Toughest Hockey Players in NHL 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.
Chief among those that dish out the pain are the enforcers, the men drafted to make their living protecting the superstar scorers. It’s a balancing act of brute force and finesse, of thundering checks and precision slap shots.
These are the toughest to play in the NHL, a collection of skaters and shooters who could take a hit and the men who delivered the biggest blows.
Note: All stats are from NHL.com, Hockey Fights and Drop Your Gloves.
#60: George Parros
Seasons in NHL: 9 (2005-14)
Teams: Los Angeles Kings, Colorado Avalanche, Anaheim Ducks, Florida Panthers, Montreal Canadiens
Career games played: 474
Career fights: 169
Plus/minus: -11
Stanley Cups: 1
Bottom line: George Parros may have been the smartest man to ever play as an enforcer in the NHL. At 6-foot-5 and 232 pounds, the mustachioed Princeton grad was a physical presence whenever he laced up his skates. Parros even took boxing lessons to improve his fighting technique.
He recorded his first goal — and his first Gordie Howe hat trick with a goal, assist and major fighting penalty — just three weeks into his rookie campaign with the Los Angeles Kings.
After hanging up his skates, Parros became head of the NHL's department of player safety.
#59: Basil McRae
Seasons in NHL: 16 (1981-97)
Teams: Quebec Nordiques, Toronto Maple Leafs, Detroit Red Wings, Minnesota North Stars, Tampa Bay Lightning, St. Louis Blues, Chicago Blackhawks
Career games played: 576
Career fights: 209
Plus/minus: -104
Stanley Cups: 0
Bottom line: Basil McRae turned his physical presence and strong forechecking skills into a long hockey career — and a movie career as well, with a cameo appearance in "The Mighty Ducks."
The brawling left wing registered four straight seasons with more than 300 penalty minutes, and finished with 2,457 minutes in the box.
#58: Jerry Korab
Seasons in NHL: 15 (1970-85)
Teams: Chicago Blackhawks, Vancouver Canucks, Buffalo Sabres, Los Angeles Kings
Career games played: 975
Career fights: 70
Plus/minus: 62
Stanley Cups: 0
Bottom line: At 6-foot-3 and 220 pounds, Jerry Korab was one of the more physically imposing defenseman of the 1970s.
"King Kong" started his career with the Chicago Blackhawks before skating to two All-Star games with the Buffalo Sabres and helping the franchise to its first Stanley Cup finals appearance in 1975.
While the massive Korab, known for his sartorial style, could pack a punch, he now owns a packaging service in Illinois.
#57: Gary Roberts
Seasons in NHL: 21 (1987-2009)
Teams: Calgary Flames, Carolina Hurricanes, Toronto Maple Leafs, Florida Panthers, Pittsburgh Penguins, Tampa Bay Lightning
Career games played: 1,224
Career fights: 90
Plus/minus: 229
Stanley Cups: 1
Bottom line: After playing with nerve damage in his injured neck, Gary Roberts won the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy for dedication and perseverance in 1996, and retired at age 30. Then, he proved how much he deserved the award.
Roberts underwent physiotherapy treatment and dedicated himself to fitness, and came out of retirement in 1997 to play another 11 seasons. How tough was he? He once skated off the ice under his own power after breaking his leg during a game.
He now runs a fitness center in Ontario.
#56: Dave Manson
Seasons in NHL: 16 (1986-2002)
Teams: Chicago Blackhawks, Edmonton Oilers, Winnipeg Jets, Phoenix Coyotes, Montreal Canadiens, Dallas Stars, Toronto Maple Leafs
Career games played: 1,103
Career fights: 80
Plus/minus: -8
Stanley Cups: 0
Bottom line: Dave Manson, a powerful defenseman, played with seven teams across 16 NHL seasons.
The 6-foot-2, 200-pounder mixed it up with the likes of Bob Probert and Tie Domi, and his 2,792 career penalty minutes left him just short of the top 10 career list.
The fighting left its mark: Manson speaks with a low, raspy voice after suffering permanent damage to his larynx when he was punched in the throat during a game in 1991.
#55: Matthew Barnaby
Seasons in NHL: 14 (1992-2007)
Teams: Buffalo Sabres, Pittsburgh Penguins, Tampa Bay Lightning, New York Rangers, Colorado Avalanche, Chicago Blackhawks, Dallas Stars
Career games played: 834
Career fights: 211
Plus/minus: 5
Stanley Cups: 0
Bottom line: One night, you're having dinner together. The next night, you're fighting it out on the ice. Such was life for the heavy-fisted Matthew Barnaby, who fought his former teammate, tough guy Rob Ray, in 2000.
Skating from the right wing, Barnaby was a frequent fighter who never never afraid to mix it up, recording 2,562 penalty minutes over 834 regular-season games. Once, while lying on the ice after an apparent injury against the Philadelphia, he was goaded back into action by Flyers goalie Garth Snow, who poked him with his stick. Barnaby leapt to his skates and pummeled Snow.
Barnaby battled it out for seven teams during 14 NHL seasons.
#54: Brad May
Seasons in NHL: 18 (1991-2010)
Teams: Buffalo Sabres, Vancouver Canucks, Phoenix Coyotes, Colorado Avalanche, Anaheim Ducks, Toronto Maple Leafs, Detroit Red Wings
Career games played: 1,041
Career fights: 163
Plus/minus: -21
Stanley Cups: 1
Bottom line: Brad May's heroic 1993 playoff goal was immortalized in one of the great goal calls — "Mayday! Mayday! Mayday!" — as he netted an overtime winner, and the Buffalo Sabres swept the Boston Bruins in the first round in 1993.
