The New York Rangers have had plenty of tough guys that have donned the red, white, and blue sweater. New Yorkers certainly have an appreciation for the blue-collar type of players that aren't afraid to mix things up.

Throughout the 97-year history of the New York Rangers franchise, this organization and its fans have seen plenty of toughness, grit, and overall personality, but there are a certain select few players that truly left their mark on the Big Apple.

There is certainly a generational difference when it comes to the term "enforcer" because, in today's NHL, there aren't as many around the league. The way that I would define an enforcer is a player that is always the first to step in when sticking up for a teammate and the guy whose main objective is to get under the opponent's skin. 

There are a ton of names that come to mind when I think about New York Rangers enforcers during my lifetime, but if I had to narrow it down to a top-five list, these are the names that I am going with. 

Before we get into my top five, let's give some honorable mentions: Derek Boogaard, Darius Kasparaitis, Ryan Reaves, Sandy McCarthy, Donald Brashear, Nick Fotiu, Vic Hadfield, Brandon Prust, Brad Park, Ron Greschner, Kris King, Matthew Barnaby, Joey Kocur and last, but not least, Tie Domi. 

5: Dale Purinton 

181 GP, 578 PIMS, and 48 total fights. 

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Dale Purinton may not have had the longest-lasting NHL career, but in the five seasons that he played in the league, he made his presence known. Purinton played in a total of 181 NHL games, all in the Rangers sweater, and he managed to tally a total of 578 penalty minutes. The 6'3 blue liner was an absolute menace and feared nobody. 

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Most of Purinton's fights came against the Philadelphia Flyers as he often challenged their enforcer, who at the time was none other than Donald Brashear, a very tough individual. 

Purinton dealt with concussion issues as his career continued and he has become very outspoken about trying to help other guys that lace up the skates in the NHL. He is extremely passionate about making hockey a safer game for everyone. 

4: Sean Avery

264 GP, 601 PIMS, and 32 total fights. 

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Picking Sean Avery at #4 is most definitely a little biased on my behalf because he was my favorite player growing up. I'm not sure if there was anyone better at pissing off the opposition than Avery. He had a specific aura about him that easily ticked off other players. 

Avery may not have gotten into as many fights as some of the other players in Rangers' history, but some of the antics that he was able to pull off and get away with were truly extraordinary. I mean, the guy had a new rule made up after him, which might be one of the most legendary things that have ever happened in the history of this franchise. 

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When Avery was on the ice, everyone knew it and the crowd would always be on the edge of their seats waiting to see what he would do next. 

3: Darren Langdon

277 GP, 735 PIMS, and 75 total fights.

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Darren Langdon most definitely deserves more respect on this list, especially since he has the most all-time fights in a Rangers uniform with 75. That being said, I didn't have the opportunity to watch much of Langdon during his time in New York because I was too young to remember, but when you think of the Rangers' toughness, he is one of the first names that comes to mind. 

Langdon didn't back down from anyone, which is one of the main reasons why he was able to earn the respect of his teammates and the fans from the very beginning of his NHL career. 

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He fought the toughest of the tough and his teammates always knew that he would have their backs.

2: Colton Orr

224 GP, 522 PIMS, and 58 total fights.

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Colton Orr was far and away THE enforcer of my childhood. He was a Ranger from the years of 2005-2009 which were basically the years where my fandom truly blossomed because I was old enough to comprehend the game. 

Orr was an absolute nail gun and during his time in New York, he established himself as one of the best fighters in the entire National Hockey League. He was a certified heavyweight and he has the second most fights all-time in a Rangers jersey.

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Even though he wasn't a Ranger for such a long stint, Orr was truly the last enforcer that I can think of to wear the Blueshirt. Sure, the Rangers have had other tough guys come in and out of the organization since Orr, but none have been as consistently tough as he was. He took pride in keeping his teammates safe and he rarely did anything cheap. Orr was a fantastic New York Ranger and represented the city as best as he could.

1: Jeff Beukeboom

520 GP, 1,157 PIMS, and 56 total fights. 

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Jeff Beukeboom might have the greatest last name in the history of NHL enforcers. Beukeboom is a legend in New York for many reasons, but the main factor in why fans loved him so much was because of his nastiness and toughness that allowed the other superstars to feel comfortable when he was on the ice, especially their goaltender, Mike Richter. 

Beukeboom was always relied upon to clear the crease for Richter and he was never afraid to sacrifice his body in order to make a bone-crushing hit that would bring the fans at Madison Square Garden to its feet. 

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He has the third-most fights in Rangers history with 56, but he did way more than just fight. Beukeboom was a key member of the 1994 Stanley Cup Champion team and was paired with Brian Leetch for most of his time as a Ranger. Beukeboom's on-ice presence allowed for Leetch to be more creative offensively which made them quite the dynamic duo on the blue line. 

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Beukeboom will always be a legend in New York for everything that he did in his eight years as a Ranger. 

I'm sure everyone's order for the top Rangers enforcers is different, and of course, the perspectives are all different based on generation. 

The Rangers have had so many tough guys come through the organization, leaving strong legacies in the city. The enforcer role has changed a lot over the years and there aren't many left in this era of the NHL.