He's an agitator who does whatever it takes to get under the skin of the opposition and is generally despised by the opposition as a result. I must say that if I were to have an enforcer on my team, it would be Chris Neil, solely based on the fact that hes a warrior and a team player, and although he isnt squeaky clean, hes still a great NHL player. We are the premier subreddit to talk everything hockey! He carried that with him through his entire career as one of the most vicious hitters in the game. Suspended seven games for boarding Tom Gilbert on January 2, 2012. Maybe it's because he's yappy, because he makes faces at his opponents, because when finally forced to fight,he turtlesor because he throws late hits and dives. Mione134 . In junior hockey he did his best impression of Reggie Jackson. The guys that get under everybody's skin, whether you're a player on the ice or a fan watching at home. He was on an NHL roster for one reason and one reason only: to fight, to intimidate, and to beat up on smaller, more talented players. [18] He has since, [], Following this season the New York Giants will resume pursuing Odell Beckham [], Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), https://atomic-temporary-193391653.wpcomstaging.com/2022/01/05/yadier-molina-2022/. Although hard hitting is essential to the game of hockey, its the reckless plays, the ones that can lead to the end of someones career, that need to leave the game. He could do it all: score, skate, pass, fight and place an elbow or a high stick directly in your chops. Bobby Clarke is one of the all-time great players in NHL history. Like most players on this list, Raffi Torres sometimes likes to live life on the edge. It seems of late, a lot of guys are getting injured. The World's Most Entertaining Car Website. Born and raised Montrealer, I grew up with dreams of donning the Montreal Canadiens uniform, scoring the Stanley Cup winning goal and becoming a Quebec hero. Chris Simon was always considered one of the dirtiest players in the history of the league, but he also earned himself a reputation as a less-than-intellegent player for some of his antics on the ice. Lets all take a second and talk about hockey. It's not an infraction, exactly, but Marchand's comments in his ESPN blog after his suspension for clipping are telling: It technically wasnt a clip. Read on to find out. Domi could score a goal every now and again and was not a bad skater but was better known for antics such as: After fighting the league's top fighters, he would places his hand around his waist mimicking a WWE title belt around his waist. Brutal. That was his first suspension, although the league had fined him several times. Chris Pronger was once a target of fans in Edmonton due to his perceived arrogance. Suspended two games for boarding Jared Ross on November 29, 2009. Marchand has been suspended quite a few times in his career. The latest in the sports world, emailed daily. He's known to be a very . While those moves happen, some teams are collecting wins and strengthening their position heading toward the postseason, while others are watching their grip on a playoff spot slip away. Ken "The Rat" Linseman was a talented player, but that's not why he is remembered so fondly. These are the dirty hitters, cheap shot artists of the NHL. He played the game 100 percent, 100 percent of the time. Hes made head hits, and just plain nasty plays that have put many players on the ice at grave risk. has compiled a list of what it considers the 50 Dirtiest Players in Sports History. Subban, Wayne Simmonds, Akim Aliu, and Darnell Nurse have dealt with playing the game they . Lets all take a second and talk about hockey. Many guys are dirty players, but very few seemed to revel in it like Tennessee Titans cornerback Cortland Finnegan did. Hell yes. Steve Downie is notorious (and a little hated) for his dirty play on the ice throughout his career. As you can see, Rinaldo has never really hidden what his role is as a player and how he goes about things. There is no doubt of Pronger's skill. Patrik Kaleta hasbeen in the news lately, thanks to a massive suspension for a hit to the head of Blue Jackets defenceman Jack Johnson. In an old poll conducted by Sports Illustrated asking 300 NHL players asking whom they thought was the dirtiest player in the NHL, Steve Ott was tied in 1st place with Chris Pronger. Last year, Suh got 36 votes in the poll that reached 111 players. Hes a versatile player, having played both forward and defence throughout his career. Brian_Lee_Harvey_Oswald CapFriendly User Profile. Lets open the list with Antoine Roussel of the Dallas Stars. But his actions are still inexcusable, and people never forget dirty plays like his. His dirtiest job in hockey remains a work in progress. Also, after his first 61 games in the NHL, he had already earned himself a 20-game suspension for his hit on Dean McAmmond. Because what he does has been legal for a long time. Fined $1,000 for a dangerous play involving. His preseason hit on Dean McAmmond in 2007 was absolutely brutal, and earned him a 20-game