Tie Domi has decided to hang em up after a 15 year career. Never one to back down from anyone, Domi built his reputation through the years as one of the most willing enforcers in the league. He had said he was thankful for the guys that were established in the league when he came in giving him a chance to hone his rep by obliging him when he asked to go. Near the end of his career, he often turned down guys trying to do the same thing he had done many years before. He cited a different climate in which fighting exists in the NHL. When he came in there was no such thing as a time and place. If you wanted to go, you went. These days, it has to be the “right time.”

So, with Domi’s retirement came the groundswell of the end of the enforcer as we know it, and you can’t just be one dimensional anymore…blah, blah, blah…..I say hogwash. Domi was always an enforcer, yes. But I don’t think he could ever be considered a one dimensional goon. He skated surprisingly well for a guy that does what Domi did. He chipped in offensively every year. He has 104 goals and 141 helpers in 1,020 NHL contests. That isn’t too bad for a guy that spent 3,515 minutes in the sin bin in those 1,020 games. If you break those numbers down, his PIMS add up to almost 60 games spent in the Box. Some guys that are true goons don’t even have 60 games in the show on their resume. What Domi provided was grit, a few points a year, and a presence in the room and on the ice. Sounds pretty multifaceted to me.

While Domi represents the “Old Guard”, he is by no means the end of an era. The only era ending here is the Tie Domi era. Let’s not forget, Tie Domi is 36 years old. Guys that don’t do what he does are being bought out around the league. This isn’t like some 23 year old kid is being bought out because he only brings one dimension to the table. Domi is old by NHL standards, and ancient by enforcer standards. Fighting in the NHL is on the decline in general, and guys do need to be able to help the team these days, but just because Domi is done, it doesn’t mean the whole role is done. There are plenty of guys in the show that are keeping the role alive. So, Tie, thanks for the memories. You will be missed. Good luck with TSN. I look forward to seeing you this winter on TV. Thanks for doing what you did for 15 years.

During the off-season it’s tough to sit down and find something to write about every day. Come to think of it, that’s a challenge for us even in the middle of the schedule - so now we’re really fucked. I found a prehistoric (1993) University of Chicago student goon site that I’m shocked is still live. With Domi’s recent retirement, and the tough-guy’s future threatened by new hockey rules, I thought the list would present a nostalgic look back at the state of thuggery in the NHL 13 years ago. How sweet it was:

1. Bob Probert- LW, Detroit Red Wings. “Probert, Probert, what a man; We see him, it’s slam-bam. Let’s go.” -D. Cherry Amassing 292 penalty minutes over the course of 80 games last year, Probert took on all challengers and usually stood tall at the end.

2. Marty McSorley- D, Pittsburgh Penguins. Although Probert is the better fighter, Marty has protected the biggest names in hockey (Wayne Gretzky last year, and Mario Lemieux this year) and led the league in penalty minutes last year with 399.

3. Tie (The Albanian Aggressor) Domi- RW, Winnipeg Jets. While his primary job is to protect teammate Teemu Selanne (Tay-MOO SEH-lahn-nay) from cheap shot artists, Domi finds time to play with his fellow goons, including a legendary bout with Probert last year (won by Probert needless to say), score 15 points, and rack up 344 penalty minutes in a mere 61 games.

4. Gino Odjick- LW, Vancouver Canucks. Pavel Bure doesn¹t need to worry about getting abused as long the 6¹3², 220-pound Odjick is around. Odjick had 370 penalty minutes in 75 games last season, and managed to up his offensive output to 17 points.

5. Stu Grimson- LW, Anaheim Mighty Ducks. Those opponents who sail into the pond this year and are tempted to make fowl comments about the Ducks, will think twice after Stu welcomes them with a brutal cross-check. While he Œonly¹ tallied 193 penalty minutes in 78 games with the Chicago Blackhawks, Stu made up for it with an intense physical style of play, as well as a fiery temper which helped spark the team.

6. Jim McKenzie- LW, Hartford Whalers. As if frequent references to Bob and Doug McKenzie (beauty eh?) weren¹t enough, Jim is forced to play in one of the greatest pits of North America. This helps explain why Jim had 202 penalty minutes in only 64 games; while few of them were foolish penalties, he is obviously an angry young man.

