Before this season kicked-off, one-by-one I went through every NHL team determining each team’s top fighter of last season and then projected who I expected to see at the top of this season’s list. Now that the regular season is behind us, let’s examine the Pacific Division top fighters. Click here to see the Atlantic Division, Metropolitan Division and Central Division.
*Credit: hockeyfights.com for stats*
Los Angeles Kings: For the Kings I predicted that Jordan Nolan would repeat as the team’s top fighter. In 2012-13 he recorded 6 of the teams 19 fighting majors. This season Nolan also involved in 6 fights but that total leaves him in second place. Kyle Clifford led the Kings in fights, being involved in 9 of the teams 27 fights or 33.3%.
This season, Clifford took on Zenon Konopka (top fighter from Minnesota). He also fought Adam McQuaid during one of the last games McQuaid played of the season before his injury (SIA Profile).
Anaheim Ducks: In 2012-13 Matt Beleskey led the Ducks in fights and remained as my choice for this season. He ended up in fourth place with just four fights this season. The low number could be due to a thumb injury which cost Beleskey 20 games (SIA Profile).
Coming in first place this season was Patrick Maroon. He took on several top fighters on other teams, including Rich Clune (Nashville), B.J. Crombeen (Tampa) and Cody McLeod (Colorado). Maroon was extremely busy with 13 fighting majors, almost a third of the teams 40 fights. Tim Jackman had 8 fights and Bryan Allen was in third place with 5 fights.
Phoenix Coyotes: Paul Bissonnette was the top fighter on the team in 2012-13. However, this season Bissonnette only recorded 3 fights which drops him to the second most frequent fighter on the team. BizNasty played in only 39 games, as he was often a healthy scratch. He also had to serve a three-game suspension which he received for his play in the pre-season.
Leading the team was Kyle Chipchura who recorded 5 of the teams 18 fights.
San Jose Sharks: In 2012-13 Andrew Desjardins led the Sharks pugilist committee. However, his 2013-14 total of 10 fighting majors was only enough for second place. Instead it was newcomer Mike Brown who led the team with 11 fights on the year for the Sharks. Brown actually had 12 total fights this season. His first fight occured while he was playing for the Edmonton Oilers at the beginning of the year before he was traded to San Jose.
Vancouver Canucks: I predeicted that Dale Weise would lead the Canucks in fights after doing so in 2012-13. However I was a little off as he had only four fights before being traded to the Montreal Canadiens in February for Raphael Diaz. Weise would finish with five fights on the year.
In first place was Tom Sestito who recorded 19 of the teams 43 fights. He has taken on several top fighters including Deryk Engelland, Ryan Reaves, Colton Orr and Chris Neil. Kevin Bieska was also busy this year recording 6 fights with the Canucks.
Calgary Flames: Tim Jackman led the Flames in Fightes in 2012-13, however he only recorded two fights in Calgary before a November trade to Anaheim where he would have 8 more.
Brian McGrattan recorded the most fights this season, participating in 11 of the teams 32 fights. In second place was Kevin Westgarth who recorded 6 of the teams 32 fights. Two of his six fights were on separate days against the same player; Luke Gazdic from the Edmonton Oilers, both in March.
The Flames and Canucks made noise this season with a memorable line brawl and coaching confrontation live on Hockey Night in Canada.
Edmonton Oilers: 2012-13 fight leader Mike Brown had only one fight for the Oilers this season, before being traded to the San Jose Sharks. Taking over his spot as the enforcer was Luke Gazdic who had 15 of the team’s 36 fighting majors.
Matt Hendricks who recorded 12 NHL fights this season, six with the Edmonton Oilers and six with the Nashville Predators. He was traded to the Oilers mid-way through the season, in exchange for goaltender Devan Dubnyk.
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Photo by Anne-Marie Sorvin/USA TODAY Sports
