That set the tone for the rest of Neil's career. 10 Former Impact/TNA Wrestlers Who Surprisingly Are Still Wrestling, 10 WCW Character Transformations That Made No Sense. But he can't be considered an enforcer because he doesn't fight often and it's not his main job, as he's relied on to produce points. Despite these newfound abilities, he continued to fight throughout his career racking up 173 fights in terms with the Flyers, Kings, Penguins, Bruins, Caps, and Coyotes. He's actually fought Zdeno Chara twice and took him down quite easily both times. 181 likes. It was really challenging for me because I found for a good while I didnt feel right and I couldnt explain it, he told the paper. 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. Probert spent his career split between Detroit and Chicago, but he is best known for his years cruising the ice at Joe Louis Arena, where in 1987, Probert racked up an impossible 398 penalty minutes in one season! 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. Domi found the net 100 times in his career, but hell be best remembered for accumulating 3,505 penalty minutes in his time in uniform (the third most in NHL history). Craig Berube entered the NHL with a chip on his shoulder. Tocchet then developed into one of the games premier power forwards, with five30 goal seasons. With Jay Baruchel, Gino Odjick, Wendel Clark, Chris Chelios. Donald Brashear is one of the most entertaining and dominant enforcers of the modern NHL era. Mr. Hockey himself? 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. Robert Alan Probert (June 5, 1965 July 5, 2010) was a Canadian professional ice hockey forward. Berube currently serves as the head coach of the Flyers and continues to be an influence on the game. He had chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a brain-wasting disease believed to impact behaviour, emotion and cognitive ability. 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. Even his teammates weren't safe as he infamously brawled with Billy Coutu in practice and nearly lost his ear in the process (it's all good though, he found a doctor that sewed it back on). He is one of only nine players to pass the 3,000 penalty minute mark. Shanahan won three Stanley Cups in his career and is a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame. 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. Newspapers Limited, 8 Spadina Avenue, 10th Floor, Toronto, ON M5V 0S8. A fearedplayer like Dale Hunter also cannot be considered because amidst all his penalty minutes and dirty plays, he barely fought. A "Gordie Howe hat trick" is a player scoring a goal, assisting on a goal, and being involved in a fight during a single game.[8]. 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. He also became known for his drug use, among other off-ice issues. If a player on an opposing team injures or fights with one of their teammates, the enforcer's job is to exact revenge on the opponent. He led the league in penalty minutes twice and had notable rivalries with Lyle Odelein, Tie Domi, and the much larger Zdeno Chara. The Role of the Modern NHL Enforcers Tale of NHL Enforcers Past. 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. Enforcers are also referred to as goons or tough guys. Chris Neil didn't waste any time making an impact in the NHL. In west Philadelphia born and raised, on the playground was where I spent most of my days. 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. During the 1977-1978 season, he led the Bruins in points (90) and penalty minutes (211). Brown accepted his role as an enforcer and faced off against fellow tough guys like Stu Grimson, Gino Odjick, and Jay Caufield, whom he fought nine times during his career. 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.. . 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 was among the toughest guys in the league but was also known for his honor, as he wouldn't pick on smaller guys and was more of a policeman. Athletic Trainer. The enforcer is an unofficial role in hockey in which a player acts as a team's fighter. Thugs, Goons, Enforcers. In NHL history, the 400-minutes-in-the-penalty-box mark has only been topped four times. [9] This has led to a decrease in the number of players whose predominant role is enforcer. They are also not highly paid compared to other players, and tend to move from team to team. [11] The frequency has steadily declined over time, from 1.3 fights per game in the late 1980s to 0.5 in 2012. Terry O'Reilly once scored 90 points in a season, being the first player to finish in the top ten regular season scorers while amassing at least 200 penalty minutes, and later became captain of the Boston Bruins. He was involved in over 200 fights in his NHL career and continues to ply his trade in the Swedish Hockey League. Currently active players [ edit] The following are currently active NHL ice hockey enforcers and current minor league enforcers with NHL experience, listed alphabetically by their last name. Sadly, Probert died of a heart attack in 2010, and his brain was donated to the Sports Legacy Institute, which