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Hockey fight blog with humorous, blow-by-blow commentary on goons, enforcers and donnybrooks

Hockey fight blog with humorous, blow-by-blow commentary on goons, enforcers and donnybrooks.

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Three Seconds In: Every Fight From the 2026 NHL Playoffs So Far


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GoonBlog.com is tracking every confirmed hockey fight from the 2026 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs. The first round kicked off April 18, 2026, and the gloves came off almost immediately – starting with Brady Tkachuk and Jordan Staal dropping them three seconds into Game 1 of the Ottawa Senators vs. Carolina Hurricanes series. This post covers all four confirmed playoff tilts logged on the premier hockey fighting database through April 26, 2026, with blow-by-blow breakdowns, fight verdicts, and series context for each bout.

2026 NHL Playoff Fights

Three seconds. That’s how long it took.

The puck dropped in Raleigh on April 18, and before anyone had even processed the fact that playoff hockey was back, Brady Tkachuk and Jordan Staal were already throwing hands at center ice. The crowd went absolutely berserk. And honestly? Same.

That’s the thing about playoff hockey fights. They hit different. Regular season scraps are great – don’t get me wrong – but when the stakes are real and the gloves drop in the first minute of a playoff game, it means something. It’s a statement. It’s two guys saying we are not here to play nice. And I am here for every second of it.

So let’s get into it. The 2026 playoffs have given us four confirmed bouts through April 26. Four. The first round is barely a week old. We’re just getting started, Goons and Goonettes.

Table of Contents

Three Seconds In: Tkachuk vs. Staal

April 18, 2026 | Game 1 | Ottawa at Carolina | 1st Period – 0:03

Voted winner: Jordan Staal (74%) | Rating: 5.39 | 94 votes

I’m going to need you to sit with that timestamp for a second. Zero minutes, three seconds. The puck had barely touched the ice.

Brady Tkachuk – Ottawa’s captain, their heart, their designated chaos agent – skated straight at Jordan Staal and invited him to dance. And Staal, who has been around long enough to know exactly what Tkachuk was doing, accepted without hesitation. These are two guys who’ve been in this league a combined 30-plus years. They didn’t need a warmup.

The fight itself was a solid playoff-caliber scrap. Tkachuk got in close, which is his thing – he’s not a guy who needs a lot of space to do damage. Staal, meanwhile, is a big body who knows how to use his reach. He landed the cleaner shots and walked away with 74% of the fan vote, which is a pretty decisive verdict.

But here’s the thing: Tkachuk didn’t lose this fight in any way that mattered. He won the moment. Ottawa came into Carolina as a heavy underdog, and their captain sent a message to the whole building before the puck had even been in play for five seconds. That’s old time hockey. That’s the stuff Reg Dunlop would’ve nodded at. You can read more about Staal setting the tone for the Hurricanes on NHL.com.

(Carolina swept Ottawa 4-0, by the way. So maybe the message didn’t land quite the way Tkachuk intended. But still. Three seconds, man.)

The series context matters here. The Hurricanes were the top seed in the East. Ottawa was the eight seed. Nobody gave the Sens a shot. And Tkachuk’s opening-second scrap was the team’s way of saying they weren’t going to get pushed around. They did get pushed around eventually – swept, in fact – but not without swinging.

The Bruins Connection: Kastelic vs. Stanley

April 21, 2026 | Game 2 | Boston at Buffalo | 3rd Period – 2:26

Voted winner: Mark Kastelic (42%) | Rating: 4.22 | 58 votes

Oh, you knew this was coming. You knew I’d find a way to make a Bruins playoff fight post about the Bruins even when the Bruins are the ones getting their asses kicked.

Here’s the deal: the beloved Boston Bruins came into this series as a wild card against the Buffalo Sabres, who have been absolutely on fire since December. The Sabres went 39-9-4 in the second half of the season. That’s not a typo. They were a freight train. And yet the Bruins somehow stole Game 1 before Buffalo evened it up in Game 2.

And in the third period of that Game 2, Mark Kastelic – our guy, the crown jewel of a shitty deal, the current GoonBlog favorite Bruin – dropped the mitts with Logan Stanley.

Now, Stanley is a big dude. Six-foot-seven. He’s been around the league a while and he can handle himself. But Kastelic is Kastelic. The man has been one of the most active fighters in the NHL this season, and he’s got hands. The two of them went at it for a solid exchange, and the fans gave Kastelic the edge at 42% to Stanley’s 32%.

(The math nerds among you will notice those numbers don’t add up to 100%. That’s because the remaining voters apparently couldn’t decide. Which, fair enough – it was a competitive bout.)

The other penalty note from this fight: Charlie McAvoy and Beck Malenstyn each picked up roughing minors at the same time. So it wasn’t just Kastelic and Stanley – the whole bench was feeling it. That’s playoff hockey, baby.

Update (April 27): The Sabres now lead this series 3-1. The Bruins are on the brink. It is not going great. But Kastelic fought. That counts for something. Check out the full 2026 NHL playoff bracket on CBS Sports to see how the rest of the matchups are shaking out.

