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. 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. A Boston Bruins legend, Terry O'Reilly was one of the most famous enforcers in NHL history. He is one of only nine players to pass the 3,000 penalty minute mark. Robert Alan Probert (June 5, 1965 July 5, 2010) was a Canadian professional ice hockey forward. One of Gillies biggest achievements was his battle with Terry OReilly during the 1980 Playoffs. Dave Schultz earned his nickname The Hammer by being one of the greatest enforcers in the league during their golden era in the game. 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. Our program includes full ice mite. 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. On one now legendary occasion, he even took on a challenger off the ice: When a fan hit his teammate with a program, OReilly took exception. In the Flyers cup-winning 1974-75 season, Schultz spent an absolutely ludicrous 472 minutes in the sin bin. Clark Gillies (April 7, 1954 January 21, 2022) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player. The Chief fought the leagues best fighters with frequency, including multiple bouts with Tie Domi, Bob Boughner, and Marty McSorley. Semenko was "The Great One's" more notable bodyguard (and we wonder why nobody really messed with him like people do with Crosby nowadays) and Semenko was such a beast that it was as if he packed iron in his fists. Williams led the NHL in PIMs three times during his career, always eager to prove his toughness, often against much larger opponents. 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. Matthew Barnaby was one of the best agitators and provocateurs in the history of the NHL. Brashear ended his career with over 2,600 penalty minutes, and one of. Tommy Davis. While playing for the Boston Bruins, McSorely infamously hit Donald Brashear in the head with his stick, causing Brashear to hit the ice and suffer a serious concussion. Stu Grimson, who earned the nickname "The Grim Reaper" in his 14 seasons in the NHL, was the quintessential goon. Had he spent more time on skates, hed likely be better positioned on this list. The bone-crushing Boston native somehow managed to commit 10 penalties in a single contest, spending a ludicrous 42 minutes in the box. The additional team adds to a solid foundation . 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. The league further curtailed fighting before the 1992 season by implementing an instigator penalty for players that deliberately provoke opponents into a fight. . The Role of the Modern NHL Enforcers Tale of NHL Enforcers Past. Goon (2011) R | 92 min | Comedy, Drama, Sport 6.8 Rate 64 Metascore 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. His intensity matched that of Eddie Shore, except Ferguson wouldn't take as many senseless penalties as him. He finished his career with 300 points and a staggering 2,562 penalty minutes. Gillies had remarkable goal scoring ability in addition to his fighting skill and toughness, netting 304 goals during his time in the NHL. The fact of the matter is that they're serving a role on the ice as they're paid to defend their teammates. 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. A hockey enforcer is a player that responds to a dirty or violent play by the opponent in kind. McSorely was charged with assault as a result of the incident and was eventually found guilty. Thus, hes accumulating nearly ten minutes in timeout for every point he tallies. According to the autopsy, Boogaard died from a cocktail of oxycodone and alcohol. He famously battered legendary Boston Bruins enforcer Terry OReillyand wonseveral times. Ray used this practice to enormous success during his career until the practice was banned. Despite all of this, his most significant contribution to the game came with his invention of the riding the stick celebration. Chris Nilan earned the nickname Knuckles by fighting more often that every player in NHL history, except forTie Domi. 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. He depicted "old time hockey" at its finest. He has more penalty minutes than any other player in the history of the Maple Leafs (see Maple Leafs records) and third overall in penalty minutes in NHL history. For example, Jarome Iginla is an example of an exceptional hockey player that can take care of himself and his teammates. Domi was the epitome of the saying, its not the size of the dog in the fight, its the size of the fight in the dog, as he tipped the scales at 213 lbs and was only 510. Copyright 2023 HockeySkillsTraining.com, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window), Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window). Dave Semenko was entrusted with protecting Jari Kurri, Mark Messier, Paul Coffey, and, most importantly, Wayne Gretzky during his time with the Edmonton Oilers. [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. McSorley