Dirty players in your team's history that you loved

[Machinehead]

Rangers fans loved Avery back in the day.

Peak Avery was actually pretty great.

 

[Dr Beinfest]

Rangers fans loved Avery back in the day.

Peak Avery was actually pretty great.

Looking back, some of Avery was just downright funny. Plus, I hate Martin Brodeur so, I was cool with irritating him.

 

[Ozz]

Ulf, Kaspar, Geno, and Sid...depending on who you ask

 

[DJN21]

Everyone's going to expect us to say Marchand for Boston. Unpopular opinion but I think Marchand's reputation is overstated and largely stems from some incidents from early in his career, he's been playing clean for 3 years now, and pretty much all the disciplinary actions after about 2013 were reputation-driven and not assessed on their own merit.

I think Lucic was a more "dirty" player. by that I mean he crossed the line at times to where even I as a fan was like "alright man, cool it down." But I loved that it came from a place of passion and competition, not malice.

Otherwise the players that opposing fanbases derided as being dirty thugs back when we were a physical team - Thornton and Chara mostly, were standup players and widely respected across the league, even with that Orpik incident and the Pacioretty accident that everyone went crazy about. Going back years before that, Kyle McLaren is pretty much only remembered for that flying elbow on Zednik in the playoffs. But I loved the physicality he brought even if he crossed the line (also, I was like 14 then so I didn't feel bothered by him throwing a cheapshot against our biggest rival).

Last guy on the team who I think was a total dirty tool? Probably McSorely.

Optics say they are all scumbags and so is Jack Edwards.
But you worded this so well and seem respectable so pardon my hatred for these players, it's no reflection on a great post by you.

 

[CapsJunkie]

Chris Simon, Dale hunter, Probert, Wilson, Burube,Pronger

 

[BobbyShehan]

Didn't read the whole thread but, if not mentioned before, Gordie Howe was a hell of a dirty player. Messier wasn't bad either.

 

[Albatros]

Ulf Samuelsson was fantastic.

 

[Chimpradamus]

Rangers fans loved Avery back in the day.

Peak Avery was actually pretty great.

Avery wasn't that dirty though. When he delivered a cheap shot, he didn't do it with the intent to injure, more to make opponents angry. He was a classic pest.


And yes, Avery's skillset as a hockey player was actually quite good.

 

[Hennessy]

If Claude Lemieux played for your team, that's your answer.

Bonus answer: Forsberg. He could give as good as he got.

 

[SotasicA]

I can't remember the Hawks ever employing dirty players. Doing bad things to bad guys makes you the good guy.

Well, there was Bryan Marchment. And Craig Muni, of course. I didn't love them, but I appreciated what they brought to the team.

I don't think Enrico Ciccone should count, because he was more of an enforcer really, but I loved him. He wouldn't actively play dirty, but he had a temper and things easily spilled over. And I don't think he ever attempted to injure, unlike the aforementioned Muni & Marchment.

Anything more recent, it's mostly just hockey players playing with an edge. Like Bolland/Shaw type. Not dirty.

 

[32hunter]

probably Dale Hunter. he may have been considered dirty.

 

[Dave92]

Probably been said but Tie Domi. His elbow on Niedermayer is the dirties play ive ever seen in the NHL.

 

[32hunter]

Ken Linesman was pretty fun too. (when I was a kid my first favourite team was Edmonton)
Don't like the Islanders but Kasparitus was a beast.

 

[Bizz]

I didn't think I'd like them at first but Tony Granato, Bryan Marchment, and Raffi Torres were very effective players.

 

[ViktorBaeArvidsson]

Jordan Tootoo even though the only dirty hit I’m remembering rn is the R. Miller hit, there might be others but he’s just one of my favorite Preds of all-time lol

 

[sandyfalkirk]

Bryan Marchment

Tough, hard hitting but too many knee hits...he was dirty but i just loved how stuff happened with him

As in kicking off

 

[LTIR]

Bertuzzi getting no love

 

[Artorius Horus T]

I have never liked a dirty player.

 

[belair]

This hit changed the tone of this entire series. It was a vicious blindside hit that was par the course for Raffi Torres' career. But there wasn't a single Oiler fan that didn't love his game at the time.

Back then you needed a bit of meanness to succeed.

 

[MarkusKetterer]

Kaleta, Rob Ray, and Matt Barnaby. f*** those guys

Tie Domi's another one from our end that a lot of Leaf fans loved, but he really, really completely lost me after the Niedermayer hit. It was genuinely one of the most bush league things ever and it completely erased any momentum we had from winning that game. That hit woke up the Devils big time and they eventually destroyed us in game 7.

I loved Barnaby. Other than he’d snap too easily. But when he’d toe the line and just yap away and showcase his hockey skill, he was pretty good. The Sabres could use someone like him now.

 

[SML2]

Edmonton Messier was as mean a player as there ever was. Look at these elbows and tell me how many games you get suspended for today.

 

[Garavar]

Matt Cooke before he left Vancouver. He wasn't that dirty or reckless actually.

Ahh what? He kneed Tyson Barrie in the Playoffs to help Minnesota's chance of winning because they were getting smoked.

 

[Garavar]

Avery wasn't that dirty though. When he delivered a cheap shot, he didn't do it with the intent to injure, more to make opponents angry. He was a classic pest.


And yes, Avery's skillset as a hockey player was actually quite good.

Avery was never on "my team" but I thought he was great, best shit stirrer on the planet.

 

[Olliemets]

Darius K for Islanders. Xenon Konopka was a dirty little SOB as well. Darius real solid D Man too.

 

[Don Nachbaur 26]

probably Dale Hunter. he may have been considered dirty.

May have???