The One Nobody Saw Coming: Slafkovsky vs. Hagel

April 21, 2026 | Game 3 | Montreal at Tampa Bay | 2nd Period – 5:14

Voted winner: Brandon Hagel (89%) | Rating: 6.06 | 83 votes

Okay. This one I did not have on my bingo card.

Juraj Slafkovsky and Brandon Hagel. Two skill forwards. Two guys who are not exactly known for their fighting. And yet here we are, talking about one of the more lopsided fight verdicts of the entire 2026 postseason so far.

Hagel won this one going away – 89% of the vote, which is about as decisive as it gets. And look, I’m not going to pretend I’m shocked that Hagel held his own. The guy has been in a few scraps over his career and he’s not soft. But Slafkovsky is listed at 6-foot-4 and 230 pounds. He’s a big kid. The fact that Hagel – who’s listed at 6-foot and 185 – walked away with that kind of vote tells you something about how the exchange went.

The context here is interesting. This series is now tied 2-2 as of April 27 – Tampa Bay answered back after Montreal took an early lead. And this fight, Hagel getting physical with one of Montreal’s best young players in Game 3, felt like the Lightning sending a message of their own. Message received.

The rating of 6.06 is the highest of any 2026 playoff fight so far. So whatever happened in that second period, people were entertained.

Late-Game Chaos: Podkolzin vs. Viel

April 24, 2026 | Game 3 | Edmonton at Anaheim | 3rd Period – 19:35

Voted winner: Vasily Podkolzin (58%) | Rating: 3.68 | 23 votes

Late in the third period of a game that was already decided, Vasily Podkolzin and Jeffrey Viel decided they had some things to work out.

This is the kind of fight that happens when a game gets chippy and two guys who’ve been bumping into each other all night finally say “alright, let’s go.” Viel is a legitimate tough guy – he’s got some serious fights on his resume, including a 9.12-rated bout back in 2023 that’s one of the highest-rated fights in recent memory. Podkolzin, meanwhile, has been getting more comfortable in this role since coming to Edmonton.

Podkolzin won the vote at 58%, which is a modest edge. The 3.68 rating is the lowest of the four playoff fights so far, which makes sense – late-game, game already decided, both guys a little gassed. But it still counts. A fight’s a fight.

The bigger story here is the series. The Anaheim Ducks – yes, the Anaheim Ducks, who were supposed to be a rebuilding team – now lead the Edmonton Oilers 3-1. The Oilers have been to the Finals the last two years and lost both times – to the Florida Panthers, who are the actual defending Stanley Cup champions. Back-to-back. And now Edmonton is one loss from going home to a team that finished the regular season with a losing record.

That’s the playoffs, man. Anything can happen. And apparently, anything includes Vasily Podkolzin getting into a scrap with Jeffrey Viel at 19:35 of the third period while his team is trying to figure out how to not get upset by the Ducks.

The Scoreboard: All 2026 Playoff Fights at a Glance

Here’s the full breakdown of every confirmed fight from the 2026 NHL playoffs through April 26, 2026, per the premier online fighting log:

DateMatchupSeriesPeriodTimeVoted WinnerRating
April 18B. Tkachuk (OTT) vs. J. Staal (CAR)CAR vs. OTT (Game 1)1st0:03Jordan Staal (74%)5.39
April 21M. Kastelic (BOS) vs. L. Stanley (BUF)BUF vs. BOS (Game 2)3rd2:26Mark Kastelic (42%)4.22
April 21J. Slafkovsky (MTL) vs. B. Hagel (TBL)TBL vs. MTL (Game 3)2nd5:14Brandon Hagel (89%)6.06
April 24V. Podkolzin (EDM) vs. J. Viel (ANA)EDM vs. ANA (Game 3)3rd19:35Vasily Podkolzin (58%)3.68

Four fights. Four different series. Four different stories.

The average rating across all four bouts is 4.84, which is a solid baseline for a playoff that’s barely a week old. The Hagel-Slafkovsky fight is the standout so far at 6.06. The Tkachuk-Staal opener is the most meaningful contextually. And the Kastelic-Stanley bout is the one I’m personally most invested in, because Bruins.

FAQ: Your Burning Questions About Playoff Fighting

Can you even fight in the NHL playoffs?

Yes. Absolutely yes. Fighting carries the same penalties in the playoffs as the regular season – a five-minute major for each player. The idea that fighting is somehow banned or extra-penalized in the playoffs is a myth. The NHL has never eliminated fighting from playoff hockey, and long may that continue. You can read up on the history of fighting in hockey at Britannica if you want a deep dive into the rules and the debate.

Why did Tkachuk and Staal fight three seconds into Game 1?

Because Brady Tkachuk is Brady Tkachuk. He’s the kind of captain who sets the tone with his body, not just his words. Ottawa was a heavy underdog going into that series, and Tkachuk wanted to make sure Carolina knew from the jump that the Senators weren’t going to be pushed around. Staal, for his part, has been around long enough to know that you don’t back down from that kind of challenge – especially not in a playoff opener on home ice.

Is fighting in the playoffs more or less common than the regular season?

