Anaheim Ducks, one of the toughest teams ever?

[Kp-Wings 3]

No question about it. They are probably one of the toughest teams ever going by fighting majors and fighters in general.

Comparing it to other fighting teams of the day, Anaheim probably would wipe the floor with them based on size alone. Guys like George Parros, who are huge and can throw haymakers, are extremly deadly. Like someone already stated, if Anaheim played like Philly did in the 70's, most of the league would probably be dead.

[CMatt89 63]

Just because they have size, doesn't mean their tough, (i.e. Lang, Lilja,)let alone the toughest ever...and just because they fight alot, doesn't mean their tough either..(i.e. Todd Fedoruk).

Sure, they may be the biggest team in history, but certainly not the toughest.

This era of hockey is no where near old time hockey in the toughness department. We have a scarce amount of true fighters, and an abundance cheapshot artists and actors, jersey grabbers (Tootoo, Avery).

Theres more to toughness than just getting into alot of fights.

[Mark THS 2]

Just because they have size, doesn't mean their tough, (i.e. Lang, Lilja,)let alone the toughest ever...and just because they fight alot, doesn't mean their tough either..(i.e. Todd Fedoruk).

Sure, they may be the biggest team in history, but certainly not the toughest.

This era of hockey is no where near old time hockey in the toughness department. We have a scarce amount of true fighters, and an abundance cheapshot artists and actors, jersey grabbers (Tootoo, Avery).

Theres more to toughness than just getting into alot of fights.

Todd Fedoruk isnt tough?

[Heroes of Hockeytown 694]

I don't think it's very relevant with regards to "the toughest team ever" to pit them against each other. Obviously the size and strength and conditioning of players today gives them the advantage. But everything is relative. Which team best dominated the league with its toughness is a better measure, if you ask me. Anaheim has played extremely well due in part to their toughness, but they don't carry the same weight as the Bullies. They still hold the title, if you ask me.

[sibiriak 84]

Didn't the Russians refuse to come back on the ice after intermission when they played the Flyers?

Case closed.

Technically, Annaheim never had a chance to play the Red Army circa 1970. Also, the Soviet philosophy then was to NOT fight back and punish the dirty play with goals instead. I wouldn't think that beating the crap out of an opponent, who is not allowed by their coaches to respond in kind, while the friendly NHL referees are doing their best three blind mice impersonation, is that much of an accomplishment. CSKA coaches took the team off the ice to protest against the lack of calls, more than against Philly's dirty play.

[eva unit zero 271]

Are they?

Just some fun stuff for the fight fans out there

They've got 66 fighting majors this year, over 20 more fights than Edmonton who sit in 2nd at 43.

Here's there tally for the season

George Parros 6-5, 215 (16 fights)

Shawn Thornton 6-1, 202 (11)

Travis Moen 6-2, 208 (9)

Sean O'Donnell 6-3, 230 (4)

Joe DiPenta 6-2, 220 (2)

Ryan Getzlaf 6-4, 210 (2)

Dustin Penner 6-4, 240 (2)

Francois Beauchemin 6-0, 214 (2)

Chris Pronger 6-6, 220 (1)

Abberrations

Chris Kunitz (1 fight)

Corey Perry (1 fight)

Players they lost

Todd Fedoruk (4)

Shane O'Brien (12)

Players they added

Brad May 6-1, 205 (10 fights all with Colorado)

Basically, every game they have the potential to dress:

Heavyweight: Parros

Light Heavyweight: May

2nd tier Light Heavy: Thornton, Moen, O'Donnell

Capable Fighters

DiPenta, Penner, Pronger, Beauchemin

I just thought it odd to see a team doing as well as us that plays with alot of speed and tempo yet still employs a no-talent enforcer along with a multitude of gritty, fighting type players to compliment their skill.

Notable Contenders

1997 Blackhawks (Cummins, Probert, Chiccone, Russel, McRea)

1999 Blackhawks (Probert, Simpson, Brown, Bonvie, Zmolek, Janssens, Manson, Russell, Murray)

2004 Maple Leafs (Domi, Perrot, Belak, Marchment, Nolan, Roberts, McCabe, Tucker)

1998 Canucks (Brashear, McCallister, Walker, Scatchard, Odjick, Staois, Ciccone, McCabe, Bertuzzi, Huscroft, Strudwick, May)

1991 Capitals (Alan May, Iafrate, Hunter, Kypreos, Kordic, Leach)

After some research its pretty clear they aren't the scariest lineup ever but in the modern era of hockey it'll be surprising to see many teams that can surpass the toughness of this years' Ducks team.

