NHL Tough Guy’s (Chris Nilan)
Christopher John Nilan (born February 9, 1958) is an American former professional ice hockey player and radio commentator. Nilan played In the NHL from 1980 until 1992. He played for three teams over the course of his career; the Montreal Canadians, New York Rangers, and Boston Bruins. He won a Stanley Cup with Montreal in 1986.
Playing career
Nilan is a native of Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.A. He played youth hockey with the Parkway (West Roxbury, Massachusetts) team of the Greater Boston Youth Hockey League; he would play college hockey for the Northeastern University Huskies from 1976-1979.
The Montreal Canadians drafted Nilan 231st overall in the 1978 NHL Entry Draft. While with the Canadians, Nilan would entrench himself as a tough-guy, becoming one of only nine players ever to amass 3,000 penalties in a career. Nilan holds several records for his pugilistic exploits. Highest penalty minute average per game at 4.42, the most penalty minutes in a single playoff season at 141, as well as the most penalty minutes in a single game. On March 31, 1991, while playing against the visiting Hartford Whalers, Nilan racked up a record ten penalties: six minors, two majors, one misconduct, and one game misconduct for a record of 42 penalty minutes.
Nilan was later heard saying on his way to the exit, “I know what you’re thinking. Did he fire six punches or five?” Well, to tell you the truth, in all this excitement, I’ve kinda lost track myself. But being as I have fists of steel, the most powerful puncher in the NHL, and would punch your head clean off, you’ve got to ask yourself one question: ‘Do I feel lucky?’ Well, do ya punk?”
As NHL tough guy’s go, Nilan was among the toughest in his prime, earning himself the moniker “Knuckles.” Nilan’s life and hockey career are portrayed in Alex Gibney’s 2011 documentary movie The Last Gladiators.
Nilan reached the pinnacle of success in 1986, winning his one and only Stanley Cup with the Montreal Canadians; he was later named to Team USA for the 1987 Canada Cup, and in 1991 while playing for the Boston Bruins, he was controversially selected by his coach Mike Milbury to the 1991 NHL All-Star Game.
Post career
After hanging up the blades for good, Nilan returned to Boston, where he went into the insurance business as a community consultant for John Hancock Insurance. On August 3, 1995, he became an assistant coach of the New Jersey Devils, where he maintained that position until May 1996, before becoming head coach for the Chesapeake Icebreakers of the ECHL.
In 1981 Nilan married Karen Stanley, the daughter of Theresa Stanley, a former girlfriend of crime kingpin Whitey Bulger. Nilan’s marriage to Karen Stanley ended in divorce in 2006.
Chris Nilan Speaking on George Stroumboulopoulos
When he was in the red chair, Chris Nilan, the former tough guy for the Montreal Canadiens, told George about the time he started dating Karen Stanley, the stepdaughter of former mob boss and convicted murderer Whitey Bulger.
Bulger gave Nilan some advice when he began going out with Stanley.
“He said, ‘Listen, I know you and Karen love each other but if there’s any time she wants to get away from you I would suggest that you let her go. Don’t try and hang on. Two, always treat her like a lady. Open doors for her and don’t ever lay a hand on her. Or else…’ He had a pistol when he was telling me this.
“So I said, ‘OK, I get it.’ Actually, I said, ‘You didn’t have to pull out a gun to tell me that. You could have just told me that.’ And he said, ‘Well, that’s the way I do business.’
“I got the message.”
Nilan had no illusions about the type of person that Bulger was.
“He was a dangerous man,” said Nilan. “He was responsible for a lot of misery in people’s lives. But that’s the profession he chose. And I’m not saying every person that was a victim of his deserved it, but there were people that were involved in that life. And there were also some innocent people, which I don’t agree with.”
Nilan currently resides in Dorval with his girlfriend, Jaime Holtz. He now hosts his own Radio program, Off the Cuff, on TSN Radio 690 Montreal. Official website of “Knuckles Nilan.”Chris Knuckles Nilan.
Update
Early in 2022, Bell Media fired Chris Nilan as host of Off the Cuff for his refusal to accept being vaccinated with an unproven Covid-19 vaccination.
Keep Your Stick on the Ice.
Awards
- Won the Stanley Cup in 1986 with the Montreal Canadiens
- Selected to one NHL All-Star Game: 1991
Career statistics
Regular season and playoffs
Bold indicates led league
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
| 1975–76 | Catholic Memorial School | HS-MA | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1976–77 | Northeastern University | ECAC | 20 | 3 | 2 | 5 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1977–78 | Northeastern University | ECAC | 20 | 8 | 9 | 17 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1977–78 | Tri-Valley Squares | NEJHL | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1978–79 | Northeastern University | ECAC | 32 | 9 | 17 | 26 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1979–80 | Nova Scotia Voyageurs | AHL | 49 | 15 | 10 | 25 | 304 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1979–80 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 15 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 50 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 1980–81 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 57 | 7 | 8 | 15 | 262 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1981–82 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 49 | 7 | 4 | 11 | 204 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 22 |
| 1982–83 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 66 | 6 | 8 | 14 | 213 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 1983–84 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 76 | 16 | 10 | 26 | 338 | 15 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 81 |
| 1984–85 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 77 | 21 | 16 | 37 | 358 | 12 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 81 |
| 1985–86 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 72 | 19 | 15 | 34 | 274 | 18 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 141 |
| 1986–87 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 44 | 4 | 16 | 20 | 266 | 17 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 75 |
| 1987–88 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 50 | 7 | 5 | 12 | 209 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1987–88 | New York Rangers | NHL | 22 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 96 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1988–89 | New York Rangers | NHL | 38 | 7 | 7 | 14 | 177 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 38 |
| 1989–90 | New York Rangers | NHL | 25 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 59 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 19 |
| 1990–91 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 41 | 6 | 9 | 15 | 277 | 19 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 62 |
| 1991–92 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 39 | 5 | 5 | 10 | 186 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1991–92 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 17 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 74 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 15 |
| NHL totals | 688 | 110 | 115 | 225 | 3043 | 111 | 8 | 9 | 17 | 541 |
International
| Year | Team | Event | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | United States | CC | 5 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 14 |
Vezina Trophy (National Hockey League)
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