7. Randy McKay- RW, New Jersey Devils. Randy has one of the better work ethics among the NHL¹s goons and it paid off last year, as he netted 11 goals and was the proud recipient of 206 penalty minutes.

8. Shane Churla- RW, Dallas Stars. It will be interesting to see if the warmer climate and supportive fans of Dallas will soften Shane, who has been used to playing in completely opposite conditions in Minnesota. Since the Stars have only changed cities, not divisions, Mr. Churla will still have to contend with Mr. Probert, and also gets a new rival in the form of one Tie Domi. Look for him to improve upon last year¹s totals of 286 penalty minutes in 73 games.

9. Mike Peluso- LW, New Jersey Devils. The Devils have one of the league¹s most fearsome goon lines, with Peluso (318 PM in 81 games) at left wing and McKay (see number 7) at right wing. Peluso scored 15 goals and dished out 10 assists last year, but these numbers may fall off, since he won¹t get the playing time in New Jersey that he got in Ottawa.

10. Paul Laus- D, Florida Panthers. This is Wango Wango¹s dark horse. Coming from the bowels of hockey (the Cleveland Lumberjacks of the IHL), Paul has yet to play in the NHL but will surely rank among the goon elite. He racked up a whopping 427 penalty minutes in 76 games and 1,495 penalty minutes in his 6 years in the IHL.

So there you have it. Memory lane. How would this list look today, and are these sorts of players and positions truly becoming extinct? As the league heads into year 2 of the new NHL - is it going to get worse for our beloved goon?

Old time hockey for a bit up North last night eh? Domi and Boston’s Dan LaCoutre had a very one sided fight. Domi gave him so many lefts, Lac was begging for a right. Everytime LaCoutre would get his balance; Tie was there to knock him back with another left. You could see the look on Lac’s face when he was going to the box that he wasn’t pleased with the outcome of the scrap at all.

Later in the game Travis Green came in to stick up for a Teammate, and wound up in a scrap with Toronto’s Ben Ondrus. The scrap also looked a little one sided for the Leaf. I always like a good scrap in defense of a mate, and I applaud Travis for doing something.

Doghouse of the night goes to Hal Gill, per usual, and Nick Boynton. Gill can’t get it through his fucking head that cross checks to the back are not allowed in the new NHL. Boynton has been undisciplined as of late, and should have known better than to lose his cool like he did. You simply can not give the best 5 on 3 team in the NHL an opportunity to come back like they did, and 44 should know that. The bell tolls for thee Boston. Give the Bruins the standing 8 on making the Spring Dance.

The Ref has been putting off mentioning Domi’s Saturday night defeat at the fists of Brian McGratton for a reason. As we all know, denial is not just a river in Windsor. Is my man finally over the hill? Has Domi decided to take a back seat to Belak? Am I rattling off useless hypothetical questions like it’s my job in addition to referring to myself in the third-person like a pompous pad-sniffer?

The answers to all of these questions are open to interpretation (except maybe the last one), but GoonBlog feels that Saturday’s incident, and elements of Domi’s season thus far in general, are no reason to count him out just yet. You win some, and you lose some. And there’s no refuting Domi’s place in the hearts and minds of his fellow thumpers.

Tie’s introduction to the NHL was as an enforcer, but over time he evolved into an aware player who can rack up goals right alongside the KO’s.

"Tie Domi is kind of a role model for guys who play this role… He’s a huge part of the team. I respect a guy like Domi because he came into the league as a tough guy and has made himself into a player who contributes. That’s what we’re all trying to accomplish. You can’t just fight and expect to stay in the game." - Andrew Peters.

Kids who start playing the game at a young age, but outgrow their peers due to genetics and see their roles change, don’t always have to choose between aspiring to being either a goon or a Gretzky. And that fact is going to be increasingly more relevant in the perceived New NHL where the brutality is taking a backseat. Oh we still need the size and the strength, but you’ll have to be a well-rounded producer to boot. It’s simple evolution, like it or not. And the future holds a lot more guys like Tie.

And let’s remember - that was a pretty disrespectful taunt by the sinister Senator. To the entire Leaf team. I didn’t see anybody else get off the bench to answer the call.