NHL Teams and Players with Most Fights in 2025-26: Who Are the Top Fighters?
Fighting in the NHL has declined over the past two decades, but plenty of players still aren’t afraid to drop the gloves. Critics argue it should be banned because of the risk of concussions, yet fighting remains a fixture in pro hockey even as traditional enforcers slowly disappear.
So, which teams and players are doing the most fighting this season? Below, we’ve compiled the latest NHL fighting data for every team in the league and highlighted the top fighters of the 2025-26 regular season. We also threw in an interview with a young hockey prospect to provide you with an inside perspective on fighting in the sport.
NHL Teams With Most Fights This Season (2025-26)
In the 2025-26 regular season, the Tampa Bay Lightning led the NHL in fighting majors with 44, comfortably ahead of the rest of the league. Their closest competition was the Boston Bruins, who finished with 33 fights. That works out to 0.54 fights per game for Tampa Bay, compared with 0.40 for Boston.
These two teams were clear outliers and ahead of the rest of the league. Behind them, only five fights separated the next 11 teams. The Anaheim Ducks ranked third with 26 fights, while the Columbus Blue Jackets, Florida Panthers, Minnesota Wild, and Ottawa Senators tied with 21 to round out the top 10.
Fighting correlated with success for some top clubs, but that isn’t true for everyone. Each of the top four most active fighting teams reached the postseason, including the Lightning, who went 50-26-6 and posted the third-best record in the Eastern Conference. Overall, six of the top seven teams in fighting majors clinched playoff spots in 2025–26.
However, the Carolina Hurricanes and Colorado Avalanche, who are betting favorites to win the Stanley Cup, rank at the bottom of the NHL in fights this season.
In short, we can’t establish a real trend between teams that fight more and success in the standings — it isn’t a statistic that can reliably be included in our NHL betting strategy.
In total, there were 281 fights amongst the 32 teams in the NHL for the 2025-26 season. The most active game for fights occurred on March 8 where there were five between the Tampa Bay Lightning and Buffalo Sabres!
NHL Fights Per Team: Full Standings for 2025-26
If you want to see how all teams performed, here’s a table with all the stats for all NHL teams for the 2025-26 regular season.
| Rank | Team | Total Fights | Team Record (W-L) | Fights per Game |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tampa Bay Lightning | 44 | 50-26 | 0.54 |
| 2 | Boston Bruins | 33 | 45-27 | 0.4 |
| 3 | Anaheim Ducks | 26 | 42-33 | 0.32 |
| 4 | Philadelphia Flyers | 25 | 43-27 | 0.3 |
| 5 | Calgary Flames | 23 | 33-39 | 0.28 |
| 6 | Buffalo Sabres | 22 | 50-23 | 0.27 |
| 7 | Edmonton Oilers | 22 | 41-30 | 0.27 |
| 8 | St. Louis Blues | 22 | 36-33 | 0.27 |
| 9 | Washington Capitals | 22 | 43-30 | 0.27 |
| 10 | Columbus Blue Jackets | 21 | 40-30 | 0.26 |
| 11 | Florida Panthers | 21 | 39-38 | 0.26 |
| 12 | Minnesota Wild | 21 | 46-24 | 0.26 |
| 13 | Ottawa Senators | 21 | 44-27 | 0.26 |
| 14 | Utah Hockey Club | 20 | 43-32 | 0.24 |
| 15 | Vegas Golden Knights | 20 | 38-26 | 0.24 |
| 16 | Montreal Canadiens | 19 | 48-24 | 0.23 |
| 17 | New York Rangers | 19 | 34-39 | 0.23 |
| 18 | Toronto Maple Leafs | 19 | 32-35 | 0.23 |
| 19 | New Jersey Devils | 18 | 42-37 | 0.22 |
| 20 | Winnipeg Jets | 17 | 35-34 | 0.21 |
| 21 | Los Angeles Kings | 16 | 35-26 | 0.2 |
| 22 | Seattle Kraken | 16 | 34-35 | 0.2 |
| 23 | Nashville Predators | 15 | 38-33 | 0.18 |
| 24 | Vancouver Canucks | 15 | 25-48 | 0.18 |
| 25 | Chicago Blackhawks | 14 | 29-39 | 0.17 |
| 26 | Pittsburgh Penguins | 14 | 41-24 | 0.17 |
| 27 | San Jose Sharks | 14 | 38-34 | 0.17 |
| 28 | Dallas Stars | 13 | 50-20 | 0.16 |
| 29 | Detroit Red Wings | 11 | 41-30 | 0.13 |
| 30 | New York Islanders | 11 | 43-34 | 0.13 |
| 31 | Colorado Avalanche | 10 | 54-16 | 0.12 |
| 32 | Carolina Hurricanes | 8 | 53-22 | 0.1 |
Most Aggressive Fighters in the NHL: What Players Fight the Most?
