NHL’s Most Badass Enforcers of All-Time

Through the history of the NHL, there have been many so-called “goons” that specialize in protecting their team’s star players and possibly have little more value than their fighting ability.  That said, some of these players also have a decent overall skill set that is overshadowed by their pugnacity. With that in mind, here is our list of the NHL’s Most Badass Enforcers of All-Time.

12. Joe Kocur

Kocur won three Stanley Cups during his NHL career, and compiled over 2,500 penalty minutes during his 15 seasons.  He set  a career-high with 36 points in the 1989-90 season with the Detroit Red Wings, with whom he spent his best years as one-half of the “Bruise Brothers” with fellow enforcer Bob Probert.  Kocur’s vicious right hand caused a lot of damage to those that dare take him on in a fight, even cracking a player’s helmet once.

11.  Dale Hunter

Hunter is best known for his brutal hit on New York Islanders’ forward Pierre Turgeon in the 1993 playoffs, which led to him being suspended for 21 games. However, he accumulated 3,565 penalty minutes (2nd all-time) during his 19 NHL seasons.  Hunter is the only NHL player to have over 1,000 career points (1,020) and over 3,000 penalty minutes in his career, and took the most games (1,308) to reach the 1,000 point milestone.  He spent some time after his career coaching the London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) and is currently co-owner of the team with his brother Mark.

10. Marty McSorley

McSorley served as Wayne Gretzky’s de facto bodyguard for a couple seasons with the Edmonton Oilers, and continued with the Los Angeles Kings when both were traded there in 1988.  He accumulated 3,381 penalty minutes in 17 NHL seasons, but his career would come to an abrupt end in 2000 when he hit Vancouver Canucks’ player Donald Brashear in the head with his stick near the end of a game.  McSorley would be suspended for a year by the NHL and was sentenced to 18 months of probation for the attack.  He served as head coach for the Springfield Falcons of the AHL from 2002-2004.

9.  Dave Semenko

Semenko served as a sort of “Bodyguard to the Stars” for the Edmonton Oilers’ dynasties of the early 1980′s, and even participated in an exhibition boxing match with Muhammad Ali in 1983.  He only played nine NHL seasons, so his numbers in terms of penalty minutes are not astronomical.  Still, “Cementhead”, as he came to be known by fans, made it much easier for Oilers’ stars like Wayne Gretzky and Mark Messier to work their magic on the ice.

8.  Stu Grimson

“The Grim Reaper” earned a reputation as one of the best fighters in the NHL over 14 NHL seasons with eight teams as he would enjoy a career-long rivalry with fellow enforcer Bob Probert.   In the late 1990′s, Grimson established his reputation as a willing fighter.  He would suffer from post-concussion syndrome during his final NHL season in 2001-2002 and would be forced to retire after a fight with George Laraque.  Grimson’s career penalty minutes (2,113) far exceeded his career point production (39),  which is certainly the mark of a noted enforcer.

7.  Clark Gillies

Gillies may well be the most skilled player on this list, as evidenced by his 697 career points (319 goals).  His best years came with the New York Islanders as part of a superstar line with Mike Bossy and Brian Trottier.  Gillies did not accumulate a lot of penalty minutes, but he was a willing fighter and clearly the enforcer on the Islanders’ dynasty of the late 1970′s and early 1980′s.   He would play his final two seasons for the Buffalo Sabres before retiring after the 1987-88 season.  Gillies was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2002.

6.  Claude Lemieux

Lemieux is one of a select few players in NHL history to win a Stanley Cup with three teams, and his 80 career playoff goals rank in the top-10 all time as well.  After a long absence from the NHL, he came back and played 18 games for the San Jose Sharks during the 2008-09 season at the age of 43.  During his 21 NHL seasons total, Lemieux accumulated over 2,300 penalty minutes between the regular season and the playoffs and was often among the most-hated players in the league due to his agitating style.  Opponents hated him, and his teammates loved him.

