Last season, the Vegas Golden Knights didn't like Matthew Tkachuk too much. The Florida Panthers superstar got involved in some shady antics, starting with his misconduct against Nicolas Hague. Here, he received two roughing minors and a 10-minute misconduct for roughing. That left him out of the rest of the first game of last year's championship round.
But he doesn't have the most penalty minutes in the Stanley Cup Final. In fact, Tkachuk isn't even in the top 25 in the category, nor are there any Golden Knights (obviously). There's no sight of Keegan Kolesar or Deryk Engelland, either. It looks like Vegas knows how to behave themselves in the biggest series of the NHL season... Or they have two appearances in their young history.
As for the Panthers forward, he only has two penalty minutes in the championship series. He's done better keeping his composure, although he does sneak in the occasional shot. It's a part of why the Florida Panthers currently have a 2-0 lead against the Edmonton Oilers (aside from Edmonton struggling offensively).
Still, it's worth exploring who has the most penalty minutes in Stanley Cup Final history. Staying out of the penalty box is key to winning the most coveted prize in sports. That starts with playing smart and keeping composure. Otherwise, teams will end up like the Oilers and be in a deep hole. That, along with a deep veteran forward group, was how the Vegas Golden Knights won last season. Anyways, who has the most penalty minutes in the final round?
Maruice Richard has the most career penalty minutes in Stanley Cup Final history
Maurice Richard has the most career penalty minutes in Stanley Cup Final history with 103. The legendary Montreal Canadiens star won eight Stanley Cups in his prolific career, making 13 appearances (including 10 straight appearances).
However, Richard was well-known for his passionate play with a penchant for winning. It's easy to see why Montreal won eight Stanley Cups during his career. Despite amassing over 100 penalty minutes in the championship round, he was an essential part of the NHL's earlier days with his grit.
Gordie Howe, known for the "Gordie Howe Hat Trick," came in second with 94, followed by Kevin McClelland (87). Most of the players in the top ten came from an era where hockey was unbounded. Long before the Vegas Golden Knights were even a concept, players would go after each other mercilessly. But it's nice to see the older days when everyone was punishing their opponents.