Favorite lesser-known enforcers?

[frisco]

Jerry Korab was a well-known player but as a fighter not as well known. Definitely, falls into the category of guys that didn't fight much because players were afraid of him. There's a story where a middleweight type of Oiler enforcer like McClelland or Mark Hunter or someone was chirping Korab and Semenko basically told them to stop it because then he (Semenko) would probably have to step up and fight him eventually. And Semenko wasn't too excited about doing that.

My Best-Carey

 

[The Professional]

Jeremy Yablonski. Well known in the minors but never stuck in the NHL and only had 1 regular season NHL game in his career. All but had a spot locked up on the Ottawa roster in training camp before the 09-10 season, but ended up being underwhelming while Matt Carkner impressed more. Carkner ended up making the team instead and forged himself a nice NHL career for a few years with Ottawa and then NYI after being an AHL journeyman for years. Yabo was sent down to Binghamton and his ice time dwindled, he eventually went to the KHL where he recieved a season-long suspension in 2011.

 

[BobbyAwe]

Lyndon Byers
Todd Ewen
Cam Russell (arguably not a true Enforcer but his fight card was pretty solid, he took on nearly all of the significant heavyweights in a tough era and to me it doesn't matter that he lost the majority of these fights, he had guts)

Lyndon Byers - very underrated. That uppercut!

 

[macleod50]

John Erskine.

 

[ps241]

I personally saw Kimble take out about four huge guys in a bar fight in Northern, SK. Modano literally had to pull him out before the cops came and/or he killed someone.

My Best-Carey

Interesting what bar was that? I use to live in PA back then and Kimble was known to enjoy fighting off the ice. I heard many stories from first hand witnesses but was never there when it happened.

 

[frisco]

Interesting what bar was that? I use to live in PA back then and Kimble was known to enjoy fighting off the ice. I heard many stories from first hand witnesses but was never there when it happened.

It was in a bar on the main street in Waskesui Lake in the summer of 1988, I think. Been awhile but Kimble was a scary individual. That incident is hard to forget.

My Best-Carey

 

[LouJersey]

Jim Korn

 

[ps241]

It was in a bar on the main street in Waskesui Lake in the summer of 1988, I think. Been awhile but Kimble was a scary individual. That incident is hard to forget.

My Best-Carey

That would have been the old Lakeview. I was in that bar a few nights when Kimble was there and he liked to bar fight no doubt. Bomber was the opposite he was a very controlled guy off the ice from what I heard anyways. Same as Dave Mason he was a totally different guy off the ice. Dave’s older brother Calvin was tough as hell and much more Alpha off the ice although he was a good guy. For a stretch in time Kimble fought allot at the bars and I am not sure why but he loved to fight. One night he and his fellow Raiders tough guy Reid Simpson had a legendary round robin against a few of the locals. Shirts off, beers on the hood of the cars, and they took turns going 1 on 1 fight club style. Years later I had a few drinks with him at Wiseguys in Winnipeg and he had calmed down allot by then.

Late 80’s idea of having fun in Northern Saskatchewan I guess lol.

 

[a79krgm]

Brad Maxwell

He wasn't a super heavyweight by any means, yet it often fell on his shoulders to protect a very young team in the late 70's and early 80's.
The lefty had bouts with famous prize fighters like Stan Johnathan, Nick Fotiu and Tiger Williams.

 

[Beville]

Jeremy Yablonski, hero.

 

[Howie Hodge]

If not mentioned already, Larry Playfair. Here he thumps Chris "Knuckles" Nilan.

 

[ChurchOfMatthews]

Kenny "the Bomber" Baumgartner was one of my favorites.

 

[terrible dee]

Eric Godard will always be one of my favourites.

One of the only NHL players I ever befriended.

I remember the friend we had in comon and I going to pick him up one night, and the friend saying "Let's f**k with this Kootney trailer trash"

So, we pick him up and he's like "Where we headed boys?" and were like "Sadlesore's gay bar, serriously not kidding, were doing all gay tonight all night long, and your gonna be there for every minuete, how's that strike you Eric?"

We were walking to the car, he stops walking, my friend and I turn around to see what he does, he pauses for a second, then raises his arm's up like he just scored the game winning goal and says..

.."YES! Finally!" and walks past us to the car....

....we looked at each other and were like "This guy's OK"

 

[thewall]

Mario Roberge. He wasn't big but man could he throw them!

 

[ps241]

Mario Roberge. He wasn't big but man could he throw them!

Really good fighter and his brother Serge (6'1" 195) was probably one of the best technical fighters ever. Do you realize he had 463 fights in his professional career?? Many years he would reach the 40 fight mark......that is insane.

 

[vandymeer13]

Really good fighter and his brother Serge (6'1" 195) was probably one of the best technical fighters ever. Do you realize he had 463 fights in his professional career?? Many years he would reach the 40 fight mark......that is insane.

And that was back when fights were actually fights. And you took and gave punishment out. Not throw one punch and fall down or wrestle.

 

[Doctor Coffin]

Glen Cochrane
Dave Logan

They were not "enforcers," but as most guys had to look after themselves at least a little bit years ago, Al MacAdam and Dirk Graham were two guys who were not big but could handle themselves very well when necessary.

 

[ek93]

Jeremy Yablonski, Jon Mirasty, Dennis Bonvie. Grew up watching these guys and loved every minute of it.

 

[BM14]

Kenny "the Bomber" Baumgartner was one of my favorites.

What makes it even better was him filling in Kypreos at the end.

 

[Howie Hodge]

Older hockey fans/Maple Leafs fans will remember Scott Garland and Kurt Walker.

Garland was a rough and tumble Saskatchewan boy. Walker was a Massachusetts boy with a propensity for pugilism.

They were called up from The Oklahoma City Blazers for a Saturday tilt with The Flyers during the 1975-76 season.

I can't remember which one of them said it; but when asked why he had been called up, simply replies, "I'm here to fight Dave Schultz."

It was chess, because I don't remember any fireworks that game.

The Flyers, being the babies they were, cried foul. Of course they also called foul when Buffalo would call up Val James for some games vs them too.

It is an element of the game I miss. But I am a dinosaur, and fighting will eventually be gone, sadly...

RIP Scott Garland, who died from a car accident at 27.

Kurt Walker

 

[The Winter Soldier]

Brian MacLellan was not really known as an enforcer, but when he dropped the gloves he was one of the best fighters in the NHL. Here's his fight with Larry Playfair who was one of the most feared fighters in the NHL at the time.

 

[Sheppy]

Still not enough Link Gaetz appreciation. Guy was a legit psycho.

 

[mattihp]

Jeremy Yablonski, Jon Mirasty, Dennis Bonvie. Grew up watching these guys and loved every minute of it.

I remember when Bonvie was stapled to Mario's side for the start of the season! It was... Interesting. Tried the same in my EA game and he ended up getting 3 points in 80 games!

 

[IowaGameWorn]

Andy Bezeau
Jason Disher
Mike Brault
Dave Morrisette
Gary Gulash

Some of my favs from back in the day.

 

[habsgirl5000]

Max Pattioretty