5. Terry “Taz” O’Reilly

O’Reilly spent all 14 of his NHL seasons with the Boston Bruins, which is somewhat astonishing for someone considered a notorious enforcer.  He was infamously involved in  a brawl with fans at Madison Square Garden in 1979, and was even suspended for the first 10 games of the 1982-83 season for punching  a referee.  He had five straight seasons with 200 or more penalty minutes, but was also a fairly skilled player as he had 606 career points (204 goals).  O’Reilly would serve as the Bruins’ head coach for three seasons after he retired and would also serve as an assistant coach for the New York Rangers for two seasons in the 2000′s.

4.  Tie Domi

Domi was a well-known agitator and enforcer during his 16 NHL seasons, as he accumulated 3,515 regular season penalty minutes during his career.  Despite not being particularly imposing physically (5’10″ tall), he was virtually fearless when it came to picking fights.  He spent the majority of his career with the Toronto Maple Leafs, including his three best seasons in terms of goals scored.  But he obviously was not known as a goal scorer, and his reputation as an enforcer often preceded him.

3.  Dave “Tiger” Williams

Williams had six seasons with 300 or more penalty minutes during his 14 NHL season, on his way to retiring with a league-record 3,966 penalty minutes.  His role as an enforcer overshadowed the fact he was actually a decent goal scorer, 241 for his career, and topped 40 points in a season six times.  In the 1980-81 season with the Vancouver Canucks, Williams set career highs with 35 goals and 62 points along with 343 penalty minutes (third-most in his career) during the regular season.   He would set his career-high for penalty minutes in a season with 358 while playing for the Los Angeles Kings, in what turned out to the final NHL season in which he played at least 50 games.

2.  Bob Probert

If you looked at Probert’s numbers from the 1987-88 season, you may think he was a prolific scorer during his 16-year NHL career.  He set what would stand as career highs in goals (29), assists (33) and obviously points (62) along with a career-high in penalty minutes (398) with the Detroit Red Wings.   He would garner at least 235 penalty minutes in six straight seasons from 1990-91 through 1996-97, the last two of which he spent with the Chicago Blackhawks.   His career was plagued by off-ice issues until he retired after the 2001-2002 season.   Probert died on July 5, 2010 at the age of 45 after he collapsed while boating with his family in Ontario, Canada.

1.  Dave Schultz

Anybody with a nickname like “The Hammer” certainly deserves the top spot on this list.  Shultz was part of the 1970′s Philadelphia Flyers teams dubbed the ”Broad Street Bullies” what won back-to-back Stanley Cups in 1974 and 1975.  He set a record with 472 penalty minutes during the 1974-75 season and had over 400 penalty minutes twice during his career.    Schultz would play for the Los Angeles Kings, Pittsburgh Penguins and Buffalo Sabres before retiring following the 1979-80 season, his ninth in the NHL.

Honorable Mentions:

• Scott Stevens
• Bobby Clarke
• George LaRaque
• John Ferguson
• Derek Boogard

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Top 9 Super Bowl “One-Hit Wonders”

Of course we all have favorite songs by music artists that can (sometimes fortunately)  be called “one-hit wonders.”  Sports is no different, as many players have had one great moment in a career that was otherwise undistinguished and perhaps downright awful.  The Super Bowl has had its fair share of such performances throughout its history, a list that includes rookies, former high draft picks who failed to reach expectations, etc.

Here is our list of “Top 9 Super Bowl “One-Hit Wonders”:

9. Deion Branch, WR

New England Patriots, Super Bowl XXXIX

Branch was a second round draft pick by the Patriots in 2002, but he would not make a big impact until Super Bowl XXXIX against the Philadelphia Eagles.  He would tie a Super Bowl-record with 11 receptions in the game for 133 yards in the Patriots’ 24-21 victory.  Branch would follow that up with a solid 2005 season (78 catches for 998 yards) before struggling to stay healthy over the next four-plus seasons with the Seattle Seahawks.  But he was traded back to the Patriots during the 2010 season and had 48 receptions in 11 games for them as he tries to recapture his previous success. With the Pats looking solid heading into this year’s playoffs, Deion could very easily come off this list come February.