Odd that you left off:

1986-87 Wings: Kocur, Probert, McRae (Traded to Quebec midseason), Gallant, Norwood, Snepsts, Higgins, Burr, Chiasson, Ladouceur (Traded to Hartford midseason), Delorme (acquired from Quebec), Barr (acquired from Hartford)...and for a stretch before the Quebec trade, featured my favorite line of all-time...McRae/Probert/Kocur.

[WingsownNHL 0]

overall it's probably the flyers. But as a 1-2 punch, i'd take Probert-Kocur over anyone.. even if Laraque and Brasher player on the same team.

[LeftWinger 4,949]

No question about it. They are probably one of the toughest teams ever going by fighting majors and fighters in general.

Comparing it to other fighting teams of the day, Anaheim probably would wipe the floor with them based on size alone. Guys like George Parros, who are huge and can throw haymakers, are extremly deadly. Like someone already stated, if Anaheim played like Philly did in the 70's, most of the league would probably be dead.

...I'll give you two teams I'd rather have for toughness...

1989-90 Detroit Red Wings: Probert, Kocur, Gallant, Norwood, McClelland, McKay, Robertson & Chris McRae

1990-91 Detroit Red Wings: Probert, Kocur, Gallant, Norwood, McClelland, McKay, Potvin & Vial

...I think losing McKay still hurts...

...of course for all time greatest Wings lineup for Skill, Toughness, Grit and all of the above: 1996-97. That team would wipe the floor with Anaheim in ALL aspects of the game...

Edited March 29, 2007 by LeftWinger

[Kp-Wings 3]

...I'll give you two teams I'd rather have for toughness...

1989-90 Detroit Red Wings: Probert, Kocur, Gallant, Norwood, McClelland, McKay, Robertson & Chris McRae

1990-91 Detroit Red Wings: Probert, Kocur, Gallant, Norwood, McClelland, McKay, Potvin & Vial

...I think losing McKay still hurts...

...of course for all time greatest Wings lineup for Skill, Toughness, Grit and all of the above: 1996-97. That team would wipe the floor with Anaheim in ALL aspects of the game...

Man, I forgot about most of those teams.

Of course, I was about 7 years old at that time also.

[Lou_Siffer 1]

Just because they have size, doesn't mean their tough, (i.e. Lang, Lilja,)let alone the toughest ever...and just because they fight alot, doesn't mean their tough either..(i.e. Todd Fedoruk).

What an absurd comment at the end...sorry, but you just showed yourself as not knowing anything about hockey fighting. Todd Fedoruk's not tough all of a sudden because he got floored by Orr? News flash, he's still in the top 15-20 heavyweights in the league.

I cant say Anaheim is the toughest ever, but as far as pure abundance of guys willing to throw down...theres not many that can top them. The guys that wont drop the gloves are few and far between on this team. They shouldnt have traded O'Brien though..

[hated and proud 0]

You can't go against he flyers of the 70's. And you can't straight up compare today's Ducks with a team from the 70's. The guys today are bigger, stronger and faster (6 Million Dollar Man anyone?) it just doesn't work. Compare what they did intheir eras (which has been done here) and you see there is really no comparison.

Yeah that 90-91 team you guys had was vicious Probert, Kocur (loved him as a Ranger!!) and Vial.

[CMatt89 63]

What an absurd comment at the end...sorry, but you just showed yourself as not knowing anything about hockey fighting. Todd Fedoruk's not tough all of a sudden because he got floored by Orr? News flash, he's still in the top 15-20 heavyweights in the league.

I cant say Anaheim is the toughest ever, but as far as pure abundance of guys willing to throw down...theres not many that can top them. The guys that wont drop the gloves are few and far between on this team. They shouldnt have traded O'Brien though..

I actully know quite a bit about fighting. He also got floored by Boogard. I think he's more stupid than tough. Yes, give him credit that he goes out and fights, but when you get your face caved in, then knocked out again a month later..He should at least lay low for a while. Now he's proposed the use of padded gloves for fighters, UFC style. C'mon, any guy that proposes padded gloves to reduce injury is rediculous. I understand what he's trying to do..but s***, hockey is a dangerous game. It's not supposed to have padded boards, and cushioned glass. If your scared of getting hurt while you fight, don't fight.

