Throughout their franchise history, the Edmonton Oilers have boasted some of the most talented players to ever play the game. Several of their former players, including Wayne Gretzky, Mark Messier, Jari Kurri, Glenn Anderson, and Paul Coffey, are members of the Hockey Hall of Fame, while current ones such as Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl are well on their way.
Having some of the top talent in terms of skill isn’t all the Oilers boast, either. Over the years, they have had some of the NHLs elite heavyweights, which in many cases put some of their top stars at ease. Here is a look at the five toughest players ever to don an Oilers sweater.
Steve MacIntyre
There was little in Steve MacIntyre’s game in terms of talent, but boy, could he throw them. The 6-foot-5, 250-pound winger was one of the most feared scrappers in the league during his short career. Despite only playing in 60 career games with the Oilers, he made a lasting memory.
MacIntyre was involved in plenty of scraps during his time in Edmonton. Several came against the Flames, perhaps most notably when he knocked out another tough customer in Raitis Ivanans.
Georges Laraque
Few enforcers have been more beloved by an organization’s fanbase than Georges Laraque was in Edmonton. Oilers fans quickly grew to respect the now 46-year-old, who was considered the best fighter in the entire NHL during his prime.
Along with his many incredible scraps throughout his seven seasons with the Oilers, he was also able to score some big goals, perhaps most notably scoring a hat-trick in February of 2000 in a game against the LA Kings. Oilers fans will forever remember how excited Laraque was whenever he was able to find the back of the net.
Dave Brown
Like MacIntyre, Dave Brown’s tenure with the Oilers wasn’t particularly long, but it sure was memorable. He suited up for a combined 140 games during his time in Edmonton, registering 361 penalty minutes.
What made Brown so scary yet so effective was that he seemed to have no fear of getting hit. He showed almost zero signs of defence while in a scrap, and instead went in with the sole purpose of trying to injure whoever he was dropping the gloves with.
Marty McSorley
While McSorley isn’t as big as some of the others on this list at 6-foot-1, 190-pounds, he was one of the most in-shape enforcers of all time. He was involved in several legendary scraps that seemed to never end, which is a big credit to his stamina.
McSorley was more than just an enforcer, as well. He finished his career with an impressive 108 goals and 359 points, proving that there was some legitimate skill in his game. That said, he will always be remembered for his fights thanks to how tough of a customer he was.
Dave Semenko
While the Oilers have had plenty of legendary enforcers over the years, none are regarded as highly as Dave Semenko. Semenko was so tough that opposing fighters around the league were often quite hesitant to drop the gloves with him, which resulted in him not fighting as often as he would have liked to.
During a good chunk of his time in Edmonton, Semenko played on a line with Gretzky to protect the game’s best player. He did so in excellent fashion, creating plenty of open ice for No. 99. Among all on this list, his 981 penalty minutes in an Oilers sweater lead the way.
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