Who were the best all-time HOCKEY fighters---Years ago & present day?

Answer 1

The best hockey fighters of all time

1. Gordie Howe

Arguably the greatest forward in the history of the game, Mr. Hockey was also - indisputably - the best fighter.

Forget about different eras, bigger guys, improved training and conditioning. In terms of pure fighting ability, Howe was the real deal - head and shoulders above the rest.

2. John Ferguson

Ferguson, who learned to fight while carving out a reputation as one of Canada's best - and most vicious - lacrosse players, had just eight years in the NHL, all with the Montreal Canadiens. But his mile-wide mean streak and ability to throw bombs with both hands made him the league's No. 2 heavyweight (behind Howe) throughout his career. He also had the God-given toughness to keep winging power punches while shaking off the cleanest shots from his foes.

3. Dave Semenko

Wayne Gretzky's personal bodyguard would have been a force to contend with in any era. Big, incredibly strong and suprisingly mobile on his skates in the close confines of a fight, his specialty was getting an iron grip on the other guy's sweater and then pumping jackhammer jabs to the face to render him senseless. It worked every time. Semenko was so good, in fact, that he acquitted himself admirably in a three-round exhibition with Muhammad Ali at Northlands Coliseum on June 13, 1983. Ali was only five years removed from being heavyweight champion of the world and took the exhibition quite seriously.

4. Orland Kurtenbach

The first captain of the Vancouver Canucks was given a wide berth by everyone because his unusually long reach and quick fists spelled disaster. Kurtenbach was a master at luring opponents inside to try to tag him, for which he inevitably made them pay by landing the best uppercuts the NHL has ever seen.

5. Bob Probert

Probert's reputation was made in two memorable tilts with Tie Domi when the latter was with the Rangers, but perhaps his greatest performance was Feb. 4, 1994 when he fought Pittsburgh's Marty McSorely in a 100-second war at Joe Louis Arena. Halfway through, a single punch knocked the 230-pound McSorely to his knees - but the feisty Penguin regained his feet and won grudging respect from the appreciative crowd for continuing to throw long after he was beaten.

6. Dave Schultz

"The Hammer" was the leader of the infamous Broadstreet Bullies and the player most responsible for the "Philadelphia flu" that mysteriously infected visiting players during warmups at the old Spectrum. Schultz wasn't overly huge - six-foot-one, 190 lbs. - but his broad shoulders and wide stance made him almost impossible to knock down, even with a clean shot. His favourite tactic was to simply wade in behind a flurry of two-handed punches and keep throwing until the zebras arrived.

7. Dave Brown

Brown joined the Philadelphia Flyers late in the 1982-83 season as Schultz's heir apparent after amassing 418 penalty minutes in 70 games with the American Hockey League's Maine Mariners. At six-foot-five and 225 pounds, he was usually bigger than the guys he beat up - but he did so with a combination of panache and fluid punching ability rarely seen before or since.

8. Marty McSorley

McSorley was one of the first NHLers to be tutored by a professional boxing trainer, and it paid off in spades. Early in his career he was more of a "slapper" and rarely put together effective combinations, but after being introduced to some fundamentals he became a much more patient and intelligent fighter, able to land big shots from any angle.

9. Stu Grimson

Like McSorely, "The Grim Reaper" was another tough guy whose fighting ability improved dramatically over the course of his career. Early on, he had no balance and was susceptible to shots from shorter, stockier foes. But after a couple of years in the league he bulked up and became a legitimate terror, notching multiple wins over fellow enforcers Enrico Ciccone, Shane Churla and Krystof Oliwa.

10. Frank Beaton

The lone Top 10 contender from the World Hockey Association was nicknamed "Seldom" for good reason. And he helped transform the Birmingham Bulls from doormats to demons. Small by heavyweight standards (five-foot-10, 190 pounds), Beaton was a bonafide bomber who could pummel an opponent non-stop for a full minute, then turn around and do the same to another one ... and another one. The WHA was like that.

Beaton's lightning-quick fists first drew acclaim in 1976 when he took just 30 games to shatter the old Southern Hockey League's single-season penalty mark, but he became a legend on Thanksgiving Day 1977, when the Bulls hosted the Cincinnati Stingers. Just 24 seconds into the game, Beaton, along with teammates Gilles (Bad News) Bilodeau and Steve Durbano ignited an hour-long brawl that resulted in over 200 penalty minutes and left bleeding Stingers all over the ice.

The fracas prompted a reporter for the Cincinnati Equirer to write: "It was like watching the German army invading Poland ... absolute carnage everywhere you looked. And everywhere you looked, you saw Frank Beaton."

BEST OF THE REST

1. Maurice Richard

The Rocket could throw with the best of them. He once punched Rangers' defenceman Bob (Killer) Dill unconscious twice in the same game.

2. Bobby Orr

For my money, the best player in the history of the game - and a very underrated fighter. Tested by every tough guy in the league during his first two seasons, but rarely after that.

3. Stan Jonathan

Boston's feisty little ball of hate was a superb puncher who routinely beat up guys who outweighed him by 30 pounds. Very quick with both fists, and great on the inside.

