Tiger Williams a goon? Maybe but he wasn't a heavyweight. He started a lot of brawls for sure but he didn't take on the other teams tough guy. In Vancouver at that time his linemate Ron Delorme had to step in and take on the tough guy. An underrated fighter on the Canucks of that era was Curt Fraser. He was more valuable on the ice. That was a tough team that went to the finals in 81/82.
Since OP included Matt Cooke, I'm pretty sure being a heavyweight and a good fighter was part of the goon requirement.
Tiger Williams wasn't a heavyweight himself. Not sure why he has to take on guys much bigger and stronger than him to prove himself. Tiger Williams was a good one.
How exactly do you leave Krzysztof Oliwa off this list?
Godard as a Flame had a high of 17 fights in a season, McCarthy, 19, Hunter 22, McGratton 14, Grimson 3.
Oliwa in 03-04 racked up 31 regular season fights which lead the NHL. The guy was the biggest goon in the league, let alone on the team.
Not to mention he lead the league in 97-98 as well as a Devil, with 34 fights.
He get's left of the list because he although he fought a tone, he was a average heavy weight in terms of results. He was effective because he started a lot of crap, which was great, but it's not like he was one of the toughest players in the league in that role IMO.
Since OP included Matt Cooke, I'm pretty sure being a heavyweight and a good fighter was part of the goon requirement.
Tiger Williams wasn't a heavyweight himself. Not sure why he has to take on guys much bigger and stronger than him to prove himself. Tiger Williams was a good one.
Well I wouldn't call Matt Cooke a goon either. Williams was effective at what he did and very competitive. I'm not putting him down but he was more of an agitator than a good fighter. To me a goon has to be a top fighter.
He get's left of the list because he although he fought a tone, he was a average heavy weight in terms of results. He was effective because he started a lot of crap, which was great, but it's not like he was one of the toughest players in the league in that role IMO.
Okay, I didn't realize being a goon meant you had to win every fight you got in, that is what I'd call an Enforcer, a guy who goes out, and only picks fights he can win.
In my books a goon is a guy, who's sole role is to go out, start crap, protect his teammates and give or take a beating.
Oliwa may not have been the best fighter in the league, but he was the best at getting into fights, no matter who his opponent was. That makes him a goon in my books.
Obligatory Probert/Kocur reference. Best goon duo in the history of hockey IMO.
Sparked the memory of the first Don Cherry's Rockem Sockem Hockey video and the Probert vs Coxe fight. I can't post the youtube video from this computer but maybe someone else can. If memory serves it was something like 50 seconds long with 70some punches thrown.
Craig Coxe could easily be on the list in place of Matt Cooke.
I think the Oilers win this one, and let's not forget Messier could goon it up pretty well, too.
I remember a preseason game against the leafs where there was a bench clearing brawl. Messier had a broken wrist and even though he was in a cast he absolutely pummeled some poor player. He was scary.
'73-74 St. Louis Blues. Bob Plager, Barclay Plager, Bob Gassoff, Steve Durbano, J-Bob "Battleship" Kelly.
Ed Snider said because of the Plager brothers and Noel Picard in the late 60's pounding the Flyers is why he vowed the Flyers wouldn't be beat up again and proceeded to get Schultz, Saleski, Dupont, Hound Kelly and others.
I feel like the Leafs have had a lot of bruisers. Domi and Belak were the ones I remember growing up, but they have a couple of useless ones now named Orr and McLaren who are pretty good at punching faces.
