The 2026-27 NHL season didn't take long to produce its first heavyweight bout.
Nic Deslauriers of the Carolina Hurricanes and Boko Imama of the Florida Panthers dropped the gloves this evening in what became the first hockey fight of the new NHL season. It was a pretty even matchup between two players who have built their careers around bringing a physical edge to the lineup, but Deslauriers arguably earned the nod after the exchange. The veteran Hurricanes forward was clearly fired up afterward, trying to get the hometown Carolina crowd on its feet.
At 35 years old, Deslauriers has carved out a lengthy NHL career as one of the league's most recognizable enforcers. Originally a third-round pick of the Los Angeles Kings in 2009, he eventually made his NHL debut with the Buffalo Sabres before spending time with the Montreal Canadiens , Anaheim Ducks , Minnesota Wild and Philadelphia Flyers . He joined Carolina late in the 2025-26 season and signed a two-year extension with the Hurricanes this summer. Through his career, Deslauriers has appeared in more than 700 NHL games and accumulated nearly 800 penalty minutes, including a league-leading 88 fighting majors since entering the NHL in 2014-15.
Imama has taken a different route to establishing himself as a tough customer. The 30-year-old Montreal native was selected 180th overall by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the 2015 NHL Draft and has spent much of his professional career in the AHL, where he has played more than 400 games. His NHL opportunities have been limited, with just 33 career games and two goals, but his physical style has made him a valuable depth option. He is now with the Panthers, giving Florida another player willing to answer the bell when things get nasty.
And if this opening-night fight is any indication, both Deslauriers and Imama could have plenty more opportunities to remind the NHL that fighting isn't quite dead yet.
