9. John Kordic
John Kordic was drafted by the Canadiens in 1983 in the fourth round of the NHL Draft as they hoped he would add a physical presence to the team. He surely did not disappoint in that area of the game.
In the year he was drafted, he played 72 WHL games for the Portland Winterhawks scoring three goals and 25 points and also piling up 235 minutes in penalties.
He first cracked the NHL roster late in the 1985-86 season and would play just five regular season games that year. He did suit up for 18 playoff games, as the Canadiens would go on a run that saw them win their 23rd Stanley Cup. Kordic didn’t add any points, but did being a physical presence to the lineup and ensures the opponent’s kept their head up when he was on the ice.
Listed at 6’1″ and 190 pounds, Kordic was not the biggest player to ever lace up skates, but he did not back down from a fight with anyone. That would include Boston Bruins tough guy Jay Miller.
Kordic had a distinct style where he could fire out punches in rapid succession, hammering an opponent two or three times in a row before they knew what was coming. Even more terrifying was a seemingly unlimited pain tolerance level. You may as well punch the ice instead of his head as he never really seemed to notice anyway.
He was once suspended five games for fighting Gord Donnelly of the Quebec Nordiques before the game even started. Terrifying players before the puck even drops to start the game because they wear a Nordiques jersey makes Kordic one of the most feared players to ever play for the Canadiens.