Locked out "tough guys"....

[MDE3 0]

Gordie Howe....didn't fight often....most declined....probably the strongest guy pound for pound in the NHL in his day. Had at least one, if not two, one punch knockouts against the reigning tough guys. He was never really known as a fighter....when he skated over to confront, most knew better than to take him up on the offer.

If you had "crossed the line" then you knew the elbow was coming sometime anyway. He did more damage with less apparent effort than any player I have ever seen. That's why he got caught so seldom relative to the number of occasions he deserved to.

Funny enough, I came across a documentary on Maurice Richard and was surprised to find out how bad his temper was, along with how strong he was. Now I am not comparing him to the guys being talked about, but if the Rocket got one punch off, he usually knocked guys out with it. Not just down, but out.

I must admit, I envisioned him as not that type of player at all.

It was a different NHL back then. If you played, you fought. When you were a rookie that was how you were welcomed into the league. You earned your respect on the ice.

What you say is true, but there were alot less fights then, the ones you saw were more memorable, and it was usually because of some personal beef between two players, not some "enforcer" protecting someone else...There were only a couple of guys who might have been considered "enforcers" back then, not really very many....that's because most players fought for themselves...when a fight did happen.

In those years, nobody really needed to "protect" the superstars...they were generally the toughest, strongest players in the league.

[chippa13 1844]

Actually, there were more fights back then, not less. There were a couple of reasons, first, everyone had to be able to fight so anyone could end up in a scrap, and second, rivalries were a lot more heated with only a few teams in the league.

[ponty 0]

It seems to be turning into a thread of top / favorite fighters. Ok ... Ill bite.

Link Gaetz "The Missing Link"

Stan Jonathan

Terry O'Reily

Jay Miller / Chris Nillan - best fights ever!!! On arm on each others shoulder and the other just pounding. No defense by either at all!

[chippa13 1844]

Ponty, you left out the guy in your avatar. I used to love watching when Neely had enough of someone and just went to town. To be honest, I wish they'd fix the instigator rule because I think Big Joe could do the same thing if he was set free.

[ponty 0]

In his prime, mid 20's, Neely was the second nastiest fighter I have ever seen. You could see fear in the other guys eyes. Nastiest fighter ever was Jonathan. The guy was around 5' 6" and just nuts. No fear at all.

FYI my old manager use to play Juniors and knows Lyndon Byers. He has also had lunch with Neely a few times as well.

I am still trying to get in on one of those lunch meetings.

[chippa13 1844]

LB's a cool guy. Kind of funny story from his playing days. One of my brother's friends was a huge fan of Byers. So one night my brother is out at like 2 in the morning and runs into Byers at a Boston bar. He tells LB about how big a fan his buddy is and LB calls the kid at home right then and there. My brother's buddy thought it was a joke at first and quizzed LB on some stuff to prove it was him.

[ponty 0]

My manager tells me he grew up with LB. They are childhood friends. I thought that was pretty darn cool myself.

[chippa13 1844]

I get my fill of him now that he's on AAF. When I finally do my basement over I'm planning on getting him to sign a stick. During a charity auction I bought one signed by Jay Miller and I figured LB would be a nice crossover stick.

[Chadd 916]

Ponty, you left out the guy in your avatar. I used to love watching when Neely had enough of someone and just went to town. To be honest, I wish they'd fix the instigator rule because I think Big Joe could do the same thing if he was set free.

If they get rid of the instigator rule, teams will have the one designated enforcer go pummel whoever they want. Teams were starting to do that before the instigator was enacted. Most of the skill guys don't want to fight their own battles anymore.

[chippa13 1844]

Ponty, you left out the guy in your avatar.  I used to love watching when Neely had enough of someone and just went to town.  To be honest, I wish they'd fix the instigator rule because I think Big Joe could do the same thing if he was set free.

If they get rid of the instigator rule, teams will have the one designated enforcer go pummel whoever they want. Teams were starting to do that before the instigator was enacted. Most of the skill guys don't want to fight their own battles anymore.

I didn't say to get rid of the instigator penalty, but it should be modified. There are times where it gets called where a fight really is a heat of the moment situation, ie. when someone runs a teammate pretty good and another steps in to give a little what for. I don't think those kind of fights should have an instigator penalty. Likewise, if someone like Thornton takes a dirty hit and decides to exact a little payback by way of an asskicking right after the hit, that shouldn't be considered instigating either.

