The Hockey News’s Sam Stockton posted a list of his top 5 Red Wings enforcers, and I’m going to suggest that #2 on his list was actually the greatest enforcer in Red Wings history–with or without his gloves on:
(2) Gordie Howe: 1687 GP, 1643 PIMs
Despite lending his name to the Gordie Howe hat trick (a goal, an assist, and a fight), Howe only fought 22 times over his long and illustrious NHL career. However, despite a lack of fighting majors, there can be no doubt of his status as an enforcer; the only difference was that Howe administered justice with his stick and his elbows more than his fists. At the time of his retirement, Howe had the most goals in NHL history (802), and, despite retiring at the ripe age of 52, he remained among the most feared players in the league throughout his career. There will never be an offensive superstar of Howe’s acumen who plays with “Mr. Hockey’s” brutality.
Continued; Howe was one of the first real “power forwards” in the NHL because he didn’t require an enforcer to play his game. Players like Howe and Maurice Richard were trouble in their own right!
