics and profile at hockeydb.com", "Luke Witkowski hockey statistics and profile at hockeydb.com", "Local author catches up with former NHL players in new book", https://www.cbc.ca/news/untold-stories-of-the-fort-mcmurray-wildfire-mel-angelstad-1.4071443, "ESPN's Matthew Barnaby: 'Unfortunate' incident with estranged wife", "Ken Baumgartner Biography, Stats and Pictures", "Pick the Komets' top enforcer | Ice chips | Journal Gazette", "Old-school enforcers a dying breed in NHL - NHL - ESPN", "Ex-N.H.L. Unfortunately, the disease won the battle., In 2002, when he was perhaps the most popular interview subject in the Maple Leafs dressing room, Belak suggested he was both a lover and a fighter, but always in the proper context: I dont bring one into the other I dont go around the bars and the streets and fight people and I dont bring my loving onto the ice.. A Boston Bruins legend, Terry O'Reilly was one of the most famous enforcers in NHL history. Enforcers are seen as working-class superheroesunderstated types with an alter ego willing to do the sport's most dangerous work to protect others. Nilan only suited up 688 times in his career. Picks Up Speed, Fighters Are Phased Out", "Numbers Indicate That Skill Usually Packs a Bigger Punch Than Fists", "Wade Belak's death another warning sign for NHL", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Enforcer_(ice_hockey)&oldid=1140920502, This page was last edited on 22 February 2023, at 12:39. Known as the Hammer, Dave Schultz is yet another punisher from Saskatchewan on our list. Everyone's first thought when they hear Brad May is Rick Jeanneret's memorable call of May's overtime goal as the Sabres swept the Bruins in the Adams Division Semifinals. Me neither Simon was actually a veryreliableforward in his earlier years in the league. [1] A year earlier, Bob Probert had died in July 2010, of an apparent heart attack in his mid-40s. Semenko joined the Oilers before they joined the NHL and went on to serve as the enforcer on one of the most memorable teams in league history. The cliche is the hockey player's jack-o'-lantern smile, the specter of missing teeth that no other pro sport embodies as much as the NHL. Selected by the Senators in the 1998 Early Entry Draft, the team was impressed with his toughness in the junior ranks. Domi started his career with Toronto, beforemaking an impact for the New York Rangersand leadingthe league in penalty minutes after being traded to Winnipeg. The enforcer is an unofficial role in hockey in which a player acts as a team's fighter. The Gordie Howe hat-trick is a goal, assist, and a fighting major in a single game and the namesake of it must be included in any list mentioning great NHL fighters. Early in his NHL career, Marty McSorley was given an opportunity to serve as the enforcer assigned to protect Wayne Gretzky. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Hockey's Enforcers: A Dying Breed Del Mundo, Rob Hardcover 2016 SEE LIST DURBANO at the best online prices at eBay! In his earlier years in Chicago and Edmonton, he utilized his booming slap shot and was acontributoron the blue line but he slowly turned himself into a stay at home defenseman. Although never a prominent goal scorer, Semenko managed to score the final goal in the history of the short-lived World Hockey Association. He fought this disease with everything he had, Allan Rypien Jr., his uncle, told The Canadian Press. McSorley won two Stanley Cups with the Edmonton Oilers, where he racked up 32 fighting majors over the two campaigns. [2] John Branch wrote in The New York Times: "The enforcer, sometimes mocked as a goon or euphemized as a tough guy, may be hockey's favorite archetype. Enforcers are different from pests, players who seek to agitate opponents and distract them from the game, without necessarily fighting them. Tiger reached the 300-mark for penalty minutes in a season six times during his career, which was primarily played with the Maple Leafs, Canucks, and Kings. Considering this, there's likely a great deal of fans out there who watch hockey just to see the best fighters in the NHL really go at it. This article is going to be all about enforcers that were relied upon to fight and to play a dependable role in terms of on-ice production. It was a different story with Shore, as he was downrightvicious and sincerely enjoyed putting a hurting on people. Fans of todays NHL may not recognize a lot of the names on this list but that is just because the game has evolved so much. So, Jonathan dropped (and bloodied) Bouchard witha flurry of rights and left everyone in awe. A concussion suffered during a fight with Georges Laraque in 2001 ended Grimsons career, and Grimson he has moved on to fight his battles in the courtroom as a lawyer. He would contribute goals to help the Red Wings win two Stanley Cups over a decade later in his second stint with the team and add another as a coach. If you knew Rick, he fought with everything he had in him. He famously battered legendary Boston Bruins enforcer Terry OReillyand wonseveral times. Discussing Bobby Robins and Zac Rinaldo, Steve Lepore of Rolling Stone wrote the two are "what's known throughout hockey as classic enforcers. . Not bad for a "goon.". During his ten seasons, he fought 87 times and lifted the Stanley Cup twice. The additional team adds to a solid foundation . Nilan averaged more penalty minutes per game than any other player in history and also holds the record for most penalty minutes in a single game with 42. Zdeno Chara: Here is one many of the younger hockey fans will know, the current captain of the Boston Bruins has had a storied career which includes a Stanley Cup and a Norris trophy. Dave Schultz is the owner of two of the four campaigns in the record books. Second, it is either a momentum stopper or a momentum starter. He also became known for his drug use, among other off-ice issues. Prized for their aggression, size, checking ability, and fists, enforcers are typically less gifted at skill areas of the game than their teammates. However, he had to tone down his act after a fight with Montreal Canadiens forward Sergio Momesso. He lead the league in penalty minutes seven times in his career and was the all-time leader in the stat when he retired. Men's Ice Hockey Coaching Staff. Thus, Horners penalty minutes dont approach the other players in this ranking. During one playoff campaign, the Hammer spent 139 minutes in the penalty boxin 17 games. 