NHL players with the most penalties in a single season: Who leads the all-time list?

Some NHL seasons became memorable not for goals or assists, but for how often certain players ended up in the penalty box. A handful of campaigns produced totals that still raise eyebrows, shaped by game tempo, rivalries and the physical demands of the moment.

In years when teams relied heavily on size and grit, some players spent more time managing scrums than setting up plays. Penalties piled up quickly in matchups where momentum shifted through body checks, confrontations and long, tense nights on the ice.

The highest single-season totals reflect more than rough play — they mark periods when roles were defined by toughness and coaches leaned on specific players to set the tone. Those seasons remain key reference points in the league’s relationship with physicality.

Steve Durbano | Penalties: 124

Steve Durbano (Source: Pittsburgh Penguins)

When discussing the record for most penalties in a season, there is one name that sits atop this particular list, surpassing even figures more famous for their total PIM: Steve Durbano.

This defenseman, who moved between several teams in the mid-70s, set an almost unmatchable record by accumulating a stunning 124 penalties during the 1975-76 season, playing for the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Kansas City Scouts.

This statistic is a testament to his volatile and brief tenure in the league. He not only logged minutes for fighting but seemed to have a special knack for both minor and major infractions.

Despite only playing 69 games that season, his rate of infractions was explosive. His total of 370 penalty minutes that campaign put him among the PIM leaders, but it is the number of times he visited the penalty box that cements him as the most penalized player by number of infractions in a single season.

Bob Probert | Penalties: 123

Bob Probert (Source: Glenn Cratty /Allsport)

The shadow of Bob Probert looms large over the history of NHL enforcers, and his 1987-88 season with the Detroit Red Wings stands as one of the most iconic of that era.

While his most remembered statistic is the 398 penalty minutes that led the league that season, what is not always highlighted is that Probert came agonizingly close to a historic feat by recording 123 penalties, falling just one short of tying Durbano’s record.

He was a complex and dominant figure, a feared forward who could change the momentum of a game with a single punch or a crushing check. His high number of penalties was not a reflection of senseless indiscipline, but a direct consequence of his role as the protector of stars and the primary intimidator for the Wings.

In that very same campaign, ironically, he also had his best offensive output with 62 points, showing that his time off the ice was as considerable as his contribution when he was on the rink.

Dave Manson | Penalties: 119

Dave Manson (Source: Getty Images)

Dave Manson‘s 1988-89 season with the Chicago Blackhawks catapulted him into the elite of the most penalized players, right at the peak of an era known for its toughness.

As a defenseman, he fulfilled the dual role of quarterback in the defensive zone and the team’s most feared enforcer, a style his coach, Mike Keenan, wholeheartedly embraced. In that campaign, the defenseman managed to rack up 119 penalties, translating to 352 penalty minutes.

He was distinguished by the intensity and physical punishment he inflicted on his opponents, with checks that ranged from “clean and strong” to those that inevitably led to trips to the penalty box. His ability to accumulate penalties made him Chicago’s undisputed PIM leader during that time.

Curiously, in that same 119-penalty season, he also had his most productive offensive year, scoring 54 points, demonstrating that his ferocity was not at odds with his capacity to play. A defender who punished both opponents and, at times, his own team with his absence.

Dave Williams | Penalties: 114

Known universally as “Tiger” Williams, this left-winger already holds the career record for most penalty minutes in the NHL, a mark that is unlikely to be broken. However, his inclusion on this specific list comes from the 1980-81 season with the Vancouver Canucks, where he accumulated 114 penalties.

What makes “Tiger’s” mark particularly notable is that this 114-penalty season coincided with his best offensive year: he scored 35 goals and 62 points, making him the Canucks’ leading goal scorer that season. He was the personification of the “goon who could score,” a true rarity.

His game was a constant balance between offensive spark and disciplinary gunpowder. Summing up 343 penalty minutes alongside that offensive caliber is a testament to a player who played with unyielding intensity, always ready for the clash that would result in yet another penalty.

Tim Hunter | Penalties: 112

Tim Hunter (Source: IMDb)

The golden era of the Calgary Flames in the late 80s was marked by a robust style of play, and at the core of that identity was Tim Hunter. This feared forward set his personal penalty record in the 1988-89 season with 112 infractions, a campaign that saw him reach 375 penalty minutes and lead the NHL in PIM, all while the Flames were on their way to winning the Stanley Cup.

