Fighting for Fame: The Top NHL Enforcers of All Time

At a Glance

• Vintage Hockey Series Recap
• The Top Ten
• The Outlier: Tie Domi

Vintage Hockey Series Recap

This is the sixth and final week in our newsletter series on Vintage Hockey: 108 Years of NHL & Hockey Analytics, where we explore how the game of hockey (and the way in which we measure it) has changed.

The first five weeks in the series can be found below:

• Week 1: From Chalkboards to AI: 108 Years of NHL Hockey
• Week 2: 108 Years of Goals, Goons & Goalies
• Week 3: A Tale of Two Eras: Gretzky vs McDavid
• Week 4: The NHL's Secret Weapon: Enforcers Who Score
• Week 5: Four Legends, Four Eras: How Goaltending Transformed across Eras

If you missed last week's newsletter and are shy on time, you can catch up with our quick-hit video below.

For our sixth and final week, we're going all out brawler. This week, we'll first explore the top ten all-time tough guys and then get down to the toughest of them all!

The Top Ten

While some may disagree, we still believe that fighting is a part of the sport of hockey. This was especially true in the Great One era (the 80s and 90s), when the league hosted the veritable who's who of enforcers. Here, protecting high-value players using enforcers was a key strategy.

To better understand the enforcer landscape, we created two Top Ten lists:

• The first represents the toughest teams (measured by PIM)
• The second represents the toughest players (measured by PIM, Average PIM per Game and Fights)

We created these lists factoring in all 108 years of NHL history. We used the previously collected player data and then also supplemented this with our own research.

Top Ten Teams

Penalty minutes aren’t just a measure of “bad” behavior on the ice – they’re a testament to the rivalries, personalities, and strategies that have made hockey thrilling and unpredictable. For the fans who love a good fight or old-school physicality, these teams will always be remembered as the rough-and-tumble legends of the NHL. Across the full NHL history, here's a view of the top ten teams with the most Penalty Minutes (PIM).

Atop this list are the Toronto Maple Leafs with a whopping 95,571 penalty minutes. The Leafs have been around since the NHL’s earliest days, so it’s no surprise they top the list with over a century of hard-hitting hockey. Known for their tough and physical play, especially in the original six era, Toronto has had iconic enforcers like Tie Domi, Wendel Clark, and Tiger Williams, who racked up penalty minutes at a legendary pace.

Top Ten Enforcers

The top ten players with the highest penalty minutes (PIM) in NHL history reflect a specific legacy of grit, physicality, and a willingness to drop the gloves for their teams. These players, often labeled as enforcers, patrolled the ice with a combination of aggression and intimidation, racking up PIM totals that might never be seen again in today’s game.

These players were not only the “worst offenders” for penalty minutes but also integral figures in NHL history, embodying the role of enforcers who were willing to protect their teammates at any cost. Further, the sheer amount of penalty minute totals serve as reminders of a bygone era where fighting and brute force were central to the game’s identity. Today, these players are celebrated as legends who made the sport thrilling and unforgettable with their bold, aggressive play.

If we add the dimension of fights into the mix (Total Fights on the Y axis and Total PIM on the X axis), two players stand out from the rest: Tie Domi and Tiger Williams.

And while Tiger Williams rings the bell for highest all-time PIM, Domi has more Fights within a smaller total number of PIM. Further, when we evaluate Williams versus Domi on Average PIM per Game, Domi comes out higher again – perhaps attributed to fighting majors during the games.

Thus, based on a high number of Total PIM and Fights and a higher number of Average PIM per Game, Tie Domi is our pick for all-time enforcer.

Check out our quick-hit YouTube video below.

The Outlier: Tie Domi

So, you've seen his stats. But if you didn't grow up in the Great One era, you may not have known Tie Domi. In fact, you'll likely be more familiar with his son: Max Domi (who currently plays for the Leafs).

Tie Domi was more than just an enforcer; he was one of the NHL’s best fighters. Over his career, he logged an incredible 333 fights, including legendary matchups with some of the league's toughest players. His fights were not only numerous but skillfully executed; Domi’s unique fighting style relied on stamina, a low center of gravity, and his ability to throw punches while avoiding serious injury. His small but muscular frame allowed him to take on – and often defeat – players much larger than himself.

One of Domi’s most famous fights was against Bob Probert, the Detroit Red Wings’ legendary enforcer. Their fights were some of the most anticipated bouts in hockey, and Domi’s willingness to go toe-to-toe with Probert, even getting the better of him at times, elevated his reputation around the league. Domi’s rivalry with Probert, as well as fights with other notable enforcers like Donald Brashear and Rob Ray, solidified his status as one of the toughest players in the NHL.

Tie Domi retired with 4,127 penalty minutes, one of the highest in NHL history. But Domi’s legacy goes beyond the penalty box. He was an enforcer who transcended his role, becoming a beloved player and a key part of his teams’ identity. Domi protected his teammates, rallied fans, and brought energy to every rink he played in. His loyalty to the Toronto Maple Leafs and his fierce dedication to his role endeared him to fans and earned him respect around the league.

Learn more about Tie Domi in this great interview by Spittin' Chiclets.

Summary

This was the sixth and final newsletter in our Vintage NHL Hockey series, where we explore 108 years of hockey history – both the game and the way in which it was measured.

In this week's newsletter, we explored the top enforcers in the history of the NHL. We found the top ten teams, top ten enforcers and then distilled this down to the all-time, top enforcer in the 108 years of the NHL: Tie Domi. To do that, we filtered for the top players with the highest Penalties in Minutes (PIM) in the player dataset.

Subscribe to our newsletter to get the latest and greatest content on all things hockey analytics!