ban, all of which was deserved. Suspended four games for blow to the head of Matt Bradley on December 6, 2009. Then, there are the players that have names that have seemingly . Because of his dirty plays, hes resulted in a regular stream of penalty minutes and suspensions. The list of famous short hockey players features quite a few talented currentplayers in the league today. Suspended 20 games (in the AHL) for slashing a referee on March 5, 2009. Over the course of his career, he's been assessed for 1,081 penalty minutes while recording 89 points. Alternate captain Yanni Gourde is on the cusp of making it 13 players. Suspended 10 games for an illegal check to the head of Jack Johnson on October 13, 2013. Ed Westfall said it best: Dale Hunter has blown a gasket. The Greatest American Hockey Players of All Time, The Dirtiest Players In The NHL Right Now. Now 6 game win streak 221 26 r/hockey Join 21 days ago Here are the top 15 dirtiest players in the NHL today. I got a chance ot give him the finger at a caps game 2 years ago. Top 10 Dirtiest Hockey Players The Top Ten 1 Sean Avery Sean Christopher Avery is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player for the National Hockey League. He was suspended 13 times by the league in his first 12 NHL seasons, [2] and his hits were blamed for injuries suffered by Mike Modano, [13] Joe Nieuwendyk, Greg Adams, [14] Mike Gartner, [2] [15] Kevin Dineen, [15] [16] Peter Zezel, [15] [17] Pavel Bure, Sami Salo, Magnus Arvedson, Paul Kariya, Wendel Clark, [15] and Martin Runsk. Im tired of only hearing about the dirty nhl players, I wanna hear about the other leagues. He isn't a guy with a reputation for stickwork, hitting from behind or even elbowing; he's a guy who simply belongs in the NHL of 10 or 15 years ago rather than today. His low moments came when he punched Ryan Getzlaf on his injured chin, or his bad cross check on the Bruins' Adam McQuaid, earning him a two game suspension. The compilation above speaks for itself and the hits on Kozlov and Draper are sickening. The list is eaten up with NHL players -- Marty McSorley made No. The above video is sickening to be sure. Although Perry has his bad moments, hes had some good ones as well. Matt Cooke is, hands down in my opinion, the dirtiest player in the NHL. Messier would KO you with a well-placed elbow to the face, head or nose and then skate away as if nothing had happened. There is no doubt that Mark Messier is one of the all-time greatest players in the history of the game. This was not just one swingno, that wasn't good enough. Suspended two games for an illegal check to the head of Scott Walker on January 27, 2009. It's only a matter of time. In revenge for a solid hit, Antoine Roussel threw a hard cross-check to Adam McQuaids neck late in the 2014-15 season. The cramped ice-surface with no. Most of all, some people see hockey as good for one. As one of the game's best players, Ovechkin has occasionally gone beyond clean, physical play and has strayed into dirty territory. Before that, in the Ontario Hockey League, he was suspended six times in three years. Its clear that Wilsons actions will most likely never change on ice. He never shies away from a fight, can sometimes be a game changer, but more often that not his hits are analyzed as cheapish, even if there is no call on the ice. But who are the dirtiest players in the NHL today? Fined an undisclosed amount for attempting to head-butt Travis Zajac on October 17, 2010. That's mostly true. Fined $2,500 for leaving the bench on a line change and joining a fight on December 8, 2011. Darcy Tucker would almost look possessed at times when he was on the ice and his low bridge hits were commonplace. Lemieux has been suspended for two games in the NHL for an illegal check and enjoys being in the penalty box. Campbell fractured his collarbone and a rib on the hit. What is it with the Philadelphia Flyers on this list? For example, the New York Rangers, Buffalo Sabres, and Ottawa Senators each feature two exceptional skill players when it comes to fighting. The thing is Billy would also punch you in the back of the head, stick you in the privates and slash your legs or head or face if you dared venture near his crease. But it was that cross check last year on J.T. Unlike a lot of other guys on this list, Torres doesnt have a long history of embellishment or stick infractions or even fighting. After watching this and listening to Jon Davidson's reaction, watch this and listen to the Flyers announcers on the same play. Ovechkin scored his 700th NHL goal during Washington's 3-2 loss at the New Jersey Devils on Feb. 22, 2020, joining Wayne Gretzky (894), Gordie Howe (801), Jaromir Jagr (766), Hull (741), Marcel. Hockey players are often given credit for "answering the bell" after taking out an opponent, and Marchment was no different; but it almost seemed like he took pleasure out of stirring up a ruckus, specifically by sticking out a knee to hurt or seriously injure an opposing player. Hes now been fined a total of eight times by the NHL, four of those because of dirty hits. I