With the NHL playoffs in full swing, hockey’s best can be seen showcasing their talents in highly charged games where tempers flare and fists fly. While some players use their speed, agility, and quickness to their advantage, others use their strength, size and power. It is this latter group that often sets the game’s tone – delivering some devastating hits that knock out more than just a few teeth.
As with most contact sports there’s always the enforcers who make their presence known with a not so warm welcome to the body and/or head. This holds especially true in the NHL, where those with no fear use their big, imposing bodies as projectiles to slam into their opponents. Anyone sharing the rink with these skating menaces are fully aware that their health is always in jeopardy.
Over the years, there have been plenty of enforcers on the ice who slammed their share of guys into the boards and out of the game. Here’s our top 5 of the hardest hitting NHL players of all time:
5. Cam Neely
One of the most feared players in the game, Cam Neely was just as comfortable delivering a bone-crunching, bodycheck as scoring a goal. Never taking kindly to those opposing players who got in his way, Neely’s mission was to basically steamroll anyone who crossed his path. It was that mentality that led to 395 goals in just 726 regular-season games. It was also that mentality that landed him in the penalty box more often than the Hansen brothers. “If there’s a straight line to the net, that’s what he took,” said Boston Bruins General Manager Peter Chiarelli. “Whether there’s a player he had to punch his lights out to get there, in his way, he would do it.”
4. Alex Ovechkin
Just like Neely, Ovechkin has shown he’ll do whatever it takes to put the puck in the net. With mad skate and stick skills, he scored 301 goals in his first six seasons with the Washington Capitals. But unlike most top scorers who prefer to stray from contact, Ovechkin appears to seek it, showing no hesitancy to launch his frame into a defenseman at full speed. While his scoring goes up so does his hit count, and the youtube clicks of his lethal bodychecks. Check out the one below.
3. Dion Phaneuf
If Dion Phaneuf is on the ice you can be sure someone is going to be laid out at some point during the game. What he may have lacked in offensive abilities early in his career, he made up for with a highlight reel of crushing bodychecks that leveled opponents. Establishing himself as an intimidating force, Phaneuf’s hard hits have done some serious damage to the psyche and body of those wearing a different uniform. In one memorable sequence, Phaneuf took out two opposing players virtually at the same time in what will forever been known as the double Phaneuf.
2. Rob Blake
Like The Beatles and Michael Jackson, Rob Blake kept putting out the hits throughout his long career. Only his hits left others bloody, wobbly, and wondering what the hell just smacked into them. While Blake used his strength and toughness to run down and over the competition, it was his “big ass” – his adversaries would say – that gave him the edge when slamming a player into the boards. No doubt, Blake was among the best butt-checkers in the league, and he wasn’t shy about using it.
1. Scott Stevens
Check out any list of hockey’s hardest hitters and you’ll likely find Stevens taking the top spot – and for good reason – he was a one-man wrecking crew on skates. Fittingly nicknamed “Captain Crunch,” few players, if any, hit harder and left more carnage in their wake. With a bounty of bodychecks, Stevens could change the momentum of a game with a devastating check. “Hitting is part of the game,” Stevens said. “That’s the bottom line. I get hit and I’m going to give a hit.” He just did it better and harder than everyone else.
I'm an avid hockey enthusiast with a deep understanding of the NHL and its players, particularly those who have made a mark as hard-hitting enforcers. My knowledge extends to the history of the sport, the tactics employed by players, and the impact of physical play on the game. Let me provide insights into the concepts mentioned in the article about the hardest-hitting NHL players of all time.
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Enforcers in the NHL: Enforcers are players known for their physicality and ability to intimidate opponents through hard hits and fights. In the context of the NHL, these players serve as protectors of their teammates and aim to establish a physical presence on the ice.
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Physicality in Hockey: The article emphasizes the physical nature of hockey, where players utilize their strength, size, and power to gain an advantage. Physical play involves bodychecking, a legal but forceful collision with an opponent to gain control of the puck or disrupt their offensive play.
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Impact of Hits on the Game: The article suggests that hard hits can set the tone of a game and influence its momentum. Enforcers use their physical prowess not only to score goals but also to deliver bone-crushing hits that can affect the psyche of opponents and potentially alter the course of a match.
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Top 5 Hardest-Hitting NHL Players:
- Scott Stevens (Rank 1): Known as "Captain Crunch," Stevens is highlighted as a one-man wrecking crew on skates, renowned for his devastating bodychecks that could change the momentum of a game.
- Rob Blake (Rank 2): Described as a player who consistently delivered hard hits throughout his career, Blake's strength and toughness, particularly his effective use of his "big ass," set him apart as one of the best at bodychecking.
- Dion Phaneuf (Rank 3): Phaneuf is noted for his intimidating presence and a highlight reel of crushing bodychecks that have left opponents reeling. The article mentions a memorable sequence known as the "double Phaneuf."
- Alex Ovechkin (Rank 4): Despite being a top scorer with impressive skate and stick skills, Ovechkin is recognized for his willingness to engage in physical play, launching his frame into opponents with no hesitancy.
- Cam Neely (Rank 5): Described as one of the most feared players in the game, Neely was comfortable both delivering bone-crunching bodychecks and scoring goals, establishing his presence as a formidable force on the ice.
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Different Styles of Play: The article contrasts the playing styles of hard-hitting enforcers with those who rely on speed, agility, and finesse. It suggests that the former group, including the mentioned players, often dictates the physicality of the game.
In summary, the article explores the physical aspect of hockey, highlighting five players who have earned a reputation as the hardest hitters in NHL history, each contributing to the game in their unique and impactful way.
