The shortest goalie in the NHL right now is Casey DeSmith of the Penguins, who is still 6 feet tall. Once in a while, Domi would cross the line and this hit on Scott Niedermayer of the Devils from the 2001 playoffs was as filthy as they came, even for his standards. Bertuzzi exacted the revenge by ending Moore's career. This in itself shows that Kaleta has made many enemies on the ice since his arrival in the NHL in 2006. Cooke, after his latest cheap shot and suspension, has stated that he "needs to change his ways.". He could also be classified as the pioneer goalie enforcer, as he was always ready to drop to gloves; not to mention his revenge attack on Chris Chelios in the 1989 playoffs. What could have possessed him to do what he did in the above video with three seconds on the clock can not be explained by anyone and may be one of the top three worst on-ice incidents in the history of the game. The things he didusing his knees as projectiles at opponents' legs, using knees, elbows and of course a huge face shield to protect him for the few times he dropped the gloves and wore what other players called "a suit of armor" as opposed to actual pads. Hes also known for being an avid diver, adding to his resume of things you shouldnt do in the NHL. Dino earned the moniker "Stickarelli" from this one incident that probably delayed his entry into the Hall of Fame. What is it with guys trying to murder Tomas Sandstrom? This shot at the time was one of the worst offenses anyone had seen in a hockey game. Jarkoo Ruutu was a pest in every sense of the word. The check earned him a four game suspension that probably should have been longer. Bryan Marchment. Hes earned three suspensions in the NHL, one of them for boarding Pittsburghs Kris Letang hard into the boards and injuring him. Steve Downie is one of those guys who had to straighten out his act or he was going to be drummed out of the NHL. If this was a list about mindless stupidity, Avery would be No. John Bostic Not many guys his size could skate like he could and we're as solid in all facets of the game as Pronger in the prime of his successful career. What's clear now and again, let Milbury be the parakeet-in-the-coalmine indicator is that the players have to stop pointing to club owners and league bosses to . The regularity of these hits in Ovechkins career, such as the one on Briere and Campbell, have been a dark cloud over his career; that and his inability to go far in the playoffs of course. Tried to light an opponent's jersey on fire during a game - a brawl had broken out, fans threw stuff onto the ice, and Iob picked up a lighter and actually tried to ignite an opposing player, Ran an opponent from behind during a game, earning a game misconduct, and then attacked that same player in the hallway near the locker room, Attacked a fan in the stands with his stick during a gamewhile play was ongoing, Was involved in a fight so bad in front of the bench that it spilled into the stands, which led a player's mother (behind the bench) to pass the player's younger sister over the glass to the head coach because it was safer on the bench, Was suspended by the IIHF for a year after elbowing an opponent unconscious. Clipping is when you hit someone at the knees, and I did not hit him at the knees. Turgeon was never the same player after that, maybe looking over his shoulder for Dale Hunter every time he scored a goal. Suspended seven games for boarding Tom Gilbert on January 2, 2012. Suspended 20 games for charging Dean McAmmond on September 25, 2007. Gudas is a player who has changed over the years, but he still made it on the list. The 50 dirtiest players in Premier League history These are players who let you know they're there. A sport played on sharp blades that allow you to go incredibly fast across a surface of ice, with 11 other potentially enormous men, five of whom are aga. There is no doubt that Mark Messier is one of the all-time greatest players in the history of the game. When picking the most hated hockey players in National Hockey League (NHL) history, it's a fine line between genuine hatred, downright jealousy and grudging respect. That alone would not get Tucker this high on the list. The Top 10 Dirtiest Players in the NHL Today 10) Antoine Roussel - Philadelphia Flyers Late in the 2014-15 season, the rugged Antoine Roussel delivered a nasty crosscheck to the neck of Adam. That being said, he has cement between his ears. I do not think Todd Bertuzzi is a prototypical dirty player but some of the players on this list are guilty of committing one infraction that is perceived in and of itself as so bad it will stay with the player for life. 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. Ranked! Those players bring an intangible value to their respective teams: they agitate, provide energy, and often times provide a needed spark or momentum shifting play that can make or break a single play, game, or even a season. 