4. Dan Maloney

The closest thing to a Kurtenbach clone in terms of uppercut power, Maloney was one of the few punchers who used more than just arm strength to generate force.

5. Mark Messier

The Moose was at his best when the game got chippy, and when he chose to fight, it was usually one-sided. Just ask Tim Hunter or Jim Peplinski.

6. Georges Laraque

Strong, with good balance and a puncher's eye, Laraque dominates today's enforcers like another George dominated his sport in the early 1970s. His name was Foreman.

7. Ted Green

An old school, stand-and-deliver scrapper, Green's fistic ability is unfortunately overshadowed by the infamous stick-swinging incident with Wayne Maki.

8. Joey Kocur

Another little guy who could really punch, Kocur was brilliant at getting inside on bigger fighters and landing short, straight shots to the face.

9. Tiger Williams

A wild, powerful puncher, Tiger's best attribute was mental toughness. It's not easy playing 17 years knowing you're going to be challenged every night.

10. Tie Domi

Tough to get off his feet and with impressive power in both mitts, Domi's only real weakness was against taller guys who could negate his efforts to get inside.

WORST FIGHTERS

1. Keith Magnuson

The late Blackhawks defenceman had about 3,000 fights and maybe won three of 'em. Heart as big as all outdoors - but no punch.

2. Gilles Lupien

Six-foot-six, but couldn't fight a lick.

3. Eric Nesterenko

Like Magnuson, Nesterenko had more guts than a slaughterhouse, but was more catcher than pitcher.

4. Terry Harper

Harper would challenge anyone, any time. Bad strategy for a guy who was more swarmer than fighter.

5. Reggie Fleming

Inevitably led with his face and lost as many as he won. But a crowd-pleaser who never backed down.



GO HABS GO!!!!!!!!!!!!1

Answer 2

I feel the 2 best fighters were Tie Domi and Bob Probert. Every time the Rangers and then later Jets played Detroit the promoters wouldn't even talk about the upcoming hockey game they would talk about the upcoming battle between Domi and Probert. When Probert was on blow he was an animal and even though Domi gave up about 6" and 30 lbs to Probert his lefts would fly so fast and so hard he made up for size with power and balls. I have never witnessed a better fight than the many long scraps these 2 had. They would throw fists until they were both out of gas. After many of the fights they would nod or tap each other as a sign of respect that you just don't get in today's game. Many of the fights today are one sided goon affairs or dancing around and bear hugging each other. Since the new NHL took over I don't think we will ever see a pure fighter ever again.

Answer 3

Best Hockey Fighters

Answer 4

The best fighter ever was Gordie Howe. Most people here don't know or remember him playing. The HABITANT and I do.
Howe one punched Lou Fontenato, the toughest figher in his era,
and flattened his nose. There was blood everywhere. No one ever dared to match the dukes with Gordie after that. Gordie was super powerful and tough as nails. John Ferguson was undisputed in his era and never to my knowledge lost a fight.
Bob Probert and Dave Semenko were super tough as well. They are from a different era than Ferguson therefore I give a tie to all three. Tony Twist was a real feared battler in his day. Today Laraque is the toughest. I have seen Laraque toss other tough guys around like rag dolls. He and Brashear have never fought to my knowledge. If they did it was a tie. Brashear is getting a little older. I don't expect a tussle between these two now.

Answer 5

Have to agree with most that Gordie Howe was the toughest, best fighter of his day, with an honorable mention to John Ferguson. Habitant did his homework and I can't argue with his list. However, I'd add Nick Fotiu. Tough, tough guy who threw lefts, while most were throwing rights. Very quick puncher. Just for plain indimidation, Schultz, Ferguson, Probert, Howe and Semenko.

Answer 6

Of course, one of hockey's best known "policeman" on the ice was the great and talented Francois D' Coralonget who played defenseman many years for the Montreal Canadians during their glory years when they had such stars as Maurice "Rocket" Richard, Henri "Pocket Rocket" Richard, Jacques Plante, etc. D'Coralonget was probably the best. And then there was Caralucci Cordozo of the Boston Bruins, Kid Callahan of the Toronto Maple Leafs, Jean Beorgeus of the New York Rangers, and who could ever forget Anastas Karuggian of the Chicago Black Hawks who played with Hall of Famer Bobby Hull.

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Answer 8

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RE:
Who were the best all-time HOCKEY fighters---Years ago & present day?

Answer 9

Past: Bob Probert, Dave Semenko, Dave Brown (go to YouTube and type in Dave Brown vs Jim Kyte, from the '91 playoffs. I have never seen anyone get worked the wasy Kyte did in that scrap.) Also, Sandy McCarthy was pretty tough, Tony Twist. MArty McSorely.

Present: I don't think that there is a guy in the NHL that is as tough as any of those guys from the past.

Answer 10

Dave Schultz from the Flyers in the late 70's and 80's. He had over 400 PIMs in a year on several occasions.

Answer 11

Tie Domi and Rob Ray used to square off in some pretty intense brawls back in the day. I'll have to say the best all time fight I ever saw was when that gargantuan drunk guy came crashing over top of the penalty box at Domi. Drunk Canadians are worth driving up to Toronto to see any day!