Kaletas track record is long and is not one his suspension record does justice to. Cooke has shown that while he may be a talented player, he is more of a liability and an embarrassment to have on your NHL team, especially when your owner is screaming about goonery. Suspended two games for an elbow to the head of R.J. Umberger on March 15, 2011. This guy was as good a money goaltender that ever played the game. The cap was instituted in part to deter . It was very unfortunate that he was injured on the play. (Getty) Since the introduction of the salary cap during the 2005-06 season, parity has been one of the bedrocks of the modern NHL. In a poll of 392 players across the NHL, The Athletic asked the players to answer a variety of questions -- one of those questions being "Who is the dirtiest player in the league?" To no surprise, No. One of his worst moments in my opinion was his sucker punch to Penguins Kris Letang (who seems to get on the receiving end quite a lot). Downie's reputation for viciousness precedes the start of his NHL career. Given that he has only been a full-time NHL'er for three seasons, his record of supplemental discipline is impressive too. Former right-winger for the Vegas Golden Nights, Ryan Reaves, is known best for his time in the penalty box. Because of his dirty plays, hes resulted in a regular stream of penalty minutes and suspensions. Alternate captain Yanni Gourde is on the cusp of making it 13 players. 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. 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. 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. While still in junior, he cross-checked teammate Akim Aliu in the face during practice (after which the two fought) because Aliu refused to participate in a hazing. Suspended four games for blow to the head of Matt Bradley on December 6, 2009. 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/. Byfuglien still has my respect as a tough competitor, but I will now always see him as someone with dirty tendencies on the ice. 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. The 2023 NHL trade deadline comes and goes on Friday (March 3), yet the biggest names keep dropping off the board. Despite his reputation, Lapierre has never previously done anything quite as nasty as his hit from behind on Sharks defenceman Dan Boyle. The hit was stupid not only because of what it did to Gilbert, but also because Carcillo injured himself on the play. 1: Bobby Orr Takes Flight NHL 100: Billy Coutu's lifetime ban remains the league's longest levied suspension The 'greatest season in the history of hockey' was. I could not find that video online, but here is one that perfectly shows what would happen to you if you went near what Smith would call his crease. This can be done a number of ways; hard slashes over the wrist, finishing a body check that didn't need to be finished, a second hard slash over the wrists, and even vicious, personal insults. What you will not find below is a goalie, a position which requires signficiant size. However, hes made a much-publicized effort to change his playing style in the wake of a long suspension for elbowing Ryan McDonagh, and so far hes managed to avoid supplementary discipline. In this clip above, is there any reason whatsoever to literally throw every ounce of your body into a player looking to pass the puck up ice? Bryan Marchment was a pain in the you-know-what to play against no matter where he was playing throughout his journeyman career. 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. Lindy Ruff even benched the New York native at times because of it. This shot at the time was one of the worst offenses anyone had seen in a hockey game. 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. Alexander Ovechkin, arguably the most electric player on the ice in the NHL, has been a player with dirty tendencies in the past. 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. 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. John Bostic He played the game 100 percent, 100 percent of the time. And its full contact. Brown skated at Sandstrom and just absolutely tattooed him across the face with a cross-check that could have taken his head off. Its a very fast game. Human Warcrime Trevor Gillies. attempting to remedy decades of indifference on the matter by his current bosses and scores of previous NHL suits. This in itself shows that Kaleta has made many enemies on the ice since his arrival in the NHL in 2006. You know you've made it as a dirty player in the NHL when not only do opposing players and fans hate your guts, but your teammates do as well. Suspended two games for an illegal check to the head of Artem Anisimov on November 29, 2009. Late hits, notably his charge on Jack Johnson that landed him a ten-game suspension, along with a general greasy demeanor and his generally reckless style of play, combined with his ability to aggravate opponents land him higher on this list than most might expect. His violent cross-check to the face of Tomas Sandstrom, though, earns him a spot on this list, because a 15-game suspension back in Brown's day was unheard of, so you know his hit was dirty. Maybe his worst moment was when he eye gouged Travis Moen, at the time a Ducks player. Torres, though, developed a reputation as a ruthless, violent player with no regard for the safety of his opponents. He hits hard and often, but sometimes he hits an opponent in a vulnerable position or simply goes too far. Lets all take a second and talk about hockey. 