Generally less common, and the numbers bear that out. Playoff hockey tends to be tighter, more disciplined, and more structured than the regular season. Teams are less willing to take five-minute majors in high-stakes games. But that doesn’t mean fighting disappears – it just means the fights that do happen tend to carry more weight and more context. For a look at how the 2026 playoffs are shaping up overall, check the current NHL standings and playoff picture.

Which 2026 playoff fight had the highest rating?

Slafkovsky vs. Hagel on April 21, with a 6.06 rating from the fans. 83 people voted, and 89% gave the win to Brandon Hagel. That’s a dominant verdict.

The first round isn’t over yet. There are series still being decided, and more hockey – and more fights – to come. We’ll keep updating this post as new bouts get logged.

And if the Bruins can pull off this comeback against Buffalo, I’ll be writing about Kastelic fights until my fingers fall off.

Give ‘er.

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Matt Rempe: The Fist Fortnight


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Not “fortnite”, like the popular game where your kid demolishes Mom’s credit cards in order to get a gun in a slightly different shade of green. We mean the British “fort-night“, meaning “two weeks”. And “fist” was meant to be “first”. Just a tragic intro, is the point.

Because, faaaaak, bud. This is the story of a rookie whose NHL antics over 13 days may be able to consistently keep me up past 10pm and reboot the importance of the enforcer role in general.

Fairweather Fruitcakes

As much as it pains me to love a Canadien, I’m still a massive Xhekaj fan, and he had a scrap over the weekend that was as one-sided as they come. It’s also good to see him doing his thing in the NHL again after a demotion to the AHL earlier in the year.

For those of you who have been following Goonblog for a while, you’ll remember we were this close to becoming a Geocities Arber Xhekaj fan site after “WiFi” began running amok in the NHL last year.

But the belle of the ball has been bumped, best-buddy. After the last couple weeks – we may now be in danger of becoming a Matt Rempe fan site. And that’s OK.

Fifteen Days of Matt Rempe

To say Matt has been “busy” since earning his callup just 15 days ago… is the understatement of the year. Since his debut, the little dickens has:

  • Fought Nick Deslauriers in what some people have called the “fight of the decade”.
  • Lost to Mathieu Olivier in a slug fest that gave him a couple of black eyes.
  • Had a Toronto Saturday-night-center-ice-showdown with the legend, Ryan Reaves.

Is Matt fighting against The Ring death clock and that creepy little girl? Or maybe getting an early start on his Nicholson/Freeman bucket list? He is clearly relishing his role as the new tough trousers in New York, and it’s great to see established guys giving the kid a shot. It’s an old school way to operate in the NHL, and I love it.

So, yeah – the hockey world is abuzz as a result of this fascinating new edition. Love or hate the Blueshirts, they play in the biggest media market in the world, and the kind of buzz Rempe generates is great for the fight game. Give yourselves a shake and think “big picture”.

Du-Laurier: Special Mild

The fun got started last Saturday when the Rangers visited the Flyers for an afternoon game on ESPN. Something about afternoon games, man. I remember PJ Stock fighting Stephen Peat on a Saturday afternoon, and while this wasn’t as violent, it certainly had an old school flair to it.

The fight itself gets going early in the first period, but like a lot of these things, it was definitely planned during warm ups.

Deslauriers was seen, leaning over the red line, telling Rempe the Younger they were going to have a fuckin’ go. Matt, with a giant smile on his face, didn’t seem to have an issue with that. Totally off topic, but does anyone else get a Richard Kiel vibe from Rempe?

At the 3-minute mark of the first, it’s on. Simply because Deslauriers and Rempe found themselves on the ice at the same time. Deslauriers gets the Rempire State Building’s attention, and it’s go time.

The gloves come off and they size each other up a bit at center ice. After some posturing, Rempe gets in close, and Deslauriers throws a few rights. From there, each throws hard right hands at one another and both helmets fly off. Both guys employ the jersey over the head tactic a bit. Aside from a little tying each others arms up chicanery, it’s mostly hard rights from each guy after the aggressive fucking shirtings.

Tale of the Tape

Rempe’s size is a disadvantage more often than not, and something Ryan Reaves exploits later in the week. We’ll get there.

When Matt throws a punch, however, he gets inside of the other guy’s reach. And when he misses, he often lands a nice right hand for his troubles. So he’s almost always doing serious damage – because he’s just big and strong. In spite of that size advantage which will undoubtedly to haunt him at some point. And, as we continue, already has.

I score the fight a draw, with a gun to my head advantage to Rempe. Deslauriers is cut, and I think Rempe got a few more punches to land. So far, it’s my fight of the year, and if you wanted to make a fight of the decade argument, like PK Subban did, I’m all ears.

The next night the Rangers were in Columbus to play the Bluejackets and stop me if you heard this one before.

Two Guys Walk Into Warm Ups…

Mathieu Olivier and Matt Rempe were seen stretching it out at the red line, talking it over. “It” being when and where they’d throw down.