8. Desmond Howard, WR/ KR

Green Bay Packers, Super Bowl XXXI

Howard won the Heisman Trophy while at the University of Michigan in 1991, leading to him being the #4 overall pick by the Washington Redskins in 1992.  He would play 11 NFL seasons five teams, primarily as a return man, and his best performance would come with the Green Bay Packers in Super Bowl XXXI.  Howard had a punt return touchdown and tied a Super Bowl-record with 244 all-purpose yards on his way to winning MVP of the game. He would go on to play for the Oakland Raiders and Detroit Lions sandwiched around  a one-year return to the Packers before his NFL career came to an end in 2002.

7.  David Tyree, WR

New York Giants, Super Bowl XLII

Tyree was a sixth-round draft pick by the Giants in 2003, and even earned a Pro Bowl nod in 2005 as a special teamer.  But his shining moment came in Super Bowl XLII against the New England Patriots.  Giants’ QB Eli Manning somewhat miraculously evaded a sack and let go of a deep pass down the middle of the field….and Tyree was able to battle Patriots’ safety Rodney Harrison and pin the ball to his helmet on the way to the ground. It will go down as the last catch Tyree will make in an NFL game, as he battled injuries and then announced his retirement in July of 2010.

6. Mark Rypien, QB

Washington Redskins, Super Bowl XXVI

Rypien was a sixth-round draft pick by the Redskins in 1986, and would wait until 1988 before seeing game action and becoming the first Canadian-born quarterback to start in the NFL.  His best season by far came in 1991, as he would lead the Redskins to a victory over the Buffalo Bills in Super Bowl XXVI as he threw for 292 yards and took home the game’s MVP award.  He would start 16 games again in 1992, but his numbers fell off (28 touchdowns in 1991 to 13 in 1992) and he would never again start more than 10 games in  a season. Rypien would play his last game in the NFL in 2001 with the Indianapolis Colts, after years of bouncing around the league and even a couple of years out of football after his Redskins’ career came to an end.

5.  Mike Jones, LB

St. Louis Rams, Super Bowl XXXIV

Jones was in his ninth NFL season, and third with the St. Louis Rams in 1999.  He started all 16 games for the Rams during the regular season, and recorded four interceptions (returning two for touchdowns).  But the play he made on Tennessee Titans’ wide receiver Kevin Dyson to preserve a Rams’ victory in Super Bowl XXXIV would become the moment he will forever be known for.  Jones made an excellent tackle as Dyson reached in vain for the goal line and the Rams would become Super Bowl champions.  He would play a total of 12 NFL seasons for three teams.

4.  Jim O’Brien, PK

Baltimore Colts, Super Bowl V

O’Brien played just four NFL seasons, and he made just 55.6 percent of his field goals (60-for-108) during his career.  But as a rookie in Super Bowl V against the Dallas Cowboys, O’Brien would make the first game-winning field goal in Super Bowl history as the Baltimore Colts won the game 16-13. One interesting note is O’Brien also played some wide receiver during his NFL career, catching 11 of his 14 career passes in 1972.

3.  Larry Brown, CB

Dallas Cowboys, Super Bowl XXX

Brown was a key component in the secondary of all three Cowboys’ championship teams in the early 1990s, but his performance in Super Bowl XXX against the Pittsburgh Steelers stands out clearly.  He intercepted Steelers’ quarterback Neil O’Donnell twice in the game on his way to becoming the first cornerback to be named Super Bowl MVP.   Brown would parlay that performance into a lucrative contract with the Oakland Raiders the following offseason, but after two disappointing seasons in Oakland ended his NFL career back with the Cowboys in 1998.   He had 14 interceptions during his eight-year NFL career.

