The Absolute Worst NHL Goons

Hockey fans absolutely love wild action on the ice! NHL teams have featured scores of bruisers whose sole purpose is to instill fear in the opposition. These guys are nothing but brute force in the flesh, and they come at you like a 10 ton truck. Of course, the purists among us may be appalled by the notion of an enforcer, or worse yet an NHL goon. We've gone to great pains to conjure up the ultimate list of NHL goons.

There are notable exceptions, no doubt – that's just the nature of things. Make no mistake about it; all of the guys on our shortlist are not the types bruisers you want to meet in a dark alley on a cold winter night. If we have inadvertently forgotten anyone, our heartfelt apologies – we mean no disrespect.

#1 – NHL Goon Dave Brown

David Brown was a formidable NHL goon. His resume is as imposing as his physical stature. At 6'5", and weighing in at 205 pounds, Brown was a force like none other. He burst onto the scene during the 1982/1983 NHL season with the Philadelphia Flyers. By 1988/1989, he was a permanent fixture in the NHL, and everybody who encountered him could attest to his unbelievable presence. He played with the Edmonton Oilers and Philadelphia Flyers.

He was by many accounts, one of the NHLs most fearsome players. A native of Saskatoon, in Saskatchewan, this Canadian racked up most of his penalty points from fistfights. While he spent most of his time with Philadelphia, he also spent 2.5 years in Edmonton, with the Edmonton Oilers. One of his craziest moments was when Thomas Sandstrom of the New York Rangers got hit hard. Brown broke his jaw and left him with a massive concussion. Others who fell victim to his violence include Jay Miller, Stu Crimson, Chris Nilan, Tim Hunter, and Shaun Cronin.

By the end of his run, with San Jose, back in 1995/1996, his final stats revealed an impressive 729 games, 1,789 penalty minutes, 45 goals, and 52 assists. Not too shabby for an NHL goon.

#2 – NHL Goon Wendel Clark

The Toronto Maple Leafs were lucky to have Wendel Clark in their pack. Only did he score 30 goals across 6 seasons, but he was a force to be reckoned with on the ice. Perhaps he loved the penalty box more than any loved the ice – it's hard to tell. He spent 1,690 minutes there throughout his career mainly for the brutal fights that he initiated. Among NHL fans in Toronto, he was a living legend. Weighing in at 190 pounds, and standing 5'11" tall, he quickly gained a reputation for his ferocious fighting. They called him Captain Crunch! Whatever he hit, he crunched. As a rookie, he was involved in 23 fights. That was followed by 29 fights later on, making him a veritable pugilist on the ice.

Throughout his illustrious 15-year career in the NHL, he played for several teams. These included the Detroit Red Wings, the Québec Nordiques, Chicago Blackhawks, Tampa Bay Lightning, and the New York Islanders. To many NHL fans, there simply was nobody better than Wendel Clark. He had the talent and the temperament to bring the game alive and get fans on their feet with thunderous applause. As captain, he led his team with distinction. As a fighter, he kicked butt like nobody else.

#3 – NHL Goon Rob Ray

Rob Ray needs no introduction to hockey fans. Here's a guy who often got the better of his opponents simply because he didn't have his equipment latched onto his pants. This made him much more difficult to fight. During his career with the Buffalo Sabres and the Ottawa Senators, he amassed a grand total of 3,207 penalty minutes. That's a whopper! Thanks to him, the NHL Commissioner had to act swiftly to implement the Rob Ray Rule. What's that you ask? Rule #56 ‘fisticuffs’ says simply that players will receive a game misconduct if they participate in a fight and the player’s jersey is not properly tied down, and he loses his jersey.

Rob Ray was such a successful fighter, that he hardly ever lost any of his bouts. All in all, he fought 227 times, and thanks to his clever tactics of not having his sweater fastened to him he was a winner. He played 900 games throughout his career, and he went toe to toe with the best bruises out there. Guys like Tie Domi, Dennis Vial, and Jeff Odgers really respected this dude. He was drafted by the Buffalo Sabres during the 5th round, in the 1988 NHL entry draft, 97th overall. No doubt, that was one of the best decisions the Sabres ever made. The recipient of the King Clancy Memorial Trophy, he was a world-class leader on the ice and off it.

#4 – NHL Goon Dave ‘Tiger’ Williams

Okay, let's back it up for a second! Dave Tiger Williams was an absolute animal on the ice. He was ferocious, powerful, and one of the most skilled brawlers of his time. He played for several teams during his illustrious career, including the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Vancouver Canucks, the Detroit Red Wings, and the Los Angeles Kings. He competed in 5 leagues during his career, and he was a power player in all of them. He was drafted to the Toronto Maple leaves in round 2, and was #31 overall in 1974. Throughout his 14-season career, he knew how to punch out his opponents’ lights. He racked up almost 4000 penalty minutes, but he was also a prolific scorer, particularly with the Vancouver Canucks (1980/1981) where he scored 62 points and 35 goals.

NHL Goons Absolutely Worthy of Mention

Remember folks, the NHL arena is peppered with hard-hitting legends. Whether they acted as straight up in forces, or roughed up their opponents a little more as goons, these guys single-handedly injected adrenaline-loaded action into the game. A couple of guys we absolutely have to throw in here include Marty McSorley, Clark Gillies, George Parros, Tony Granato, Jordin Tootoo, Steve Downie, Matt Cooke, Matthew Barnaby, Ed Hospodar, Don Jackson, and Jay Caufield. You guys truly rock – we love you – now keep a safe distance so that we can enjoy some NHL betting…

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*Image Provided by Associated Press and Mark J. Terrill