Enforcer (ice hockey)

An Enforcer is an ice hockey player who protects the strikers within their own team, so that they can fully concentrate on their game. He tries to interrupt the flow of the game and the opponent distract them by body checks, aggressive actions or provoked fights. Good hockey players who need to score goals and defend at the same time, are more susceptible to injury and their forces are - quickly worn out - especially in the long NHL season. As an example, the striker Eric Lindros called, who suffered numerous concussions in his career.

Known combinations of super striker and Enforcer were Wayne Gretzky, Dave Semenko and Marty McSorley. One of the most famous Enforcer is Dave "The Hammer" Schultz.

Sometimes an Enforcer is also called Goon, but the latter is rather pejoratively in terms of a look at " dumb bat type ". In contrast to an Enforcer Goon is usually sent for a fight or an unfair action on the field and thus comes in some games on ice ages of under 10 seconds. In the German leagues in the Enforcer is commonly referred to as Guard.

After 2011 Derek Boogaard, Rick Rypien and Wade Belak three active enforcer of the National Hockey League died and it was announced that all three suffered from depression, got the role of the enforcer in the discussion.