won two Stanley Cups in his career, but unfortunately he may best be known for his vicious slash against Donald Brashear that ended in a lengthy suspension. Following his NHL career, Barnaby has become a television personality and a co-owner of a construction business with former teammate, Rob Ray. The club has expanded, adding a USPHL Elite level team for the upcoming 2022-23 season. Outside the arena, away from the roaring bloodlust of the crowd, fighting can be lonely work. Newspapers Limited, 8 Spadina Avenue, 10th Floor, Toronto, ON M5V 0S8. Vincent Caligiuri. And while Mr. Lepore laments the fact that the true enforcer is a dying breed in professional hockey (given the unfortunate spate of enforcer deaths in 2011), these men will live forever in the list of the all-time greats in their chosen specialty. Not bad for a "goon.". It was hockey all the checking and hits, things like that.. Toronto Star articles, please go to: www.TorontoStarReprints.com, Conversations are opinions of our readers and are subject to the, The Toronto Star and thestar.com, each property of Toronto Star Hockey is often considered one of the toughest sports to play, but these five players were a cut above in the toughness department. It can be stressful, and any single punch can lead to a concussion. His most famous tilt was against Pierre Bouchard where the much bigger Bouchard grabbed him in a scrum and left him no choice. Assistant Coach. He averaged 4.12 penalty minutes per game, which is second all-time. 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. He was also asturdydefenseman that could movethe puck and had a cannon of a shot from the point. Were going deep into the annals of professional hockey for the number eight entry in our roundup of the greatest enforcers in NHL history. Even Don Cherry himself admitted that he thought Jonathan was about to get fed. Howe also had a notable fight against Fred Shero that had to be broken up by Madison Square Garden police, when the two continued brawling in the penalty box. After their first bout ended in an OReilly victory, Gillies recovered to wreck OReilly in the second bout, which sparked the Islanders to victory. Schultz brawled with the games best including five duels with Terry OReilly. There is a number of subplots involving the players and their childish antics. [13], Last edited on 22 February 2023, at 12:39, 61st National Hockey League All-Star Game, National Hockey League Players' Association, "Three hockey enforcers die young in four months, raising questions", "The Ivy Leaguer who fought his way to the NHL", "John Scott, an enforcer with five career goals and a sense of humour, might be just what the NHL All-Star Game needs", "If fans vote enforcer John Scott into all-star game, NHL says he's going", "John Scott wasn't a NHL All-Star MVP finalist, but still won with overwhelming fan support", After The Whistle: Al Secord - Points 'n Punches, "The mystique of the Gordie Howe hat trick", "As N.H.L. Intimidation and fighting continue to be utilized as a strategy in the NHL. Enforcers are seen as working-class superheroesunderstated types with an alter ego willing to do the sport's most dangerous work to protect others. The word "goon" is often tied in with the word "enforcer" in the NHL. The aging players are often incredibly immature, which is part of what contributes to the comedy of this film. Shanahan won three Stanley Cups in his career and is a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame. Alongside Mike Bossy and Bryan Trottier, he helped the Islanders win four Stanley Cups in the early 1980s. These men have had a lasting legacy on the sport of hockey and sacrificed immensely to defend their teammates. 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. 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. Assistant Coach. [1], Enforcers are nevertheless often popular on their teams. In west Philadelphia born and raised, on the playground was where I spent most of my days. News on all your favorite celebs, reality TV, and movies. During his final full season of play, the Kings 1986-1987 campaign, Williams netted 16 goals and tallied 358 penalty minutes. "[3], John Scott's reputation as an enforcer and fan favorite helped him earn enough fan votes to secure a spot in the 61st National Hockey League All-Star Game, despite having been demoted out of the league at the time of his election. Only four NHL players accumulated more penalty minutes than Probert, who became one of the most feared enforcers in hockey history, with 3,300 PIMs and dozens of legendary fights on his resume. His son, Max Domi, is a promising prospect for the Arizona Coyotes. BILL COOK: Renowned for his scoring skills as a member of a legendary Rangers forward line that included his brother Fred (Bun) Cook and center Frank Boucher, Bill Cook played the game as hard as any NHL enforcer from any big-league era. In terms of his other abilities, O'Reilly also managed to rack up 606 points in 891 games, making him an incredibly serviceable player who could fight with the best of them. Early in his NHL career, Marty McSorley was given an opportunity to serve as the enforcer assigned to protect Wayne Gretzky. For his career, Probert averaged 3.53 penalty minutes per game, fifth all time, and his fights with other top enforcers are legendary. Full Bio. Referees are limited in their p. The sport of hockey may now be at odds with the ongoing role of the enforcer in the modern game, but throughout the games history fighting has played an integral role. In NHL history, the 400-minutes-in-the-penalty-box mark has only been topped four times. 