Most Penalty Minutes in NHL History

These hockey players made troublemaking a virtue on the ice.

Most Penalty Minutes in NHL History

Nothing good comes from being sent to the penalty box. However you want to spin it, when a player gets a penalty, it hurts their team. Some players need repeated lessons to get that point across. And for some, it just never sticks.

In NHL history, there have been pests and agitators and enforcers who have racked up penalty minutes at a historic rate. They lived in the penalty box and wore their troublemaking like a badge of honor.

But who were the biggest troublemakers? These players recorded the most regular-season penalty minutes of all time.

30. Lyle Odelein — 2,316 Penalty Minutes

Montreal Canadiens defenseman Lyle Odelein

Born: July 21, 1968 (Quill Lake, Saskatchewan)

Position: Defense

NHL career: 16 seasons (1989-2004, 2005-06)

Teams: Montreal Canadiens (1989-96), New Jersey Devils (1996-00), Phoenix Coyotes (2000), Columbus Blue Jackets (2000-02), Chicago Blackhawks (2002-03), Dallas Stars (2003), Florida Panthers (2003-04), Pittsburgh Penguins (2005-06)

Stanley Cup championships: 1 (1993)

Bottom Line: Lyle Odelein

Don't get it twisted. Lyle Odelein loved to fight and dropped the gloves 182 times over 16 seasons.

But Odelein also deserves credit for tapping into his potential beyond being an enforcer early in his career, when Montreal Canadiens head coach Jacques Demere showed that Odelein could be effective on power plays.

Odelein actually won a Stanley Cup with the Canadiens in 1993 and played all 82 games in his next-to-last season in 2003-04 with the Florida Panthers.

29. Shayne Corson — 2,357 Penalty Minutes

Toronto Maple Leafs left wing Shayne Corson

Born: Aug. 13, 1966 (Midland, Ontario)

Position: Left wing

NHL career: 19 seasons (1985-2004)

Teams: Montreal Canadiens (1985-92, 1996-2000), Edmonton Oilers (1992-95), St. Louis Blues (1995-97), Toronto Maple Leafs (2000-03), Dallas Stars (2003-04)

Stanley Cup championships: None

Bottom Line: Shayne Corson

Shayne Corson was a three-time NHL All-Star and elected captain on two teams he played on but didn't win a Stanley Cup in 19 seasons.

Perhaps one of the worst moments in Corson's career came in the Stanley Cup playoffs in 2002 while playing for the Toronto Maple Leafs. That's when Corson lost a fight against the New York Islanders' Eric Cairns and tried to kick Cairns after they were separated.

Corson was suspended for Game 7, which Toronto won, but they lost to Ottawa in the Eastern Conference semifinals.

28. Jay Wells — 2,359 Penalty Minutes

Born: May 18, 1959 (Paris, Ontario)

Position: Defense

NHL career: 18 seasons (1979-97)

Teams: Los Angeles Kings (1979-88), Philadelphia Flyers (1988-90), Buffalo Sabres (1990-92), New York Rangers (1992-95), St. Louis Blues (1995-96), Tampa Bay Lightning (1996-97)

Stanley Cup championships: 1 (1994)

Bottom Line: Jay Wells

Jay Wells had one of the most straightforward nicknames of any player in NHL history — "The Hammer." He also is one of the few players to have at least 1,000 career games and 2,000 career penalty minutes.

Wells' legacy on the ice may have been as an enforcer, as he played for six teams in 18 seasons, but he actually played a big role in one of the most memorable Stanley Cup championships in the last 30 years.

Wells was as good as he ever was on defense in the 1994 Stanley Cup playoffs for the New York Rangers, when he played in all 23 playoff games on the way to winning a title.

27. Jeff Odgers — 2,364 Penalty Minutes

Atlanta Thrashers right wing Jeff Odgers

Born: May 31, 1969 (Spy Hill, Saskatchewan)

Position: Right wing

NHL career: 12 seasons (1991-2003)

Teams: San Jose Sharks (1991-96), Boston Bruins (1996-97), Colorado Avalanche (1997-2000), Atlanta Thrashers (2000-03)

Stanley Cup championships: None

Bottom Line: Jeff Odgers

Jeff Odgers ranking on the top 30 for penalty minutes in NHL history is incredible when you realize he only played 12 seasons — a full six seasons less than each of the two players directly behind him.