But May was known more for his fighting than scoring, and spent 2,248 minutes in the penalty box during his 18-season career. He was suspended for three games during the 2007 playoffs after knocking out Minnesota Wild defenseman Kim Johnsson.
#53: Borje Salming
Seasons in NHL: 17 (1973-90)
Teams: Toronto Maple Leafs, Detroit Red Wings
Career games played: 1,148
Career fights: 5
Plus/minus: 170
Stanley Cups: 0
Bottom line: Borje Salming was a sweet-skating Swedish defenseman and Hall of Famer most known for the 16 seasons he spent becoming the Toronto Maple Leafs' career assists leader.
The six-time All-Star once needed more than two hundred stitches after his face was sliced open by an opponent's skate.
#52: Jaromir Jagr
Seasons in NHL: 24 (1990-2018)
Teams: Pittsburgh Penguins, Washington Capitals, New York Rangers, Philadelphia Flyers, Dallas Stars, Boston Bruins, New Jersey Devils, Florida Panthers, Calgary Flames
Career games played: 1,733
Career fights: 0
Plus/minus: 322
Stanley Cups: 2
Bottom line: One of the greatest hockey players in history, the indefatigable Jaromir Jagr is second in NHL career regular-season points and third all-time in goals. While not a fighter, the 13-time All-Star is the portrait of endurance.
He has scored more game winners and more overtime goals than any other player, and is a member of the Triple Gold Club, winning the world championships and Olympic gold with the Czech Republic and the Stanley Cup twice with the Pittsburgh Penguins.
He holds several team records with the Penguins and the New York Rangers, and set the mark for longest gap between Stanley Cup finals appearances at 21 years.
#51: Red Horner
Seasons in NHL: 12 (1928-40)
Teams: Toronto Maple Leafs
Career games played: 490
Career fights: Not available
Plus/minus: Not available
Stanley Cups: 1
Bottom line: No other man has led the NHL in penalty minutes as often as enforcer George "Red" Horner, who accomplished the feat seven times.
When he retired in 1940, the Toronto Maple Leafs captain and future Hall of Famer was the league's all-time leader with 1,288 penalty minutes in 490 regular-season games. The mark stood until "Terrible" Ted Lindsay surpassed him 17 years later.
#50: Bob Baun
Seasons in NHL: 17 (1956-73)
Teams: Toronto Maple Leafs, Oakland Seals, Detroit Red Wings
Career games played: 964
Career fights: 42
Plus/minus: 139 (no stats for first three seasons)
Stanley Cups: 4
Bottom line: Known for his stellar defense, Bob Baun never put in more than eight goals in a season.
But over 11 seasons with the Toronto Maple Leafs, the big hitter they called "Boomer" helped win four Stanley Cups, most dramatically netting the game-winning overtime goal against the Detroit Red Wings in Game 6 of the 1964 finals — after fracturing his ankle earlier in the game.
#49: Gino Odjick
Seasons in NHL: 12 (1990-2002)
Teams: Vancouver Canucks, New York Islanders, Philadelphia Flyers, Montreal Canadiens
Career games played: 605
Career fights: 155
Plus/minus: -21
Stanley Cups: 0
Bottom line: Gino Odjick was a left wing and enforcer. He spent 2,567 minutes in the penalty box over a 12-season NHL career and was best known as a bodyguard for Vancouver Canucks star Pavel Bure.
Though Odjick's career ended by concussion, the "Algonquin Assassin" has proven to be a fighter off the ice as well. In 2014, Odjick was diagnosed with AL amyloidosis, an often-terminal rare blood disease. But Odjick has beaten back the disease after undergoing experimental treatment.
#48: Ken Daneyko
Seasons in NHL: 20 (1983-2003)
Teams: New Jersey Devils
Career games played: 1,283
Career fights: 123
Plus/minus: 78
Stanley Cups: 3
Bottom line: The New Jersey Devils chose Ken Daneyko in the first round in 1982, before they even had named the team. "Mr. Devil" was a classic hard-hitting defenseman who lost his front teeth to a hockey puck.
He spent his 20-year career in Jersey, scoring just 36 goals but amassing 2,519 penalty minutes and winning three Stanley Cups. In fact, Daneyko played in an NHL-record 255 straight regular-season games without scoring a goal.
#47: Glenn Hall
Seasons in NHL: 18 (1952-71)
Teams: Detroit Red Wings, Chicago Blackhawks, St. Louis Blues
Career games played: 906
Career fights: Not available
Plus/minus: Not available
Stanley Cups: 2
Bottom line: Over eight seasons, goalie Glenn Hall played an NHL-record 502 consecutive full games in the net — all without a mask.
"Mr. Goalie" was an 11-time All-Star from the mid-1950s through the 1960s with the Detroit Red Wings, Chicago Blackhawks and St. Louis Blues. He won three Vezina Trophies and two Stanley Cup titles, and was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1975.
#46: Dave Semenko
Seasons in NHL: 9 (1977-88)
Teams: Edmonton Oilers, Hartford Whalers, Toronto Maple Leafs
Career games played: 575
Career fights: 73
Plus/minus: 5
Stanley Cups: 2
Bottom line: Dave Semenko cemented his reputation as one of the NHL's toughest players when the Edmonton Oilers won back-to-back Stanley Cups in 1984 and 1985, providing protection on the left wing to the great Wayne Gretzky.