According to HockeyFights.com, Boston Bruins’ center Mark Kastelic and Vancouver Canucks’ center Curtis Douglas fought the most in 2025-26. Kastelic and Douglas each dropped the mitts 10 times, as the only players to reach the double-digits.
Douglas’ fighting is particularly noteworthy. After playing just 29 games with the Tampa Bay Lightning, Douglas was traded to the Canucks, where he appeared in 14 games. In other words, Douglas fought 10 times in only 43 total games, including in his NHL debut, for an average of 0.23 per matchup.
At 6’9” and 242 pounds, Douglas is about as close as you’ll get to a traditional NHL enforcer today. He even shares the record for the tallest fight in league history, squaring off against the Calgary Flames’ Steve McKenna. Offensively, he chipped in just one goal and three assists split between the Canucks and Lightning.
Kastelic brought more offense, scoring 12 goals and adding 10 assists while appearing in all 82 games for the Bruins. Like Douglas, he also built his reputation on physical play.
Both Douglas and Kastelic had memorable tilts with Mathieu Olivier of the Columbus Blue Jackets. Olivier was one of the league’s most active fighters in 2025-26, finishing with nine fights. That total put him in a three-way tie with Anaheim’s Ross Johnston and Buffalo’s Sam Carrick, trailing only Douglas and Kastelic.
Johnston contributed just three goals in 62 games, but the 32-year-old veteran’s physical presence and fighting prowess were invaluable for a young Ducks team. The Charlottetown, PEI, native became a spark plug, with his willingness to drop the gloves serving as an instant rallying point in Joel Quenneville’s locker room.
It’s also worth noting that six goaltenders found themselves in fights this season. Goalie fights are exceedingly rare, yet 2025-26 produced three separate goalie brawls, adding even more drama to an already physical year in the NHL:
- Alex Nedeljkovic (SJS) vs. Sergei Bobrovsky (FLA) on January 19
- Jeremy Swayman (BOS) vs. Andrei Vasilevskiy (TBL) on February 1
- Jacob Markstrom (NJD) vs. Igor Shesterkin (NYR) on March 31
Top Fighter Logs: Who Had the Most Thrilling Fights?
The NHL fan community voted on their favorite fights from the 2025-26 season at HockeyFights.com! The fight between heavyweights Ryan Reaves and Olivier on January 6, 2026, stands out as the highest-rated fight in 2025-26.
