While fighting isn’t as prominent in the NHL as it used to be, it certainly isn’t gone. In the 2022-23 regular season, there were 334 official fights where five-minute majors were handed out. Yes, that number was much higher twenty years ago, but hockey fans are still treated to a good scrap from time to time.
Fighting, and the physical side of hockey in general, is one of the many reasons I fell in love with the sport. No other sport is like it. Since I started watching hockey with my dad as a little kid, I’ve loved watching hits, scrums, and fights. So, who is going to be dropping the gloves this season? Here are my predictions for which teams will fight the most in 2023-24.
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Minnesota Wild
The first team that comes to mind for me is the Minnesota Wild. Minnesota was one of the toughest teams in the NHL last season and added even more toughness with Pat Maroon this offseason. I believe the Wild are going to lead the league in fights this year.
Minnesota’s lineup is loaded with toughness by today’s standard. Newcomer Pat Maroon is one of the most active fighters in the league. Marcus Foligno is also never shy about dropping the gloves. Jacob Middleton and Brandon Duhaime have only played a couple of NHL seasons each but have 15 career fights already. Plenty of others will pitch in a scrap or two as well, including Ryan Hartman, Connor Dewar, and Jujhar Khaira.
| Notable Fighters | Career Fights | 2022-23 Fights |
| Pat Maroon | 82 | 12 |
| Marcus Foligno | 60 | 7 |
| Jacob Middleton | 15 | 4 |
| Brandon Duhaime | 15 | 4 |
Ottawa Senators
The Ottawa Senators are another team that will be near the top of the league in fights. The Senators have made a clear effort over the last few years to be very tough to play against. They may be young, but they do not back down.
Led by captain Brady Tkachuk, his physicality sets the tone for the entire team. They also added Zack MacEwen to the roster this season, and he is never shy about throwing punches. Mark Kastelic and Parker Kelly have both proven to be scrappy players, and there are plenty of other Sens willing to get in a scrap or two over the course of the season.
| Notable Fighters | Career Fights | 2022-23 Fights |
| Brady Tkachuk | 27 | 8 |
| Zack MacEwen | 28 | 7 |
| Mark Kastelic | 9 | 7 |
| Parker Kelly | 4 | 3 |
Nashville Predators
The Nashville Predators are another team that has always been near the top of the league in fights over the last few years. While not as tough without Tanner Jeannot, the addition of Luke Schenn should keep them fairly high up the list.
Schenn will likely lead the way, but Cole Smith and Jeremy Lauzon are both active fighters as well. Other players, such as Kiefer Sherwood and Yakov Trenin, among others, will likely add a couple of scraps to the team total too.
| Notable Fighters | Career Fights | 2022-23 Fights |
| Luke Schenn | 64 | 6 |
| Cole Smith | 6 | 6 |
| Jeremy Lauzon | 14 | 4 |
Philadelphia Flyers
The Philadelphia Flyers had the second most fights in the NHL last season with 36. Nic Deslauriers had the most fights for a single player with 14. Deslauriers is still on the Flyers, and I once again expect them to be near the top of the league.
In addition to Deslauriers, the Flyers have a slew of scrappy players who are more than willing to throw down every once in a while. Newcomer Garnet Hathaway is always stirring the pot. Defenseman Nick Seeler is a tough, physical player. Joel Farabee has never shied away from the physical side of the game. Scott Laughton and Travis Konecny are veterans who play with a chip on their shoulder, and youngsters like Wade Allison try to impact the game in any way possible. There’s toughness up and down the lineup for this Flyers team.
| Notable Fighters | Career Fights | 2022-23 Fights |
| Nic Deslauriers | 71 | 14 |
| Nick Seeler | 13 | 4 |
| Garnet Hathaway | 25 | 3 |
| Joel Farabee | 9 | 3 |
Chicago Blackhawks
The Chicago Blackhawks aren’t a team you usually think of when discussing the toughest teams. However, given their current situation, I believe they are going to be very protective of their young players this year. Obviously, Connor Bedard is the standout, but the Blackhawks are going to be playing quite a few youngsters as they work through another year of rebuilding. Those players are going to need protection to make sure they aren’t pushed around.
Chicago is very aware of this as they brought in veterans Nick Foligno and Corey Perry this offseason. Those two, among others, are going to make sure liberties are not taken, at least not without consequence, on any of the young Blackhawks. Depending on how teams choose to play Chicago, multiple Blackhawks could be dropping the gloves more than usual. I can see them having to do it enough to finish in the top five in fights this season.
| Notable Fighters | Career Fights | 2022-23 Fights |
| Corey Perry | 48 | 9 |
| Nick Foligno | 41 | 3 |
| Jarred Tinordi | 18 | 4 |
| Connor Murphy | 13 | 5 |
Those are my picks for the top five in fights this season. A few other teams that come to mind are the Boston Bruins, New York Rangers, and Tampa Bay Lightning. They will have their fair share of scraps as well. All in all, it’s going to be fun to see how the season plays out. The regular season is less than a week away, and teams can start adding to their fight totals soon. I can’t wait!
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