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. Erik Cernak of the Tampa Bay Lightning. Bailey nearly died but later recovered, but his career was ended. There's never any love lost for a guy who goes for the knees. The dirtiest NBA players are also excellent defenders What's ironic about these so-called dirty, unscrupulous players is that they are also among the best in the game defensively.. Human Warcrime Trevor Gillies. While Williams was more of an agitator than anything else, it would be hard to explain leaving the most penalized player in NHL history off of a list celebrating guys who made a living breaking the rules. Marchment hurt so many players in his career it was a wonder he was still able to find a team to play for with guys on it that didn't want to kill him. Suspended two games for an elbow to the head of R.J. Umberger on March 15, 2011. 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. Hewas infamous around the league for his low bridge hits and knee-to-knee contact, or throwing a spear or any other number of egregious cheap shots. Check out the 26 dirtiest NFL players of all-time right here: 26. Suspended 10 games and the first round of the playoffs for elbowing Ryan McDonagh on March 21, 2011. The play had all the ingredients for a premeditated attack; Moore's hit to the head of Mats Naslund earlier in the year, Moore refusing to drop the gloves to answer for it, and Todd Bertuzzi simply losing his mind on the ice. His most famous incident, without a doubt, was the vicious cross-check to the jaw of then Vancouver Canucks center Ryan Kesler, who took the shaft of Boulerice's stick right in the mouth in a game the Canucks were handily winning against the Flyers - the incident earned him 25 games and essentially ended his days as an NHL enforcer. Twenty years ago, Torres would have been celebrated, but as the game has oh-so-slowly moved to phase out headshots, Torres style of play has become increasingly illegal. Of course, he hasn't been a total altar boy since. Marty McSorely was a tough guy. As you can see, Rinaldo has never really hidden what his role is as a player and how he goes about things. In the 2010-2011 season, he had more suspensions than goals. Theyre able to shut them down before they reach breaking point. Hes previously served a two-game ban for elbowing Rasmus Dahlin, causing the first-overall pick to suffer a concussion, but hes also notorious for late hits that some say are suspension-worthy. Even Bruins fans tend to dislike Marchand and his cold plays. Only the notorious Matt Cooke is ahead of Patrick Kaleta on The Hockey News list of most hated NHL players. How did he manage to be the dirtiest player in the ECHL, AHL, and NHL? 63 was voted the dirtiest in the league, receiving 29 percent of votes. "Kaspar the Unfriendly Ghost" had a knack for being able to throw them with the best, or the worst of them. There is also no doubt that Messierlike the player most comparable to him, Gordie Howemade throwing elbows an art form. 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. People talk about Bertuzzi's hit on Moore or Chris Simon's hit on Ryan Hollweg. The way I played the game got me noticed by junior teams . 1. 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. He is a proactive enforcer that plays the game hard everytime he hits the ice. Bobby Clarke is one of the all-time great players in NHL history. Perhaps the worst on-ice incident in the history of the game When Eddie Shore, one of the most cantankerous players in sports history, checked Maple Leafs forward Ace Bailey from behind so badly that he fractured his skull sending Bailey into convulsions on the ice. The New York Rangers got the NHL's pre-deadline arms race started with the Vladimir Tarasenko trade. I felt like I was trying to protect myself and get low and he went over me. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. Its clear that Wilsons actions will most likely never change on ice. Former ESPN writer and current Chief Trends Officer for Caesars Sportsbook Trey Wingo gives out his Super Bowl 2023 picks. Josh. http://bit.ly/Subscribe-to-TPSSome NFL players just don't know that there are lines you ca. 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. 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. Once that dream became unrealistic, I focused on immerssing myself in the sport and team I loved the best way I could: writing. 