Matt Carkner and the “Champ” Lineage

Sun Media’s annual poll, of which voting was done by players, declared New York Rangers giant Derek Boogaard a landslide winner as the league’s No. 1 fighter. Few would have disagreed with the choice. But on Dec. 9, Carkner face-smashed Boogaard but good. After the game, Rangers coach John Tortorella said he thought Boogaard had a broken nose. Must be a little more to it than that, as Boogaard has not played since.

For those who dispute Carkner is the new champ, fine. But you can’t deny that Carkner is the closest the Senators have to the best anything in the league.

The anything, in this case, is a heavyweight fighter.