Less regular recently, but still happens. Only 20 years ago though this was very very common. There were players whose entire career was “the enforcer” who were only decent at hockey in professional terms but protected other, more highly skilled players from other teams dirty play or violence on the ice. The position still exists, at least tacitly, on most teams
I knew a dude who was an enforcer, he was huge, like 6'9" and 300 lbs, he said the only time he got scared was when he was pounding a dude in the face and the guy just smiled at him with bloody gums. Hockey players are something else.
Less regular recently, but still happens. Only 20 years ago though this was very very common. There were players whose entire career was “the enforcer” who were only decent at hockey in professional terms but protected other, more highly skilled players from other teams dirty play or violence on the ice. The position still exists, at least tacitly, on most teams
I knew a dude who was an enforcer, he was huge, like 6'9" and 300 lbs, he said the only time he got scared was when he was pounding a dude in the face and the guy just smiled at him with bloody gums. Hockey players are something else.