"The Great One" even gifted Semenko the car he won for being the 1983 All-Star Game MVP. That same year, the Oilers' enforcer also entered the ring, fighting Muhammad Ali to a three-round exhibition draw.
#45: Clark Gillies
Seasons in NHL: 14 (1974-88)
Teams: New York Islanders, Buffalo Sabres
Career games played: 958
Career fights: 66
Plus/minus: 245
Stanley Cups: 4
Bottom line: The New York Islanders drafted Clark Gillies fourth overall in 1974, and he made an immediate impression in his rookie season, getting the best of Philadelphia Flyers legendary enforcer Dave Schultz.
Dubbed "Jethro" after the beefy "Beverly Hillbillies" character, Gillies quickly entrenched himself in the Islanders "Trio Grande" front line with Bryan Trottier and Mike Bossy. Gillies never topped 100 penalty minutes in a season, despite often serving as an enforcer, and helped lead the Islanders to four straight Stanley Cups in the early 1980s.
He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2002.
#44: Georges Laraque
Seasons in NHL: 12 (1997-2010)
Teams: Edmonton Oilers, Phoenix Coyotes, Pittsburgh Penguins, Montreal Canadiens
Career games played: 695
Career fights: 142
Plus/minus: 1
Stanley Cups: 0
Bottom line: At 6-foot-3 and 273 pounds, Georges Laraque cut an imposing figure on the ice. Primarily an enforcer, "Big Georges" won a fight in his first NHL game with the Edmonton Oilers.
The gregarious Laraque also was known for his celebratory "Laraque Leap" against the glass after an Oilers goal.
He followed up his playing career in the announcer's booth and as a politician with the Green Party of Canada.
#43: Terry O'Reilly
Seasons in NHL: 14 (1971-85)
Teams: Boston Bruins
Career games played: 891
Career fights: 176
Plus/minus: 222
Stanley Cups: 0
Bottom line: Terry O'Reilly was a reckless enforcer with a decent scoring touch who spent his entire 14-year career with the Boston Bruins. The former first-round draft choice put up 204 career goals to go with 2,095 penalty minutes before retiring as the Bruins captain.
"Bloody O'Reilly" never backed down from a fight, once even scaling the glass to go after a fan who hit teammate Stan Jonathan with a program after a game at Madison Square Garden.
O'Reilly's brash style also earned him a movie mention as Happy Gilmore's favorite hockey player.
#42: Chris Nilan
Seasons in NHL: 13 (1979-92)
Teams: Montreal Canadiens, New York Rangers, Boston Bruins
Career games played: 688
Career fights: 250
Plus/minus: -1
Stanley Cups: 1
Bottom line: With a nickname like "Knuckles," Chris Nilan had to be a fighter. By average, Nilan was the most-penalized player in NHL history at 4.42 minutes per game.
He also holds the dubious record for most penalty minutes in a single game: a mind-blowing 42 penalty minutes on 10 violations. Then a Boston Bruins forward, Nilan was sent to the box for two major penalties, one misconduct, one game misconduct and six minor penalties during a March 1991 game against the Hartford Whalers.
After retirement, Nilan had a far greater fight than his ones on the ice. He battled heroin and alcohol addiction, and his life is documented in a 2011 documentary "The Last Gladiators."
#41: Joey Kocur
Seasons in NHL: 15 (1984-99)
Teams: Detroit Red Wings, New York Rangers, Vancouver Canucks
Career games played: 820
Career fights: 209
Plus/minus: -99
Stanley Cups: 3
Bottom line: Joey Kocur was the right-wing half of the Detroit Red Wings' legendary brawling "Bruise Brothers," frequently landing a devastating right hand that cracked helmets and bones alike.
Kocur won three Stanley Cups over a career that spanned 15 seasons, once with the New York Rangers and twice with the Red Wings.
In 820 career regular-season games, he racked up more than 2,500 penalty minutes.
#40: Ray Bourque
Seasons in NHL: 22 (1979-2001)
Teams: Boston Bruins, Colorado Avalanche
Career games played: 1,612
Career fights: 20
Plus/minus: 528
Stanley Cups: 1
Bottom line: Ray Bourque showed that perseverance pays off. A 19-time All-Star and five-time Norris Trophy winner, Bourque holds NHL records for goals and assists by a defenseman.
The longtime Bruins captain played a record 1,612 regular season and 214 playoff games before going out on top, winning his only Stanley Cup in his last game, with the Colorado Avalanche in 2001.
Bourque took the Cup back to long-suffering Boston for a celebration at City Hall before announcing his retirement.
#39: Rick Tocchet
Seasons in NHL: 18 (1984-2002)
Teams: Philadelphia Flyers, Pittsburgh Penguins, Los Angeles Kings, Boston Bruins, Washington Capitals, Phoenix Coyotes
Career games played: 1,144
Career fights: 269
Plus/minus: 84
Stanley Cups: 1
Bottom line: Right winger Rick Tocchet spent 18 seasons skating with six teams in the NHL, starting his career as a fighter but developing decent scoring chops and earning spots on four All-Star teams.
He leads the league with 18 known Gordie Howe hat tricks — for scoring a goal, recording an assist and having a fight in a single game — and recorded 2,972 career penalty minutes.
A former head coach with the Tampa Bay Lightning, he now coaches the Arizona Coyotes.
