The video of ex-NHL enforcer Nick Tarnasky getting into a fight at a golf course in Alberta has taken over the hockey community by storm.
Former NHL player Drew Shore, alongside Ryan Kennedy and Michael Traikos, discussed the viral clip in the July 9 episode of The Big Show.
“I don’t think (Tarnasky) is the guy you want to get drunk and start lipping off to on the golf course,” Shore said.
Video footage captured Tarnasky, 40, and an unidentified golfer at the Alberta Springs Golf Resort near Red Deer, Alta., having an argument that escalated into a physical altercation. There was reportedly some frustration coming from Tarnasky’s group with how long the group in front of him was taking to tee their shot.
A golfer from the other group eventually confronted the former enforcer. Tarnasky threw him into the pond and punched him five times, yelling “bang” with every punch.
“Imagine that guy walking into the clubhouse at the end of his round,” Shore said. “You’re just playing golf, people are coming in, and the guy comes in, clothes are soaking wet, black eye, bruised cheek. That’s a very tough one to explain to someone.”
Tarnasky played 245 NHL games and accumulated 297 penalty minutes in his career. He played for the Tampa Bay Lightning, Nashville Predators and Florida Panthers between 2005 and 2010. He played for the Montreal Canadiens in the 2013 pre-season and New York Rangers in the 2014 pre-season.
In addition, he recorded over 800 more penalty minutes across nine seasons in the AHL and one in the KHL.
"If anyone has an old Nick Tarnasky jersey lying around, this would be a great week to dust it off and wear it again," EA Sports NHL 25 play-by-play voice James Cybulski posted on X.
Painter Travis Chapman painted the altercation and shared it to social media on Wednesday, getting nearly 1-million views and and 12,000 likes on X.
Added former NHL defenseman Marc Methot: "People don’t realize how dangerous some of these guys are. They can throw, but more importantly, they can eat punches when they have to. Tarnasky wasn’t even trying."
Before the video went viral on social media, another former NHL D-man, Mike Commodore, mentioned Tarnasky on X.
"Alberta Springs, I heard you guys have the greatest Member/Marshall In Western Canada…Nick Tarnasky…runs a tight ship. Very hands on," he wrote.
The Red Deer Minor Hockey Association said it’s conducting an internal investigation, despite the RCMP having concluded its investigation into the altercation.
Tarnasky is a coach for the Red Deer Minor Hockey U-17 AAA team. On May 7, the organization announced he’d be returning behind the bench for the 2025-26 season.
"We are aware of a video circulating on social media involving a coach with Red Deer Minor Hockey," RDMHA said in a statement.
"At this time, given that we understand the matter is being reviewed by local policing authorities and we are conducting our own internal investigation into the alleged incident, we will have no further comments."
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