However, the term carries a double edge. To call a player a "goon" is to acknowledge their toughness and loyalty, but also to imply a lack of skill. As the NHL evolved toward speed and analytics in the 2010s, the traditional goon was phased out. Yet the spirit remains. In beer leagues and junior hockey, the "goon" is still the guy who leads the team in penalty minutes—and the guy you want next to you when a scrum breaks out.
This duality—physical intimidation mixed with stupidity—became the bedrock of the word for the next fifty years. However, the term carries a double edge