#38: Craig Berube
Seasons in NHL: 17 (1987-2003)
Teams: Philadelphia Flyers, Toronto Maple Leafs, Calgary Flames, Washington Capitals, New York Islanders
Career games played: 1,054
Career fights: 412
Plus/minus: -81
Stanley Cups: 0
Bottom line: It takes a tough guy to be a coach in the NHL, and longtime enforcer Craig Berube put that toughness on display in 17 seasons as a player.
He spent 16 minutes in the penalty box during his first career game with the Flyers, and finished with 3,149 minutes in the sin bin.
"Chief" — who is of First Nations ancestry — went on to coach the Flyers for two seasons and now coaches the St. Louis Blues.
#37: Bobby Hull
Seasons in NHL: 17 (1957-1972, 1979-1980)
Teams: Chicago Blackhawks, Winnipeg Jets, Hartford Whalers
Career games played: 1,063
Career fights: 23
Plus/minus: 249
Stanley Cups: 1
Bottom line: A two-time MVP and the NHL’s seven-time leading goal scorer, left wing Bobby Hull, dubbed "The Golden Jet," was one of hockey’s fastest skaters.
The 12-time All-Star was the first man to score more than 50 goals in a season.
Despite spending seven seasons in the WHA, Hull and his son, Brett, are the only father-son duo to score more than 600 NHL career goals each.
#36: Johnny Bower
Seasons in NHL: 15 (1953-70)
Teams: New York Rangers, Toronto Maple Leafs
Career games played: 552
Career fights: Not available
Plus/minus: Not available
Stanley Cups: 4
Bottom line: Johnny Bower lied about his age and enlisted with the Canadian Army at 15 to fight in World War II. He was discharged after four years due to arthritis in his hands — but went on to a stellar career as a goalie.
Nicknamed "The China Wall," Bower is credited with developing the poke check. After nine seasons in the AHL, Bower broke in with the Rangers in the early 1950s.
The two-time Vezina Trophy winner helped the Maple Leafs win four Stanley Cups and retired in 1969 at 45, then the oldest full-time player in the game.
#35: Jarome Iginla
Seasons in NHL: 21 (1996-2017)
Teams: Calgary Flames, Pittsburgh Penguins, Boston Bruins, Colorado Avalanche, Los Angeles Kings
Career games played: 1,554
Career fights: 116
Plus/minus: 30
Stanley Cups: 0
Bottom line: From the right wing, Jarome Iginla twice led the NHL in goals and earned MVP honors in 2002. The six-time All Star also is a two-time Olympic gold-medal winner.
"Iggy" recorded 625 goals, 675 assists and a number of Gordie Howe hat tricks.
He once broke his hand while slugging it out with Dallas Stars right wing Bill Guerin.
#34: Ron Hextall
Seasons in NHL: 13 (1986-99)
Teams: Philadelphia Flyers, Quebec Nordiques, New York Islanders
Career games played: 608
Career fights: 17
Plus/minus: Not available
Stanley Cups won: 0
Bottom line: Ron Hextall was an aggressive goalie who frequently came out of the crease to play the puck. The extra exposure, of course, led to extra contact.
Hextall — the first netkeeper to score in the NHL — holds the dubious career mark for penalty minutes by a goaltender with 584.
He was the only goalie to top 100 penalty minutes in a season, and did it three times.
#33: John Ferguson
Seasons in NHL: 8 (1963-71)
Teams: Montreal Canadiens
Career games played: 500
Career fights: 94
Plus/minus: 83
Stanley Cups: 5
Bottom line: John Ferguson got into a fight — and won it — just 12 seconds into his first NHL game. The Canadiens enforcer skated on the left wing, amassing 145 goals and 1,214 penalty minutes in his career.
"Fergy" also was a two-time All-Star and scored the Stanley Cup-winning goal in 1969.
He briefly served as New York Rangers head coach and general manager, and was the first head coach of the Winnipeg Jets.
#32: Chris Chelios
Seasons in NHL: 26 (1983-2010)
Teams: Montreal Canadiens, Chicago Blackhawks, Detroit Red Wings, Atlanta Thrashers
Career games played: 1,651
Career fights: 103
Plus/minus: 351
Stanley Cups: 3
Bottom line: There is no doubting the toughness and durability of Chris Chelios, a seven-time All-Star defenseman who won the Norris Trophy three times. He recorded 2,891 penalty minutes over 26 NHL seasons.
Chelios first won a Stanley Cup with the Canadiens in 1986. He hoisted the Cup with the Red Wings in 2002 and — more than 20 years after his first win — again in 2008.
When he retired at 48 after his final NHL season, with the Atlanta Thrashers in 2010, he was the second-oldest active player of all time.
#31: Barclay Plager
Seasons in NHL: 10 (1967-1977)
Teams: St. Louis Blues
Career games played: 614
Career fights: 75
Plus/minus: 61
Stanley Cups: 0
Bottom line: Barclay Plager anchored the St. Louis Blues' gritty defense in the late 1960s and early '70s, making the Stanley Cup Finals three times and earning All-Star honors four times.
Plager, always willing to put his body on the line, suffered 15 broken noses while accruing 1,115 penalty minutes over just 614 NHL games.
#30: Stu Grimson
Seasons in NHL: 14 (1988-2002)
Teams: Calgary Flames, Chicago Blackhawks, Anaheim Mighty Ducks, Detroit Red Wings, Hartford Whalers, Carolina Hurricanes, Los Angeles Kings, Nashville Predators
Career games played: 729
Career fights: 393
Plus/minus: -41
Stanley Cups: 0
Bottom line: A 6-foot-6, 240-pound brawler, Stu Grimson was a fearsome enforcer with one of hockey’s best nicknames: "The Grim Reaper."