Odgers was a study in determination in making it to the NHL, playing six seasons in the WHL and IHL before breaking through with the San Jose Sharks in 1991.

In the latter half of his career, Odgers became popular for his "Tombstone" style mustache while with the Colorado Avalanche and Atlanta Thrashers.

26. Ulf Samuelsson — 2,453 Penalty Minutes

New York Rangers defenseman Ulf Samuelsson

Born: March 26, 1964 (Fagersta, Sweden)

Position: Defense

NHL career: 15 seasons (1985-2000)

Teams: Hartford Whalers (1984-91), Pittsburgh Penguins (1991-95), New York Rangers (1995-99), Detroit Red Wings (1999), Philadelphia Flyers (1999-2000)

Stanley Cup championships: 2 (1991, 1992)

Bottom Line: Ulf Samuelsson

Few players in NHL history have been as hated as Ulf Samuelsson, who won back-to-back Stanley Cup championships with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 1991 and 1992.

The New York Times described Samuelsson as "the lowest form of human being" in a 1996 article, and his most infamous on-ice incidents were when he ended Cam Neely's career with a knee-to-knee hit in 1991 and Tie Domi knocked him out with a sucker punch in 1995.

Samuelsson is currently an assistant coach for the Florida Panthers.

25. Basil McRae — 2,457 Penalty Minutes

Minnesota North Stars left wing Basil McRae

Born: Jan. 5, 1961 (Beaverton, Ontario)

Position: Left wing

NHL career: 14 seasons (1983-97)

Teams: Toronto Maple Leafs (1983-85), Detroit Red Wings (1985-87), Quebec Nordiques (1987), Minnesota North Stars (1987-92), Tampa Bay Lightning (1992-93), St. Louis Blues (1992-96), Chicago Blackhawks (1996-97)

Stanley Cup championships: None

Bottom Line: Basil McRae

Basil McRae didn't leave much to the imagination about what his goal was when he stepped on the ice.

The brawler registered four consecutive seasons with more than 300 penalty minutes and led the NHL with 351 penalty minutes in 1991-92. He was also one of the NHL players to make a cameo in the 1992 film "The Mighty Ducks" starring Emilio Estevez.

McRae's brother, Chris McRae, and son, Phillip McCrae, both also played in the NHL. Basil is currently the director of player personnel for the Columbus Blue Jackets.

24. Scott Mellanby — 2,479 Penalty Minutes

St. Louis Blues right wing Scott Mellanby

Born: June 11, 1966 (Montreal, Quebec)

Position: Right wing

NHL career: 21 seasons (1985-2004, 2005-07)

Teams: Philadelphia Flyers (1985-91), Edmonton Oilers (1991-93), Florida Panthers (1993-2001), St. Louis Blues (2001-04), Atlanta Thrashers (2005-07)

Stanley Cup championships: None

Bottom Line: Scott Mellanby

Scott Mellanby's lengthy NHL career almost never happened when he was severely injured in a barroom fight in 1989. His arm was slashed with a broken beer bottle that sliced nerves, four tendons and an artery.

Mellanby played the third-most games in NHL history without winning a Stanley Cup, but his true legacy was becoming one of the most beloved players in Florida Panthers history. Remember the "rat trick" craze when fans threw rubber rats on the ice?

That started after Mellanby killed a rat in the Panthers' locker room with his hockey stick.

23. Brendan Shanahan — 2,489 Penalty Minutes

Detroit Red Wings left wing Brendan Shanahan

Born: Jan. 23, 1969 (Etobicoke, Ontario)

Position: Left wing

NHL career: 21 seasons (1987-2004, 2005-09)

Teams: New Jersey Devils (1987-91, 2008-09), St. Louis Blues (1991-95), Hartford Whalers (1995-96), Detroit Red Wings (1996-2004, 2005-06), New York Rangers (2006-08)

Stanley Cup championships: 3 (1997, 1998, 2002)

Bottom Line: Brendan Shanahan

Detroit Red Wings left winger Brendan Shanahan

Brendan Shanahan is as good a player as you'll find on this list. He was an eight-time NHL All-Star, won three Stanley Cup championships and was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2013.