At about the 3-minute mark of the first period, it was time to stop talking and start fighting. Rempe used his size at the beginning of the tilt landing two hard right hands. He goes over and under, landing another right, and then delivers a quick uppercut to Olivier. That’s when the tide turns, and Olivier finally gets into the fight. He nails Rempe with four successive right hands, with that fourth being a bell-ringer.

Rempe looks a little stunned and is trying to hang on as Olivier lands a couple of more punches before taking Rempe down, much to the delight of the home crowd. They are certainly entertained and appreciative of Olivier’s work. Despite the cut, and early Rempe lead in the fight, I score it a decisive win for Mathieu Olivier.

You can’t win them all in your first 1.5 weeks, kid.

The Main Event.

This was one of those fights that everyone knew was going to happen. It’s been a while since a Saturday night fight was a topic of discussion in pre-game analysis, but PK Subban was sure to let everyone know he had the inside track on the likely Rempe-related shenanigans. The die was cast.

Once again, it didn’t take long for Matt Rempe to find his opponent in Toronto’s Ryan Reaves. They first met by the Ranger’s bench early in the first, and Rempe looked first to his coach for approval – to just fuggin’ get it on. Which some missed, and counted as a denial. After getting the nod though, the boys took it out to center ice.

Matt Rempe vs. Ryan Reaves: First Fisticuffs

First, but not last in the grand scheme of things, to be sure. Anyway, Reaves did a nice job of keeping the taller Rempe at bay. Rempe gave Reavo a facefull of left jabs while they were sorta locked up.

As expected, Rempe throws a punch and Reaves takes the opportunity to throw one of his own while Rempe is actually inside of his reach. You can tell Ryan watched some tape on the kid, as the dance he’s doing with Rempe is well choreographed. The crowd is going totally ape shit – and, as they tire each other out, they also give each other “the good fight. I’m friggin’ spent” nod.

Online. this fight online is about as divided as can be. It’s a 41% advantage for Rempe, 39% for Reaves, and 20% draw. I gave a slight advantage to Reavo in this one. I liked his technical ability, and I think he landed more. As always, kudos to him for giving the kid a shot!

Bond Villain Early Identification

Matt “Jaws” Rempe (back to the Richard Kiel reference) had himself a hell of a first week or so in the National Hockey League. Absolutely a jot to watch. He’s fought 4 really tough customers without a flinch, and has about a .500 record.

For me, it’s never been about wins and losses. I love the kid because he’s willing to be the guy that does this job. I love that the veteran guys are giving him a shot, and they’re all still fighting for the sake of fighting.

It encourages me that this sort of thing is still going on in my beloved game. Ryan Reaves said the kid is going to be a menace in the league, and I can’t think of higher praise. If Rempe keeps slugging it out, we’ll keep covering it! You GO, buddy!

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From Bad to Worse – Lucic’s Arrest


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Chris recently pined for the fjords about how the hockey gods hate him/us. And initially I thought he was being a bit dramatic. But now I really, really think he may be on to something. To the extent I’ve been burning sage throughout my house all afternoon.

Specifically because 72 hours ago we both felt like we’ve had the potential enjoyment, for so many reasons, of Milan Lucic’s return to the Boston Bruins dangled in front of us like a cat toy. Only to be yanked away by that pesky ankle injury. But it can always get worse.

We gave it a test run to see if it plays, in the form of so many optimistic posts it admittedly got a bit too much. And now, like a crestfallen Delco Cat Toy Salesman, I’m not sure if we can move this product.

My Kingdom for a Cracked Pedal Navicularis

After this past weekend, the injury we’ve already discussed at length doesn’t seem quite so terrible. We could have worked with that. It would have resolved itself with a little time and rehab. It was malleable, socially acceptable, and in no way spelled the end of his season, career, or Beantown rebirth. But Looch, possibly tempted by a break he has no control over and couldn’t have seen coming – or perhaps bemoaning that same break, hence a dip-dive into the liquor – had the BPD at his door Saturday night.

As much as I’d love to give Milan the benefit of the doubt while focusing on words like “alleged”, due process isn’t exactly a requirement in our strange modern times. And that’s fine. So I’ll quickly recap some of the details from the Globe Acquired police report, and we’ll let the rest play out in court Tuesday morning under the gavel.

So here’s what allegedly went down, and we won’t dwell because you can read this absolutely everywhere today. Very early morning, November 18, the Boston Police get a call to Lucic’s apartment in Boston’s North End.

So early in fact, that Bova’s had probably stopped selling Buffalo Chicken Calzones by then. I lived 50 feet away on Cleveland Place for many years, so I’d appreciate being allowed a second to reminisce about all the times I rolled in there at 2:30am, only to walkout with nothing but a ricotta pie for the exact same reason.

“Now Youse Can’t Leave”

Back to the unfortunate details. There’d been some kind of domestic dust-up with his wife, Brittany. The police report pulls no punches – sounds like Lucic might have got downright physical with Brittany after an argument having to do with a cell phone. The smart money is always going to be on “texts from a puck bunny“, but we can only make educated guesses at this point.

Then it got handsy. Brittany told the cops she was trying to leave, but Milan wasn’t having any of it and yanked her back with a fistful of hair. “You’re not going anywhere!“, was her version. Take it easy, Sonny from A Bronx Tale. Not cool.