revealed chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a side effect of his brutal profession. Enforcers are expected to react particularly harshly to violence against star players or goalies. Here's my list of the five greatest fighters in NHL history: 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). Discussing Bobby Robins and Zac Rinaldo, Steve Lepore of Rolling Stone wrote the tw. Rob Ray created the fighting technique where players would remove their jersey and shoulder pads to prevent their opponents from grabbing ahold of them. Steve Webb - New York Islanders - The Checking Line - Islanders Edition", "Former NHL tough guy Jay Wells 'Never been a big fan of the fights', "30 for 30 Short on former Bruins enforcer John Wensink", "An Enforcer on the Ice and at the Negotiating Table", http://www.hhof.com/LegendsOfHockey/jsp/SearchPlayer.jsp?player=11761, "York County's Only Daily Newspaper > Archives > Sports > Former NHL enforcer Worrell makes most of career change", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_NHL_enforcers&oldid=1142364815, This page was last edited on 2 March 2023, at 00:34. The Niagara Falls, Ontario native had a reputation for taking on any challenger on the ice. Bob Probert: One of the most imposing enforcers of all-time, Probert weighed in at 63 and 225 lbs of pure muscle. While the NHLs restrictions have certainly curtailed fighting significantly, the role of the enforcer remains a valuable asset for teams to have. Without further ado, here at the top 15 enforcers that were good hockey players! 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. Some players combine aspects of the enforcer role with strong play in other areas of the game. A Wikipedia entry on the enforcer role states: An enforcer's job is to deter and respond to dirty or violent play by the opposition. 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.. 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 List of NHL Tough Guys", "Legends of Hockey -- NHL Player Search -- Player -- Dave Morissette", "Brantt Myhres hockey statistics and profile at hockeydb.com", "Former enforcer slams NHL's drug policy - CBC Sports", "Chris Neil Archives - The Hockey Writers", "Gary Nylund hockey statistics and profile at hockeydb.com", "Gino Odjick Biography, Stats and Pictures", "HOCKEY; Devils' Oliwa Is Not Just Your Average Enforcer - New York Times", "Colton Orr hockey statistics and profile at hockeydb.com", "Former Avalanche enforcer Scott Parker battling effects of concussions", "Stephen Peat hockey statistics and profile at hockeydb.com", "Mike Peluso Biography, Stats and Pictures", "Nathan Perrott hockey statistics and profile at hockeydb.com", "Andrew Peters (b.1980) hockey statistics and profile at hockeydb.com", "Rich Pilon Biography, Stats and Pictures", "Legends of Hockey -- NHL Player Search -- Player -- Larry Playfair", "Once a rugged power forward, Willi Plett still making living with his hands - The Hockey News", "Rudy Poeschek hockey statistics and profile at hockeydb.com", "Red Wings' Enforcer Dennis Polonich Never Same After Brutal Attack", "Legends of Hockey -- NHL Player Search -- Player -- Marc Potvin", "Dale Purinton hockey statistics and profile at hockeydb.com", "Joel Rechlicz hockey statistics and profile at hockeydb.com", http://canuckslegends.blogspot.ca/2008/10/dave-richter.html, "NHL Player Search - Player - Mario Roberge", "Cam Russell (b.1969) hockey statistics and profile at hockeydb.com", "Legends of Hockey -- NHL Player Search -- Player -- Terry Ruskowski", "Rick Rypien hockey statistics and profile at hockeydb.com", "Brent Severyn hockey statistics and profile at hockeydb.com", "Legends of Hockey -- NHL Player Search -- Player -- Neil Sheehy", "Jody Shelley hockey statistics and profile at hockeydb.com", http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php?pid=4938, "Reports: After numerous NHL suspensions, Simon signs to play in Russia - NHL - ESPN", "Reid Simpson hockey statistics and profile at hockeydb.com", "Greg Smyth (b.1966) hockey statistics and profile at hockeydb.com", "P.J. Schultz was born in Waldheim, Saskatchewan, but grew up in Rosetown, Saskatchewan. All three Sunday games are in the South Division and none of them will change the standings During one playoff campaign, the Hammer spent 139 minutes in the penalty boxin 17 games. The truth is Brad May was a rock out there for whichever team he played for. "[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. OReilly fought five bouts against Dave Schultz, Torrie Robertson, and Tiger Williams, which proved he was capable of going toe-to-toe with some of the toughest players in hockey history. Berube had 16 seasons of 100 or more penalty minutes, including 15 straight seasons at one point in his career. Even after his namesake technique was banned, Ray continued his dominance as one of the games best enforcers. The other half of the Bruise Brothers, Joey Kocur fought 217 times during his NHL career. 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. 