You can find the complete list for the top 10 fighters below:
1. Mark Kastelic (BOS) — 10 Fights
| Date | Opponent | Fight Rating (1-10) |
|---|---|---|
| 10/19/25 | vs. L. O’Brien (UTA) | 5.09 |
| 11/29/25 | vs. M. Seider (DET) | 6.85 |
| 12/11/25 | vs. L. Schenn (WPG) | 3.45 |
| 12/21/25 | vs. K. MacDermid (OTT) | 5.56 |
| 01/10/26 | vs. S. Carrick (NYR) | 6.79 |
| 01/22/26 | vs. J. Lauzon (VGK) | 1.56 |
| 03/16/26 | vs. B. Dillon (NJD) | 5.09 |
| 03/16/26 | vs. J. Kovacevic (NJD) | 3.97 |
| 03/28/26 | vs. M. McCarron (MIN) | 4.05 |
| 03/29/26 | vs. M. Olivier (CBJ) | 7.46 |
2. Curtis Douglas (TBL/VAN) — 10 Fights
| Date | Opponent | Fight Rating (1-10) |
|---|---|---|
| 10/09/25 | vs. K. MacDermid (OTT) | 4.69 |
| 10/18/25 | vs. M. Olivier (CBJ) | 5.45 |
| 11/20/25 | vs. D. Nurse (EDM) | 2.03 |
| 11/22/25 | vs. T. Wilson (WSH) | 5.76 |
| 11/24/25 | vs. N. Deslauriers (PHI) | 6.56 |
| 12/04/25 | vs. B. Imama (PIT) | 5.27 |
| 12/27/25 | vs. L. Kunin (FLA) | 5.31 |
| 02/05/26 | vs. N. Mikkola (FLA) | 2.92 |
| 03/28/26 | vs. A. Klapka (CGY) [VAN] | 4.76 |
| 04/12/26 | vs. J. Viel (ANA) [VAN] | 4.48 |
3. Ross Johnston (ANA) — 9 Fights
| Date | Opponent | Fight Rating (1-10) |
|---|---|---|
| 10/11/25 | vs. R. Reaves (SJS) | 6.11 |
| 10/21/25 | vs. M. McCarron (NSH) | 3.9 |
| 10/23/25 | vs. T. Jeannot (BOS) | 7.15 |
| 10/25/25 | vs. E. Lilleberg (TBL) | 2.35 |
| 10/28/25 | vs. A. Greer (FLA) | 2.88 |
| 11/17/25 | vs. L. O’Brien (UTA) | 6 |
| 01/05/26 | vs. D. McIlrath (WSH) | 5.2 |
| 02/27/26 | vs. L. Schenn (WPG) | 6.07 |
| 03/08/26 | vs. T. Tucker (STL) | 4.18 |
4. Mathieu Olivier (CBJ) — 9 Fights
| Date | Opponent | Fight Rating (1-10) |
|---|---|---|
| 10/18/25 | vs. C. Douglas (TBL) | 5.45 |
| 11/01/25 | vs. T. Tucker (STL) | 6.72 |
| 11/10/25 | vs. T. Frederic (EDM) | 6.53 |
| 11/15/25 | vs. S. Carrick (NYR) | 7.1 |
| 12/29/25 | vs. K. MacDermid (OTT) | 2.19 |
| 01/06/26 | vs. R. Reaves (SJS) | 8.59 |
| 03/07/26 | vs. I. Cole (UTA) | 4.93 |
| 03/17/26 | vs. N. Deslauriers (CAR) | 6.33 |
| 03/29/26 | vs. M. Kastelic (BOS) | 7.46 |
5. Sam Carrick (NYR/TBL/BUF) — 9 Fights
| Date | Opponent | Fight Rating (1-10) |
|---|---|---|
| 10/18/25 | vs. A. Xhekaj (MTL) [NYR] | 5.92 |
| 10/28/25 | vs. M. Pettersson (VAN) [NYR] | 5.39 |
| 11/15/25 | vs. M. Olivier (CBJ) [NYR] | 7.1 |
| 12/07/25 | vs. K. Kolesar (VGK) [NYR] | 4.29 |
| 12/31/25 | vs. T. Wilson (WSH) [NYR] | 4.47 |
| 01/10/26 | vs. M. Kastelic (BOS) [NYR] | 6.79 |
| 02/26/26 | vs. G. Hathaway (PHI) [NYR] | 5.29 |
| 03/08/26 | vs. S. Sabourin (BUF) [TBL] | 4.93 |
| 03/31/26 | vs. A. Lee (NYI) [BUF] | 4.28 |
6. Arber Xhekaj (MTL) — 8 Fights
| Date | Opponent | Fight Rating (1-10) |
|---|---|---|
| 10/18/25 | vs. S. Carrick (NYR) | 5.92 |
| 11/04/25 | vs. N. Deslauriers (PHI) | 6.47 |
| 11/13/25 | vs. I. Lyubushkin (DAL) | 1.49 |
| 11/15/25 | vs. T. Jeannot (BOS) | 5.33 |
| 12/03/25 | vs. A. Lowry (WPG) | 5.1 |
| 12/23/25 | vs. N. Zadorov (BOS) | 6.5 |
| 12/28/25 | vs. S. Sabourin (TBL) | 8.26 |
| 01/13/26 | vs. D. McIlrath (WSH) | 3.62 |
7. Brandon Duhaime (WSH) — 8 Fights