2. Dexter Jackson, S

Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Super Bowl XXXVII

Dexter was named MVP of Super Bowl XXXVII after picking off 2 Rich Gannon passes. The honor went his way because of a “fan vote” via the interwebs – had they not come, defensive end Simeon Rice would’ve won the award. Jackson became a free agent in the offseason and almost signed with the Steelers before agreeing to terms with the Arizona Cardinals. The guy the Steelers picked up instead? Troy Polamalu. You’re welcome, Steel City. As for Jackson, he currently plays for the Florida Tuskers of the UFL. Anyone watch the UFL? Every team has the same uniform. Now, THAT is how you save money.

1.  Timmy Smith, RB

Washington Redskins, Super Bowl XXII

Smith, a rookie from Texas Tech, had 126 rushing yards over seven games during the 1987 regular season as he failed to find the end zone.  He was surprisingly the Redskins’ starting tailback in Super Bowl XXII, and he did not disappoint. Smith set a Super Bowl-record with 204 rushing yards on 22 carries along with two touchdowns in Washington’s 42-10 win over the Denver Broncos. He had 470 rushing yards with the Redskins in 1988, but would be plagued by injuries and retire after one game with the Dallas Cowboys in 1990.  He finished his NFL career with 602 regular season rushing yards and three touchdowns over three seasons.

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The 10 Most Improbable Super Bowl Teams Of All-Time [POLL]

After another wild weekend in the NFL, the final seeds are set for this year’s playoffs. Twelve teams will enter the postseason with Super Bowl aspirations, all of which believe they have a realistic shot at making the Big Game. As most teams gear up for this “new” season, they believe all bets are off. Regular season records no longer matter. It’s what you do in this next 3-4 games that counts. So, if you’re a Chiefs or Seahawks fan and you think there’s not a shot in hell your team’s holding the Lombardi Trophy come February, you might want to take a look at this list of Super Bowl improbables.

10. 1986 Denver Broncos

Regular Season Record: 11-5 (1st AFC West)
Playoff Results: Divisional Round: vs. New England Patriots, W, 22-17; AFC Championship Game: @ Cleveland Browns, W, 23-20 (OT); Super Bowl XXI: vs. New York Giants, L, 39-20

The 1986 Broncos started the regular season 8-1 before fading down the stretch and finishing 11-5.  After edging the Patriots in the Divisional Round they traveled to take on the Cleveland Browns in the first of three AFC Championship Game matchups over the next four seasons.  But this one may have been most memorable, as Denver quarterback John Elway engineered what has become known simply as “The Drive.”  Elway took the Broncos 98 yards late in the fourth quarter to tie the game, and then kicker Rich Karlis would kick the game-winning field goal in overtime.  A record-setting performance by Giants’ quarterback Phil Simms, as he completed 22 of his 25 passes, would bring a loss for the Broncos in Super Bowl XXI.

9. 2003 Carolina Panthers

Regular Season Record: 11-5 (1st NFC South)
Playoff Results: Wild Card Round: vs. Dallas Cowboys, W, 29-10; Divisional Round: @ St. Louis Rams, W, 29-23 (2 OT); NFC Championship: @ Philadelphia Eagles, W, 14-3; Super Bowl XXXVIII: vs. New England Patriots, L, 32-29

The Panthers made the playoffs for the second time in their nine-year history in 2003, as they won the NFC South and earned the #3 seed in the NFC playoffs.  They would dominate the Dallas Cowboys in the Wild Card Round before winning back-to-back road games to advance to the Super Bowl.  In the NFC Championship Game, Panthers’ cornerback Ricky Manning, Jr. intercepted Eagles’ quarterback Donovan McNabb three times in a 14-3 victory.  Carolina would give the New England Patriots a challenge in the Super Bowl before losing the game on a game-winning field goal by kicker Adam Vinatieri

8. 1999 Tennessee Titans

Regular Season Record: 13-3 (2nd AFC Central)
Playoff Results: Wild Card Round: vs. Buffalo Bills, W, 22-16; Divisional Round: @ Indianapolis Colts, W, 19-16; AFC Championship: @ Jacksonville Jaguars, W, 33-14; Super Bowl XXXIV: vs. St. Louis Rams, L, 23-16