There was a good reason Shanahan seemed to find himself in the penalty box. He was built more like an NFL player at 6-foot-3 and 220 pounds.

Shanahan is the only player in NHL history to have 600 goals and 2,000 penalty minutes.

22. Ken Daneyko — 2,516 Penalty Minutes

New Jersey Devils defenseman Ken Daneyko

Born: April 17, 1964 (Windsor, Ontario)

Position: Defense

NHL career: 20 seasons (1983-2003)

Teams: New Jersey Devils

Stanley Cup championships: 3 (1995, 2000, 2003)

Bottom Line: Ken Daneyko

The New Jersey Devils chose Ken Daneyko with the No. 18 overall pick in the 1982 NHL draft, and he played his entire career with the franchise. When he was picked, the team didn't even have a name yet.

The defenseman only scored 36 goals in 20 seasons but amassed a staggering 2,516 penalty minutes in the regular season. He also played in an NHL record 255 consecutive regular-season games without scoring a goal.

Daneyko won three Stanley Cup titles with the Devils and is currently the team's color analyst on the MSG Network.

21. Joe Kocur — 2,519 Penalty Minutes

Born: Dec. 21, 1964 (Kelvington, Saskatchewan)

Position: Right wing

NHL career: 15 seasons (1984-99)

Teams: Detroit Red Wings (1984-91, 1996-99), New York Rangers (1991-96), Vancouver Canucks (1996)

Stanley Cup championships: 3 (1994,1997, 1998)

Bottom Line: Joe Kocur

Joe Kocur was one half of arguably the most feared enforcer duo in NHL history as part of "The Bruise Brothers" alongside Bob Probert on the Detroit Red Wings.

Kocur led the NHL with 377 penalty minutes in 1985-86 and won three Stanley Cup championships — one with the New York Rangers in 1994 and two with the Detroit Red Wings during his second stint with the team from 1996 to 1999.

Kocur added another Stanley Cup as an assistant coach with the Detroit Red Wings in 2002.

20. Chris Neil — 2,522 Penalty Minutes

Born: June 18, 1979 (Fishterton, Ontario)

Position: Right wing

NHL career: 15 seasons (2001-04, 2005-17)

Teams: Ottawa Senators

Stanley Cup championships: None

Bottom Line: Chris Neil

Chris Neil turned being a throwaway, sixth-round pick into 15 seasons with the Ottawa Senators, where he played the entirety of his career as the team's central enforcer.

Neil knew what the Senators were looking for in him as a player and showed them his potential during two seasons in the minors — racking up over 300 penalty minutes both years.

When he finally joined the Senators in 2001, he established what kind of player he was going to be right off the bat with 231 penalty minutes in 72 games.

19. Gary Roberts — 2,560 Penalty Minutes

Carolina Hurricanes left wing Gary Roberts

Born: May 23,1966 (North York, Ontario)

Position: Left wing

NHL career: 22 seasons (1986-04, 2005-09)

Teams: Calgary Flames (1986-96), Carolina Hurricanes (1997-2000), Toronto Maple Leafs (2000-04), Florida Panthers (2005-07), Pittsburgh Penguins (2007-08), Tampa Bay Lightning (2008-09)

Stanley Cup championships: 1 (1989)

Bottom Line: Gary Roberts

Gary Roberts is one of the toughest players in NHL history. He retired at age 30 from severe nerve damage in his neck but returned after a year off to play 11 more seasons.

Roberts also famously skated off the ice on his own power after breaking his leg in a game.

He was much, much more chill when he returned from retirement in 1997. Roberts had over 200 penalty minutes in five of his first six seasons with the Flames but didn't crack 100 penalty minutes in a season over his last eight years in the NHL.

18. Matthew Barnaby — 2,562 Penalty Minutes

Tampa Bay Lightning right wing Matthew Barnaby

Born: May 4, 1973 (Ottawa, Ontario)

Position: Right wing

NHL career: 14 seasons (1992-2004, 2005-07)

Teams: Buffalo Sabres (1992-99), Pittsburgh Penguins (1999-2001), Tampa Bay Lightning (2001-02), New York Rangers (2002-04), Colorado Avalanche (2004), Chicago Blackhawks (2005-06), Dallas Stars (2006-07)

Stanley Cup championships: None

Bottom Line: Matthew Barnaby

In the hierarchy of hockey, you don't always just get to jump right into the enforcer role unless you earn it. That was the route Matthew Barnaby had to take.

