Ranking NHL Playoff Teams Based On How Well They Fight

Hockey has become a graceful show horse compared to the gallant and maligned beast it was back in the ‘90s. Back then fighting was not only common, but encouraged and employed strategically. Now, with rule changes and shifts in playing style, you just don’t see haymakers lobbed quite as often. So let’s take some time to think about hockey fights and take some inventory -- considering the present with a nod to the past and ranking the NHL playoff field based on how well these teams can fight.

Ranking NHL Playoff Teams Based On How Well They Fight

Hockey has become a graceful show horse compared to the gallant and maligned beast it was back in the ‘90s. Back then fighting was not only common, but encouraged and employed strategically. Now, with rule changes and shifts in playing style, you just don’t see haymakers lobbed quite as often. So let’s take some time to think about hockey fights and take some inventory -- considering the present with a nod to the past and ranking the NHL playoff field based on how well these teams can fight.

16. Pittsburgh Penguins

Two words and one welterweight: Sidney Crosby. Although the Penguins captain is talented, Crosby will never have enough Band-Aids to cover his boo-boos and this drops Pittsburgh’s fight rating severely.

16. Pittsburgh Penguins

Two words and one welterweight: Sidney Crosby. Although the Penguins captain is talented, Crosby will never have enough Band-Aids to cover his boo-boos and this drops Pittsburgh’s fight rating severely.

15. Detroit Red Wings

Too much finesse and too much of putting up with Jimmy Howard. This Red Wings roundup is one of Detroit’s softest in recent memory.

15. Detroit Red Wings

Too much finesse and too much of putting up with Jimmy Howard. This Red Wings roundup is one of Detroit’s softest in recent memory.

14. Chicago Blackhawks

Welcome to the Jonathan Toews show. Toews leads the Blackhawks in goals, assists and is probably the only one who knows how to properly starch a shirt. But Toews can’t fight all of the Blackhawks battles and this lack of beef puts Chicago low on the tenacity totem pole.

14. Chicago Blackhawks

Welcome to the Jonathan Toews show. Toews leads the Blackhawks in goals, assists and is probably the only one who knows how to properly starch a shirt. But Toews can’t fight all of the Blackhawks battles and this lack of beef puts Chicago low on the tenacity totem pole.

13. New York Islanders

The Islanders are high-scoring, but don’t rank highly on this fight chart. New York has the skating speed to build momentum into hard hits, but an overpowering physical style is not the Islanders' forte. Opening up against the Washington Capitals will serve to augment this philosophy.

13. New York Islanders

The Islanders are high-scoring, but don’t rank highly on this fight chart. New York has the skating speed to build momentum into hard hits, but an overpowering physical style is not the Islanders' forte. Opening up against the Washington Capitals will serve to augment this philosophy.

12. Nashville Predators

All three of Shea Weber, Paul Gaustad and James Neal have more PIM than points. These three are also massive human beings, with Neal being the shortest at 6-foot-2. But when it comes to fighting, this trio takes the high road too often and if the playoffs were decided by on-ice bouts, the Predators wouldn’t be real predatory at all.

12. Nashville Predators

All three of Shea Weber, Paul Gaustad and James Neal have more PIM than points. These three are also massive human beings, with Neal being the shortest at 6-foot-2. But when it comes to fighting, this trio takes the high road too often and if the playoffs were decided by on-ice bouts, the Predators wouldn’t be real predatory at all.

11. New York Rangers

The Rangers won the President’s trophy and only eight winners of this award have gone on to win the Stanley Cup. I’m big on all the big hexes (Madden cover, SI Jinx, you name it) and therefore won’t even give the Rangers a “fighting” chance in this rundown.

11. New York Rangers

The Rangers won the President’s trophy and only eight winners of this award have gone on to win the Stanley Cup. I’m big on all the big hexes (Madden cover, SI Jinx, you name it) and therefore won’t even give the Rangers a “fighting” chance in this rundown.