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. News on all your favorite celebs, reality TV, and movies. The New Jersey Patriots are a youth ice hockey travel program based in Northern New Jersey. 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. He was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2002. He lead the league in penalty minutes seven times in his career and was the all-time leader in the stat when he retired. to colleagues, clients or customers, or inquire about He played a critical role in the Oilers 1988 Stanley Cup run and was eventually traded to the LA Kings with Wayne Gretzky in the 1989 shock deal. OReilly wasnt a mere pugilist, however. You can imagine what his role was on the team. Dave Manson was a dependable force on D for an impressive 20 NHL seasons. Nobody will ever forget the time he got ejected from the game and decided to take on the entire Bruins bench on his way out, but what's often forgotten about Nilan is how effective a hockey player he was. Matthew Barnaby Assistant Coach. Currently he co-hosts the Smash and Twist show on 590 the Fan in St. Louis. Full Bio. But he doesn't necessarily . After going undrafted, Berube broke into the NHL with the Philadelphia Flyers and quickly established himself as an enforcer by fighting Bob Probert three times. Director: Jay Baruchel | Stars: Seann William Scott, Alison Pill, Marc-Andr Grondin, Liev Schreiber Votes: 14,115 2. Thus, Horners penalty minutes dont approach the other players in this ranking. What more can you ask for from an enforcer? Williams spent more than 4,400 minutes in the penalty box during his 14-year career (regular season and playoffs combined). Anthony Rory Twist (born May 9, 1968 in Sherwood Park, Alberta) is a former professional ice hockey player. When TieDomi won their first fight, he did the symbol of the championship belt around his waist. 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. Wade Belak was found dead at the age of 35 in his Toronto hotel room in circumstances that caused a newspaper's police source to categorize his death as a suicide. 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). Star Newspapers Limited and/or its licensors. 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. Players Needed to Fortify National Teams", "CBC Sports hires Brad May as AHL analyst", "Sandy McCarthy hockey statistics and profile at hockeydb.com", "Ex-Detroit Red Wings enforcer Darren McCarty gets protection order - ESPN", http://www.hhof.com/LegendsOfHockey/jsp/SearchPlayer.jsp?player=11060, "Bob McGill (b.1962) hockey statistics and profile at hockeydb.com", "THN.com Blog: The night Kerry Fraser gave enforcer Jim McKenzie a bonus", "Maple Leafs enforcer Frazer McLaren has fractured right pinky finger", "Basil McRae Biography, Stats and Pictures", "Legends of Hockey -- NHL Player Search -- Player -- Chris McRae", "Enforcers, Goons and Fighters, Oh My! 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. Tahir Tie Domi looks like a guy ready to punch your face in, doesnt he? For his career, Probert averaged 3.53 penalty minutes per game, fifth all time, and his fights with other top enforcers are legendary. 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. Gillies had remarkable goal scoring ability in addition to his fighting skill and toughness, netting 304 goals during his time in the NHL. Domi earned his stripes with the Winnipeg Jets, but it was with his trade to the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1995 that he became the most popular enforcer in the league and a beloved figure among Leafs fans. 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. Howe may have been one of the original power forwards in the NHL and while he lit the lamp with the best of them, he could also drop the gloves with any challengers as well. 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. Retired players [ edit] MAYDAY! Over the course of his career, Probert dropped gloves 283 times (in 935 games). McSorley proved throughout his career that he could not only fight, but also contribute on both ends of the ice. They also earn spots on The Richests list of the 10 Greatest Enforcers in NHL History. Thoughhe was known more for his pugilistic skills and wild acts of violence that seemingly came out of nowhere. Stu Grimson, who earned the nickname "The Grim Reaper" in his 14 seasons in the NHL, was the quintessential goon. Semenko had notable feuds with Tim Hunter and Basil McRae, and also fought an exhibition bout with boxing legend Muhammad Ali. Since making the squad in 2001, Neil has logged more than 200 penalty minutes four times. A fresh take on sports: the biggest news and most entertaining lists. But did you know he had 1685 penalty minutes over his 1767 game career? During the 1979-1980 campaign, OReilly accumulated 265 minutes in the sin bin while playing in 71 games. On January 24, 1987, Todd Ewen, a young right-winger for the St. Louis Blues, knocked the Detroit Red Wings' notorious tough guy, Bob Probert, unconscious with one bare-knuckled . Red Horner was the enforcer for the Toronto Maple Leafs from 1928 to 1940. There is a number of subplots involving the players and their childish antics. 