Each NHL team’s best fighter of all-time

Arizona Coyotes – Keith Tkachuk

The Tkachuk name has always been, and continues to be, synonymous with being tough and gritty. This was all started during the playing days of the first of the family, Keith Tkachuk.

He was strong, hard working, gritty and mean. And this translated well to the era of hockey in which he played. Tkachuk made a name for himself as being a tough guy, and he was known to drop the gloves whenever needed.

However, much like the aforementioned Parros, he would not be considered among the all-time greats. This doesn’t mean that he wasn’t one to be feared, but more that he chose to impose himself physically with his gloves on and stick in his hand a bit more than some of the other names to come.

Drafted 19th overall by the Winnipeg Jets, who would become the Phoenix/Arizona Coyotes, in 1990, he would play the first 10 years of his career with the organization. During this time he would make a name for himself as someone who was able to not only fight, but to put up points. This is something very few on this list can say for themselves.

Tkachuk would finish his time with the organization with 1,508 penalty minutes, a mark that still stands at first all-time. This includes three seasons where he broke the 200-minute mark for penalties in both 1992-93, 93-94 and 96-97 with 201, 255 and 228 respectively.

While he may not be the greatest fighter in NHL history, it goes without saying that he was the best the Coyotes ever had.