Top Enforcers of the past 20 years?

[Nab77]

What about Chris Nylan?

I loved Nilan with the Habs. '86 Cup and the Flyers pre-game bru-ha-ha, great stuff.
Back in the day Montreal had Nilan, Kordic and Corson doing some serious fighting, now they have The Latin Lover fakin' injuries, talk about comin' down in the toughness department right alongside Detroit there.

 

[Boilers*]

Mike Milbury- how many other coaches do you know that beats a fan with thier own shoe.. LOL

 

[Pantokrator]

If Wendel Clark get mentioned, I think Rick Tocchet must get mentioned too. They had a bout back in thre late 80's after Clark hit Mark Howe that is a classic. I think Tocchet got in twice as many punches, but it was a draw. A true beauty. Also, does Hospodar get any mention? His role in the Montreal-Philly 1987 conference finals was classic, but I only saw him at the end of his career. Does he belong in this list, or was he just dirty?

 

[Ajacied]

My favorite fighters ever would be two from the North Stars days, being Shane Churla and Basil McRea. No idea where they stand among the best of the past 20 years, but I figure Churla should be quite high..

 

[Hordichuk_24]

Any of the following guys should be on the list...

Bob Probert
Dave Brown
Behn Wilson
Clark Gillies
Nick Fotiu
Bob Nystrom
Larry Playfair
Stan Jonathan
Joey Kocur
Marty McSorley
Dave Semenko
John Wensink
John Kordic
Dan Maloney
Glen Cochrane
Paul Holmgrem
Chris Nilan
Tim Hunter
Willie Plett
Terry O'Reilly
Tony Twist
Stu Grimson
Craig Berube

 

[Motown Beatdown]

A found an interesting tidbit from another site. The 1983 RedWings draft included Bob Probert (3rd round), Joe Kocur (5th round) and Stu Grimson (10 round) Although Stu never signed with Detroit and re-entered.

 

[Chili]

Some of the guys who I respected the most didn't put up alot of pim's.

Dave Semenko, Rick Chartraw and John Ferguson.

These guys presence was enough to intimidate most opponents. I don't think it's a coincidence either that between them, they have alot of Cup rings.

 

[John Flyers Fan]

Some of the guys who I respected the most didn't put up alot of pim's.

Dave Semenko, Rick Chartraw and John Ferguson.

These guys presence was enough to intimidate most opponents. I don't think it's a coincidence either that between them, they have alot of Cup rings.

The fact that they happened to play with Gretzky, Messier, LaFleur, Dryden, Beliveau, Richard, Cournoyer etc. etc. might have helped a bit as well.

 

[Chili]

The fact that they happened to play with Gretzky, Messier, LaFleur, Dryden, Beliveau, Richard, Cournoyer etc. etc. might have helped a bit as well.

Those guys were allowed to do their thing with the minimum of punishment. I don't think that any of those guys was subjected to the level of abuse that Mario Lemieux has endured in his career.

How much weight you give to the enforcer's role is subjective but I don't think it can be denied that they do play a role in the success of others.

 

[John Flyers Fan]

Those guys were allowed to do their thing with the minimum of punishment. I don't think that any of those guys was subjected to the level of abuse that Mario Lemieux has endured in his career.

Agreed, and I think it was a combination of Lemieux never having a great enforcer. Jay Caufield was his best for a short period, and the instigator rule, which limited some of the effectiveness of enforcers.

 

[The Old Master]

paul baxter when his hand wasn't broke

 

[The Kingslayer]

Jim Cummins

 

[bluebleeder38]

Some fighters I thought of...

Mick Vukota (Islanders): I think he was pretty good IIRC.
Ed Kastelic (Whalers)
Dennis Vial (Senators)
Mike Hartman (Sabres)
Garth Butcher (good defensively and real tough for the Blues in the early 90s)
Glen Featherstone was pretty tough for the Blues too.
Mike Peluso (Blackhawks and Devils)-absolutely hated this guy when he was with Chicago

 

[Pure Slaughter Value]

I remember when Gretzky's Kings were headed to the Finals in '93 and he was interviewed about how he was the most popular player in the sport.

He responded with something like "I'm not even the most popular on the Kings, Marty McSorely is"

Another great enforcer.

 

[NYFAN]

Terry O'reilly had some epic battles with Clark Gillies of the Islanders. Gillies and Barry Beck also had some great battles. Before Beck got the injury bug, he was a hell of a player and fighter. Gillies and Nystrom were two really tough guys I got to see alot of growing up. Dave Schultz on Philly was also a guy who could throw down, but he was plain crazy in his day , those who didn't fight back he assaulted.