The left wing scored 17 career goals while putting up 2,113 penalty minutes and more than 300 fights.
Though his job was to mix it up on the ice, Grimson led the NHL’s Christian Fellowship, and after concussions forced him to retire from hockey, he earned a law degree and turned his fighting to the courtroom.
#29: Pat Verbeek
Seasons in NHL: 20 (1982-2002)
Teams: New Jersey Devils, Hartford Whalers, New York Rangers, Dallas Stars, Detroit Red Wings
Career games played: 1,424
Career fights: 78
Plus/minus: -46
Stanley Cups: 1
Bottom line: At 5-foot-9, Pat Verbeek earned his nickname, "The Little Ball of Hate," with a 1,000-point career — scoring more than 500 goals and recording 2,905 penalty minutes from the right wing.
His career almost was derailed when his left thumb was severed in a 1985 family farming accident, but the digit was reattached and he didn’t miss any time.
#28: Larry Robinson
Seasons in NHL: 20 (1972-1992)
Teams: Montreal Canadiens, Los Angeles Kings
Career games played: 1,384
Career fights: 37
Plus/minus: 730
Stanley Cups: 6
Bottom line: The dominant, 6-foot-4 defenseman was as tough as they come. He captured two Norris Trophies, made six All-Star teams and holds an NHL-record plus-minus rating of +730.
Known as "Big Bird," Larry Robinson won six Stanley Cups with the Canadiens and is one of two NHL players that made the playoffs 20 consecutive seasons.
When Robinson won a Stanley Cup coaching the 1999-2000 New Jersey Devils, he called it his "greatest day in hockey."
#27: Bobby Clarke
Seasons in NHL: 15 (1969-84)
Teams: Philadelphia Flyers
Career games played: 1,144
Career fights: 41
Plus/minus: 506
Stanley Cups: 2
Bottom line: Bobby Clarke set the tone as center and captain of the brash Broad Street Bullies in the 1970s, leading the Flyers to two Stanley Cup titles. One of the great sports photos of all time shows a toothless Clarke holding the Cup in 1974.
But he wasn't just tough. The Flyers' all-time leader in games played, assists and points won three MVPs and was an eight-time All-Star.
No stranger to pain, Clarke notched his 1,000th point against the Bruins in 1981 with fresh stitches in his face and blood on his sweater.
#26: Tim Horton
Seasons in NHL: 24 (1949-1974)
Teams: Toronto Maple Leafs, New York Rangers, Pittsburgh Penguins, Buffalo Sabres
Career games played: 1,446
Career fights: 23
Plus/minus: Not available
Stanley Cups: 4
Bottom line: Defenseman Tim Horton was known for employing a brutal bear hug during a fight. He wore glasses off the ice, but the strongman found contact lenses uncomfortable and didn’t use them during games.
The seven-time All-Star and Hall of Famer died at 44 while still an active player with the Buffalo Sabres in what was likely a DUI crash.
Horton, who helped win four Stanley Cups with the Maple Leafs in the 1960s, may be best known for co-founding the donut store chain that bears his name.
#25: Dale Hunter
Seasons in NHL: 19 (1980-99)
Teams: Quebec Nordiques, Washington Capitals, Colorado Avalanche
Career games played: 1,407
Career fights: 270
Plus/minus: 101
Stanley Cups: 0
Bottom line: Dale Hunter wreaked havoc as a powerful center and accrued 3,565 penalty minutes.
"The Nuisance" — who notoriously separated the shoulder of Islanders star Pierre Turgeon during a 1993 playoff game — was given the penalty box from the demolished Capital Centre when the Caps retired his number.
He is the only player to score more than 1,000 points and record more than 3,000 penalty minutes in NHL history.
#24: Ted Lindsay
Seasons in NHL: 17 (1944-60, 1964-65)
Teams: Detroit Red Wings, Chicago Blackhawks
Career games played: 1,068
Career fights: 38
Plus/minus: Not available
Stanley Cups: 4
Bottom line: "Terrible Ted" Lindsay was a ferocious forward. In his 17-year career, he posted 379 goals, 472 assists and a then-record 1,808 penalty minutes, winning four Stanley Cups with the Red Wings and playing in 11 NHL All-Star Games.
He was stripped of his captain’s role and traded to Chicago for helping organize the National Hockey League Players’ Association, but returned to Detroit for a final season four years after he had retired.
In 2016, as he turned 90, Lindsay said he wouldn’t change a thing about his hockey career, "unless I could be a little meaner."
#23: Terry Sawchuk
Seasons in NHL: 21 (1949-70)
Teams: Detroit Red Wings, Toronto Maple Leafs, Boston Bruins, Los Angeles Kings, New York Rangers
Career games played: 971
Career fights: 4
Plus/minus: Not available
Stanley Cups: 4
Bottom line: The dominant goalie of the 1950s, Terry Sawchuk was an 11-time All Star, largely with the Detroit Red Wings.
He was the first goalie to record 100 shutouts and won three Stanley Cups with the Red Wings and another with the Maple Leafs.
Sawchuk knew about playing through pain, working his way through a collapsed lung, a broken instep, three elbow surgeries, ruptured discs and an appendectomy. He also needed roughly 400 stitches in his face, including three in his eye, over the course of his career.