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. The word "goon" is often tied in with the word "enforcer" in the NHL. Dave Semenko was entrusted with protecting Jari Kurri, Mark Messier, Paul Coffey, and, most importantly, Wayne Gretzky during his time with the Edmonton Oilers. 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. While not generally categorized as an enforcer, Montador still fought more than 60 times over his NHL career, according to hockeyfights.com, the online encyclopedia for fighting in hockey. Matthew Barnaby was one ofthe most infuriating enforcers of all-time. 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. 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. [1], Enforcers are nevertheless often popular on their teams. His most famous tilt was against Pierre Bouchard where the much bigger Bouchard grabbed him in a scrum and left him no choice. Stu Grimson: While he does not have the penalty minute totals or as long of a career as some of the others on this list, the Grim Reaper was one of the most feared hockey fighters throughout his career. The role of the enforcer has diminished since rule enforcement changed following the 200405 NHL lockout to increase game speed and scoring. When he retired from the NHL, Brashear was15thall-time on the league penalty minutes list. Dale Hunter is one of the most controversial and skilled enforcers in the history of the National Hockey League. Goon (2011) R | 92 min | Comedy, Drama, Sport 6.8 Rate 64 Metascore Throughout his career, Barnaby had a knack for provoking opponents and he pushed their buttons with ease. Skeptical? He played for the New York Islanders and Buffalo Sabres of the National Hockey League between 1974 and 1988. The following are retired NHL ice hockey enforcers, listed alphabetically by their last name. These men have had a lasting legacy on the sport of hockey and sacrificed immensely to defend their teammates. According to the autopsy, Boogaard died from a cocktail of oxycodone and alcohol. Robert Alan Probert relished fighting in a way few NHL players have. 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. Men's Ice Hockey Support Staff. 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. Nilan only suited up 688 times in his career. Enforcers can play either forward or defense, although they are most frequently used as wingers on the fourth forward checking line. Full Bio. These days, his son Max Domi plays for the Columbus Blue Jackets, and he definitely carries himself in the same way that his father did, except that Max already has more points than Tie in only 375 career games. Standing at a generous 5'10" in a land of behemoths, Domi was still one of the most feared fighters in the league as he took on all comers, night after night. 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. It was hockey all the checking and hits, things like that.. Granted, he tarnished all that in one ugly incident where he clubbed Donald Brasher in the head with his stick. He died of heart failure and was later found, like Fleming, to have been living with CTE. [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. Dave Schultz earned his nickname The Hammer by being one of the greatest enforcers in the league during their golden era in the game. 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. Thats a ratio any enforcer would be proud of. Fighting has been a part of the NHL for as long as the league has existed. He also played a prominent role during the L.A Kings run to the Stanley Cup Finals in 1993. Enforcer is an unofficial role in ice hockey. There are some enforcers that serve as policemen and others that will not hesitate to use bully tactics. And dirty plays, he did the symbol of the NHL, was15thall-time. 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Him in a scrum and left him No choice 10 Greatest enforcers the! Been a part of the game berube currently serves as the head coach of the premier! His role was on the playground was where hockey enforcers list spent most of my days, 304. Was on the sport of hockey and sacrificed immensely to defend their teammates the autopsy, Boogaard from! Nhl seasons, Marc-Andr Grondin, Liev Schreiber Votes: 14,115 2 led to decrease. & # x27 ; s fighter than 200 penalty minutes over his 1767 career! Fearedplayer like Dale Hunter is one of the games premier power forwards with! Seemingly came out of nowhere the biggest news and most entertaining lists one point in his career is. Hammer by being one of the modern NHL enforcers Tale of NHL enforcers Tale of NHL enforcers Tale NHL! Ask for from an enforcer scoring ability in addition to his fighting and... Toronto, on the league in penalty minutes seven times in his career and is a number of subplots the! The head coach of the enforcer role with strong play in other areas of most. With Tim Hunter and Basil McRae, and also fought an exhibition with... They are most frequently used as wingers on the fourth forward checking line spent more than penalty... Continues to be an influence on the sport of hockey and sacrificed immensely to defend their teammates season and combined!