Enforcers Week: Counting Down the Top 5 Calgary Flames Enforcers

The arrival of the Calgary Flames in 1980 created the NHL’s Battle of Alberta, and as much as it evolved into the Flames and Oilers being the league’s top clubs, it also created memorable and nasty games on the ice. Ever since, the Flames have had their share of enforcers/policemen/goons (whatever you want to call them) in part to combat Edmonton’s often ultra-skilled squads. Those tough guys have become a huge part of Flames lore.

1. Tim Hunter

545GP 2405 PIMS 166 fights (with the Flames)

The Battle of Alberta’s heyday of the mid-1980s featured a seemingly endless stream of scraps, often escalating to all out brawls. While the Flames had plenty of players willing to drop the mitts in those days — Joel Otto, Jim Peplinski, Doug Risebrough, Paul Baxter, Neil Sheehy, Nick Fotiu, just to name a few — Hunter stands out as Calgary’s top sheriff, often tasked to go up against the likes of Dave Semenko, Don Jackson and Marty McSorley when things became intense. He also had celebrated fights with Chris Nilan and John Kordic in Stanley Cup Final showdowns. Over the decade he spent skating in his hometown, Hunter earned his status as a fan favorite.

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zdv0ASTu78g[/embed]

2. Sandy McCarthy

276GP 730 PIMS 68 fights (with the Flames)

In the mid to late 1990s, fighting was starting to wane in the NHL, but nearly every team had on-hand a nuclear deterrent who would drop the gloves with their counterpart on the other side. The Flames had truly one of the best in McCarthy during his nearly five full seasons in Calgary. McCarthy was drafted in the third round in 1991, and had made a name for himself in his rookie season of 1993-94 with 19 fights. Over his career, McCarthy took on all the big names of his era, and more often than not came away with the decision.

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZyKNeQxELus[/embed]

3. Brian McGrattan

137GP 239 PIMS 28 fights (with the Flames)

The Flames have had their share of ultra-enforcers who enjoyed short stints in Calgary — Chris Simon, Eric Godard, Craig Berube and Krzysztof Oliwa come to mind — but we’ll tap on McGrattan’s shoulder among those players. McGrattan, who scored all of 10 goals in his 317 NHL games, was indeed the league’s most-feared heavyweight during his career at the tail end of the enforcer era. His time in Calgary, parts of four seasons over two stints, was highlighted by the 2013-14 campaign in which had 11 fights and scored four goals. Perhaps his biggest victory came off the ice in overcoming his own addiction issues and then helping others such as Jordin Tootoo and Micheal Ferland on a path to sobriety.

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFpQBwx0J4Y[/embed]

4. Jarome Iginla

1219GP 831PIMS 59 fights (with the Flames)

During his hall of fame career, Iginla became the Flames’ all-time leader in games played, goals (525), points (1,905) and a litany of other categories. He also was a true power forward, whose fighting ability was not always front and center but very often game-changing. Who can forget him squaring off at key moments during his team’s march to the 2004 Stanley Cup Final? The Flames have had others of that ilk — Gary Roberts and Willi Plett, for example — but the fact Iginla was unquestionably the team’s best player, and for a few seasons, the league’s best player, makes his pugilistic abilities all the more noteworthy. Curiously enough, Flames GM Craig Conroy fought Iginla early in the 2000-01 season before they became teammates and best of friends.

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NDChBR5_LKo[/embed]

5. Jim Peplinski

711GP 1467PIMS 103 fights (with the Flames)

There were others, but Peplinski was the main man running shotgun with Hunter through most of the 1980s, and it was fitting they together helped raise the Stanley Cup when the Flames finally won a title in 1989 after so many years spent in the Oilers’ shadow. On the list of his opponents are Mark Messier, Chris Nilan, Dave Brown and Rick Tocchet. Although he can’t be put in the same category as Iginla and Roberts, Peplinski had plenty of skill, too. He netted 30 goals in his second NHL season and reached the 20-goal mark on two other occasions. Worth noting is that Peplinski dropped the gloves 16 times during the playoffs.