#22: Eddie Shore
Seasons in NHL: 14 (1926-40)
Teams: Boston Bruins, New York Americans
Career games played: 550
Career fights: Not available
Plus/minus: Not available
Stanley Cups: 2
Bottom line: Many people consider the seven-time All Star and four-time NHL MVP to be the first great defenseman. Between 1926 and 1940, Eddie Shore spent more than 13 of his 14 NHL seasons with the Boston Bruins, who twice won the Stanley Cup with him ( 1929, 1939) and retired the Hall of Famer’s No. 2.
How tough was Shore? He almost lost an ear in a fight during practice — and watched a doctor sew it back on with a mirror. No anesthetic was administered.
On a more delicate note, Shore helped form the Ice Capades in 1940.
#21: Zdeno Chara
Seasons in NHL: 21 (1997-present)
Teams: New York Islanders, Ottawa Senators, Boston Bruins
Career games played: 1,443
Career fights: 86
Plus/minus: 242
Stanley Cups: 1
Bottom line: The tallest player ever to lace up his skates in the NHL, Zdeno Chara, at 6-foot-9, is known as an elite defenseman. His height means he has to play with sticks two inches longer than regulations would allow, but it all translates into a powerful slap shot.
In fact, the Bruins’ captain holds the NHL All-Star Game hardest shot record of 108.8 mph, which he set in 2012.
The Slovak Olympic hero also won the James Norris Memorial Trophy (for best defenseman) in 2009.
#20: Mark Messier
Seasons in NHL: 25 (1979-2004)
Teams: Edmonton Oilers, New York Rangers, Vancouver Canucks
Career games played: 1,756
Career fights: 62
Plus/minus: 211
Stanley Cups: 6
Bottom line: The lefty center was a third-round draft pick who developed into one of the greatest hockey players in history, a 15-time NHL All-Star and the only player to captain two Stanley Cup winners.
He twice won the Hart Trophy as MVP, and "The Moose" became "The Messiah" in New York after the Rangers ended their 54-year Stanley Cup drought in 1994.
#19: Bobby Orr
Seasons in NHL: 12 (1966-79)
Teams: Boston Bruins, Chicago Blackhawks
Career games played: 657
Career fights: 53
Plus/minus: 582
Stanley Cups: 2
Bottom line: The most common crossword puzzle answer in hockey, Orr won eight straight Norris Trophies (best defenseman) and three straight Hart Trophies (league MVP). In 1970, he became the only defenseman to win the Art Ross Trophy (league’s leading scorer) with 120 points, a feat he repeated in 1975.
Orr battled through numerous left knee injuries and more than a dozen surgeries to take the ice, but as former teammate Darryl Sittler said, "Bobby Orr was better on one leg than anybody else was on two." The star’s notable knee scars were featured in a 2008 MasterCard commercial.
#18: Scott Stevens
Seasons in NHL: 22 (1982-2004)
Teams: Washington Capitals, St. Louis Blues, New Jersey Devils
Career games played: 1,635
Career fights: 153
Plus/minus: 395
Stanley Cups: 3
Bottom line: The big-hitting 6-foot-2, 220-pound Scott Stevens embodied the defense-first style the New Jersey Devils used to win three Stanley Cups in a nine-year span. The Devils' longtime captain was known as "Captain Crunch" for his bone-shaking body checks. "I don’t care who it is," Stevens said, "No one gets a free ride out there."
Post-concussion syndrome coupled with the 2004-05 NHL lockout led to his retirement after 1,635 games, then a record for games played by a defenseman. He was the first Devils player to have his jersey retired.
#17: Rob Blake
Seasons in NHL: 20 (1989-2010)
Teams: Los Angeles Kings, Colorado Avalanche, San Jose Sharks
Career games played: 1,270
Career fights: 33
Plus/minus: -4
Stanley Cups: 1
Bottom line: Defenseman Rob Blake grew up playing hockey on the family farm pond in Simcoe, Ontario, Canada. And the former Kings and Avalanche captain delivered bone-rattling open-ice checks and "butt checks" with the best of them.
He is one of 28 members of the "Triple Gold Club," having won Olympic gold, a world championship and a Stanley Cup.
#16: Gordie Howe
Seasons in NHL: 26 (1946-71, 1979-80)
Teams: Detroit Red Wings, Hartford Whalers
Career games played: 1,767
Career fights: 30
Plus/minus: Records incomplete (160 from 1960-71, 1979-80)
Stanley Cups: 4
Bottom line: "Mr. Hockey" wasn't just good. The 23-time NHL All-Star and six-time MVP who led the league in scoring six times also was tough. Gordie Howe was so tough that they named a variation of a hat trick after him. The "Gordie Howe Hat Trick" is earned by recording a goal, an assist and a fight in the same game.
After 25 years with the Red Wings and a brief stint playing with his sons for the Houston Aeros of the World Hockey Association, Howe came back for a final season with the Hartford Whalers and retired in 1980 at 52, making this tough, durable superstar the only player to lace up NHL skates in five different decades.
#15: Chris Pronger
Seasons in NHL: 18 (1993-2012)
Teams: Hartford Whalers, St. Louis Blues, Edmonton Oilers, Anaheim Ducks, Philadelphia Flyers
Career games played: 1,167
Career fights: 31
Plus/minus: 183
Stanley Cups: 1
Bottom line: A captain for three different teams, the 6-foot-6 defenseman had his best season in 2000 when he won the Norris and Hart trophies. Chris Pronger also was a two-time Olympic gold medalist for Canada and became a member of the Triple Gold Club in 2007 when the Ducks won their first Stanley Cup.
