Truculence

Truculence
:  the quality or state of being truculent           

Truculent
: easily annoyed or angered and likely to argue

Brandon Bollig fits Brian Burke's desire for truculence.

Flames sign Deryk Engelland to by far the worst deal of free agency because truculence or something else stupid

I don't think I had seen the word until fairly recently.  It's apparently been around since 1540, but Google shows it trending up over the last few years.

Interest in "truculence" seems primarily North American.  I usually associate it with the Toronto Maple Leafs but recent references mostly point to the Calgary Flames.

It would seems like "toughness" would be a better word choice.  The Maple Leafs didn't want Roman Polak because he was likely to argue with people.  They wanted him for his willingness (and ability) to knock people down.