The Top Three most devastating hits of 2015.

Truly game changing hits are fewer and far between now in the modern day National Hockey League, but they still do happen, and when they do they always draw a huge reaction from fans.

We've assembled what we feel were three of the most devastating hits of 2015, three extremely high impact hits that left carnage in their wake, and unfortunately as is often the case with truly devastating hits, resulted in a world of hurt for the men on the receiving end.

Number three on our list comes from the 2015-2016 preseason, in a game between the Buffalo Sabres and the Toronto Maples. Maple Leafs captain Dion Phaneuf welcome Buffalo Sabres prospect Brendan Guhle to the NHL with a bone crunching hit, one that sent him back to the lock room in a world of hurt.

#3 Dion Phaneuf welcomes Brendan Guhle to the NHL.

Next on our list features a man who has become an NHL legend when it comes to getting destroyed by big hits, we are of course referring to New York Islanders big hit magnet Mikhail Grabovski. This time it was Nashville Predators forward Eric Nystrom who delivered a knock out blow to Grabovski, earlier in the year during the 2014-2015 season.The hit was so devastating that Grabovski needed to be helped off the ice with a stretcher after the fact.

#2 Eric Nystrom knocks out Mikhail Grabovski.

Number one on our list features one of the best hitters in the game, Winnipeg Jets big man Dustin Byfuglien. Not only was this hit absolutely spectacular on it's own merit, but it's even more impressive when you take into account who the man being hit is. Edmonton Oiler Luke Gazdic is a very big and very bad man, and for Byfuglien to destroy him with this level of apparent ease is truly amazing. Add to that the fact that Gazdic gets helicopter spun head first into the boards and this is a truly devastating hit.

#1 Big Buff takes out Luke Gazdic.

While this was a list of monster hits from the National Hockey League, it just can't be a 2015 big hit list withotu at least giving an honorable mention to this ridiculous hit from Zachary Malatesta of the QMJHL.

Honorable mention: Malatesta sends Boland into orbit.

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