Goon, Thug, or Scumbag, if you are against them! Enforcer and Policeman, if you are trying to glamorize them! Fighter, if you’re doing neither. Whatever your opinion of these warriors, and your stance on fighting in Pro and Junior leagues is, one cannot dispute that the fights not only have a negative and nasty physical tool, but often a debilitating mental long term effect.

With three self administered deaths, in the off season (2011-2012), of three of the best hockey fighters, there has been concern raised when talking about the role of an enforcer. Wade Belak and Rick Rypein committed suicide, and Derek Boogaard died of an accidental overdose, a lethal combination of alcohol and prescription pain pills. This is not the first time that a fighter struggled with suicide, drugs and alcohol. In fact, it happens more often than one may think. The hockey fans and the casual fans, more often than not, do not realize the toll these players put on themselves, and the potential preexisting mental illness that these players may have. Whether it is the fact that we as fans are not exposed to the fighters often, seeing how 95% of enforcers score fewer than five goals a year, the media is not knocking down walls to get interviews.

Bob Probert was the godfather in the golden area of fighting. Probert had a total of 342 fights and 3,300 penalty minutes in his career (40 fights in his Minor and Junior career, and 302 fights in his NHL career). Probert left his home shortly after the death of his father to start his hockey career, just a few years later he would suit up for the Detroit Red Wings. Probert, while a very nice guy, (bought NHL tickets for young people who could not afford them, and ironically helped a young man become sober while he himself struggled with similar issues) had a fair share of legal issues, most stemming from his abuse of drugs and alcohol. Several times he had violent altercations with police. For example, in June 2004 Probert allegedly parked his BMW on the wrong side of the road and got into an altercation with bystanders reportedly over drugs. The police showed up and had to taser Probert, he was later acquitted of all charges. Just one year later in July of 2005, Probert was arrested again for breaching the peace, resisting arrest, and assaulting a police officer. While these two incidents occurred after his retirement, and are fairly big legal issues for Probert, they would not compare to the troubles he would have during his playing career. During the 1989 season, Probert was arrested for trying to smuggle 14 grams of cocaine across the Canadian/USA border in his underpants. Probert served three months in a US federal prison in Minnesota and three more months in a halfway house, and was suspended indefinitely by the NHL, to boot. This was not the only time during Probert’s career that he would have trouble with law enforcement. In 1994, Probert wrecked his motorcycle in Bloomfield township, Michigan. Probert had a blood alcohol level three times the legal limit.

Years later, Probert would eventually clean up his life and become clean of drugs and alcohol. It is said that one of the major factors contributing to his new found sobriety was his children. On July 5th, 2010, (exactly five years after his last violent encounter with the police) Probert was vacationing with his children and in-laws when he developed severe chest pains. At 2:00 pm, Probert  collapsed, his father-in-law (Chief of Police) attempted CPR. He was rushed to Windsor Regional Hospital with no vital signs, where he was later pronounced dead.

John Kordic, another enforcer with 201 fights in his career (125 in the NHL, and 76 in minor and junior leagues) would have his life cut short with drugs being a central factor. Kordic played for four NHL teams in his short career, and won a Stanley Cup with Montreal in 1986. On August 8th, 1992, Kordic overdosed on drugs and was involved with a struggle with police at a Quebec City motel. After being rushed to the hospital, Kordic was pronounced dead due to lung failure resulting from a heart malfunction. The police found several unused syringes, cocaine, and anabolic steroids in the motel room. Kordic had several emotional problems, and it was reported that he had made the comment to his fiancée “I hate myself for hurting others.” Kordic’s parents disapproved of his fighting, his father especially, and John once made the comment to reporters that he was “drowning his anguish in a sea of vodka” over his father’s disapproval. Kordic was not a guy who liked to fight, in fact he hated it, but he knew the only way he could play the game was to use his fists to keep his livelihood. There are even reports that Kordic and a teammate were snorting coke when a coach walked in and made a comment along the lines, “I did not see that” before he turned and walked back out the door. John was only twenty seven when his tormented life came to an end.