The police show up to find Looch juiced, with a broken lamp and glass scattered across the floor of their bedroom for punctuation. Officers also noticed a troubling red mark on Brittany’s chest, but she insists Milan didn’t wasn’t to blame, and he insisted “Nothing happened”. Right, bud.

The best/worse part? Their kids were hosting a sleepover. Once again – from bad to worse.

The Boston DA’s office took one look at the evidence and decided to press charges – fuckin’ Sox fans, the lot of them. And now we’re all waiting to see how this one plays out in court tomorrow morning.

Milan Lucic’s Future with the Boston Bruins

What does this mean? What are the consequences? I’ll start by referring you to the official statement from the team. It is equal parts “what you’d expect”, and “ominous subtext”. Unfortunately I think that management is as embarrassed at their faith in a Lucic return as Goonblog is right now. Not to mention putting hands on women. But what else might this incident result in?

  1. Tarnished legacy as a Bruin and in general.
  2. Has to enter the NHLPA Substance abuse program, whether he needs it or not.
  3. If that doesn’t happen, he’ll probably be given his release from the Bruins.
  4. He’s probably done for the year, regardless, and possibly – forever.

Speaking of ominous harbingers? Chris was at Saturday night’s game in Boston, and had this to say about the whole fuckwittery when asked:

“No Lucic gear available for sale Saturday at the game. Only like 7 Lucic jerseys spotted in the crowd. Freddy Fisticuffs cored two goals.”

My only op-ed would be: “It was a nice thought”. It seems like Chris may have gotten over it pretty quickly, too. So I will take his lead, and we’ll all get through this together.

And I really, really wanted to fight him in NHL 24.

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Hockey is Back, Babies!


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The weather has once again turned chilly, and it looks like a pumpkin threw up in my house. There’s p-spice everywhere, and the ladies all have their Han Solo outfits on to go apple picking. It can only mean one thing. Hockey is back!

Our beloved Bruins have played two games so far – clinching a 3-0 victory on Sunday night (vs. Rangers) before unfortunately succumbing to a 4-1 defeat on Tuesday (vs. XXXX). A few observations have caught my attention. A couple of one-two things have stuck out to me so far.

First off, I love the new sweaters. They’re a little busy on the sleeves, but overall I dig ’em. Prefer the white to the black, and if they weren’t almost $300 might consider buying one for my lame collection. Side note: my Brain McGrattan Providence Bruins jersey is the best one I own.

Early 2024 Bruins Highlights

In Sunday’s game, Bruins goalie Brandon Bussi delivered a spectacular performance via a 29-save shutout, which included an impressive post-to-post robbery of Jonny Brodzinski. What a stop. It’s one Rask never made, and if you’re trying to catch the eye of NHL brass, well – that’s how you friggin’ do it.

Johnny Beecher

For me the standout for Boston has been Johnny Beecher thus far. The 6’3” first rounder has played quite well in the two preseason games, and again, if you’re trying to catch someone’s eye, he’s doing all the right things. GM Don Sweeney loves a good lanky college kid, and I believe they’ve found another player from that mold in Johnny B.

The Return of Milan Lucic

It was awesome to see Milan Lucic back in the black and gold last night. I am hoping expectations around him are not too high. The man clearly loves Boston and being a Bruin, as evidenced by those videos of him walking around the city greeting people with the classic Lucic smile. He didn’t do anything special last night. Just skated his lane like the looming freight train he still is. I suspect he and Ryan Reaves are going to tangle this year, and I’m really interested to see if our old pal Arber “WiFi” Xhekaj will try him on for size as well. One thing is for certain – Milan owes Ben Harpur of the Rangers a swift one right in the chops.

Off to a Scrappy Start

Now, let’s discuss the fights! There’s been a few around the league so far, and it’s nice to see the donnybrook spirit is still alive and well. Plenty of guys are trying to show they belong, and a great way to do that has always been showing upper management a willingness to drop the gloves.

On Sunday, AJ Greer of Boston and Ben Harpur of the Rangers had a scrap with about 3 minutes left in the game. The Rangers were down 3-0 and as soon as Greer got together at center ice they locked up and got going. Well, Harpur did at least. The linesmen stayed clear for once, and Harpur just unloaded on Greer like he’d taken his little sister’s lunch money. Derek Sanderson would have said, “well, he certainly gave as good as he got there”, as he never saw a Bruin lose a fight, but it was a clear win for Ben Harpur – and we hope Lucic took note.

Keep it Clean This Year, Kids (Wink)

Wishing a Happy Hockey Season to all who celebrate, and opening night is nearly here.! We at Goonblog hope your summer was enjoyable, despite the persistent rain that disrupted many plans.

We’re anticipating an interesting year for the Bruins, and predict Milan Lucic will have an over/under of 9 fights. I’d love to hear your thoughts on whether that estimate is too high or too low in the comments. Regardless, I’m eager for Boston’s Centennial Celebration year and excited to see number 17 back on the ice!

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Milan Lucic’s Happy Homecoming


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As reported about 10 days ago, Milan Lucic is a Boston Bruin once again.

