Players vote on the most intimidating man in the NHL.
Who do players in the National Hockey League fear the most? The players have answered!
In a sport as physical as the sport of hockey, players on the ice always have to be looking over their shoulders and looking out for potential threats.
In the National Hockey League it is no secret that a select group of players have carved out a niche for themselves with their intimidating style of play, but the real question is which player has done it the best? Recently The Athletic polled a number of NHL players regarding the player they had to be on the lookout for the most, and with 41 players responding to the question we got a pretty good idea of who the most intimidating men in the league are when it comes to the physical aspect of the sport.
Here are the results:
Washington Capitals forward Tom Wilson received the most votes with 13 players giving him the nod, no surprise given that Wilson has established himself as one of the most punishing hitters in the NHL.
Up next was Toronto Maple Leafs enforcer Ryan Reaves but with Reaves only receiving 7 votes it left Wilson as the clear winner. Reaves is not only a punishing hitter on the ice but has also shown a willingness to drop the gloves and throw down, making many players shy away from him when he's on the ice.
In third place was New York Rangers captain Jacob Trouba who was right behind Reaves with 6 votes. Like Wilson, Trouba has established himself as a man to be feared on the ice due to his ability and willingness to deliver a punishing body check at a moment's notice.
At number four was Anaheim Ducks defenseman Radko Gudas, another player who has shown a willingness to bring the hurt to his opponents over the years. Gudas was right on the heels of both Reaves and Trouba receiving 5 votes from his fellow players.
And rounding out the top 5 was Boston Bruins forward Milan Lucic, a bit of a surprise given that Lucic has significantly toned down his physical play in recent years, especially when compared to his era of physical dominance during his first tenure with the Bruins.
Do you agree with the results of the poll? Did the players get it right? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