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. A sport played on sharp blades that allow you to go incredibly fast across a surface of ice, with 11 other potentially enormous men, five of whom are against you. His preseason hit on Dean McAmmond in 2007 was absolutely brutal, and earned him a 20-game ban, all of which was deserved. Trevor Gillies slammed an ECHLer's head into the ice and picked up a criminal case. Often maligned for submarining players' legs, Kaspar made a big name for himself when he came up with the Islanders and threw monstrous checks at anyone who came into the Islanders zone. However, the reason some people have a hard time respecting him is that the so called enforcer rarely stands up to other teams after serving a cheap shot, and shies away from fights altogether. There should have been a "Do not enter" sign or an "Enter at your own risk" sign at his crease because if you did you would most assuredly pay the price. Most "dirty" teams are known for their physical play, but some surprising teams excel at scoring dirty goals. He even managed to collapse a lung belonging to Mike Gartner as revenge for a high stick earlier in a game between the Whalers and the Rangers. So while some puckheads may not particularly care for Sidney Crosby, Gordie Howe, Mark Messier, Bob Probert, Maurice Richard and Scott Stevens, to name a few prominent lightning . I hope he goes to bed with a migraine every night. 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. These events are, thankfully, rare. Based on his suspension history, it seems like just one hit puts McLeod on this list. 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. 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. He started out as another aggravating plugger, living on the Sabres lower lines, but in the past few years he has turned into an absolute monster on the ice, and not in the good way. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. Only . Suspended 20 games (in the AHL) for slashing a referee on March 5, 2009. Chris Pronger is one of the best defensemen in the game and a competitor everyone would want on their team. 15/15 15. Roussel has avoided bans in recent years, but he still has the reputation of being a rough player. Tucker was no doubt a fierce competitor, but he often played way over the edge, and it led to notable incidents that earned him his reputation, such as his brutal hits on Michael Peca and Daniel Alfredsson. These are the dirty hitters, cheap shot artists of the NHL. If my word isn't enough, Pronger was voted one of the dirtiest players in the league by his peers in 2009 and he's been suspended 9 times. Fined $1,000 for a dangerous play involving. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. Borderline hits, a mouth that doesn't stop running and a willingness to dive (occasionally at cost to his own team), all combine to put Marchand high up on this list. But what makes it this way are the players. 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. During a game, Eddie Shore drove in a blizzard to get to the game after missing the train from Boston. The other side of the Black Ice coin involves the racism that recent and current NHL players like P.K. Guys are skating like the wind these days and when they throw themselves around with reckless abandon it is totally inexcusable. Add to his list of teams the Maple Leafs and Flames. He is a true jerk. Suspended two games for an illegal check to the head of Scott Walker on January 27, 2009. That was his first suspension, although the league had fined him several times. Alternate captain Yanni Gourde is on the cusp of making it 13 players. Matt Cooke is, hands down in my opinion, the dirtiest player in the NHL. Any guy who earned the nickname "The Rat" is bound to end up on a list like this one. Suspended one game for leaving his feet to hit Ben Lovejoy on April 18, 2011. He still is public enemy No. Although all of these players are excellent hockey players that contribute to their team's successes at times, their reckless behaviour and lack of respect gives them a bad reputation in the hockey world. Videos out there but anyone looking for it, its fucking gross and Stafford pretty obviously had a seizure. Players whose actions on the ice have landed them suspensions, bad reputations, fan anger, arrested and sometimes jail sentences. When asked about the assertion around the league that he was a dirty player, his answer was plain and simple; I dont care, he said simply. Unlike a lot of other guys on this list, Torres doesnt have a long history of embellishment or stick infractions or even fighting. Brendan Lemieux returned to the ice on December 12, 2021, after serving a five-game suspension for biting Brady Tkachuks hand last month. There was lawsuit involved. Hes a loud mouth with no particular skill or talent, and his sole purpose in games is to stir up the pot. Fined an undisclosed amount for attempting to head-butt Travis Zajac on October 17, 2010. Can we all pause for a second and realize how funny it is that Rinaldo is now a Bruin? An example of his bad reputation would be when he dangerously hit former Minnesota Wild defenseman, Ryan Suter. 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. All in all he has amassed so many total suspensions it almost seems like not "if" but "when" and how many games Pronger will be suspended for when the season begins. 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