Personally, I am reluctantly rejoicing. Hesitantly happy. Because I always liked Lucic, and hope he enjoys his season here. And I also hope the Boston fanny nitwits realize what they’re getting and aren’t too hard on our (once) prodigal son.

Milan Lucic’s Road Back to Boston
It’s recently come out that Lucic had discussions with about half the league – and the Blackhawks were a strong suitor. The Hawks need to protect (newly acquired next big thing) Connor Bedard, so that makes sense.

Bruins’ Offseason Acquisitions: James van Riemsdyk and Kevin Shattenkirk
The Bruins would have had the best July 1st ever – if it were 2013. In addition to adding Milan Lucic, they added James van Riemsdyk and, long rumored to be in the Bruins plans, defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk. All three have ties to the New England area. JVR and Shattenkirk are both Hockey East alums, having played at UNH and Boston University respectively. While Lucic spent his formative years here in the Hub of the Universe.

All are on the back nine of their careers, but bring a unique skill set to the 2023-2024 Boston Bruins.

JVR is a big body that put up 29 points in 61 games for the Flyers last year. He’s going to be counted on to help anchor the 4th line on a nightly basis with Lucic, and can potentially slide up the lineup in case of injury, or as an in-game adjustment from Coach Jim Montgomery.

Kevin Shattenkirk has been toiling away on a couple of really crappy Anaheim Ducks teams the last few year – so you’re excused if you said, “Shattenkirk still plays hockey?!” Yes, yes, he does. Shatty managed 27 points in 75 games last year and was a dismal -20 playing on a shitty team. He’s been linked to the Bruins for as long as I can remember, and it seems like this is the natural progression. He’s still got a little game and can definitely still be a veteran bottom 6 pairing.

Milan Lucic, as documented, is what he is these days. He can still play a little, and he can still fight.

Milan Lucic’s Donnybrook Prospects
Milan had three excellent tilts last year. He’s going to need to be sharp as the Toronto Maple Leafs added veteran tough guy, Ryan Reaves. Many consider Reaves to be the reigning heavyweight champion in the NHL. I’m looking forward to seeing how Lucic does against him, and we certainly can’t forget that Arber “WiFi” Xhekaj is still in Montreal. You knew I couldn’t go two posts without bringing up the WiFi. Point being – theres thems guys, and a few others in the Eastern Conference, that realistically could keep Looch’s fight card full. New NHL be dammed.

Still, it all seems like a Boston Plan B. All three are veterans, and all three are on that back 9.

Bruins Trade Tribulations
Boston looked to be headed in the right direction when signing Tyler Bertuzzi when they shipped Taylor Hall and sent Uncle Nick Foligno to Chicago. It was a classic salary dump. I’m not Don Sweeney, and I wasn’t in the room for any discussions, but it seems like they had a giant window in which to get something done with Bert, and they just couldn’t do it. The money he signed for in Toronto seemed reasonable.

Then, the Bruins let Garnet Hathaway go for short money too. Dimitry Orlov was way out their price range, so it seemed they HAD an ability to keep Hathaway or Bertuzzi, but not both. Instead, they wound up with neither, got three patchwork pieces, and thusly are going to arbitration with Trent Frederic and Jeremy Swayman.

It’s a very dicey situation right now. The free agent pool this off-season is shallow. Next year it will be deeper, and the cap is going up. A lot of clubs seem to be taking a “wait and see” attitude until 2024.

If I were Don Sweeney, I would demand to know if Patrice Bergeron is coming back. Further, I would be taking calls on anyone not named Swayman. He may be doing those things in the background, and in public we’re getting the boilerplate.

Fuggit: I can’t pretend I’m not pumped that Lucic is back. And he seems pretty damn happy about it too. I hope he fights a lot and can chip in offensively. I hope he has that golden year Lucic Smash attitude. And I also hope this season isn’t a massive step backwards.

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The Future of the Hockey Enforcer


in Uncategorized, Brendan Walsh, Goons, Shawn Thornton, Trevor Gillies

I get this question a lot these days, as friends and relatives are well aware of my proclivity for a good ol’ professional on-ice donnybrook. While I have strong opinions as to the best answer – the true future of the NHL hockey enforcer and the fights they once graced fans with – I don’t have to like it. And, frankly, I don’t.

Where Have All the Good Goons Gone?
On the ice, are there even any classic goons left? Gone are Shawn Thornton, Trevor Gillies, Brendan Walsh and most of the other Goonblog favorites from the site’s heyday. Replacing them are guys like Trent Frederic, Connor Clifton, and Zack Kassian.

The last hockey enforcer, Ryan Reaves.

The first three were the last of a dying breed of guys that were there to intimidate and keep the other team in line. The latter are all guys that are required to be able to take a regular shift, especially in Clifton and Freddy’s case. Times have changed dramatically over the last 10 years, and there’s not a lot any of us punters can do about it.

The last true enforcer out there, in my opinion, is Ryan Reaves. He’s been plying his trade since 2010 with the Blues – and is a man that truly embraces his role as an enforcer. Intimidating, scrapping, filling out checking lines and doing it all with apparent glee.