| Date | Opponent | Fight Rating (1-10) |
|---|---|---|
| 10/19/25 | vs. V. Mancini (VAN) | 7.05 |
| 11/05/25 | vs. B. Schenn (STL) | 3.79 |
| 12/02/25 | vs. J. Edmundson (LAK) | 4.9 |
| 01/05/26 | vs. J. Trouba (ANA) | 3.91 |
| 01/07/26 | vs. I. Lyubushkin (DAL) | 4.64 |
| 01/27/26 | vs. J. Melanson (SEA) | 4.31 |
| 03/26/26 | vs. B. Tanev (UTA) | 5.89 |
| 04/05/26 | vs. T. Kartye (NYR) | 2.5 |
8. Tanner Jeannot (BOS) — 8 Fights
| Date | Opponent | Fight Rating (1-10) |
|---|---|---|
| 10/23/25 | vs. R. Johnston (ANA) | 7.15 |
| 11/13/25 | vs. K. MacDermid (OTT) | 4.64 |
| 11/15/25 | vs. A. Xhekaj (MTL) | 5.33 |
| 12/21/25 | vs. K. MacDermid (OTT) | 1.66 |
| 12/23/25 | vs. J. Anderson (MTL) | 6.75 |
| 02/04/26 | vs. A. Greer (FLA) | 6.72 |
| 02/28/26 | vs. N. Deslauriers (PHI) | 7.91 |
| 03/29/26 | vs. E. Gudbranson (CBJ) | 7.01 |
9. Michael McCarron (NSH/MIN) — 7 Fights
| Date | Opponent | Fight Rating (1-10) |
|---|---|---|
| 10/18/25 | vs. L. Stanley (WPG) [NSH] | 3.86 |
| 10/21/25 | vs. R. Johnston (ANA) [NSH] | 3.9 |
| 11/29/25 | vs. L. Stanley (WPG) [NSH] | 2.15 |
| 12/11/25 | vs. T. Tucker (STL) [NSH] | 4.78 |
| 01/13/26 | vs. D. Nurse (EDM) [NSH] | 3.24 |
| 03/24/26 | vs. C. Perry (TBL) [MIN] | 5.68 |
| 03/28/26 | vs. M. Kastelic (BOS) [MIN] | 4.05 |
10. Tyler Tucker (STL) — 7 Fights
| Date | Opponent | Fight Rating (1-10) |
|---|---|---|
| 10/11/25 | vs. R. Lomberg (CGY) | 5.41 |
| 10/21/25 | vs. J. Malott (LAK) | 4.51 |
| 11/01/25 | vs. M. Olivier (CBJ) | 6.72 |
| 11/06/25 | vs. J. Dunne (BUF) | 4.61 |
| 12/11/25 | vs. M. McCarron (NSH) | 4.78 |
| 01/29/26 | vs. A. Greer (FLA) | 5 |
| 03/08/26 | vs. R. Johnston (ANA) | 4.18 |
Top Rated NHL Fights in 2025-26
| Date | Fight | Rating | Category |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01/06/26 | M. Olivier (CBJ) vs. R. Reaves (SJS) | 8.59 | Highest-Rated Fight |
| 12/28/25 | A. Xhekaj (MTL) vs. S. Sabourin (TBL) | 8.26 | Second Highest-Rated |
| 02/28/26 | T. Jeannot (BOS) vs. N. Deslauriers (PHI) | 7.91 | Top-Rated Bout |
| 03/31/26 | J. Markstrom (NJD) vs. I. Shesterkin (NYR) | 7.56 | Goalie Fight |
| 03/29/26 | M. Kastelic (BOS) vs. M. Olivier (CBJ) | 7.46 | Top Fighter Clash |
| 11/22/25 | D. Mermis (TOR) vs. F. Xhekaj (MTL) | 7.21 | Xhekaj Brothers Connection |
| 10/23/25 | R. Reaves (SJS) vs. M. Rempe (NYR) | 7.2 | Heavyweight Bout |
| 01/19/26 | A. Nedeljkovic (SJS) vs. S. Bobrovsky (FLA) | 7.19 | Goalie Fight |
| 02/05/26 | M. Tkachuk (FLA) vs. B. Hagel (TBL) | 6.94 | Star Player Fight |
| 11/29/25 | M. Seider (DET) vs. M. Kastelic (BOS) | 6.85 | Star Defenseman Fight |
| 04/09/26 | D. Carlile (TBL) vs. J. Anderson (MTL) | 6.85 | 100% Voted Winner (Anderson) |
| 03/26/26 | J. Manson (COL) vs. M. Barron (WPG) | 6.83 | High-Rated Bout |
| 01/08/26 | T. Kleven (OTT) vs. J. Manson (COL) | 6.73 | Heavyweight D-man Bout |
| 02/01/26 | J. Swayman (BOS) vs. A. Vasilevskiy (TBL) | 6.6 | Goalie Fight |
Reaves and Olivier’s fight is noted as being the highest-rated bout on the ice in 2025-26. The two have a history and had a memorable battle last year, too.