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. Former ESPN writer and current Chief Trends Officer for Caesars Sportsbook Trey Wingo gives out his Super Bowl 2023 picks. He also took out Buffalo Sabres forward Jochen Hecht that sent Sabre coach Lindy Ruff into a tirade. I mean whats not to like? 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. Bailey nearly died but later recovered, but his career was ended. 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. Matt Cooke is, hands down in my opinion, the dirtiest player in the NHL. 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. The divisive repeat offender has made a name for himself with a contentious playing style that has included aiming for opponents heads and delivering late hits. Raffi Torres, like Carcillo, is a guy you love to have on your team because he's a hard-nosed, no-nonsense type that every team needs. Daniel Carcillo's career numbers offer insight into his role is in the NHL. Suspended two games for a fight against Ben Eager on October 17, 2008. An earlier generation would have found much to like in Torres explosive hit on an opponent in a vulnerable position. 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. That's mostly true. He knew exactly what he was doing. 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. Fined $2,500 for leaving the bench on a line change and joining a fight on December 8, 2011. His track record is as long as it gets, but the most notable incident was the 25-game suspension for his destruction of Chicago Blackhawks forward Marian Hossa, a hit that some argue set in motion the recent emphasis on player safety and the reduction of headshots. That being said, he has cement between his ears. Some players, however, arent so good at remaining focused. Suspended four games an illegal check to the head of Jordan Eberle on April 6, 2011. Dirtiest NHL Players: The top 10 of all-time (VIDEOS) NHL Playoffs NHL Draft Write for us Oct 10, 2013; Edmonton, Alberta, CAN; Montreal Canadiens defenseman PK Subban (76) skates against the. What he doesto a degree unparalleled in the NHL todayis make predatory hits. This is the perfect example of how one incident can be a black eye on your career. Lapierre mashed Boyle's face into the end boards. Discuss the NHL, AHL, PHF, IIHF, KHL, and every other hockey league you can think of! While I could not find a video of that incident, the one above shows the kind of guy Linseman was. Turgeon was never the same player after that, maybe looking over his shoulder for Dale Hunter every time he scored a goal. Boyle left the ice on a stretcher. The attack on Kharlamnov was one of the most heinous premeditated attacks in hockey history. In revenge for a solid hit, Antoine Roussel threw a hard cross-check to Adam McQuaids neck late in the 2014-15 season. Schultz isn't higher on this list because back in his day, his style of play was common - the game was much more violent before we knew about concussions and the dangers of head trauma, so it wasn't considered as "dirty.". Hes earned three suspensions in the NHL, one of them for boarding Pittsburghs Kris Letang hard into the boards and injuring him. The list is eaten up with NHL players -- Marty McSorley made No. Cooke, after his latest cheap shot and suspension, has stated that he "needs to change his ways.". "Battlin' Billy" did not take kindly to his own teammates shooting high on him in practice as he infamously charged at teammate Mike Bossy in practice when he thought Bossy shot high on him before he was tackled. 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. I mean, when was the last time you heard a player bite their opponents hand. He is frequently on the wrong side of a tough, physical game, and because of that, he will continue to be the way he is until he can get it under control. Bryan Marchment. Tony Iob was someone who had a ton of incidents that were just bizarre. Everyone who ever signed him to a contract should be on a watch list. The World's Most Entertaining Car Website. an illegal check to the head of Cal Clutterbuck on September 23, 2011. That doesn't mean he was a clean player. Suspended four games for hitting Scott Nichol from behind on March 4, 2010. It seems to be working. Just goons as far as the eye could see. Karma can be a bitch and it was to Tucker. For example, he was involved in an incident that injured Toronto Maple Leafs starting goaltender Jack Cambell early in the 2020-21 season. 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