The Era of… Grappling? You’re Fuckin’ Kidding Me
Not only has fighting largely disappeared from hockey, but the way in which bouts are conducted is totally different. The days of Bob Probert standing in, going toe to toe trading rights and uppercuts in a Rock ‘em Sock ‘em homage have been over for a long time. It’s a rare thing to see a fight where guys are flat out trading punches. With rare exceptions (see the aforementioned Zack Kassian getting KO’d by the “WiFi” the other night) most of the fighting is in close and involves lots of grappling.

In fact, many of the guys that make a living dropping gloves these days are trained in common MMA techniques. It’s a totally different style, and I’m not sure how anyone that fights now would have fared in the wild west days when guys swung wildly and frequently just to stay in the league and were recruited only for that purpose. Tom Wilson, I’m looking at you.

Exit Staged Left
The staged fights are also largely gone. Does anyone remember the last time two guys came over the boards and the gloves were off before the puck even hit the ice? A lot of people don’t like those fights, especially in the league office, but we loved them. Admit it.

How I long for the days when two fourth liners would get something going because the team needed a lift. Or a Rob Ray gave young rookies like Todd Fedoruk a chance to make a name for himself by taking on established hockey enforcers. It’s just not done that way anymore. The game is played at such a high skill level there’s just not a lot of room for a one-dimensional player anymore.

I’m glad to be back behind my keyboard talking about hockey enforcers and fighting, regardless of how the latter has evolved. We always aim to entertain here at Goonblog, and I missed having a vehicle for my mostly nonsensical stream of “consciousness”.

Once we get our momentum back, keep your eyes peeled for some Goonblog merch, and we were way ahead of our time with the hockey podcast angle which may rear its head once again. Perhaps we can embrace some new media as well. Good to be back. Let’s drop the mitts and get at er!

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Turn out the Lights


in Arron Asham, Chris, Goons, GoonSquad, Gregory Campbell, Jay Beagle, Pittsburgh Penguins, Trevor Gillies, Uncategorized, Washington Capitals

Finally the Bruins have gotten on the board with a fight last night in Chicago. Nice work by Gregory Campbell to try to spark the boys. Not much of a scrap, but good on Soupy to get it started. The fight I wanted to talk about happened Thursday between Pittsburgh’s Arron Asham, and Washington’s Jay Beagle. It was a bit of a one sided affair, and the fight got the hockey world talking. Personally, I thought it was a good scrap, and had to be done, but others don’t see it that way.

The fight started after Beagle cross checked Kris Letang, then hit him up high hard enough to knock his helmet off. Asham was on the ice, and in his role as enforcer, he went to Letang’s aid. My buddy Brendan and I had a somewhat heated debate about this Friday. It’s Brendan’s position that Letang A. didn’t do enough to Beagle to require Asham’s aid, and B. It’s not like he’s Gretzky. People can hit Kris Letang. My position is Arron Asham is an enforcer. It’s his job to protect teammates on the ice against any perceived injustice. Asham starts picking and choosing who he sticks up for, and we have a system that breaks down, and chaos reigns supreme. As far as Beagle being a non-enforcer? Well, it’s not like Asham beat up Alexander Semin. Beagle is a big guy that’s been in a scrap or two. He will definitely think twice about any liberties he might want to take with Penguins players or any team’s players for that matter after the beating he took, moving forward. Beagle rang the bell, Asham answered it. These two teams will have a lot of time to think about things as they don’t play each other for over a month. You can bet your bottom dollar DJ King will be in the Caps line up when they meet again. Asham has to answer to someone for this beating.

One more thing about this fight and you can get back to whatever it is you were doing before you stumbled across this madness. The Pittsburgh Penguins announce team of Paul Steigerwald, and Bob Errey, and the whole organization for that matter, has got to be the most hypocritical in all of sports. Let’s say for a minute that Trevor Gillies beat up Paul Martin in the same way Asham beat up Beagle the other night. Steigy and Errey would have been coming down from the press box with pitch forks with Mario Lemieux right behind them. When it’s their guy, who showboated like a punk after turning out Beagle’s lights by the way, they are talking about team toughness and so forth. Can’t have it both ways Pittsburgh. Either way, I’m looking forward to this rematch.

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Bruins vs. Lightning Ticket Giveaway for Tuesday


in Uncategorized

As noticed on PlayXPlay.com ‘s (fan-generated sports video network in beta) Facebook page this afternoon:

We’ve got 2 amazing Loge seats to Tuesday’s Bruins playoff game vs. Tampa Bay. For your chance to win, simply "like" our page and share a funny Bruins game memory in the comments. We’ll pick our favorite and send you and a friend to the big show! Must be able to receive tickets via FedEx Tuesday morning.

They had me at Loge seats. And they had me again at playoff game. Looks like these guys have given away a lot of Red Sox tickets lately, so I’m thinking it’d be worth your while to leave a memory.

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Welcome Back Savy, Now Can You Please Stop Talking About Yourself?


in Uncategorized

What’s up GoonBloggers? Happy almost end to 2010. How’s your year been?