Thought of as more of a pest and an agitator his first few seasons in the NHL, Barnaby shot to fame in 1996 during an all-out brawl between the Philadelphia Flyers and Buffalo Sabres.

Barnaby was hurt and laying on the ice as Philadelphia goalie Garth Snow poked him with his stick and teammates fought. Barnaby pulled a Lazarus, popped up and beat Snow to a pulp. It was also the first of two seasons Barnaby led the NHL in penalty minutes.

17. Gino Odjick — 2,567 Penalty Minutes

Philadelphia Flyers left wing Gino Odjick

Born: Sept. 7, 1970 (Maniwaki, Quebec)

Position: Left wing

NHL career: 12 seasons (1990-2002)

Teams: Vancouver Canucks (1990-98), New York Islanders (1998-2000), Philadelphia Flyers (2000-01), Montreal Canadiens (2001-02)

Stanley Cup championships: None

Bottom Line: Gino Odjick

Gino Odjick was born on a Native Indian reservation in Canada and sent to a boarding school and given the number 29 to represent his enrollment. It also ended up being his number throughout a 12-year NHL career.

Odjick earned a reputation as one of the NHL's top enforcers playing eight seasons for the Vancouver Canucks from 1990 to 1998, when he was the main bodyguard for superstar Pavel Bure.

How Odjick became such a skilled fighter is a sad story. He said he learned how to brawl by being attacked by townspeople around his reservation growing up.

16. Willi Plett — 2,570 Penalty Minutes

Born: June 7, 1955 (Asuncion, Paraguay)

Position: Right wing

NHL career: 13 seasons (1975-88)

Teams: Atlanta/Calgary Flames (1975-82), Minnesota North Stars (1982-87), Boston Bruins (1987-88)

Stanley Cup championships: None

Bottom Line: Willi Plett

Willi Plett passed 200 penalty minutes in seven of his 13 NHL seasons, including setting and breaking the Calgary Flames' record three times.

Plett only made the Stanley Cup Final once, losing to the Edmonton Oilers while playing for the Boston Bruins in his final season.

Plett wasn't just a brawler. He scored a career-high 68 points for the Flames in 1980-81, which was the franchise's first season in Calgary after moving from Atlanta.

He had a career-high 316 penalty minutes for the Minnesota North Stars in 1983-84.

15. Donald Brashear — 2,634 Penalty Minutes

Philadelphia Flyers left wing Donald Brashear

Born: Jan. 7, 1972 (Bedford, Indiana)

Position: Left wing

NHL career: 16 seasons (1993-2004, 2005-10)

Teams: Montreal Canadiens (1993-96), Vancouver Canucks (1996-2001), Philadelphia Flyers (2001-04, 2005-06), Washington Capitals (2006-09), New York Rangers (2009-10)

Stanley Cup championships: None

Bottom Line: Donald Brashear

Donald Brashear was one of the most feared enforcers in NHL history. during the 2004-05 lockout, he went 2-1 as a professional boxer and registered a 21-second knockout in an MMA fight the year after he arrived.

At 6-foot-3 and 240 pounds, Brashear was someone almost no one in the league wanted to fight. One of the dirtiest plays in NHL history showed what kind of cowards Brashear was up against when Boston Bruins enforcer Marty McSorley slashed him with his stick, striking him from behind in his temple and face.

Brashear was knocked unconscious, and McSorley, who never played in the NHL again, was tried and convicted of assault with a weapon in British Columbia.

14. Scott Stevens — 2,785 Penalty Minutes

New Jersey Devils defenseman Scott Stevens

Born: April 1, 1964 (Kitchener, Ontario)

Position: Defense

NHL career: 22 seasons (1982-2004)

Teams: Washington Capitals (1982-90), St. Louis Blues (1990-91), New Jersey Devils (1991-2004)

Stanley Cup championships: 3 (1995, 2000, 2003)

Bottom Line: Scott Stevens

Scott Stevens' physical style of play helped lead the way to three Stanley Cup titles in a 22-year career — all with the New Jersey Devils.

