It can begin from a series of hard hits or from talking trash with an opponent. Once the crowd sees it happen, the building becomes electric. Players have made their entire careers playing the role of enforcer. It can be the signal that can give a team life and turn a game around.
That’s because everyone knows that when the gloves come off, it means its fight time.
A time-honored hockey tradition, fighting is a rarity in sports. Hockey is one of the few athletic events where pummeling your opponent is actually a vital aspect of the game.
The Bruins have their fair share of capable fighters and Milan Lucic is one of them. He’s so tough that his peers voted him the toughest player in the NHL last month. Lucic has received five fighting majors this season, so he’s no stranger to mixing it up.
Of course, Lucic’s five fighting majors are nothing compared to the whopping 18 that Shawn Thornton has accumulated this season, which is tied for first in the NHL. Thornton has earned a fighting major in more than a quarter of the Bruins’ games this season, and is always ready to throw down, even if it’s six-on-one against the Canucks.
While Thornton has the love of fighting, he does not have the intimidating physical attributes of Zdeno Chara. The Bruins captain is a daunting figure at 6′-foot-9, weighing around 260 pounds, and that’s when he isn’t on skates. The tallest player in NHL history is one that players might try to avoid when looking to rumble.
Adam McQuaid is another Bruins player who has the tendency to bruise up his opponent. The defenseman has had six fighting majors this season, which is actually down from the 12 he had last year. Don’t let that fool you, McQuaid is still as tough as they come. Plus, no one wants to fight a guy who rocks a mullet.
Gregory Campbell might not have a flashy mullet or Thornton’s profile, but he can fight with the best of them. With seven fighting majors this season, Campbell is second on the team behind Thornton. Campbell is yet another Bruin who knows how to stick em’ up when necessary.
The Bruins are only behind the New York Rangers in fighting majors this season with 52. With a reputation as one of the toughest teams in the NHL, a Bruin is one guy that you don’t want to mess with.
Which Bruins player would you least want to drop the gloves with?