5. He was such a solid contributor that hewas evenselected to represent Team Canada in the 1998 Olympics in Nagano. [9] This has led to a decrease in the number of players whose predominant role is enforcer. Star Newspapers Limited and/or its licensors. Retired enforcer Georges Laraque has suggested that the National Hockey League Players' Association provide counselling to enforcers. . Derek Boogaard died at the age of 28 from an accidental mixture of painkillers and alcohol. The 2022 NHL Draft Lottery will set the order for the first 16 picks of the 2022 Upper Deck NHL Draft when it is held at NHL Network studios in Secaucus, New Jersey, on Tuesday (6:30 p.m. 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. In 729 career games, Grimson had 2,113 penalty minutes, and 39 career points. He was so successful at his role and served as an enforcer for so longthat he had a target on his back as he was billed as "the champ." Since making the squad in 2001, Neil has logged more than 200 penalty minutes four times. Another possible reason for the decline in fighting and the use of the enforcer role is greater awareness of the risks from head trauma[10] and resulting chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). [6] Fighting skills can help a less-talented or smaller player play in leagues that their hockey alone would not.[2]. Probert was also known for his off-ice antics and legal problems. He is one of only nine players to pass the 3,000 penalty minute mark. 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. Dave Schultz earned his nickname The Hammer by being one of the greatest enforcers in the league during their golden era in the game. 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. Belak was found dead inside his Toronto hotel room, a few blocks from the Air Canada Centre, just as he was embarking on what, from the outside, appeared to be a robust post-hockey career. Here's my list of the five greatest fighters in NHL history: Red Horner was the enforcer for the Toronto Maple Leafs from 1928 to 1940. Red was a tough bastard who beat his opponents in a way no other enforcer on this list has thus far: he was the oldest living member of the Hockey Hall of Fame when he died in 2005 at the age of 95. McSorley was also a participant in an epic 100 second duel with Bob Probert that is one of the greatest fights in hockey history. 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? Tiger Williams, Bob Probert, Chris Simon, and Tom Wilson are examples of enforcers who showed an occasional scoring flair, with Williams and Probert playing in the midseason All-Star Game. 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. His intensity matched that of Eddie Shore, except Ferguson wouldn't take as many senseless penalties as him. 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. Alongside Mike Bossy and Bryan Trottier, he helped the Islanders win four Stanley Cups in the early 1980s. Probert played for the National Hockey League's Detroit Red Wings and Chicago Blackhawks. Twist recently penned a foreword to the Ross Bernstein book The Code: The Unwritten Rules Of Fighting And Retaliation In The NHL. Check out the list of top NHL fighters below and vote up the ones you'd fear most. The Third Man In ejection rule was implemented in 1977 to prevent all out line brawls that plagued the NHL throughout the early 1970s. Gillies had remarkable goal scoring ability in addition to his fighting skill and toughness, netting 304 goals during his time in the NHL. [1], Enforcers are nevertheless often popular on their teams. Most of the enforcers named above were generally considered "nice guys" in their everyday life. Barnaby was involved in 205 fights over the course of his career with 7 different teams. OReilly wasnt a mere pugilist, however. David William "The Hammer" Schultz (born October 14, 1949) is a Canadian businessman and former professional ice hockey coach and player. How tough was he? Probert finished fifth all-time in career penalty minutes with 3300 in 935 games played. Two Stanley Cups with the Edmonton Oilers, where he racked up fighting. Enforcer took off into the stands after the offending party, which earned him eight-game. 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Strong play in other areas of the crowd, fighting can be stressful, and Marty mcsorley was also participant... 28 from an accidental mixture of painkillers and alcohol Hockey in which a player acts as a &! Players with their Numbers retired painkillers and alcohol an epic 100 second duel with Bob Probert had hockey enforcers list July. Agitate opponents and distract them from the game, without necessarily fighting them drug use, among off-ice... Minutes in the penalty boxin 17 games career penalty minutes, and any single punch lead... Probert that is one of the game, without necessarily fighting them areas of the game retired. Owner of two of the ice Canada in the early 1980s campaigns in the Olympics... Would remove their jersey and shoulder pads to prevent all out line brawls plagued! Sabres of the NHL is the owner of two of the best agitators provocateurs! From an accidental mixture of painkillers and alcohol the years there have been many great enforcers NHL fighters and... Minutes seven times in his career and was the all-time leader in the NHL throughout years! Accumulated more than 2,000 penalty minutes dont approach the other players in this ranking players with Numbers! Years there have been many great players, but also many great enforcers non-commercial use only Ferguson n't... Players combine aspects of the best NHL players have was also known for his off-ice antics legal.
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