He was not known for his point production, but for his loyalty, his work ethic, and above all, his fighting ability. His 112 penalties are evidence that his function on the ice was focused on protection and physical intimidation.

The respect he earned in the league was immense, and his presence was felt in every shift. Curiously, his streak of indiscipline was key to the character of the championship team.

It’s no accident that his name appears in two of the most penalized seasons, as he also registered 103 penalties in the 1986-87 season, showing a brutal consistency in his role as an enforcer.

Paul Baxter | Penalties: 110

Paul Baxter (Source: Pittsburgh Penguins)

In the rugged landscape of the early 1980s, Paul Baxter emerged as one of the league’s most penalized figures, achieving his career-high of 110 penalties during the 1981-82 season with the Pittsburgh Penguins.

This impressive tally translated into an even more remarkable 409 penalty minutes (PIM), making him one of the few players in NHL history to cross the 400-minute threshold in a single campaign.

What set him apart was the consistency of his infractions, a hallmark of a stay-at-home defenseman whose job description included making life miserable for opposing forwards. Though he wasn’t a frequent goal scorer, his high penalty count demonstrated his constant physical engagement.

Interestingly, despite his notoriety for spending time in the box, he also managed a respectable 43 points that season, showing he could contribute on the scoresheet before taking his next minor or major penalty.

Dave Schultz | Penalties: 109

Dave Schultz (Source: Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

No conversation about NHL penalties is complete without Dave “The Hammer” Schultz, the undisputed all-time single-season leader in penalty minutes. But while the minutes are the famous record, his number of actual penalties that year is what places him firmly on this list.

He amassed 109 penalties during that legendary 1974-75 season with the Philadelphia Flyers. This is a stark reminder that he didn’t just get into long, drawn-out fights—he was constantly violating the rules in various ways. His 109 infractions were the driving force behind the Flyers’ “Broad Street Bullies” identity.

The sheer volume of his penalties is a reflection of the team’s mandate: relentless intimidation and physical assertion, which consistently resulted in trips to the box for fighting majors, misconducts, and various minor offenses. He wasn’t just physical; he was a penalty machine who set the ultimate standard for on-ice aggression.

Marty McSorley | Penalties: 107

Marty McSorley (Source: Noah Graham/Getty Images)

A formidable figure known for being Wayne Gretzky’s primary protector, Marty McSorley earned his way onto this list during the 1992-93 season with the Los Angeles Kings, collecting 107 penalties. This was the same campaign where he posted a remarkable 399 penalty minutes, narrowly missing the 400 PIM mark.

His presence was an essential component of the Kings’ success, especially in their Stanley Cup Final run. His high penalty count was a direct result of his role as the team’s deterrent, a player whose job was to police the ice and immediately answer any physical challenge directed at a teammate.

The large number of individual infractions highlights a commitment to his role that was both aggressive and sustained throughout the 81 games he played that season. His penalty totals speak to a player who was always on guard, ready to drop the gloves or deliver a bone-jarring check, often incurring the wrath of the referees in the process.

Paul Holmgren | Penalties: 104

Paul Holmgren (Source: Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

Paul Holmgren, another alumnus of the rugged Philadelphia Flyers, solidified his place among the league’s most-penalized players with 104 penalties in the 1980-81 season.

What is truly remarkable about Holmgren’s inclusion is that he achieved this while being a significant offensive contributor, logging a career-high 59 points that year. He embodied the ideal of the power forward of his day: a player who could score goals but was also completely unafraid to mix it up.

His 104 penalties were accompanied by 306 penalty minutes, yet the fact that he was consistently in the penalty box for a high volume of infractions while also being a top-six forward underscores his multi-faceted intensity. His season is a perfect example of how the “Bully” style wasn’t limited to pure enforcers, but integrated into the skill positions as well.

Torrie Robertson | Penalties: 104

Tied with Holmgren in the 104-penalty mark, Torrie Robertson achieved his feat during the 1985-86 season with the Hartford Whalers. A pure enforcer for the Whalers, his presence was a statement in itself. His 104 individual penalties in 76 games led to a staggering 358 penalty minutes, making him the clear tough-guy leader for the team that year.

His game was all about intensity and answering the bell. His contribution was measured less in goals and more in the physical space and protection he created for his teammates.

The high number of penalties reflects a player who played with zero caution for the rulebook, consistently engaging in the kind of rough stuff that defined 80s hockey. He was an uncompromising presence on the ice, and the penalty sheet was the daily record of his aggressive approach to the game.