I’ve heard alot of chatter about what a deuche Savy is and I have tried to avoid believing it until now. Check out his post game comments from last night’s tilt vs. Tampa Bay:

Savard said it was great to get back at it. It’s been six months so it’s been a long time,” he said. “I was shaking off a bit of rust but I felt like I made some good plays. I felt like there was stuff I could build off of and work on still. I had a little trouble as the shift wore on but it was only a couple of times. I felt good, I felt strong and I got in there a couple of times. I tried to bang around, I didn’t really move anybody but it
was a lot of fun. It’s been a long road that’s for sure.”

Enough with the I crap kid. How about you come out and say It was great to be back out on the ice with my teammates. They have been playing great hockey this year. I just hope to contribute and not slow things down.

He needs to sit down with Brady and Belichick and learn how to give a god damn interview.

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Group hug for Savvy


in Chris, GoonSquad, Uncategorized

Marc Savard needs a virtual hug, and I’m just the man to give it to him. After saying he was hurt by all of the trade rumors his name was involved in this Summer, it seems he has the approval of his boss after all, as PC and the Crew announced he’d be a Bruin this season. PC went on to further say he took a lot of calls on Savvy, but none struck his fancy enough to pull the trigger. So, was Savard really being shopped, or was it a case where other GM’s were inquiring about his services and it got spun into Savard is being shopped?

On the one hand, trading Marc Savard makes sense. He’s 15th in the NHL in points scored since the lockout. If you need a pass first center that has become defensively aware, he’s your guy. The Bruins gave him a great contract that I think he earned every penny of. If you weren’t up against the salary cap, then sure, you can deal a guy like Savvy and get a very nice player back.

Part of the trade talks we have endured surrounding Savvy are his lack of leadership in the room, and he’s only one big hit away from being out of hockey forever. Mark Recchi didn’t exactly give Savard a ringing endorsement when he was asked to comment on Savard’s situation earlier this summer. Also, the headshot is a big problem. Once one sustains one concussion, the others are easier to come by. Ask Patty Bergeron to comment on this. The ringing in his head appeared to finally have stopped last season after he sustained two concussions in two years. Bergeron was not right at all two years ago when he came back, and the second concussion didn’t help his cause. Last season however, he looked fully healed, and had a great season for Boston, and Canada. He was arguably Boston’s best player from start to finish. Point being, it takes a long time to recover from a concussion, and at Savard’s age, if he sustains another serious concussion, he may not be able to ever come back.

So he’s a headshot away from being hurt forever, and he makes too much money. Also, he’s trouble in the room. Sounds like every player in the NHL right there. For Christ’s sake, it’s a physical game. Every player in the NHL is one serious hit away from being done for good. It matters not if you make 500K, or 5 million, when playing a violent game, violent things happen.

I just don’t buy Savard being a bad room guy. Let’s not forget, he had the A on his jersey for an extended period of time last season. If anything, I could see him as being a guy that is too loose. Savvy looks to me like a guy that loves to play hockey. A guy that is truly happy playing a game for a living. He’s probably chatty as hell, and maybe that rubs the guys the wrong way. Who knows, maybe Recchasuaurs doesn’t like the new fangled rap music he likes to play, and would like to see a little more Lawrence Welk get played in the room. Does the fact he doesn’t know when to turn it off in the room, make him a bad teammate? Not in my book. If he goes out and pots 30 while adding 70 helpers, he can do whatever the hell he wants in the room as far as I am concerned.
What exactly would Boston get in return for Savard? I mean seriously. He makes a lot of money, as well he should. If they are trading Savard to clear cap space, I am guessing they are going to have to take draft picks, and perhaps a player that may be ready to break out. They aren’t getting any franchise cornerstone back in a salary dump. Hell, they don’t even need to dump his salary. Marco Sturm’s number doesn’t hit the cap for a while, and Mike Ryder can ride the bus in Providence as far as I am concerned. Why the big urgency to deal a guy that hasn’t played one second’s worth of hockey under the deal he was just signed too. It makes no sense.

At the end of the day, I am pleased as punch that Savard will not be dealt. From my seat in the stands, the rumors surrounding him never made sense. You don’t go out and acquire a guy like Nathan Horton, and then deal the guy you want to pass to him. Savvy is creative with the puck, and makes the guys on his line better. If you can only skate a lane, you can’t play with Savvy. If you can be creative, and be open to the thought that you are in open ice (even if you don’t think you are) then Savard will find your blade.

As far as the contract, and injuries are concerned, well don’t be. Let’s see if he earns the money he’s been signed too before we star casting judgment on if it was too much. If Savard is the league MVP, and hoists the Stanley Cup, how does that contract look then? Like I said, every NHL player, and hockey player in general for that matter, is one hit away from winding up like Travis Roy. It’s the type of thing that can’t be controlled, and again, it doesn’t matter how much money one makes when fate intervenes.

There you have it Savvy, your virtual hug from Goonblog. I think I speak for a good majority of people here when I say welcome back to Boston. I missed you and your black and gold brethren. Now, go get me that 30 and 70 I spoke about.

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