Also, theres only about 15-20 true heavyweights in the NHL now...probobly less than that.

[clutchngrab 12]

Well, that was like 500 years ago....

No, not quite - I am 498 years old.

Seriously, I agree w/ your points about tough guys, but as far as teams go, the Flyers and the Bruins changed hockey as defined by "pretty boy Montreal and Guy Lefleur" into something else completely. Hockey wasn't the same until he Oilers rolled around again. Sorry, I'm 498 and babbling, but a least I got to Olympia once.

[Flip-check 6]

Technically, Annaheim never had a chance to play the Red Army circa 1970. Also, the Soviet philosophy then was to NOT fight back and punish the dirty play with goals instead. I wouldn't think that beating the crap out of an opponent, who is not allowed by their coaches to respond in kind, while the friendly NHL referees are doing their best three blind mice impersonation, is that much of an accomplishment. CSKA coaches took the team off the ice to protest against the lack of calls, more than against Philly's dirty play.

Yeah, I like that explanation there. This is a good example of how facts don't always illustrate the truth, depending on who's doing the viewing.

I know Russians are looked at as soft by folks, but no one'd ever take their team off the ice due to "overwhelming toughness" on the other side. That'd be suicide--suffice to say, ditching the game out of disgust sounds a lot more sensible.

[Zetter is Better 0]

Broad Street Bullies?

[e_mcgrath88 0]

I actully know quite a bit about fighting. He also got floored by Boogard. I think he's more stupid than tough. Yes, give him credit that he goes out and fights, but when you get your face caved in, then knocked out again a month later..He should at least lay low for a while. Now he's proposed the use of padded gloves for fighters, UFC style. C'mon, any guy that proposes padded gloves to reduce injury is rediculous. I understand what he's trying to do..but s***, hockey is a dangerous game. It's not supposed to have padded boards, and cushioned glass. If your scared of getting hurt while you fight, don't fight.

Also, theres only about 15-20 true heavyweights in the NHL now...probobly less than that.

This season must be the first time you have ever watched hockey. If you actually know quite a bit about fighting you would know Fadoruk is tought as nails...

[BlueMonk 102]

While that list is impressive because of size and strength, all 4 of those names lack an intangible "crazy factor" possessed by guys like Fotiu, Probert, Schultz, etc etc. Guys like Laraque and Brashear fight for different reasons than guys of the bygone era. They fight for momentum and for heirarchy. A guy like Nicky Fotiu just fought because he was a damned lunatic. Now I'm not saying that a prime Fotiu is going to fight a prime Laraque. The sheer physics of it are insane- but that intangible 'crazy' factor would put a freakish spin on era vs era.

Great points here.

[Wings_Dynasty 267]

Broad Street Bullies?

1970s Philly Flyers.

[Kp-Wings 3]

Broad Street Bullies?

You've never heard that term before? It was given to the Flyers in the 1970's because their roster was filled with fighters.

Edited March 29, 2007 by Kp-Wings

[Zetter is Better 0]

You've never heard that term before? It was given to the Flyers in the 1970's because their roster was filled with fighters.

OF COURSE, I`ve heard it. I meant, Why hasn`t anyone suggested it? I was just saying that they are the toughest team ever. Not the 06 Ducks

[CMatt89 63]

This season must be the first time you have ever watched hockey. If you actually know quite a bit about fighting you would know Fadoruk is tought as nails...

Yep, this is my first season watching hockey.

I guess we have different views of toughness. FEdoruk... ....and I do know a little bit about fighting, I'm actully a trained and certified boxing instructer in the Detroit area. Fedoruk has balls, guts..I'll give him that.

"It takes a real fighter a few punches to the noggin before attacking"

"A true fighter can take more punches than deliever"

"Squaring up doesn't show toughness, it shows balls. Taking a couple knocks to the chin and keep battling, now thats toughness"

Edited March 29, 2007 by CMatt89

[BlueMonk 102]

OF COURSE, I`ve heard it. I meant, Why hasn`t anyone suggested it? I was just saying that they are the toughest team ever. Not the 06 Ducks

Huh? Everyone has suggested it. Most of the discussion on this thread has been about a comparison to the 1970s Flyers.