Comments on: The Big Question: Would you trade places with an NHL enforcer?

By: goalscr

goalscr — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 18:20:37 +0000

I did this role back in the 70′s in the IHL and CHL when hockey was hockey. My first season of pro hockey after I played college hockey,I complied 355 PIM, played with Stan Johnathan in Dayton and made about $400 a week. I also beat the crap out of Mike Milbury, Paul Stewart and Val James just to name a few. I also played without a helmet and in my four years playing in the minors I never sustained a concussion.
When we played we had more of a respect when we hit each other. Also our equpment was much heavier, ie: elbow pads and shin pads. BUT it was also softer.CCM elbow pads were made out of horse hair and leather. In today’s game the elbow pads are made out of light plastic, BUT it is also much harder.The shoulder pads are like football shoulder pads.When we played most of us wore just shoulder caps.
The biggest thing is the speed of the game and the size of the players. When I played I was 6’3 205lbs.
Taking out the RED LINE was a huge mistake, this causes players to hit at top speed now.
Anyway, if I was born today I would do it all over again.

By: michiganhockey11

michiganhockey11 — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 16:16:38 +0000

Every freaking kids dream that plays hockey is to play in a NHL game regardless of the role.

By: rebel21das

rebel21das — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 16:06:23 +0000

I would in a heartbeat……..what a silly question

By: michiganhockey11

michiganhockey11 — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 13:36:56 +0000

Who wouldn’t want a 6’4 235lb defenseman?

By: michiganhockey11

michiganhockey11 — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 13:33:21 +0000

After playing in my youth, high school and travel, I would jump at the opportunity. After getting a bachelors, a masters and sitting in a cubicle all day, I’d do it.

“It’s a role that is necessarily adopted by players with marginal staying power in the pros.” Not so. People often forget that there were/are enforcers that have good skills. Probie had great hands and put plenty of pucks in the net.

By: warpstonebc

warpstonebc — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 06:36:37 +0000

I put in a lot of time and money into my child’s minor hockey experience. I have no designs on him playing pro hockey. However, if that was on the cards, I’d sooner he take all that we invested in him and walk away from the game rather than become an enforcer.

No one grows up dreaming to be an enforcer.

It’s a role that is necessarily adopted by players with marginal staying power in the pros. I’d sooner my son simply went back to school at the point in his career than get stuck in the professional hell of an enforcer who’s always on the verge of being on the wrong end of a two-way contract or catastrophic brain injury.

By: alexb64

alexb64 — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 05:00:06 +0000

Genetics gave me the ability to throw a rather blunt left hand. I went to college to get a bachelors & masters and now currently earn a nice salary for my chosen profession. I don’t use my pugilistic abilities at all because all they would earn me is jail time & a bad reputation. In the NHL (this is of course assuming I also had the other essential skills to be an NHL player) I look at a guy like Colton Orr or Jody Shelley and think, yeah I’d be the designated goon/enforcer for even league minimum which is higher than even my maximum, tenured salary could be & plus I’d still get the time off in the summer. The unfortunate fates that some enforcers have met aren’t any more guaranteed than the chances of me getting killed driving to work some morning either.

I love what I do, but I’m not gonna lie. The chance to earn big money to play sparingly & fight and try my best to get out before I do serious damage would be a gamble I’d take/

By: arsement

arsement — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 01:29:52 +0000

Umm… yes, hands down, sign me up.

Are you kidding?

I grew up playing hockey and like most kids I thought I’d play in the NHL. I work at a desk behind a computer. The trade-off between risking head trauma vs. the paycheck is a no-brainer for me… of course I’d switch places with an enforcer.

The economic/financial freedom an NHL salary insinues is more than most people make in their lifetime… the thought of not having to go to work in the morning, dropping everything to go to an exotic place, etc, is the reason I’d do it.

But I live in the real world and am happy doing what I do

By: killerpgh

killerpgh — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 00:11:16 +0000

With the info you gave that rules out the islanders so I would do it in a heart beat. 6 million in a Guaranteed contract. Sure beats all the wear and tear I put on my body now working construction for 60 grand in a good year.

By: danphipps01

danphipps01 — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 00:07:12 +0000

Eh. It’s a matter of risk assessment, I think. I skydive, I climb, I snowboard, paraglide, et cetera. According to the guys who calculate life insurance payments, I take a lot of liberties, but in truth I really don’t. These things are pretty safe. Assuming you’re not a goddamned idiot, and I like to think I’m not, it’s not hard to avoid substantial risk in a lot of what people consider “extreme” sports.

Contrast this with an NHL enforcer, who no matter how intelligent or safety-conscious he is, is almost guaranteed unpleasant symptoms later in life. The average lifespan of an enforcer is likely not dramatically better than the average lifespan of a pro football player, and for the same reasons. Six million dollars for guaranteed lingering injuries and a chance at Lord Stanley’s? It hurts a bit to say no to the chance at the Cup, but the role’s got too many drawbacks for my liking.

By: icelovinbrotha215

icelovinbrotha215 — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 23:34:30 +0000

Where ya play @?

By: taytay099

taytay099 — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 22:40:29 +0000

I’d be worse at enforcing than Darcy Hordichuk.

By: bcjim

bcjim — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 22:29:18 +0000

Maybe, if I was 6’5″ 250# and a high school dropout with no other skills.

But since I’m not those things, I’ll pass.

By: haterzgonahate

haterzgonahate — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 22:03:41 +0000

i (like a lot of people) am confined to a desk for 8-10 hours a day. studies show, that regardless of how active your are.. sitting for prolonged periods of time throughout the day can lead to heart disease, diabetes, blod clots etc etc

i’ll take my chance as an NHL punching bag. life is dangerous regardless of what you do!

i’d also like to add, i had to quit playing hockey (competitively) when i was 18 years old in Junior A thanks to injuries… concussions being a big part of said injuries.

my life seems pretty normal… although its not the way i planned it.