2011-12 Probert Award: Fighter of the Year

[NJDevils17]

This award is for the best fighter of the year, and that year only.

Nominees

George Parros - Anaheim Ducks - 11 fights
Key Wins: Edged Brian McGrattan, Darcy Hordichuk
Key Losses:beat by Brian McGrattan

Shawn Thornton - Boston Bruins - 20 fights
Key Wins: Beat Jody Shelley, Eric Boulton, Jared Boll, Krys Barch
Key Losses: Beat by Matt Kassian, Jared Boll, Michael Rupp, Jay Rosehill

Brian McGrattan - Nashville Predators - 6 fights
Key Wins: Beat Cam Janssen, Jay Rosehill, George Parros, Ryan Reaves
Key Losses: Edged by George Parros

Matt Kassian - Minnesota Wild - 7 fights
Key Wins: Beat Darcy Hordichuk 2x, Shawn Thornton
Key Losses: None

John Scott - Chicago Blackhawks & New York Rangers - 5 fights
Key Wins: Beat Deryk Engelland, Cam Janssen
Key Losses: None

My pick

To be honest, it was extremely difficult for coming up with nominees for this award. In previous years, you could always count on mainstays like Eric Godard, Derek Boogaard, Georges Laraque, Donald Brashear, Steve MacIntyre, etc. to be up here, but unfortunately none of those guys play anymore or didn't play in the NHL enough this year. Everyone up here has a knock against them. Parros got injured early in the season and then was scratched later on, Thornton was very active but really didn't have that high a quality of a card or record, McGrattan was great when he was fighting but was injured, Kassian also did well but only played a third of a season, and Scott had trouble getting into the line-up, and when he did, he had trouble finding a dance partner. Because of all this, I think I'll pick Brian McGrattan. I think he's the best fighting ability out of anyone and that he is the measuring stick for other tough guys in the league. It's tough because of his small fight card, but those were factors beyond his control.

Previous winners

2003-04: Matt Johnson
2005-06: Georges Laraque
2006-07: Derek Boogaard
2007-08: Georges Laraque
2008-09: Wade Belak
2009-10: Colton Orr
2010-11: Matt Carkner

[MattBurger]

Went with McGrattan.

Also, not that it really matters, but you're calling this a loss for Thornton? Looked like a Draw to me:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...v=lTsLMqrPi0c#!

I also though the Thornton/Kassian fight was a draw.

[kmd19]

Gotta go with Thornton on this one. A very difficult feat to have 20 fights these days. And he still had a great win %.

[kam]

As much as I want to pick McGratton or Scott I can't go with someone with less than 10 fights even if it's not their fault for not playing very much this season.

[Jack Schitt]

I know Gratts is the sentimental favorite, and one of the last of a dying breed.... but that alone doesn't overcome the fact that he wasn't very active (not his fault), and honestly his card wasn't all that impresssive. Just my .02

[NJDevils17]

Originally Posted by MattBurger

Went with McGrattan.

Also, not that it really matters, but you're calling this a loss for Thornton? Looked like a Draw to me:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...v=lTsLMqrPi0c#!

I also though the Thornton/Kassian fight was a draw.

I just went by what the people on here voted. I thought it was more a draw too.

[Chiefs for Life]

Simple question is, who is the better fighter, Thorton or McGrattan, and it is simple to say that McGrattan would still have a better record than Thornton if McGrattan had 20 plus fights....

[Jack Schitt]

Originally Posted by Chiefs for Life

Simple question is, who is the better fighter, Thorton or McGrattan, and it is simple to say that McGrattan would still have a better record than Thornton if McGrattan had 20 plus fights....

I disagree. The question is... who was the better fighter THIS season. To speculate who's record would be better is just that - pure speculation. Gratts dressed for less than half the games, and had a pretty lackluster card.

[DARCY T]

mcgrattan was impressive this season but he didnt fight/play enough to get my vote.thornton fought a lot of hard battles and he won many of them

[The DZA]

Gotta go with Thornton by default. The other players listed didnt fight enough and many others just weren't playing this year.

[Cat Smasher]

Gonna go with McGrattan. If you polled most people they would rather watch a McGrattan fight rather than a Thornton fight.

[fcm]

Thornton. 20 fights and 3rd best fighter in the league.

[srehm1]

I'm going with Thornton. When I think of this award, I think of the fighter that had the biggest impact for that season. McGrattan is the better fighter no doubt, but thornton was the fighter of the year. He was active, Had some good battles and a few examples of textbook enforcing. McGrattan had some great fights and he will be champ but this is one of the worst years for HW's. I guess this is why I think thornton's year stood out. He is so far handling the transition away from the uber enforcers nicely. He is out there night in and night out, enforcing, trying to create a spark when we were down and going man vs. man every now and then.

[Stevens Lindros]

McGrattan.

[BullyFan]

This is close between Gratts and Thornton, Thornton had a great year, but i went with Gratts.