FridayList: Top 10 NY hockey fighters
There's no real occasion for this list, other than perhaps Forbes magazine's recent, rather inexplicable list of the best fighters for the buck.
For the record, and this may cause some debate amongst our big TFS gang, I think hockey fighting is absolutely a part of the game and should never be banned. So there.
The List goes back to 1972, the birth of the Isles, and is limited to Isles and Rangers.
Let's drop the gloves:
10. Eric Cairns, Rangers, 1996-98; Isles, 1998-2004 -- One of two guys on the list to play and fight for both teams. Now an Isles executive.
9. Matthew Barnaby, Rangers, 2001-04 -- Always an entertaining fighter, as seen here.
Another Ranger enforcer who was an accomplished fighter before he came on board.
8. Nick Fotiu, Rangers, 1976-79, 80-85 -- Maybe the most popular fighter in Rangers history, thanks to growing up on Staten Island and throwing about 50 pucks into the stands after the pregame warmups. Oh, and fighting too.
7. Duane Sutter, Isles, 1979-87 -- Noses out brother Brent for best local fighter in the family.
6. Rich Pilon, Isles, 1988-99; Rangers, 1999-2001 -- Another great fighter and great team guy.
5. Mick Vukota, Isles, 1987-97 -- The Isles' all-time PIM leader(1,879), and a willing fighter. That'll keep you around for a decade.
4. Clark Gillies, Isles, 1974-86 -- Best combination of skill and toughness during his era, as shown here, when he crushes a great, short-lived Rangers tough guy, Ed Hospodar.
3. Jeff Beukeboom, Rangers, 1991-99 -- Always a guy of honor, and he could play too, until Matt Johnson's sucker-punch ended a brilliant career.
2. Tie Domi, Rangers, 1990-93 -- One of the legendary fighters of the NHL, he got his run -- and his long-standing feud with Bob Probert -- started as a Ranger.
1. Garry Howatt, Isles, 1972-83 -- He tops the list because of longevity, because he won two Cups and because, at 5-9, he fought with anyone in the wild, woolly days of the 1970s.
Click the jump for some self-starting video of Howatt beating up Barry Melrose. Enjoy.
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Comments (18)
Gillies should be #1 without a doubt. Not sure where Ken Baumgartner is as he routinely beat up Domi when they fought.
Just shows you how much they guess here about hockey and why they cannot be taken seriously about anything. Either that or Dolan's boys are forcing Rangers on everything.
Gilles would have sent Bukeboom, Domi to another conference out of of fear like Beck and Fotiu who took one look and left town.
* Garry Howatt, Isles, 1972-83 -- He tops the list because of longevity, because he won two Cups and because, at 5-9, he fought with anyone in the wild, woolly days of the 1970s. *
Gillies won four cups and played longer than eleven years and is in the Hall of Fame, did Dolan tell you to write this list with Gillies at four?
Go watch what Gillies did to Hospidar, O'Reilly and Schultz and redo your ranking.
This is a bigger mismatch than Baumgartner vs Bloomberg.
Yep, Gillies Number 1.....No brainer...
Out of deference to old time Ranger fans, I would have put Reggie Fleming somewhere on that list.....but I understand that Old Reg was before The Staple's time.
Expand the list.
Tear down those walls Mr. Staple...
John Brophy from the old LI Ducks is a top three candidate.
Graig Nettles?
(searched in vain on youtube for a clip of him tearing up Bill Lee of the Sawks)
Gillies has to be #1, that is an utter joke that he isn't. For that matter, I'd like to see Nystrom somewhere on this list too. That's ridiculous.
The only saving grace is a video of Barry Melrose getting his face re-arranged.
There is NO ONE on this list that would have beat Gilles in a fight, period. To suggest otherwise is foolish.
I clicked on this blog because I was interested in the nine selections after #1 Clark Gillies.
This list is definitely made up by non-hockey fans!
Also, I am an Islanders fan and I cannot believe that Joey Kocur is not on this list from the Rangers, He was way more lethal than Beukoboom
Newsday has and always will be Islander centered (for however long they're here). Your so used to Logan's 'impartial' pandering journalism most of you can't take seeing more than 1 Ranger on this list. Your sorry franchise exists because of the Rangers and is on the verge of extinction cause of such a loyal fanbase. When/if the team moves you'll blame Wang, Town of Hemstead, Mike Millburry and everyone but yourselves. Your announced attendance numbers are last in the league and anyone who goes to the games, most of those numbers are 30% (at least) overstated. By next summer if that Lighthouse Project, which is becoming a myth more than anything else, doesn't show any progress the league will put pressure on ownership to sell and/or relocate. Until then keep your inferiority complex and keep using those ticket specials where you get 4 tickets, meals, hats, dave & buster cards, picture with the ice girls and the right to call a line change. Those deals are working out great!
Wow! This is the dumbest debate ever. Good job, stapes!
Eric carins should be 1 he is a beast
Huh....Chris Botta just referred to Baumbach and Rieber as "punks" in his blog...
That oughtta light a firecracker around here.
Coming next Friday....Top 10 Insults Hurled at The Final Score.
(why limit it to 10?)
In his book Dave Schultz said he the only time he was afraid of getting hurt in a fight was the time Clark Gillies beat him up.
Any other Questions?
How the hell can Rich Pilon be on that list??????
and I think I could take Cairns in a fight.
Joey Kocur should be #1 on that list.
Gillies is far and away #1 here and its not even close. I cringe every time I think about Eddie Hospodar. Poor guy is still eating through a straw.
Why no love for Chris Nilan?
1.Clark Gillies
2.Joey Kocur
3.Ken Baumgartner
4.Tie Domi
5.Bobby Nystrom
6.Chris Simon(Both teams)
7.Chris Nilan
Just my take
No Kocur, one of the all time greats of the NHL let alone NY? Chris Simon? McCarthy? Orr?
"5. Mick Vukota, Isles, 1987-97 -- The Isles' all-time PIM leader(1,879), and a willing fighter. That'll keep you around for a decade."
Mick could throw down but he missed. A lot. Everything ended in a tie.
Bobby Nystrom needs to be on the list.
But the best fighter that I've seen here was Ken Baumgartner. He of the Harvard MBA. When I shook his hands - he had the strongest grip I've ever felt. It wasn't a 'cool' handshake like the one Glauber got from Magic. I also met Mick and he was big and strong - but not the same intense strength that I got from Kenny.
He's circling and circling. He's got the bombsights set on someone....