Despite having a 13-3 regular season record, the Titans were a Wild Card team heading into the post season. In the first round of the playoffs, it looked like the Buffalo Bills had them on the ropes, down 16-15 with less than 2o seconds to go in the game.  What ensued has become known as “The Music City Miracle” as Titans’ tight end Frank Wycheck threw a lateral all the way across the field to wide receiver Kevin Dyson, who would run 75 yards for the game-winning score. The Titans would win their next two playoff games on the road before losing  a close finish to the St. Louis Rams in Super Bowl XXXIV, as Dyson was tackled just shy of the goal line on the game’s final play.

7. 2001 New England Patriots

Regular Season Record: 11-5 (1st AFC East)
Playoff Results: Divisional Round: vs. Oakland Raiders, W, 16-13 (OT); AFC Championship: @ Pittsburgh Steelers, W, 24-17; Super Bowl XXXVI: vs. St. Louis Rams, W, 20-17

Early in head coach Bill Belichick’s second season, the Patriots lost long-time starting quarterback Drew Bledsoe to a severe chest injury. His backup, a sixth-round draft pick in 2000 out of the University of Michigan named Tom Brady, would take over the starting job and still has not let it go to this day.  In the Divisional Round of the playoffs, a snow storm hit Foxboro in what would come to be known as the “Tuck Rule Game” after Brady was hit by Raiders’ cornerback Charles Woodson and appeared to have clearly fumbled as the ball was recovered by the Raiders. The play led to the game-tying field goal by Patriots’ kicker Adam Vinatieri to force overtime where New England ultimately prevailed.  Bledsoe led the Patriots to victory in relief of an injured Brady in the AFC Championship Game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.  New England would then upset the heavily favored St. Louis Rams in the Super Bowl, in what can be considered the launching point for their current stretch of success.

6. 1998 Atlanta Falcons

Regular Season Record: 14-2 (1st NFC West)
Playoff Results: Divisional Round: vs. San Francisco 49ers, W, 20-18; NFC Championship: @ Minnesota Vikings, W, 30-27 (OT); Super Bowl XXXIII vs. Denver Broncos, L, 34-19

It’s hard for a team with a 14-2 regular season record to be an improbable Super Bowl participant, but considering the powerhouse Vikings were in the same conference led many to believe the Falcons would be the odd team out.  After edging the San Francisco 49ers in the Divisional Round, they traveled to take on the 15-1 Minnesota Vikings and their record-setting offense.  Many things would go the Falcons’ way in the game, most notably Vikings’ kicker Gary Anderson missing his only field goal of the entire season late in the fourth quarter.  Atlanta would fall behind the Denver Broncos early and never quite recover in Super Bowl XXXIII, but fans of the “Dirty Birds” certainly have good memories of 1998.

5. 1999 St. Louis Rams

Regular Season Record: 13-3 (1st NFC West)
Playoff Results: Divisional Round: vs. Minnesota Vikings, W, 49-37; NFC Championship: vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers, W, 11-6; Super Bowl XXXIV vs. Tennessee Titans, W, 23-16

A preseason knee injury to starting quarterback Trent Green had expectations on the decline in St. Louis heading into the 1999 regular season.  Head coach Dick Vermeil proclaimed the team would rally around back up quarterback Kurt Warner (who?) and would be ok.   Warner would take the league by storm, passing for 4,353 yards and 41 touchdowns during the regular season directing the Rams’ offense that was proclaimed “The Greatest Show on Turf.”  Super Bowl XXXIV against the Tennessee Titans provided one of the most thrilling finishes in Super Bowl history, as Rams linebacker Mike Jones tackled Titans’ wide receiver Kevin Dyson just shy of the goal line as time expired.