Mike Danton who had 59 fights in his career (18 in 87 games in the NHL, and 41 in the minor leagues) was arrested on April 16th, 2004 on conspiracy to commit murder. On July 16th, 2004, Danton pled guilty to attempting to hire a hitman, who was actually an undercover police dispatcher, to kill his agent David Frost. Danton was sentenced to seven and a half years in federal prison. Frost denies that he was the intended target. During a taped conversation that Danton made after his arrest, Frost can be heard forcing Danton to say “I love you”, which made several people believe that the two had a romantic relationship. (Which should be noted, that this is denied by both parties). Frost was charged and acquitted of 12 counts of sexual exploitation of minors, three females and four males, which was alleged to have occurred during the time he was coaching Danton’s Junior league team. Danton claims that his time abusing prescription drugs led to his paranoia, along with the stress that comes with a NHL career.

Trevor Ettinger had 181 fights in his hockey career (6 in the NHL, and 175 in the minors and junior leagues). Ettinger was found dead on July 26th, 2003 with a single gunshot to the head at the home of his mother in Upper Kennetcook, Nova Scotia. Not many details of the incident are known, other than Canadian officials have declared it a suicide and closed the case.

Marc Potvin had 210 fights in his hockey career (71 in the NHL, and 139 in the minor and junior leagues) and was a former Detroit Red Wings draft pick in 1986. After his playing career, Potvin became a coach and took over the helm of the Adirondack Frostbite, United Hockey League (UHL) team. After a night of drinking, Potvin hung himself with his belt from a shower curtain. Potvin’s suicide came amidst a season, and a game had to be postponed.

In order to see a true success story, we must look at the case of Jordin Tootoo, the first Inuit player to reach the NHL. As of the current date, in an on going season, Jordin has 149 fights (76 in the NHL, and 73 in the minor and junior leagues). On December 27th, 2010, he entered himself into the NHL/NHLPA’s Substance Abuse and Behavioral Health program, for treatment of an alcohol problem. Jordin would return later that year to play in the playoffs. Jordin did not have to go very far to see where his drinking could lead him. His older brother Terence Tootoo, who had a very successful, yet extremely short minor league career, committed suicide at the age of 22, in August 2002, shortly after a drunk driving arrest. Only time will tell if Jordin is in the clear, he has a long career ahead of him, but he seems to be on the right path.

When an NHL enforcer is too old or becomes a liability, he is thrown away for someone younger and stronger, so that they can do the same to the newcomer in the years to come. There is no doubt that these players often (but not always) suffer from a certain pattern of drug/alcohol abuse and/or mental illness. What is to happen to some of our favorite fighters when their career takes a down spin? Will they end up like Wade Belak who committed suicide after retiring?

Fighting is so ingrained in hockey culture that it is hard to see it being taken out. The commissioner has even made several comments along the lines that he would rather have fights than players using their sticks in ways he sees in other mostly European leagues, where there is very little fighting. He claims that if you take away the fighting, you will see more sticks being used as weapons. However, he must not realize that HE has the power to suspend or expel players from the league. If you remove fighting, and someone hits another player with his stick in the head, then you suspend that player for 41 games, which is half a season. And depending on the player, that could mean millions in financial losses.

You have blowhards (who will go unnamed) who will fight tooth and nail to keep this archaic machismo in the game. In truth, fighting is exciting. But think of the after effects, the chipped teeth, the concussions, the broken cheek and orbital bones, the lacerations, the stitches, the drugs, the suicides. You can say that these guys know the risks, they are doing it to themselves, but tougher drug testing should be in place, and there is a lot of blame to go around. Instead of blame, do something. Three enforcer deaths this off season alone, and little to nothing has been done. Years ago when Kordic died, there were calls for stiffer drug testing, but little was changed. With the NHL still playing highlights of Kordic’s fights, along with fighting being allowed in junior leagues, with players ages 15-21 allowed to fight, change is as likely as walking from the Earth to the Moon. There is no end in sight.