Unbreakable: Career PIMs

This is a feature that will showcase an NHL record that we believe is unbreakable. Not just "Wayne Gretzky is God" posts, these records will come from a wide range of players.

Record: Most Career PIMs

Holder: Dave "Tiger" Williams with 3,966 PIMs

Record In Perspective:
Willams owns this record, and it will always be his. Spending an average of 4:07 PIM/game in the penalty box, Williams has such a cushion that he is 400 PIMs ahead of a 2nd place Dale Hunter, and has 445 games in hand. HockeyFights.com has him with 229 recorded regular season fights, and you can only imagine how many misconducts are thrown in with those for his career total to reach 66 hours and 6 minutes of penalty minutes and a record that will never be touched.

Season   Team                        Lge    GP    G    A  Pts  PIM  GP   G   A Pts PIM
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1974-75  Toronto Maple Leafs         NHL    42   10   19   29  187   7   1   3   4  25
1975-76  Toronto Maple Leafs         NHL    78   21   19   40  299  10   0   0   0  75
1976-77  Toronto Maple Leafs         NHL    77   18   25   43  338   9   3   6   9  29
1977-78  Toronto Maple Leafs         NHL    78   19   31   50  351  12   1   2   3  63
1978-79  Toronto Maple Leafs         NHL    77   19   20   39  298   6   0   0   0  48
1979-80  Toronto Maple Leafs         NHL    55   22   18   40  197  --  --  --  --  --
1979-80  Vancouver Canucks           NHL    23    8    5   13   81   3   0   0   0  20
1980-81  Vancouver Canucks           NHL    77   35   27   62  343   3   0   0   0  20
1981-82  Vancouver Canucks           NHL    77   17   21   38  341  17   3   7  10 116
1982-83  Vancouver Canucks           NHL    68    8   13   21  265   4   0   3   3  12
1983-84  Vancouver Canucks           NHL    67   15   16   31  294   4   1   0   1  13
1984-85  Detroit Red Wings           NHL    55    3    8   11  158  --  --  --  --  --
1984-85  Los Angeles Kings           NHL    12    4    3    7   43   3   0   0   0   4
1985-86  Los Angeles Kings           NHL    72   20   29   49  320  --  --  --  --  --
1986-87  Los Angeles Kings           NHL    76   16   18   34  358   5   3   2   5  30
1987-88  Los Angeles Kings           NHL     2    0    0    0    6  --  --  --  --  --
1987-88  Hartford Whalers            NHL    26    6    0    6   87  --  --  --  --  --
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
         NHL Totals                        962  241  272  513 3966  83  12  23  35 455

Closest Active Player:
The closest active player to Williams mark is Ian Laperriere at 1,956 PIM, but he hasn't played a game in two years. The next closest active player who is actually playing is Sean O'Donnell in Chicago with 1,803 PIM, a whopping 2,163 PIMs behind Williams.

Why It Won't Be Broken:
Goons are no longer relevant. GM's and the NHL don't tolerate any bullshit in today's NHL so it's safe to say that it would take a miracle for a player to play 1000+ games and average over 300 PIMs a season. Coaches are reluctant to dress enforcers if they're playing teams with nobody to fight (see: Colton Orr) and there is much more emphasis on power forwards who can chip in with some goals (see: David Clarkson). Williams was able to play in the NHL for a long time because he could score goals as well as drop the gloves, and was even selected to an All-Star Game when he scored 35 goals in 1980-81. 20 goal scorers who earn over 300 PIMs a season just don't exist anymore. Williams even got penalties when he wasn't even on the ice!