4. 1979 Los Angeles Rams

Regular Season Record: 9-7 (1st NFC West)
Playoff Results: Divisional Round: @ Dallas Cowboys, W, 21-19; NFC Championship: @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers, W, 9-0; Super Bowl XIV vs. Pittsburgh Steelers, L, 31-19

The Rams became the first team with a 9-7 regular season record to reach the Super Bowl. Things looked bleak when starting quarterback Pat Hayden was lost for the season with a broken index finger on his throwing hand, but Vince Ferragamo replaced him capably and running back Wendell Tyler had over 1,400 total yards (1,109 rushing yards) and scored 10 total touchdowns (nine rushing) during the regular season. Ferragamo would have a solid playoff run, including three touchdown passes in the Divisional Round against Dallas, before the Rams ran into the last Super Bowl team of the Steelers’ dynasty of the 1970′s.

3. 1994 San Diego Chargers

Regular Season Record: 11-5 (1st AFC West)
Playoff Results: Divisional Round: vs. Miami Dolphins, W, 22-21; AFC Championship: @ Pittsburgh Steelers, W, 17-13; Super Bowl XXIX: vs. San Francisco 49ers, L, 49-26

The Chargers finished 8-8 in 1993, and were looking to improve in head coach Bobby Ross’ third season. Led by quarterback Stan Humphries, they would ride a 6-0 regular season start to an AFC West title and upset victories over the Miami Dolphins and Pittsburgh Steelers in the playoffs.  They would run into an offensive juggernaut in the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl XXIX, as 49ers’ quarterback Steve Young had a Super-Bowl single-game record six touchdown passes as the Chargers were overmatched and lost 49-26.  This is the only time the Chargers’ franchise has reached the Super Bowl to date, despite the abundance of talent they have had in recent seasons.

2. 2007 New York Giants

Regular Season Record: 10-6
Playoff Results: Wild Card Round: vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers, W, 24-14; Divisional Round: vs. Dallas Cowboys, W, 21-17; NFC Championship, vs. Green Bay Packers, W, 23-20; Super Bowl vs. New England Patriots, W, 17-14

The Giants finished second in the NFC East behind the favorite Dallas Cowboys with a 10-6 record and entered the playoffs as a Wild Card with a #5 seed. They traveled to Tampa and used timely turnovers along with a balanced offensive attack to defeat the struggling Bucs. From there, they went to Dallas where absolutely no one outside of Giants fans thought a victory was possible. After stunning the heavily favored ‘Boys, they managed to go toe-to-toe with the Packers in one of the coldest games ever played. With kicker Lawrence Tynes finally hitting the game winner (after missing two previous), the Road Warriors became the 9th wild card team in NFL history to reach the Super Bowl and the 5th wild card team to win the Super Bowl when they ruined the New England Patriots perfect season thanks to one of the greatest catches in Super Bowl history courtesy of David Tyree’s helmet. They were also the third team in history to win three road playoff games en route to the Super Bowl and set a league record for most consecutive road wins in a single season.

1.  2008 Arizona Cardinals

Regular Season Record: 9-7 (1st NFC West)
Playoff Results: Wild Card Round: vs. Atlanta Falcons, W, 30-24; Divisional Round: @ Carolina Panthers, W, 33-13; NFC Championship, vs. Philadelphia Eagles, W, 32-25; Super Bowl XLIII vs. Pittsburgh Steelers, L, 27-23

The Cardinals won a perenially weak NFC West and headed into the postseason having lost four of their last six games (allowing at least 35 points in all four losses).   Despite hosting the Atlanta Falcons in the Wild Card round they had to be considered underdogs. Of course, they moved on to face the Carolina Panthers in the Divisional Round, and they took advantage of 5 interceptions by quarterback Jake Delhomme to blow out the Panthers.  Arizona hosted the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Championship Game and got three takeways to move their postseason turnover differential to plus-9 and move onto Super Bowl XLIII against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Arizona became the second team with a 9-7 regular season record to advance to the Super Bowl.  They would actually finish 10-6 in 2009, but lost the New Orleans Saints in the Divisional Round.

So, which “improbable” playoff team from this year’s crop has the best chance of going to the Super Bowl?

Vote in our poll below and tell us why in the comments section:

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