Best Major Junior fighers?

Your Boy Troy

Registered User
Sep 19, 2013
2,796
736
Brampton, Ontario
Wasn't the only reason Alek Stojanov went so high was because he beat Lindros to a pulp a few times including cutting his face open a couple times?

That’s what I have read multiple times on various forums. There were a couple of scouts that claimed that he had the makings of the next Probert. Obviously that comparison was asinine, but he seldom lost any fights at the time and could contribute a little bit offensively.

His multiple shoulder surgeries were the impetus to his downfall both as a player and fighter.
 

The Great Mighty Poo

Thank You 59.
Feb 21, 2020
5,302
5,483
Scatbox
That’s what I have read multiple times on various forums. There were a couple of scouts that claimed that he had the makings of the next Probert. Obviously that comparison was asinine, but he seldom lost any fights at the time and could contribute a little bit offensively.

His multiple shoulder surgeries were the impetus to his downfall both as a player and fighter.


Also IIRC he was in a car wreak or a car accident after being traded to Pittsburgh.

He was a pretty decent average fighter as an NHL player. The shoulder problem just rendered him useless.
 

broc

Registered User
Dec 20, 2010
1,653
699
Did anyone say Jeff Kugel?
Not enough tape on him. And he was nuts..

Monster 6”7 in junior, then went on to do abit of mma. He actually beat the crap outta Butterbean too..

 
  • Like
Reactions: Finster8 and Cams

WillardJFredricks

Registered User
May 7, 2004
1,991
469
From my years watching the OHL the names that come to mind are:

Matt Johnson - I was young when he was playing junior, but I remember him beating up a lot of people.

Sean McMorrow - really knew how to fight. Might not have been the most entertaining, but he was dominant his last year in the OHL

Nick Policelli - stocky guy who could take a punch and do lots of damage with his own.

Shawn Thornton - plain tough. He showed that by working (and fighting) his way to the NHL, against all odds.

Boris Valabik - don't know if I'd call him a great fighter, but he knew to use his reach and temper to overwhelm people in the OHL. Didn't translate when he went pro and fought guys who really knew what they were doing, but I recall him being pretty dominant in the OHL.

Derek Mathers - he was mentioned already, but he was dominant. I don't recall seeing him lose.

Cam Janssen - tough and entertaining.

Matt Carkner - he was a beast.

But for me the toughest I've ever seen was Jake Gilmour for Belleville. It didn't take long before most people wanted nothing to do with him. He'd take a few punches to land his own. It didn't seem to bother him if he got a haymaker square in the face. I've never seen a tougher player than he was.
 

WillardJFredricks

Registered User
May 7, 2004
1,991
469
From the WHL and Q, the two names I remember hearing the most about were Grant McNeill and Jonathan "The Hammer" Tremblay. Kevin Cormier had a lot of buzz, too.
 

HoweFan

Registered User
Jan 10, 2017
1,148
733
This is going back a few years but Link Gaetz, Brantt Myhres, Joey Kocur, Tony Twist, and Rhett Tremblay come to mind. I'm from Saskatoon so its Blade biased. Two best fights I ever saw inlvolved Wendal Clark. John Kordic jumped him from behind and started pounding him. Wendall slowly got up, turned around and beat him into the ice. Another one was when 6'6" Stu Grimson went after him after an icing call. Grimson dropped his gloves about centre ice, Wendall touched the puck and turned around and calmly dropped his. They met about the blue line. Wendal was about 5'11" so it was a mismatch. Grimson is still the scariest looking player I ever saw. They went toe to toe trading haymakers. I'll never forget the suprized look on Grimson's face at the end. It was a draw but Clarke's legend grew
 
  • Like
Reactions: WillardJFredricks

Cams

Registered User
May 27, 2008
1,466
554
Windsor, ON
Did anyone say Jeff Kugel?
Not enough tape on him. And he was nuts..

Monster 6”7 in junior, then went on to do abit of mma. He actually beat the crap outta Butterbean too..



LOL - Oh man, the old Windsor Arena went crazy that night! I can't remember where my seats were that season, but that was nuts. I believe he was suspended for 30+ games after that. The Windsor fans sure let Chris Minard (the guy he chased) hear it every time he came back to play here.
 

Cams

Registered User
May 27, 2008
1,466
554
Windsor, ON
From my years watching the OHL the names that come to mind are:

Matt Johnson - I was young when he was playing junior, but I remember him beating up a lot of people.

Sean McMorrow - really knew how to fight. Might not have been the most entertaining, but he was dominant his last year in the OHL

Nick Policelli - stocky guy who could take a punch and do lots of damage with his own.

Shawn Thornton - plain tough. He showed that by working (and fighting) his way to the NHL, against all odds.

Boris Valabik - don't know if I'd call him a great fighter, but he knew to use his reach and temper to overwhelm people in the OHL. Didn't translate when he went pro and fought guys who really knew what they were doing, but I recall him being pretty dominant in the OHL.

Derek Mathers - he was mentioned already, but he was dominant. I don't recall seeing him lose.

Cam Janssen - tough and entertaining.

Matt Carkner - he was a beast.

But for me the toughest I've ever seen was Jake Gilmour for Belleville. It didn't take long before most people wanted nothing to do with him. He'd take a few punches to land his own. It didn't seem to bother him if he got a haymaker square in the face. I've never seen a tougher player than he was.

That year when Belleville came to town, there was a buzz in the city (Windsor) and media hype as they knew Janssen and Gilmour were gonna have a go. It didn't take long - great fight at centre ice.

McMorrow was solid - couldn't play hockey though, as you can tell my his limited games played in each year. Don't remember much about Mathers other than his reputation - played in different conference than Windsor.

We had some crazy good fighters in Windsor over the years - DJ Smith and Jovanonski on the same team (both from Windsor), Janssen, the 09-10, and 10-11 Mem Cup champs had Zack Kassian, Richard Greenop (don't remember him losing handily), Lane MacDermid.

Really hard to put a Top 10 OHL list as their careers in the junior ranks were sometimes only 1 or 2 years for most players.
 
  • Like
Reactions: WillardJFredricks

broc

Registered User
Dec 20, 2010
1,653
699
Greenop makes
That year when Belleville came to town, there was a buzz in the city (Windsor) and media hype as they knew Janssen and Gilmour were gonna have a go. It didn't take long - great fight at centre ice.

McMorrow was solid - couldn't play hockey though, as you can tell my his limited games played in each year. Don't remember much about Mathers other than his reputation - played in different conference than Windsor.

We had some crazy good fighters in Windsor over the years - DJ Smith and Jovanonski on the same team (both from Windsor), Janssen, the 09-10, and 10-11 Mem Cup champs had Zack Kassian, Richard Greenop (don't remember him losing handily), Lane MacDermid.

Really hard to put a Top 10 OHL list as their careers in the junior ranks were sometimes only 1 or 2 years for most players.

Greenop makes me think of Anthony Peluso..
 

Ad

Upcoming events

Ad

Ad

-->