The rivalry boiled over to this season, with Reaves getting laid out by a vicious right-hand that caught him with an elbow. They are tough customers, and the fight fans were elated with the result. Olivier also registered the highest average rating of 6.03 across his nine fights this season.
Reaves vs. Olivier’s fight was followed closely by the scrap between the Montreal Canadiens’ Arber Xhekaj and Tampa Bay Lightning’s Scott Sabourin. These fights are the only ones to receive a fight rating of 8.00+.
NHL Fights Year-Over-Year Comparison: 2024-25 vs. 2025-26
| Team | 2024-25 Fights | 2025-26 Fights | Change | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tampa Bay Lightning | N/A (not in top) | 44 | N/A | New Leader |
| Anaheim Ducks | N/A | 26 | N/A | Significant Rise |
| Philadelphia Flyers | N/A | 25 | N/A | Significant Rise |
| Calgary Flames | 23 | 23 | 0 | Neutral |
| Buffalo Sabres | 23 | 22 | -1 | Down |
| Columbus Blue Jackets | 23 | 21 | -2 | Down |
| Minnesota Wild | 23 | 21 | -2 | Down |
| St. Louis Blues | 25 | 22 | -3 | Down |
| Chicago Blackhawks | 20 | 14 | -6 | Down |
| Utah Mammoth | 30 | 20 | -10 | Down |
| San Jose Sharks | 25 | 14 | -11 | Down |
| Nashville Predators | 37 | 15 | -22 | Down |
After leading the NHL in fights in 2024-25, the Nashville Predators took a massive dive in that department. The Predators had the largest decrease overall, with a staggering difference of -22 fights from 2024-25 to 2025-26 (59% decrease).
Michael McCarron led the Predators with nine fights a year ago, but he played for the Minnesota Wild this season. His departure undoubtedly contributed to the decline. In any case, the Predators missed the playoffs again and showed little fight in any area of their game.
The Tampa Bay Lightning didn’t even reach 20 fights last season. In 2025-26, however, they surged to 44 bouts, more than doubling their previous total. The Anaheim Ducks and Philadelphia Flyers, both playoff teams, also experienced sharp increases in fights.
https://twitter.com/GinoHard_/status/2041297657126166653
Meanwhile, four of the five teams with the biggest drops in fighting: the St. Louis Blues, Chicago Blackhawks, San Jose Sharks, and Nashville Predators failed to reach the postseason.
Overall, in 2025-26, fighting decreased again, continuing the NHL’s trend of players dropping the gloves less frequently. The 2025-26 season’s 281 fights are in stark contrast to the 734 fights in 2008-09.
The Players’ Perspective: Fighting Culture From the Inside
The stats tell one story, but what does fighting culture actually look like from inside the locker room? We sat down to talk about that with Cam MacDonald, a forward at the University of New Hampshire. Cam was drafted by the Tampa Bay Lightning, the same team that led the NHL with 44 fights this season.