While Stevens never won a Norris Trophy, he did win a Conn Smythe Trophy as the NHL's playoff MVP in 2000. At 6-foot-2 and 220 pounds, he doled out as much punishment as anyone in NHL history and earned the nickname "Captain Crunch" for two reasons.

He could change games with a goal or a hard check.

13. Dave Manson — 2,792 Penalty Minutes

Born: Jan. 27, 1967 (Prince Albert, Saskatchewan)

Position: Defense

NHL career: 16 seasons (1986-2002)

Teams: Chicago Blackhawks (1986-91, 1999-2000), Edmonton Oilers (1991-94), Winnipeg Jets (1994-96), Phoenix Coyotes (1996-97), Montreal Canadiens (1997-99), Dallas Stars (2000, 2002), Toronto Maple Leafs (2000-02)

Stanley Cup championships: None

Bottom Line: Dave Manson

Few professional athletes have as clear a reminder of their prime as Dave Manson, who speaks in a low, raspy voice after his larynx was permanently damaged with a punch from Sergio Momesso in 1991.

Manson is part of an exclusive group that played 1,100 NHL games and accrued over 2,500 penalty minutes, although he failed to win a Stanley Cup during his 16 seasons.

Manson did, however, win a lot of fights. The 6-foot-3, 220-pound Saskatchewan native dropped the gloves 82 times in his career. His son, Josh, currently plays for the Anaheim Ducks.

12. Chris Chelios — 2,891 Penalty Minutes

Detroit Red Wings defenseman Chris Chelios

Born: Jan. 25, 1962 (Chicago, Illinois)

Position: Defense

NHL career: 26 seasons (1983-2004, 2005-2010)

Teams: Montreal Canadiens (1983-90), Chicago Blackhawks (1990-99), Detroit Red Wings (1999-2009), Atlanta Thrashers (2009-10)

Stanley Cup championships: 3 (1986, 2002, 2008)

Bottom Line: Chris Chelios

Chris Chelios won three Stanley Cups and three Norris Trophies in 26 seasons and holds the NHL record for most career games by a defensemen and most career playoff games. He won three Stanley Cups and three Norris Trophies and played in the NHL until he was 48 years old. Chelios also was an 11-time All-Star.

One amazing statistic about Chelios is that he only lost one Game 7 in his entire career — in the 1985 Adams Division final against the Quebec Nordiques.

When we look at Chelios' career total for penalty minutes, let's also take into account he played almost a decade more than almost all of the players on this list.

11. Pat Verbeek — 2,905 Penalty Minutes

Born: May 24, 1964 (Sarnia, Ontario)

Position: Right wing

NHL career: 20 seasons (1982-2002)

Teams: New Jersey Devils (1982-89), Hartford Whalers (1989-95), New York Rangers (1995-96), Dallas Stars (1996-99, 2001-02), Detroit Red Wings (1999-2001)

Stanley Cup championships: 1 (1999)

Bottom Line: Pat Verbeek

Pat Verbeek is the only player in NHL history to score 500 goals and accrue over 2,500 penalty minutes and also had one of the greatest nicknames of all time. The 5-foot-9, 190-pound right winger was known as "The Little Ball of Hate" throughout his career.

Verbeek's career almost came to an end early on, when he had to have his thumb surgically reattached after a farming accident in 1985.

He's currently the general manager for the Detroit Red Wings.

10. Rick Tocchet — 2,970 Penalty Minutes

Philadelphia Flyers right wing Rick Tocchet

Born: April 9, 1964 (Scarborough, Ontario)

Position: Right wing

NHL career: 18 seasons (1984-2002)

Teams: Philadelphia Flyers (1984-92, 2000-02), PIttsburgh Penguins (1992-94), Los Angeles Kings (1994-96), Boston Bruins (1996-97), Washington Capitals (1997), Phoenix Coyotes (1997-2000)

Stanley Cup championships: 1 (1992)

Bottom Line: Rick Tocchet

The "Gordie Howe Hat Trick" is one of the more wonderful stats in all of sports — score a goal, record an assist and get in a fight in a single game. No one perfected it like right winger Rick Tocchet, who led the NHL with 18 GHHTs in his 18-year career.

Tocchet gets a ton of credit for his transformation from enforcer to actual goal-scoring contributor and is one of just three players with over 400 goals and 2,000 goals in NHL history.

He won his only Stanley Cup as a player with the Penguins in 1992 and is currently the head coach of the Arizona Coyotes.

