If the Hockey Hall of Fame was to let in a goon, who would be the most deserving candidate?

[Required Fields]

I think the HHOF have honored players in pretty much every role except for goons/enforcers.

I think it would be awesome if they were to give a goon or two his due.

Which one would you put in the Hall of Fame if you had to put one in? Bob Probert? Tiger Williams? Marty McSorley? Or someone else entirely?

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[Neutrinos]

I know who gets my vote for the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame...

 

[MXD]

Zdeno Chara, Emile Bouchard, and sortof goons who could enforce at times like Serge Savard and Brandon Shanahan.

 

[Dog]

I'm not sure what would determine enforcer to get in? Actually able to put up points and penalty minutes? Probably would not want player in who caused major damage to another player(s) careers.

 

[JackSlater]

John Ferguson probably.

 

[Finster8]

Absolutely a no brainer, “Bob Probert” with his demons and charges would be hard to sell

 

[seventieslord]

Define "goon". A guy who wouldn't be in the NHL if he couldn't fight? Or a guy who can fight guys like that, but can also play?

Anyway, names that come to mind immediately as famous "goons" are Bob Probert, John Ferguson, & Marty McSorley. 2nd tier of fame would be guys like Chris Nilan, Dave Brown, Dave Schultz, Tiger Williams and Dave Manson.

 

[SoupNazi]

I think the HHOF have honored players in pretty much every role except for goons/enforcers.

I think it would be awesome if they were to give a goon or two his due.

Which one would you put in the Hall of Fame if you had to put one in? Bob Probert? Tiger Williams? Marty McSorley? Or someone else entirely?

John Scott for sure.

He went to an ASG, after all.

 

[MadLuke]

Goon tend to have in its definition not nhl level good at hockey that would not play if he could not fight, 4th line at best, we use other words for the Chara, Goring, etc....

Simon, Bropert could still score goals with an very elite center too and were so good at fighting and did it so much that that blur the line.

Maybe the money would be to look for outside the ice storyline, tragic death, etc.. Gino Odjick is the first one that come to mind. After future thought, maybe I will take Probert with even a worst line, if there would be one he would be Probert after an heavy Yzerman-Bowman campaigning for it or something like that, the year after some collective trial regarding CTE putting old enforcer in the press a whole year.

 

[Michael Farkas]

Bob Probert was the first name that came to mind. I don't consider Chara a goon. More than anything, it's probably confirmation bias, but I just have a mental image of Chara always pulling Brian Gionta out of piles...not exactly a tough target.

 

[vadim sharifijanov]

hmm, who was the most impactful? as in, which goon through intimidation or just beating the hell out of ppl was the biggest difference between winning and losing?

i don’t know the answer to that question. might it have been dave schultz? or was he more just gilding the lily?

but probert was the lindros of fighters: so talented, seemingly invincible, unforgettable when you watched him, but you couldn’t count on him always being available and sometimes he was his own worst enemy

joey kocur was crosby maybe? technically excellent, workmanlike and no nonsense, won three cups

i think if we induct a goon just for pure fighting ability it’s probably one of those two. kocur is the best fighter ever, imo.

 

[carjackmalone]

Dale Hunter and his 1000 points

 

[Leafshater67]

Probert. Undisputed best enforcer of all time but was good enough to play in the all star game on merit. He had 21 pts in 16 playoff games of his 29 goal season in ‘88.

 

[VaporTrail]

Probert

 

[JianYang]

John furgeson and Bob probert come to mind right away.

Furgeson was considered an excellent protector, yet would also often finish top 5 in team scoring despite spending much more time in the penalty box than the other leaders.

An important peice to the 5 Stanley cup winning teams in his 8 year career.

 

[Johnny Engine]

joey kocur was crosby maybe? technically excellent, workmanlike and no nonsense, won three cups

i think if we induct a goon just for pure fighting ability it’s probably one of those two. kocur is the best fighter ever, imimo.

I also wonder if Kocur wasn't the exact goldilocks skill level for a goon - can improve any 4th line you can put him on, but you wouldn't miss him at all if he takes five and a misconduct and is off the ice for most of a period.

 

[daver]

Ogiltorp?

 

[Caps8112]

While it would be a good thing to honor the players that put everything on the line like that and suffered the consequences and ended up with horrible after career effects. Can you imagine the outrage of someone like Tom Wilson got in?
The highlight videos shown at the ceremony would be more then todays world could handle.

 

[BigBadBruins7708]

If you're looking for the best at being a goon? probably Probert

If you're looking for the goon who was the best at hockey? Terry O'Reilly

 

[BadgerBruce]

If you're looking for the best at being a goon? probably Probert

If you're looking for the goon who was the best at hockey? Terry O'Reilly

Or, if you’re looking for pretty much the craziest dude on and off the ice, go with Steve Durbano.

 

[carjackmalone]

John furgeson and Bob probert come to mind right away.

Furgeson was considered an excellent protector, yet would also often finish top 5 in team scoring despite spending much more time in the penalty box than the other leaders.

An important peice to the 5 Stanley cup winning teams in his 8 year career.

Ferguson in the builder category

If you're looking for the best at being a goon? probably Probert

If you're looking for the goon who was the best at hockey? Terry O'Reilly

Al Secordcwas better

 

[Dennis Bonvie]

Define "goon". A guy who wouldn't be in the NHL if he couldn't fight? Or a guy who can fight guys like that, but can also play?

Anyway, names that come to mind immediately as famous "goons" are Bob Probert, John Ferguson, & Marty McSorley. 2nd tier of fame would be guys like Chris Nilan, Dave Brown, Dave Schultz, Tiger Williams and Dave Manson.

Clarke Gilles is already in the HHOF.

 

[Michael Farkas]

Clarke Gilles is already in the HHOF.

I was wondering if someone was gonna make this comment, like...if he crossed the threshold for the thread. I've been watching a lot of that Islanders team the last couple weeks because of the goalie project, that's a tough guy to play against...

Every time I see him ring someone up, I'm reminded of the scene in Slapshot where the dude in the green jersey goes, "If anybody throws me against the boards, I'm gonna piss all over myself" - I just feel like everyone else is that guy when Gillies is out there haha

 

[sr edler]

Isn't there a clear distinction between goon and enforcer? Goon I think of someone like Trevor Gillies or Link Gaetz, whereas an enforcer is supposed to be more involved in actual hockey related things.

 

[Golden_Jet]

Bob Probert was the first name that came to mind. I don't consider Chara a goon. More than anything, it's probably confirmation bias, but I just have a mental image of Chara always pulling Brian Gionta out of piles...not exactly a tough target.

My image if Chara, is ragdolling McCabe.