MacDonald played four years in the QMJHL with the Saint John Sea Dogs, winning the 2022 Memorial Cup. Here’s Cam’s unique perspective on how physicality shapes the game at every level.
One of his most interesting takes is that a fight could significantly change the momentum of any hockey game. “The whole bench would be standing, giving stick taps,” he said, recalling his Memorial Cup-winning season in Saint John. “You’re just looking at the guys next to you and you’re ready to go. It dials you in.”
Cam also explains how fights are started at the junior level: some are spontaneous, while others are not. “I threw a hit a week before, and I was out apple picking with my billets,” MacDonald said. “My buddy shot me a text: ‘You have to fight this guy tomorrow.’” Some fights are arranged in advance, he explained, though players can’t make it obvious or they’ll receive an extra penalty.
When asked about fighting in the eyes of the fans and how it affects the sport as a whole, MacDonald didn’t hesitate.
I know there’s people that don’t like the fighting, and for me, I love it!
He added: “People say it can draw people away from our sport, but I think at the same time it brings so many different people into our sport. If you grow up in a football family and all you know is hitting, you’re probably gonna like fighting.”
MacDonald also weighed in on the playoff implications. Referencing the Tampa Bay vs. Montreal series and the Hagel vs. Slavin fight, he noted:
Getting the knockout — I think that can change games, but it can change a series as well.
Now playing in the NCAA’s Hockey East conference, where fighting results in ejection, MacDonald sees the contrast firsthand. “It’s kind of hard to fight a guy with a cage on,” he admitted. But the physicality hasn’t gone anywhere — if anything, it’s amplified. “Every college hockey game is like a playoff game. You only play 33 or 34 games a year. You have a whole week to rest up.”
NHL Fighting Rules
Fighting in the NHL is not banned, but it is against the rules of the game. According to Rule 46 of the NHL, referees are granted very wide discretion in applying penalties for fighting. They shall allow the players to fight until it is safe to intervene, or to prevent serious harm.
The most common penalty issued for fighting is a five-minute major. Although this sounds significant, neither side is short-handed while the five-minute major penalties are served. However, this can change based on whether the officials deem there is an instigator or aggressor.
1. Instigators and Aggressors
Instigators are severely punished with a total of 17 minutes of penalty time: 10-minute misconduct, two-minute minor, and five-minute major. An instigator is defined as a player who starts the fight against an unwilling participant.
Referees can differentiate an instigator by their verbal language, throwing the first punch, or any act that can be described as provoking a player, including a menacing attitude or posture. Typically, fights are mutual, so the instigator penalty isn’t common.
If officials determine the instigator is an aggressor, then an additional game misconduct penalty can be issued. Per Rule 46.2, an aggressor can be described as someone who continues to punch a defenseless player or one who won the fight and continues to throw punches with the intent of serious bodily harm.
Also, players are susceptible to receiving suspensions and fines if the NHL deems the fight was excessively violent. Any player who is an instigator three times in one season is granted a two-game regular season suspension.
Additionally, instigating in the final five minutes of regulation or overtime is susceptible to punishment with a one-game suspension.
2. Penalties to Bystanders
Referees can also punish players who are not directly involved in the fight. When a fight commences, players must go to their bench area on the ice.
If the fight is near one of the team’s benches, they must skate to their defensive zone until the conclusion. Any player who attempts to join the fight (third man in), is levied a game misconduct.
Goaltenders must remain in their crease throughout the fight as well. If the fight takes place near or in the crease, they can leave at the direction of the referee. Any player who doesn’t follow these rules can receive penalty time.
3. Fighting After the Original Confrontation
If players fight a second time after the first altercation, fighters can receive a game misconduct. This prevents players from continuing to drop the gloves throughout the matchup and enhancing tension between teams.
Note that this does not apply to players who were the victim of an instigator. If referees determine that there is a clear instigator, then only that player will be issued the game misconduct penalty.
4. Helmets Must Remain On
When fighting was most prevalent in the NHL in the 1980s and 1990s, players would sometimes take their helmet off before a fight started as a show of toughness and intimidation.
However, today, any player who removes their helmet off willingly is going to be punished with a two-minute minor penalty. The two-minute penalty would grant the opposing team a power play, and as such, rarely happens.