He stopped playing early in his 18th season, suffering post-concussion syndrome from years of big hitting and a painful eye injury when he was hit by the blade of Mikhail Grabovski’s stick in 2011. Pronger was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2015, before he actually retired due to contract/salary-cap complications.
#14: Jeff Beukeboom
Seasons in NHL: 13 (1986-99)
Teams: Edmonton Oilers, New York Rangers
Career games played: 804
Career fights: 134
Plus/minus: 115
Stanley Cups: 4
Bottom line: A hard-hitting true defenseman who was always willing to fight and whose powerful checks cleared the crease, Jeff Beukeboom was a key component of four Stanley Cup champions.
But concussions took their toll — including one suffered after a wicked sucker punch to the back of the head from Matt Johnson of the Los Angeles Kings in 1998 — and Beukeboom retired after 13 seasons in the NHL.
#13: Derek Boogaard
Seasons in NHL: 6 (2005-11)
Teams: Minnesota Wild, New York Rangers
Career games played: 277
Career fights: 70
Plus/minus: -12
Stanley Cups: 0
Bottom line: At 6-foot-7 and a listed playing weight of 265 pounds, Derek Boogaard was one of the NHL’s biggest, fiercest fighters.
He once broke Todd Fedoruk’s cheekbone so severely that Fedoruk needed a metal plate and reconstructive surgery, though the two later became teammates and friends.
Injuries led the "Boogeyman" to painkillers and a tragic drug overdose that caused his death while recovering from a concussion in 2011.
#12: Cam Neely
Seasons in NHL: 13 (1983-96)
Teams: Vancouver Canucks, Boston Bruins
Career games played: 726
Career fights: 100
Plus/minus: 83
Stanley Cups: 0
Bottom line: "Bam-Bam Cam" was wicked with his fists, his devastating checks and an incredibly accurate shot. The explosive right wing topped 50 goals in three different seasons, and he won the Bill Masterton Trophy (for perseverance and dedication to hockey) in 1994.
How tough was Neely? During a game against the Devils in 1994, the tip of his pinky was severed through his glove early in the second period. He went in for stitches and returned before the end of the period.
#11: Bob Probert
Seasons in NHL: 16 (1985-2002)
Teams: Detroit Red Wings, Chicago Blackhawks
Career games played: 935
Career fights: 304
Plus/minus: -31
Stanley Cups: 0
Bottom line: Bob Probert was a tough-guy left wing known as one of Detroit’s "Bruise Brothers" in the late 1980s and early '90s, notably for multiple tilts with Wendel Clark, enforcer Tie Domi and Stu Grimson.
In 1999, Probert ended a fight with the Avalanche’s Scott Parker in just 11 seconds, throwing four quick, powerful right hands before Parker could even get off a punch.
When Probert retired, he had recorded more than 3,300 penalty minutes, good for fourth on the NHL’s all-time list.
#10: Brendan Shanahan
Seasons in NHL: 21 (1987-2009)
Teams: New Jersey Devils, St. Louis Blues, Hartford Whalers, Detroit Red Wings, New York Rangers
Career games played: 1,524
Career fights: 128
Plus/minus: 151
Stanley Cups: 3
Bottom line: The second overall pick in the 1987 NHL draft, Brendan Shanahan netted more than 650 goals and amassed more than 2,000 penalty minutes.
The left wing recorded an astounding 17 Gordie Howe Hat Tricks, and is a member of the Triple Gold Club.
And while he was always willing to drop the gloves, a 2007 accident led to his worst injury. Shanahan, headed for the bench, collided with Mike Knuble, was knocked unconscious for 10 minutes and left the ice on a stretcher.
#9: Tony Twist
Seasons in NHL: 10 (1989-99)
Teams: St. Louis Blues, Quebec Nordiques
Career games played: 445
Career fights: 137
Plus/minus: -23
Stanley Cups: 0
Bottom line: Tony Twist’s reputation alone created lots of space on the ice for Brett Hull and Geoff Courtnall. The enforcer’s signature fight move was to grab with his left and hammer away with his helmet-shattering right hand.
"I want to end the fight as soon as possible," he said.
He broke Rob Ray’s orbital with a series of big, hard rights in 1995.
A motorcycle accident ended Twist's hockey career early, but he profited again from his pugilistic prowess when he settled a lawsuit with Spawn comic book creator Todd McFarlane for $5 million after McFarlane named a mob enforcer character Antonio (Tony Twist) Twistelli.
#8: Dave Schultz
Seasons in NHL: 10 (1971-80)
Teams: Philadelphia Flyers, Los Angeles Kings, Pittsburgh Penguins, Buffalo Sabres
Career games played: 535
Career fights: 197
Plus/minus: 41
Stanley Cups: 2
Bottom line: "The Hammer" was the big enforcer for Philadelphia’s Stanley Cup champion "Broad Street Bullies" in the early 1970s.
The left wing with the signature mustache holds the NHL single-season record for penalty minutes, with 472 during the 1974-75 season. (His mustache also was voted “Best Mustache in the History of Philadelphia Sports in 2013.)
After Schultz started wrapping his hands like a boxer to protect them during on-ice bouts, the NHL banned the practice with what became known as the "Schultz Rule."