mean, when was the last time you heard a player bite their opponents hand. He's the kind of guy you love to have on your roster because he will be the first one in a scrum and will always defend a teammate, but he's also the guy who will make you shake your head and cost your team when he does things like slamming then Oilers defenseman Tom Gilbert into the board or assaulting a referee during an Eastern Conference Final game. Anyone that has seen the video will see that I hit him in the upper thigh under the buttocks. Given that he has only been a full-time NHL'er for three seasons, his record of supplemental discipline is impressive too. But what makes it this way are the players. Why isn't he at the top of this list? His reputation was cemented by his legendary battles with the Detroit Red Wings starts during his time with the Colorado Avalanche, highlighted by his violent hit on Kris Draper during the 1996 Stanley Cup playoffs. He's a douche bag on and off the ice. These 25 names will not trigger memories of dazzling talent, but rather gruesome and often times scary incidents. Just looked it up, I think youre thinking of Thomas Larkin. The cap was instituted in part to deter . 1 -- but also includes ice skater Tonya. Shore was known for extracting revenge and harboring vendettas, and has a list longer than this one of broken bones and bruised egos. There is no video evidence of the pain Eddie Shore would put his opponents in, but it is well documented. Chris Neil is one of those players Im always on the fence about. In the 2010-2011 season, he had more suspensions than goals. I've contributed to several Concordia publications and media outlets (print, radio and broadcast), as well as better-known outlets such as Cult MTL, VersusFootball and The Hockey News. The above video is from his WHA Houston Aero days and shows the great Howe scoring a goal, high-sticking an opponent and abusing a referee. Despite his explanations that most of his hits are hockey hits, unfortunately for him hockey fans know better, and his long list of fines and suspensions prove otherwise. Suspended the rest of the preseason plus eight games for. That would be a good idea before he kills someone or gets himself arrested. Besides the standard Broad Street Bullies attitude, Brown was one of the most feared (and because of this, respected) enforcers of all-time. Everyone who ever signed him to a contract should be on a watch list. Lapierre is a third liner at best with a tendency of serving cheap shots quite often throughout his career. Watch more top videos, highlights, and B/R original content. Who put a name on. 1. Dave Brown was just as tough and as ruthless as Dave Schultz, but was a big fan of freewheeling with his twig more than any hockey player should have ever been. That being said, he was one of the dirtiest players in the history of the league, whether it was hits from behind or sucker punches from behind. Williams is not higher on this list because most of his PIMs were the result of fights, but he usually did something to spark those fights. This guy was an absolute piece of trash when it came to respecting other players' health on the ice. Dave Schultz, simply put, was one bad, bad man. on the ice seems to be starting trouble and injuring opposing players as often as possible. Another Lightning player strikes in the top 10, Perry is known for upsetting opponents by running his mouth, making late and low hits, and having an uncanny ability to sell penalties. Thirteen separate suspensions are enough to plead my case with having him so high on the list. Hes earned three suspensions in the NHL, one of them for boarding Pittsburghs Kris Letang hard into the boards and injuring him. He's a greasy player, a defenceman who doesn't shy away from contact, and that willingness to engage in physical play has put him on the wrong side of the rule book. Then in 2007, while playing for the Flyers, he almost took Ryan Kesler's head off with a cross-check in the third period of a 7-2 rout. John Bostic I personally love Dustin Byfuglien. Hes been described as an energizer, meaning someone who will sometimes get into a fight for the sake of his teams moral, and of course their safety. The look on Tucker's face after the Peca hit says it all. As of now, he has 14 penalties, and last season he ended with 38. This is not something that was well known and a far cry from the guy waving to the Madison Square Garden crowd crying about how much he loves the fans. Cleveland Cavaliers guard Matthew Dellavedova was voted the dirtiest player in the NBA by fellow players and coaches in a recent Los Angeles Times poll . I hope he goes to bed with a migraine every night. Cookes reform has been such that, in the wake of Patrick Kaletas recent 10-game suspension,Cooke told ESPNs Pierre LeBrun that he had offered to help the Sabres forward change his game. That doesn't mean he was a clean player. Leave your thoughts below. Suspended two games for an elbow to the head of R.J. Umberger on March 15, 2011. These include center depth guy Milan Lucic and right-wing Mike Hoffman. Torres