[vincesanity82]

The Top 10 U.S.-Born Fighters in NHL History...

1. Chris Nilan (Born: Feb 9, 1958 - Boston, Massachusetts): He was nicknamed "Knuckles," and he earned it with 3,043 penalty minutes in a career spent mostly with Montreal, taking part in some very memorable brawls. Nilan was one of those guys who was steamed when you'd call him a goon.

2. Nick Fotiu (Born: May 25, 1952 - Staten Island, New York):Old school! David Singer of Hockeyfights.com, in an interview with Hockeybird, had this to say about the former Rangers enforcer:

One of the best Rangers fighters ever, easy. He had a pretty good reputation coming to the Rangers and the Rangers certainly needed a guy like him at the time, they just couldn't compete while being pushed around by the Flyers and the Bruins. When he beat Paul Holmgren and Behn Wilson, a NY legend was made. He lost some fights, sure, but he carried that rep, Fotiu brought intimidation and struck fear into many opponents when the Rangers really needed someone like that. He wasn't a volume fighter, but few were when he played.

3. Donald Brashear (Born: Jan 7, 1972 - Bedford, Indiana):I've read some fight fan criticism of Brash that claims he takes a bit of a buffet approach to hockey brawls -- picking and choosing who and when he'd like to battle rather than taking on all foes. I'll tell you this: He's one of the best players I've every spoken to in articulating why fighting belongs in hockey and the differences between someone like him and a talentless goon.

4. George Parros (Born: Dec 29, 1979 - Washington, Pennsylvania): Coming into his own as one of the NHL's premiere pugilists. But he's so much more than that. I'll let Michael Farber of Sports Illustrated explain:

The most improbable heavyweight in the National Hockey League wears a Boogie Nights mustache, speaks passable Spanish and graduated from Princeton in 2003 with a 3.16 grade point average and a degree in economics. George Parros is not the most famous pugnacious Princetonian -- former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld wrestled there in the early 1950s -- but the university is not exactly a haven for the cap-and-goon set. If throwing punches during hockey games seems an odd way for an Ivy Leaguer to make a living, it is no more bizarre than the careers of classmates whom Parros says are now in "I-banking," investment bankers who put in 15-hour days and sleep in their offices.

5. Shawn Cronin (Born: Aug 20, 1963 - Flushing, Michigan):In three seasons with Winnipeg, he had 703 penalty minutes and one goal. Cronin the Barbarian indeed.

6. Mike Peluso (Born: Nov 08, 1965 - Hibbing, Minnesota):OK, so he cried when the Devils won the Stanley Cup in 1995. You try calling him a wuss, and let me know how that goes. Lost way more than he won, but was a tough customer in a brawl.

7. Andre Roy (Born: Feb 8, 1975 - Port Chester, New York): One of those fighters with a cult of fan support behind him. He has well over 1,000 career penalty minutes. Infamous for earning a 13-game suspension for "leaving the penalty box to join an altercation and physical abuse of an official." Good times.

8. Cam Janssen (Born: Apr 15, 1984 - St. Louis, Missouri): Same deal as Boll: Doesn't have the experience in the NHL, but has an impressive won/loss record. As you'll see going forward, part of the problem with today's fighters is that the NHL mimics professional boxing: The lack of true Probert-level heavyweights in the League today makes rating the newbies a little difficult. In other words, how good is Wladimir Klitschko if there's no Joe Frazier to match up against?

9. Jared Boll (May 13, 1986 - Crystal Lake, Illinois): Not exactly the longest paper trail for the Columbus pugilist yet, but there's no denying the potential. He's second in the NHL in penalty minutes this season. And judging from his birthplace, there's a chance he may have actually attended a Camp Crystal Lake at some point, which is about as hardcore as you can get.

10. Derian Hatcher (Born: Jun 4, 1972 - Sterling Heights, Michigan):He was able to use his size (6-5, 235) and strength in a fight, unleashing some real bombs in a brawl. Check out this tussle with Darren Langdon of the Rangers to see how he handled a fellow heavyweight. Is he a cheap-shot artist? Sure. Did he pick on undersized and weaker opponents? Absolutely ... but is there anything more American than that?

Celebrating the Top 10 U.S.-Born Fighters - FanHouse - AOL Sports Blog

[blueandwhite]

Funny - i don't really have a lot of respect for most of these guys, so i guess I'm not pro fighting.
Brashear and articulating in the same sentence?
And re hatcher:
Is he a cheap-shot artist? Sure. Did he pick on undersized and weaker opponents? Absolutely ... but is there anything more American than that?
That's something to be proud of? Are you speaking tongue in cheek?
If I was American, I'd take more pride in a smooth and supreme player like Modano, or a great net minder like Dipietro, not a cheap shot artist.

[Lefty Noob]

Well, keep in mind those are the words of the blogger, not of vince.

I'm sure it's meant to be tongue-in-cheek, funny. No one really takes pride in cheap-shots and stuff like that.

It's funny, I haven't heard of most of these guys, except Bashear and Hatcher. And I think maybe Cam Janssen.

[blueandwhite]

I get confused about that - i thought that was Vince writing - this often happens to me, where I think the person who is posting is sending out his own opinion/discussion, and when i say something about it, i hear, Oh that wasn't me talking.
It confuses me.
so what is your opinion of this list, Vince? do you have any thoughts on it?

[ThePundit]

The Islanders Garry Howatt was their "Fighter" during their Stanley Cup run. Howatt was a small guy,5'8" but all he did was go out looking for fights and he usually found them.

Here he is:

[blueandwhite]

a true hockey 'stache.

[Seahawker 562]

Wew!!!!!! Parros!

[Phils20]

I've heard of about half of em. Judging by the birthdays, I'd say some are before our time.

Whoever the blogger is, seems all the rage to bash this country these days. Screw em. I read some of the other blogs. This fighting "article" seems to be his best work. And that ain't saying much. Another talentless hack who watches too much Sportscenter, and thinks he is just as "good" as the goons on there that try to be funny.

But, I guess this is what we fight for, so morons that live in this country can say things that @#$% me off. I won't be bookmarking this goon.