10. Tampa Bay Lightning

The Lightning are another team, like the Islanders, that possess good size but play with a little too much finesse to be considered seriously in fight rankings. Tampa Bay only wound up in 23 fights over 2014-15, and the best I can do is rank them tenth.

10. Tampa Bay Lightning

The Lightning are another team, like the Islanders, that possess good size but play with a little too much finesse to be considered seriously in fight rankings. Tampa Bay only wound up in 23 fights over 2014-15, and the best I can do is rank them tenth.

9. Minnesota Wild

In the NHL fight rankings, Minnesota is dead average when it comes to fisticuffs. The Wild only engaged in 24 fights throughout the season and that just isn’t enough to earn a spot in the top half of this fight club.

9. Minnesota Wild

In the NHL fight rankings, Minnesota is dead average when it comes to fisticuffs. The Wild only engaged in 24 fights throughout the season and that just isn’t enough to earn a spot in the top half of this fight club.

8. Montreal Canadiens

So much glory, so much history, there’s no way I can let the Canadiens settle at the bottom. Montreal has grandfathered this middle spot regardless of a paltry 0.33 fights per game average over the 2014-15 season.

8. Montreal Canadiens

So much glory, so much history, there’s no way I can let the Canadiens settle at the bottom. Montreal has grandfathered this middle spot regardless of a paltry 0.33 fights per game average over the 2014-15 season.

7. Calgary Flames

Who said Canadians always have to be polite? Apparently they haven’t messed with the Calgary Flames checking line.

7. Calgary Flames

Who said Canadians always have to be polite? Apparently they haven’t messed with the Calgary Flames checking line.

6. St. Louis Blues

St. Louis can be a dangerous city and the Blues can be a dangerous hockey team. This No. 1 seed in the West is No. 6 in this fight team ranking.

6. St. Louis Blues

St. Louis can be a dangerous city and the Blues can be a dangerous hockey team. This No. 1 seed in the West is No. 6 in this fight team ranking.

5. Washington Capitals

Alexander Ovechkin would've made a great Russian movie mobster if the hockey career hadn’t panned out. Even though Ovie is so great on skates it leaves me wanting more and it’d be real nice to see No. 8 pancake a few New York Islanders in the first round.

5. Washington Capitals

Alexander Ovechkin would've made a great Russian movie mobster if the hockey career hadn’t panned out. Even though Ovie is so great on skates it leaves me wanting more and it’d be real nice to see No. 8 pancake a few New York Islanders in the first round.

4. Vancouver Canucks

Please bring back the old black, gold and orange jerseys. Can we at least not fight about that?

4. Vancouver Canucks

Please bring back the old black, gold and orange jerseys. Can we at least not fight about that?

3. Winnipeg Jets

There isn’t much to do in downtown Winnipeg (sorry Manitoba) but get into a tizzy. The culture extends to the franchise and this franchise hits hard near the top of these rankings.

3. Winnipeg Jets

There isn’t much to do in downtown Winnipeg (sorry Manitoba) but get into a tizzy. The culture extends to the franchise and this franchise hits hard near the top of these rankings.

2. Ottawa Senators

Fire your coach and start fighting more, this was apparently the new Senators’ mantra Ottawa has rode to the 2015 NHL Playoffs. Work hard, play hard, fight hard, right?

2. Ottawa Senators

Fire your coach and start fighting more, this was apparently the new Senators’ mantra Ottawa has rode to the 2015 NHL Playoffs. Work hard, play hard, fight hard, right?

1. Anaheim Ducks

I’m a numbers guy and the numbers say the Anaheim Ducks fight the most out of any team in the playoffs. During the 2014-15 NHL season, the Ducks got dirty 35 times. Let's hope the Ducks continue to drop the gloves in the playoffs.

1. Anaheim Ducks

I’m a numbers guy and the numbers say the Anaheim Ducks fight the most out of any team in the playoffs. During the 2014-15 NHL season, the Ducks got dirty 35 times. Let's hope the Ducks continue to drop the gloves in the playoffs.