9. Chris Nilan — 3,043 Penalty Minutes

Montreal Canadiens right wing Chris Nilan

Born: Feb. 9, 1958 (Boston, Massachusetts)

Position: Right wing

NHL career: 13 seasons (1979-92)

Teams: Montreal Canadiens (1979-88, 1992), New York Rangers (1988-90), Boston Bruins (1990-92)

Stanley Cup championships: 1 (years)

Bottom Line: Chris Nilan

Chris "Knuckles" Nilan holds several NHL records for penalty minutes — most per game (4.42 minutes) and most in a single game, when he was hit with a mind-blowing 42 minutes on 10 penalties against the Hartford Whalers in 1991.

Legendary documentary filmmaker Alex Gibney featured Nilan prominently in his 2011 film "The Last Gladiators" and also holds the NHL record for most playoff minutes in a single postseason with 141.

Injuries ravaged Nilan late in his career, when he missed approximately 200 games over his last five seasons, making his 3,000-plus career penalty minutes all the more astounding.

8. Tim Hunter — 3,146 Penalty Minutes

Born: Sept. 10, 1960 (Calgary, Alberta)

Position: Right wing

NHL career: 16 seasons (1981-97)

Teams: Calgary Flames (1981-92), Quebec Nordiques (1992-93), Vancouver Canucks (1993-96), San Jose Sharks (1996-97)

Stanley Cup championships: 1 (1989)

Bottom Line: Tim Hunter

The irony of Tim Hunter having so many career penalty minutes is that he was such a great defender against other team's penalty advantages. He just seemed to put his team in a lot of those same, unenviable situations.

Hunter owns every significant penalty minutes record for the Calgary Flames, where he won his only Stanley Cup in 1986.

Hunter also led the NHL in penalty minutes twice in three seasons and playoff penalty minutes once.

7. Craig Berube — 3,149 Penalty Minutes

Philadelphia Flyers left wing Craig Berube

Born: Dec. 17, 1965 (Calahoo, Alberta)

Position: Left wing

NHL career: 16 seasons (1987-2003)

Teams: Philadelphia Flyers (1986-91), Toronto Maple Leafs (1991-92), Calgary Flames (1991-93, 2001-03), Washington Capitals (1993-99, 2000-01), Philadelphia Flyers (1999-2000)

Stanley Cup championships: None

Bottom Line: Craig Berube

Craig Berube let the NHL know what his intent was from the very first game, when he racked up 16 penalty minutes in the first game of his rookie season with the Philadelphia Flyers in 1986.

Berube's long career was marked by an incident when he used racial slurs during a 1997 game against Florida Panthers forward Peter Worrell, who is Black.

Berube was still able to become a head coach after his playing career was over, first with the Philadelphia Flyers, then with the St. Louis Blues, where he won the Stanley Cup in 2019.

6. Rob Ray — 3,207 Penalty Minutes

Born: June 8, 1968 (Stirling, Ontario)

Position: Right wing

NHL career: 15 seasons (1989-2004)

Teams: Buffalo Sabres (1990-2003), Ottawa Senators (2003-04)

Stanley Cup championships: None

Bottom Line: Rob Ray

Rob Ray fought so much and with such nuance and success in beating down opponents that it actually changed how the NHL regulates fights.

Ray got into the habit of taking off his jersey and pads before a fight so there was less for an opponent to hold on to — and no way to pull the jersey over the head. After years of Ray beating opponents senseless, the NHL instituted a game misconduct for anyone who removed their jersey in a fight.

In an interesting twist, Ray scored a goal in his first and last NHL shifts.

5. Bob Probert — 3,300 Penalty Minutes

Chicago Blackhawks left wing Bob Probert

Born: June 5, 1965 (Windsor, Ontario)

Died: July 5, 2010 (age 45, Windsor, Ontario)

Position: Left wing

NHL career: 16 seasons (1985-94, 1995-2002)

Teams: Detroit Red Wings (1985-94), Chicago Blackhawks (1995-2002)

Stanley Cup championships: None

Bottom Line: Bob Probert

Bob Probert was one of the most feared NHL players of all time — a historically tough enforcer whose fights with Wendel Clark and Tie Domi are considered some of the greatest in NHL history.