 

[Habsfan 32]

Tony Twist

 

[Juicer]

I loved Nilan with the Habs. '86 Cup and the Flyers pre-game bru-ha-ha, great stuff.
Back in the day Montreal had Nilan, Kordic and Corson doing some serious fighting, now they have The Latin Lover fakin' injuries, talk about comin' down in the toughness department right alongside Detroit there.

Dave Brown gave Nilan a pretty nice ass whooping in that brawl,. but Nilan is a very tough customer and was definately one of the best during his time.

 

[Juicer]

My favorite fighters ever would be two from the North Stars days, being Shane Churla and Basil McRea. No idea where they stand among the best of the past 20 years, but I figure Churla should be quite high..

Tough guys, but they were on the same level as Wendel Clark as they had lots of fights. Churla/Clark were pretty even and I would say Clark was tougher than McCrae. I would have taken both Kocur and easily Probert over both of them.(nothing to be embarassed about)

 

[Juicer]

Any of the following guys should be on the list...

Bob Probert
Dave Brown
Behn Wilson
Clark Gillies
Nick Fotiu
Bob Nystrom
Larry Playfair
Stan Jonathan
Joey Kocur
Marty McSorley
Dave Semenko
John Wensink
John Kordic
Dan Maloney
Glen Cochrane
Paul Holmgrem
Chris Nilan
Tim Hunter
Willie Plett
Terry O'Reilly
Tony Twist
Stu Grimson
Craig Berube

I think you are stretching the 20yr rule.

Another name not mentioned who was a great fighter was Terry Carkner.

 

[Juicer]

Agreed, and I think it was a combination of Lemieux never having a great enforcer. Jay Caufield was his best for a short period, and the instigator rule, which limited some of the effectiveness of enforcers.

If you go to Broadstreetbullies.com, you will see Brown with two clear KO's against Caufield who is a monster.

 

[Juicer]

Jim Cummins

I assume you are joking.

 

[bossy22]

2. Dave Brown-The best leftie since I have been following the game close. Also one mean SOB, He would hit you when you were down, give you the lumber and also legitimatly kick ass.

and he was a real ugly mother as well.

When he tried to take Sandstrom (Sundstrom)'s head off with that crosscheck to the face...made my stomach turn. Way worse than McSorley and Bertuzzi.

One dirty SOB.

 

[KOVALEV10*]

Well in my lifetime I havent seen a better fighter then Probert. Nilan was one tough SOB too.

 

[kdb209]

Terry O'reilly had some epic battles with Clark Gillies of the Islanders. Gillies and Barry Beck also had some great battles. Before Beck got the injury bug, he was a hell of a player and fighter. Gillies and Nystrom were two really tough guys I got to see alot of growing up. Dave Schultz on Philly was also a guy who could throw down, but he was plain crazy in his day , those who didn't fight back he assaulted.

I know it is stretching the 20 yr limit to get back to his prime, but let me add another vote for Clark Gillies. Jethro was the toughtest player I've ever seen. He wouldn't back down from anyone. Didn't fight much - he didn't have to - few players were that foolish. And unlike many here - he was not just an enforcer, but a complete player - a tough, physical, mean SOB, HHOF power forward. And by the way, a really nice guy off the ice.

His series of bouts with Terry O'reilly in the '80 playoffs was the thing of legends. Two fights (TKOs) with O'Relly and then an OT game winner.

 

[DaaaaB's]

Here's the guys I think are the best of last 20 years
1. Bob Probert
2. Dave Brown
3. Marty McSorley
4. Jon Kordic
5. Joey Kocur
6. Tony Twist
7. Jay Miller
8. Chris Nilan
9. Dave Semenko
10. Stu Grimson
11. Cam Neely
12. Chris Simon
13. Tie Domi
14. Craig Berube
15. Sandy McCarthy
16. Troy Crowder
17. Georges Laraque
18. Jim Mackenzie
19. Lyndon Byers
20. Gino Odjick
21. Ken Baumgartner
22. Rob Ray
23. Donald Brashear
24. Shane Churla
25. Link Gaetz

If I were to include guys who played more then 20 years ago then these guys and some others would be on the list
Terry O'Reilly
Behn Wilson
Jon Wensink
Stan Jonathon
Bob Nystrom
John Ferguson
Bob Gassoff
Clarke Gillies
Dan Maloney
Nick Fotiu
Larry Playfair
Jack Carlson