Rank these guys in terms of being tough and mean to the opponent

Big Phil

Registered User
Nov 2, 2003
31,703
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Denis Potvin
Mark Messier
Scott Stevens
Chris Pronger
Eric Lindros
Gordie Howe
Dale Hunter


Yes there are some players some of us love to hate on there and surely at least one of them most known for cheapshots but none of these guys played a soft game and regardless of how they were viewed by the fans you never turned your back on these guys. So go on, rank them and dish out some feedback
 

TheDevilMadeMe

Registered User
Aug 28, 2006
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Brooklyn
There's a difference between toughness and meanness. I think hunter was the least scary of these guys in a fair fight, but he was more likely than the rest to take cheapshots when you back was turned.

Also tough to rank lindros. There's an argument for him at #1 at his peak in terms of hurting people, but over the course of his career, he's probably only ahead of hunter, do to getting creamed too many times. He was probably the beat fighter of any of these guys but Howe, before the first concussion though.
 

TheDevilMadeMe

Registered User
Aug 28, 2006
52,271
6,980
Brooklyn
My attempt at ranking just how 'scary' he was in his prime:

1. Gordie Howe
2. Eric Lindros
3. Scott Stevens
4. Denis Potvin
5. Mark Messier
6. Chris Pronger
7. Dale Hunter

Stevens over potvin only because I used his durability as a tie break. Messier over pronger because Moose was smarter about being dirty without being caught.

Really don't think hunter is an all time scary guy other than as a cheapshot artist. I don't know if he was really scarier than tkachuk.
 

Dennis Bonvie

Registered User
Dec 29, 2007
29,206
17,561
Connecticut
My attempt at ranking just how 'scary' he was in his prime:

1. Gordie Howe
2. Eric Lindros
3. Scott Stevens
4. Denis Potvin
5. Mark Messier
6. Chris Pronger
7. Dale Hunter

Stevens over potvin only because I used his durability as a tie break. Messier over pronger because Moose was smarter about being dirty without being caught.

Really don't think hunter is an all time scary guy other than as a cheapshot artist. I don't know if he was really scarier than tkachuk.

I'd move Messier up, maybe to third.

Even though he was smart about being dirty, he sure was suspended a lot.

Anyone know exactly how many times Mess was suspended?
 

Big Phil

Registered User
Nov 2, 2003
31,703
4,144
I'd move Messier up, maybe to third.

Even though he was smart about being dirty, he sure was suspended a lot.

Anyone know exactly how many times Mess was suspended?

Hard to believe, but I think it was only 4 times or so. That was from a high stick to the mouth of Rich Sutter in the late 1980s, attacking Jamie Macoun in the 1980s, spearing Martin Strbak in 2004 in his family jewels and I'm sure there was another time
 

Play4Miracles*

Guest
Denis Potvin
Mark Messier
Scott Stevens
Chris Pronger
Eric Lindros
Gordie Howe
Dale Hunter


Yes there are some players some of us love to hate on there and surely at least one of them most known for cheapshots but none of these guys played a soft game and regardless of how they were viewed by the fans you never turned your back on these guys. So go on, rank them and dish out some feedback

Eric Lindros was the most punishing hitter on the fore-check that I ever seen. I would literally cringe watching him play, he was merciless and he used every once of mass that he had at his disposal. It looked like some defense men would become pancakes. I feel bad that he had his career shortened and had to endure so much brain trauma, but violence is always a double edged sword is it not? Those that partake in it, often experience it, and sometimes the worst of it.

Scott Stevens was the most punishing open ice hitter I've ever seen. A fast moving wall of rock solid muscle, and as far as I'm concerned he was the face of hockey for my generation. Which is an odd thing to say, because I don't feel as yet I am willing to stop pretending that this is STILL me generation. :()

Pronger is the biggest ****** bag out of all of them, and he's plenty mean and strong, but he's got this kind of God-complex that I find to be so undeserved. He's just so full of himself, and he acts so vindicated. He just doesn't appeal to me at all, in fact I strive to act the OPPOSITE of Pronger whenever possible! And everybody else should as well! lol

Messier has my respect, but in his own way he was quite the whinny crybaby that everybody loves to accuse Crosby of being. Except WAY dirtier.

I'll never forgive Hunter for that cheap shot on LaFontaine, how he wasn't instantly banished from the game and forbidden to be in the HoF is beyond me, there's no justice in the hockey world. He was a good player, he could really pass a puck, but just way too dirty. A psychopath who hide behind the facade of "competitor" while he feasted on the blood of the opposition like a werewolf. In my own little life I've lost it during hockey games too, I know what it feels like to succumb to the animal within us, but it never seemed to bother him like it did me.
 

Dennis Bonvie

Registered User
Dec 29, 2007
29,206
17,561
Connecticut
Hard to believe, but I think it was only 4 times or so. That was from a high stick to the mouth of Rich Sutter in the late 1980s, attacking Jamie Macoun in the 1980s, spearing Martin Strbak in 2004 in his family jewels and I'm sure there was another time

I know he had a least 7.

Hit Tomas Gradin over the head with his stick in 1984 (6 games)

Also suspended that year after getting 3rd game misconduct. (1 game)

Sticking swinging incident in 1993 with Ulf Samuelsson. (3 non-game days and fine)

Hitting from behind on Mike Hough in 1996. (2 games)
 

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