#7: Dave "Tiger" Williams
Seasons in NHL: 14 (1974-88)
Teams: Toronto Maple Leafs, Vancouver Canucks, Detroit Red Wings, Los Angeles Kings, Hartford Whalers
Career games played: 962
Career fights: 327
Plus/minus: -41
Stanley Cups: 0
Bottom line: The NHL’s career leader with 3,966 penalty minutes was a fighter who could score, netting 241 goals. And he often celebrated by mounting his stick and riding it down the ice.
Nicknamed "Tiger" as a 5-year-old hockey player in Saskatchewan, Williams is a staple of classic hockey brawl highlights, especially his long bout with Flyers enforcer Dave Schultz after Schultz took offense to Tiger slashing Flyers star Bobby Clarke.
After hockey, Williams co-wrote a cookbook called "Done Like Dinner: Tiger in the Kitchen."
#6: Marty McSorley
Seasons in NHL: 17 (1983-2000)
Teams: Pittsburgh Penguins, Edmonton Oilers, Los Angeles Kings, New York Rangers, San Jose Sharks, Boston Bruins
Career games played: 961
Career fights: 278
Plus/minus: -14
Stanley Cups: 2
Bottom line: "Wayne Gretzky’s Bodyguard" with the Oilers and the Kings, Marty McSorely had an assist when Gretzky broke Gordie Howe’s all-time scoring record.
But the noted enforcer’s career ended as a Boston Bruin in February 2000 with about 4 seconds left in a game against the Vancouver Canucks, when he slammed Donald Brashear in the head with his stick, leaving Brashear unconscious on the ice with a severe concussion.
McSorely was found guilty of assault in a British Columbia court and sentenced to 18 months probation.
#5: Donald Brashear
Seasons in NHL: 17 (1993-2010)
Teams: Montreal Canadiens, Vancouver Canucks, Philadelphia Flyers, Washington Capitals, New York Rangers
Career games played: 1,025
Career fights: 277
Plus/minus: -93
Stanley Cups: 0
Bottom line: Donald Brashear overcame a rough start in life to become one of the NHL’s most feared enforcers. Born in Indiana before moving to Quebec with his mother and stepfather, he suffered horrific child abuse in both his first two homes.
It was in a Canadian foster home that he started playing hockey, at age 8. His prowess with his fists showed during the 2004-05 lockout, where he went 2-1 as a pro boxer.
After retiring from hockey, he made one appearance in MMA fighting, registering a 21-second TKO of Mathieu Bergeron in 2011.
#4: Rob Ray
Seasons in NHL: 15 (1989-2004)
Teams: Buffalo Sabres, Ottawa Senators
Career games played: 900
Career fights: 294
Plus/minus: -38
Stanley Cups: 0
Bottom line: Rob Ray was a right wing and a brawler who liked to shed his jersey and pads to make it tougher for an opponent to hold him. That tactic led to the NHL’s "Rob Ray Rule," which levied a game misconduct penalty against any player that lost his sweater in a fight.
Ray, who finished his career with more than 3,200 penalty minutes, scored a goal in both his first and last shifts on the ice.
#3: Wendel Clark
Seasons in NHL: 15 (1985-2000)
Teams: Toronto Maple Leafs, Quebec Nordiques, New York Islanders, Tampa Bay Lightning, Detroit Red Wings, Chicago Blackhawks
Career games played: 793
Career fights: 155
Plus/minus: -130
Stanley Cups: 0
Bottom line: The first overall pick in the 1985 NHL draft, Wendel Clark was a passionate player and the fighting heart of the Maple Leafs for years.
The Toronto captain played left wing and defenseman and frequently brought blood to the ice.
In the 1993 conference finals, he squared off for a career-highlight fight with Marty McSorley after McSorley decked Leafs star Doug Gilmour.
#2: Maurice Richard
Seasons in NHL: 18 (1942-60)
Teams: Montreal Canadiens
Career games played: 978
Career fights: 29
Plus/minus: Not available
Stanley Cups: 8
Bottom line: "Rocket" was the first player to score 50 goals in a season and retired in 1960 as the all-time leader with 544 goals.
His fight with the Boston Bruins’ Hal Laycoe (Laycoe high-sticked Richard in the face before Richard broke a stick over Laycoe’s back) led to a season-ending suspension in 1955.
Richard was a hero for suffering French-Canadians, and angry fans rioted at the Montreal Forum in the first game after his suspension, spilling into the streets. The "Richard Riot" caused tens of thousands of dollars in damages and led to 100 arrests.
#1: Tie Domi
Seasons in NHL: 16 (1989-2006)
Teams: Toronto Maple Leafs, New York Rangers, Winnipeg Jets
Career games played: 1,020
Career fights: 339
Plus/minus: -54
Stanley Cups: 0
Bottom line: Tie Domi got into a fight on his first NHL shift, setting the stage for a career that would see him become the best-known brawler in the game. “That was my job ... to protect my teammates,” he said.
His most famous blows included a sucker-punch knockout of Rangers defenseman Ulf Samuelsson in 1995 after Samuelsson repeatedly called him a "dummy," and a vicious knockout elbow to the head of Devils defenseman Scott Niedermayer during the 2001 Eastern Conference semis.
Domi even got into a fight while in the penalty box (where he spent 3,515 minutes of his hockey career) when he sprayed a heckling Flyers fan with his water bottle and a second fan tried to scale the glass. The glass gave way, and the fan fell into the box with Domi, who promptly punched him several times.