14 14. This incensed Probert and he beat the heck out ofDomi in their next tilt. Dial up a Probert fight video on YouTube and watch the way he grips onto and tees of on opponents. Bob Probert: One of the most imposing enforcers of all-time, Probert weighed in at 63 and 225 lbs of pure muscle. He's built like a fridge and can fight with the best of them. Me neither Simon was actually a veryreliableforward in his earlier years in the league. Yes, Domi averaged about 3.5 PIM per game over his career. So, Jonathan dropped (and bloodied) Bouchard witha flurry of rights and left everyone in awe. Here's my list of the five greatest fighters in NHL history: Tie Domi absolutely makes the list. Unique lists featuring pop culture, entertainment and crazy facts. Most of the enforcers named above were generally considered "nice guys" in their everyday life. You can imagine what his role was on the team. 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. Unfortunately, McSorley had a habit of taking things too far, which he did in 2000 by assaulting Donald Brashear with a stick, ultimately leading to McSorleys suspension and retirement. Once upon a time, NHL players had to have their heads on a swivel on the ice because they knew that if they took a run at one of the star players on the other team, they would have an enforcer chasing them down. Williams was a capable contributor on the offensive end, but he excelled when it came to fighting and he racked up fighting majors at an alarming pace. rights reserved. There is not much room for players who strictly fight, now that things like the salary cap and analytical matchups dominate the way teams are built from the ground up. A fearedplayer like Dale Hunter also cannot be considered because amidst all his penalty minutes and dirty plays, he barely fought. Discussing Bobby Robins and Zac Rinaldo, Steve Lepore of Rolling Stone wrote the two are what's known throughout hockey as classic enforcers. Nilan only suited up 688 times in his career. These warriors serve as the on-ice police force that . Later tests indicated brain damage and CTE from his years of fighting. Tahir "Tie" Domi (born November 1, 1969) is a Canadian retired professional ice hockey player. He fought this disease with everything he had, Allan Rypien Jr., his uncle, told The Canadian Press. The most up-to-date breaking news for the New Jersey Devils including highlights, roster, schedule, scores and archives. 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. Mr. Hockey himself? In the 1998 playoffs, he notched a hat-trick against the Habs in game 2 of the quarter-finals en route a sweep. McSorley finished his career with 3,381 penalty minutes in 961 games played, good for fourth all-time in NHL history. Despite his limited ice time, Twist still managed to put up six 10-fight seasons including a career-high 15 fights during the 1992-93 season. Sadly, the fearsome winger dropped dead on a boat on Lake St. Clair of a heart attack in 2010. Who else? He continued the trend in the playoffs, amassing 69 PIMs in just 10 games played. He also became known for his drug use, among other off-ice issues. His real name was Dave. If you knew Rick, he fought with everything he had in him. They must be dosing the water supply with testosterone in the province. Matthew Barnaby I love to shoot the breeze on sports and appreciate any type of feedback (even you haters!). Some clubs still employ an enforcer but they are slowing being phased out of the game. A hockey player plagued by injuries is confronted with the possibility of retirement when a tough new player challenges his status as the league's top enforcer. Head Coach. By Alex Capstick. McSorley would go on to lead the NHL in penalty minutes during the 1992-93 season, where he had 15 fighting majors. Major penalties for fighting declined by 25% annually in the first half of the 20112012 season.[10]. Ice hockey is notorious for brawling - at least in North America's National Hockey League. 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. 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. Ray had 15 straight seasons of 90 or more penalty minutes, including back to back 350 penalty minute seasons from 1990-1992. 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