Now, for the type of situation where a goon is just grabbing a star to get him off the ice, that is a prime example where instigating should be called. That is actually one of the reasons the rule was created in the first place. A goon would grab a star and start swinging. Sooner or later the star would fight back and, viola, matching fighting majors.

[ryno 0]

Ponty, you left out the guy in your avatar.  I used to love watching when Neely had enough of someone and just went to town.  To be honest, I wish they'd fix the instigator rule because I think Big Joe could do the same thing if he was set free.

If they get rid of the instigator rule, teams will have the one designated enforcer go pummel whoever they want. Teams were starting to do that before the instigator was enacted. Most of the skill guys don't want to fight their own battles anymore.

I agree, as much as I don't like the instigator rule preventing the tough guys from doing their job it needs to be there. As far as skilled players not fighting their own battles, if I'm the coach I sure don't want my 40 goal scorer out there trading punches and potentially breaking his hand on somebodys helmet.

[enukis 0]

Terry O'Reily

isnt terry oreilly the guy that climbed into the stands and started beating fans with their own shoes?

i cant remember for sure but that was an unbelievable scene.

[JR Boucicaut 3797]

Milbury is the one who used the shoe...O'Reilly was one of the guys who jumped in the stands...

[ponty 0]

Terry O'Reily

isnt terry oreilly the guy that climbed into the stands and started beating fans with their own shoes?

i cant remember for sure but that was an unbelievable scene.

Nope. Mike Milbury.

O'Reily was the guy that would draw his opponent close then swing kick his right leg to knock the guy on his ass.

[2048 0]

Ponty, you left out the guy in your avatar. I used to love watching when Neely had enough of someone and just went to town. To be honest, I wish they'd fix the instigator rule because I think Big Joe could do the same thing if he was set free.

I dunno....last time Big Joe was set free he got his face broken.

[Eazy_b97 1]

In Joe's defense, Lindros is a machine and has always beena very good fighter.

[Chadd 916]

Ponty, you left out the guy in your avatar.  I used to love watching when Neely had enough of someone and just went to town.  To be honest, I wish they'd fix the instigator rule because I think Big Joe could do the same thing if he was set free.

If they get rid of the instigator rule, teams will have the one designated enforcer go pummel whoever they want. Teams were starting to do that before the instigator was enacted. Most of the skill guys don't want to fight their own battles anymore.

I agree, as much as I don't like the instigator rule preventing the tough guys from doing their job it needs to be there. As far as skilled players not fighting their own battles, if I'm the coach I sure don't want my 40 goal scorer out there trading punches and potentially breaking his hand on somebodys helmet.

I don't know, the Iggy - Guerin fight last year was a nice throwback to the old days.

[A_Steeves12 0]

Iggy has to be one of the best if not best really skilled player that can really throw'em.

[Adam91 0]

ya I agree its funny seeing skilled players trying to fight. The funniest fight I ve ever seen was Gretzky vs. Neal Broten.

[mik3 1]

In Joe's defense, Lindros is a machine and has always beena very good fighter.

That actually was a decent fight till joe started just swinging and let lindros' get a free arm. One good shot, then the second one on the way down that broke his cheek.

[Sniper#39 0]

Probert, Grimson and Domi?

Grimson??

I watched Dave Brown mash his cheeks into pulp once when he played for the Flames - was just an ugly beating.

He was just SCARY!

Nice guy away from the ice though....

[Chadd 916]

Probert, Grimson and Domi?

Grimson??

I watched Dave Brown mash his cheeks into pulp once when he played for the Flames - was just an ugly beating.

He was just SCARY!

Nice guy away from the ice though....

Not many guys were willing to face Grimson at the height of his career. Domi and Probie could actually use their hands for something other than boxing though.

[Sniper#39 0]

Dave "Charlie" Manson was fun to watch go postal in his prime too....

[Cunndies 0]

Terry O'Reily

isnt terry oreilly the guy that climbed into the stands and started beating fans with their own shoes?

i cant remember for sure but that was an unbelievable scene.

Nope. Mike Milbury.

O'Reily was the guy that would draw his opponent close then swing kick his right leg to knock the guy on his ass.

Actually, O'Reilly did charge into the stands, at Madison Square Garden if I recall correctly. A guy from the stands grabbed his stick, so he climbed over the glass and went for him, and the rest of the Bruins followed him....

[JR Boucicaut 3797]

Yes, I said O'Reilly was one of the guys. However, Milbury was the one who inflicted the shoe-beating. I met the victim's brother once.