Probert's greatest bout, however, came toward the end of his career when up-and-coming tough guy Scott Parker skated up to him barehanded. Probert hit Parker square in the face four times before Parker could get off one punch. Unconscious on his feet, Parker was saved by the refs about 10 seconds in.

Probert died of a massive heart attack in 2010, when he was just 45 years old.

4. Marty McSorley — 3,381 Penalty Minutes

Edmonton Oilers defenseman Marty McSorley

Born: May 18, 1963 (Hamilton, Ontario)

Position: Defense

NHL career: 17 seasons (1983-2000)

Teams: Pittsburgh Penguins (1983-85, 1993-94), Edmonton Oilers (1985-88, 1998-99), Los Angeles Kings (1988-93, 1994-96), New York Rangers (1996), San Jose Sharks (1996-98), Boston Bruins (1999-2000)

Stanley Cup championships: 2 (1986, 1987)

Bottom Line: Marty McSorley

Marty McSorley's legacy should have been as one of the greatest enforcers in NHL history. Instead, he went into the books as one of the dirtiest players in the history of professional sports.

McSorley's 3,381 career penalty minutes were all just a precursor to what he would do in his final game, when he became one of the few players in sports history to be charged and convicted of a crime for an in-game incident.

That came after swung his stick at Vancouver’s Donald Brashear, striking him in the head from behind. Brashear, out cold on his feet, fell and smacked his head off his ice, causing him to seizure. McSorley was convicted of assault with a weapon and never played in the NHL again.

3. Tie Domi — 3,515 Penalty Minutes

Born: Nov. 1, 1969 (Windsor, Ontario)

Position: Right wing

NHL career: 16 seasons (1989-2004, 2005-06)

Teams: Toronto Maple Leafs (1989-90,1995-2004, 2005-06), New York Rangers (1990-92), Winnipeg Jets (1992-95),

Stanley Cup championships: None

Bottom Line: Tie Domi

Tie Domi may have been just 5-foot-8 and 213 pounds during his playing career, but please believe he put every bit of that into his fists, which felt like bricks smashing into your face.

No player in NHL history got in more fights than Domi, who had several legendary battles with fellow enforcer Bob Probert and received more fighting majors (333) than any player in NHL history.

Domi even got into fights while he was in the penalty box. After he sprayed a heckler in Philadelphia with his water bottle, another fan tried to scale the glass of the penalty box, fell in and caught a (mild) beatdown from Domi.

2. Dale Hunter — 3,565 Penalty Minutes

Born: July 31, 1960 (Petrolia, Ontario)

Position: Center

NHL career: 19 seasons (1980-99)

Teams: Quebec Nordiques (1980-87), Washington Capitals (1987-99), Colorado Avalanche (1999)

Stanley Cup championships: None

Bottom Line: Dale Hunter

One story defines how much time Dale Hunter spent in the penalty box. When the Washington Capitals tore down the Capital Centre to make room for a new arena, the team had the penalty box removed and gave it to Hunter as a gift.

Hunter was much more than just his penalty minutes, however. He's the only player in NHL history to score 1,000 points and record more than 3,000 penalty minutes.

Hunter was also one of three brothers to play in the NHL. Brothers Mark and Dave also made it.

1.Tiger Williams — 3,971 Minutes

Vancouver Canucks forward Tiger Williams

Born: Feb. 3, 1954 (Weyburn, Saskatchewan)

Position: Forward

NHL career: 14 seasons (1974-88)

Teams: Toronto Maple Leafs (1974-80), Vancouver Canucks (1980-84), Detroit Red Wings (1984-85), Los Angeles Kings (1985-87), Hartford Whales (1987-88)

Stanley Cup championships: None

Bottom Line: Tiger Williams

Tiger Williams earned his nickname as a 5-year-old junior player in Saskatchewan and was like a character out of an Adam Sandler movie. He scored 241 career goals, and his trademark celebration was riding his stick down the ice after he scored.

Tiger led the NHL in penalty minutes three times during his career and added another 400 minutes in playoff games. When he wasn't racking up penalty minutes at a historic rate, Williams was actually pretty good.

He started on an All-Star line next to Wayne Gretzky and Mike Bossy in 1981 and led the Vancouver Canucks to a surprise appearance in the Stanley Cup Final in 1982.