Fans outside of Columbus called him an agitator or a pest, fans inside of Columbus called him gritty.Fans outside of Columbus called him an agitator or a pest, fans inside of Columbus called him gritty.
Brandon Dubinsky was not a typical enforcer; in fact, many will say he wasn’t an enforcer at all. What he was, however, was fiercely loyal to his teammates and would not hesitate to have their backs.
Brandon Dubinsky – 430GP | 448 PIM | 18 Fights (with CBJ)
Dubinsky fought a total of 18 times during his CBJ career that spanned seven seasons. He never once had a season while in Columbus where he eclipsed the 100 PIM mark, however. With his 18 fights, he sits 9th all-time on the Columbus list for fights.
Dubinsky seemed to love fighting the Philadelphia Flyers, as he fought the Flyers nine times over his career. The second closest team is the New Jersey Devils(5) and then the Pittsburgh Penguins(4). His most common rival was Mike Richards, fighting his five times over the years. Only two other players, Gregory Campbell and David Clarkson, he fought more than once, fighting both of them twice.
Dubinsky fought some heavy hitters like Radko Gudas, Andrew Ladd, and Alex Ovechkin, but in the eyes of Columbus Blue Jacket fans, one fight sticks out more than others. In February 2015, he would go toe to toe with Sidney Crosby. Had the game been at Nationwide Arena, the roof would’ve come crashing down. Both guys threw some haymakers, and both landed a few, it was a good tussle.
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8bDUGRaV0cs title=[/embed]
Unfortunately, Dubinsky would suffer a nasty injury due to fighting. He received a fractured orbital bone during a fight with Zack Kassian of the Edmonton Oilers in 2017.
Brandon Dubinsky was a good player in his days, and a capable fighter to go with it. Teams knew that if you picked on rookies, or took a run at his goalie, you'd have to deal with him.