has consistently, throughout his career, been the subject of controversy. Steve Downie very nearly ended up higher on this list, but he gets a bit of a pass for toning down his reckless abandon out on the ice. The truth of the matter is that Torres has a history of targeting other players, and other NHL players have realized that. Brendan Lemieux returned to the ice on December 12, 2021, after serving a five-game suspension for biting Brady Tkachuks hand last month. Despite a history of illegal and downright cheap hits throughout his career, Marchand has managed to become an important part of the Bruins roster, become a regular scorer for the team and being an importance piece in the Stanley Cup Championship. That means every NHL player will have 15.5 per cent of salary deducted from his paycheque and put aside until after all of the 2016-17 season's hockey-related revenue is counted to ensure a. Sporting News has compiled a list of players who grind the gears of opposition fans - and even their own club's - in a unique way. From his late hit on Milan Lucic, his sucker punch on Ladislav Smid, his antics in the crease of Marty Brodeur or his derogatory comments towards black players and women, Avery truly was a dirty player in every sense of the word. Messier was just as mean and nasty as he was talented. It only earned him a four-game suspension, but Kaletas decision to head-butt Jakub Voracek probably earns this distinction. The check earned him a four game suspension that probably should have been longer. When Chris Simon was only the third- or fourth-most nutso guy on a roster, that says something. Dale Hunter, simply put, would not put up with anyone's nonsense. It is made worse by the fact that this was a preseason game. He is deliberately dangerous and a cheap shot artist, so much so that the Minnesota Wild bought out the last year of his contract, and so far no one is jumping to sign him. Hes not afraid to go after an opponent and land a filthy hit or knee. Avery was an excellent agitator, but he often crossed way over the line, not only on the ice but off the ice as well. The list of dirtiest players in the NHL right now is a list full of thugs, goons, headhunters, and also MVPs. Its completely unethical. This is a list of National Hockey League (NHL) players who have played at least one game in the NHL. Most "dirty" teams are known for their physical play, but some surprising teams excel at scoring dirty goals. T.J. Ward - Browns, Broncos & Buccaneers: Ward came out guns blazing in his rookie season and quickly earned a reputation as a dirty player by earning a $15,000 fine for a helmet-to-helmet hit. Here, in no particular order, are the 15 most hated players in the NHL. Suspended two games for abuse of officials on May 17, 2011. He is one of the NHLs most accomplished divers, a continually agitating presence and when he isnt over the line, hes skating right up to it. News on all your favorite celebs, reality TV, and movies. What made matters worse for him was that not only did he try to decapitate Ryan Hollweg, when he came back from that suspension he skate-stomped Jarkko Ruutu. He's previously served a two-game ban for elbowing Rasmus Dahlin, causing the first-overall pick to suffer a concussion, but he's also notorious for late hits that some say are suspension-worthy. Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, who is the third-richest person in the world, is reportedly interested but banned from placing a bid, according to multiple reports . Bertuzzi could have been an angel the entirety of his career and still would have landed on the list because of this incident; but he was no angel, and his sucker punch on Moore has cemented him on this list. There have been much worse incidents on the ice, but the quantity of infractions committed by him is simply staggering. Turgeon scored, celebrated and then was blindsided by Hunter from behind, separating the Islanders' leading scorer's shoulder. Josh. He is, however, an important part of his team and is unanimously respected by his teammates for standing up for them no matter what. Tkachuk has served three suspensions and has a reputation for being a dirty player. His whole M.O. Mann could be as tough as they came in the fight-filled 1980s and this incident earned him a 10-game suspension and assault charges. Gudas is a player who has changed over the years, but he still made it on the list. An earlier generation would have found much to like in Torres explosive hit on an opponent in a vulnerable position. But recently, he hasnt earned a suspension since 2019. Although he claimed it was accidental, lets just say it didnt quite seem that way. Tony Iob was someone who had a ton of incidents that were just bizarre. Ron Hextall may not have been the dirtiest player of all time, but he certainly was one of the fieriest players to ever play in the NHL. He consistently seems to put himself in questionable positions. Being in the NHL watch more top videos, highlights, and earned him a four game suspension probably... 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