Top 5 NHL Enforcers – 2025 Preview

We’re less than 30 days away. The imminent return of NHL hockey.

We all know how Matt Rempe spent his summer. In short, not at the lake.

Instead of the Big Rideau, he attended the Georges Laraque Fight Camp, and big Georges has commented on the fact Matt is now more dangerous than ever. I don’t hate this information.

The Flyers showed the highly touted Russian prospect, Matvei Michkov, uncomfortable videos of Nicholas Deslauriers, and told him Nick was the guy that would be protecting him. I’m sure Deslauriers, the NHL leader in fights last year with 11, hasn’t been just sitting around doing nothing in the offseason. If this was the 60’s, he probably would have been working on a farm, and might be just getting around to finding his skates within the next couple of weeks. Those days are long gone.

Goonblog hopes everyone is enjoying themselves this summer, and with the new NHL season right around the corner, we thought it was a good time to revisit our 2024 Top 5 Fighters in the NHL post from February to see where we wound up.

In February the top 5 NHL enforcers looked like this:

• Andreas Englund – Los Angeles – 8 Fights
• Liam O’Brien – Arizona – 8 Fights
• Nicholas Deslauriers – Philadelphia – 7 Fights
• Brady Thachuk – Ottawa – 6 Fights
• Jonah Gadjovich – Florida – 6 Fights

The NHL as a whole finished with 311 fights. The top 5 teams in fights were:

• Arizona Coyotes – 38 Fights
• Minnesota Wild – 38 Fights
• Nashville Predators – 35 Fights
• Tampa Bay Lightning – 34 Fights
• Anaheim Ducks – 30 Fights

The End of 23-24 Season Top 5 Fighters

It finished similarly to how it started, except Brady Tkachuk fell off the top 5, and was replaced by San Jose’s Luke Kunin.

• Nicholas Deslauriers – Philadelphia – 11 Fights
• Andreas Englund – Los Angeles – 11 Fights (He also had one in the playoffs) for 12 total
• Liam O’Brien – Arizona (Now Utah) – 11 Fights
• Jonah Gadjovich – Florida – 10 Fights
• Luke Kunin – San Jose Sharks – 9 Fights
  

11 is the magic number for amount of fights. It’s worth noting, Matt Rempe has 12 fights last year. 7 in the AHL, and 5 in the NHL. It’s worth further noting, his fights in the National were against guys I would consider to be the top heavies in the game today, and I think his scrap against Deslauriers was the fight of the year.

2025 Top NHL Enforcers?

So, what does the upcoming season hold for us fight fans? Well, if you’re on the East Coast, you’re going to have to keep your eyes on Matt Rempe.

The Rempire State building learning to fight could be a huge problem for guys like Nick Deslauriers, Arber Xhekaj, Kurtis MacDermid and Ryan Reaves. If he really hurts one of those guys, will others be willing to drop the mitts with him, or will they turn the second year pro down and skate back to the bench in the interest of violence avoidance? Yeah, we’ll go with that new coined term.

Out West, Luke Kunin will be busy protecting first overall pick Macklin Celebrini for San Jose. I’m sure there will be some guys wanting to welcome the young phenom to the NHL with a whistle, and Kunin may be called on to answer the bell night in and night out. But we’re getting down a rabbithole now, and have to make some solid predictions. Here we go:

NHL 2025 Top Enforcers Preview (and Predictions)

In an era where analytics reign, violence is actually discouraged, and every shift is scrutinized while the best of the best worry about holding onto their jobs – a few fellas stand out. Here are our predictions for the 2025-2026 season based on previous performance, new opponents and plain old drunken stubbornness. This is mostly subjective, and we were told there would be no math.

1. Ryan Reaves – Toronto Maple Leafs

Ryan Reaves will continue to be a force to be reckoned with. Known for his powerful right hand and intimidating presence, Reaves has averaged 0.15 fights per game over the past three seasons, accumulating 187 penalty minutes. His Corsi For percentage of 48.2% shows he’s not just a one-dimensional player. Reaves’ former coach with the Rangers, Gerard Gallant, praised his impact: “Ryan brings energy every shift. He’s a leader in the room and keeps opponents honest on the ice.”

2. Nicolas Deslauriers – Philadelphia Flyers

Deslauriers has established himself as one of the league’s premier enforcers and was the winner of our pick for the top fight of 2024-25. His grappling ability and relentless style led to 0.18 fights per game and 213 penalty minutes in the last three seasons. Flyers’ captain Sean Couturier commented, “Nic’s presence allows our skilled players to play with more confidence. He’s always there to have our backs.” That’s one way to put it. Deslauriers is a confident killer.

3. Matt Rempe – New York Rangers

You’re right – we obviously love the Rempire State Building around here. But cooler heads have to prevail when balancing his surprising first big show run last year against being an unproven long term commodity of violence. While he’s still developing his all-around game, his willingness to drop the gloves (0.22 fights per game) has earned him respect around the league. As mentioned previously, Georges Laraque called Rempe “a great fighter,” and can be considered an authority.

4. Kurtis MacDermid – Colorado Avalanche

MacDermid brings a blend of old-school toughness and modern defensive ability to the Avalanche. With 0.17 fights per game he’s proven to be more than just a guaranteed goon. Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar noted, “Kurtis gives us that physical edge we need, especially in tough playoff series. He’s a deterrent for teams thinking about taking liberties with our stars.” We’d go step further and predict he’ll be on top of this list by 2026.

5. Zack MacEwen – Ottawa Senators

While he’s no Matt Carkner, MacEwen rounds out our top 5 with his energetic style and willingness to throw a chin-biscuit for teammates and at opponents. He’s averaged 0.14 fights per game while contributing positively to puck possession with a 49.1% Corsi For percentage. Senators’ GM, Pierre Dorion, praised MacEwen’s impact: “Zack brings that sandpaper element we’ve been missing. He’s not afraid to mix it up, but he can also chip in offensively.” If there’s anything Canadians need in general, it’s some post Trudeau grit. So buddy made the list.

We’re at the time of year when one might need a sweatshirt at night (although not lately. This global warming is killing me too, Greta). And I’m starting to get that glint in my eye. Like Ralphie’s old man gets nutty about turkey in a Christmas Story, it’s almost hockey season. I can’t wait for these guys to get after it.