Most Hated Hockey Players of All Time

These are the professional hockey players you love to hate for all the right reasons.

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.

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 rods, we contend that there aren’t enough valid reasons for inclusion here.

Fear not, though, because there are plenty to include. Boston Bruins and Philadelphia Flyers fans are gonna particularly love this.

50. Phil Kessel

Ross D. Franklin / AP Photo

Career: 17 seasons (2006-present)

Teams: Boston Bruins (2006-09), Toronto Maple Leafs (2009-15), Pittsburgh Penguins (2015-19), Arizona Coyotes (2019-22), Vegas Golden Knights (2022-present)

Bottom Line: Phil Kessel

Rick Scuteri / AP Photo

As you might have heard, Phil The Pill has a thing for hot dogs. This guy has never been in hockey shape in his life. He’s also extraordinarily aloof, grossly overpaid and Bounty soft — he averages one hit about every two hours on the ice.

49. Alexander Semin

Mary Schwalm / AP Photo

Career: 11 seasons (2003-04, 2006-16)

Teams: Washington Capitals (2003-12), Carolina Hurricanes (2012-15), Montreal Canadiens (2015)

Bottom Line: Alexander Semin

Gerry Broome / AP Photo

What do you call brain-dead penalties, half-assed effort and questionable injuries? The Alexander Semin hat trick, that’s what.

As ex-teammate Troy Brouwer once said, “Some nights you didn’t even know if he was gonna come to the rink. It’s tough to play alongside guys like those because you don’t know what you’re gonna get out of ’em.”

48. P.K. Subban

Nick Wass / AP Photo

Career: 13 season (2010-22)

Teams: Montreal Canadiens (2010-16), Nashville Predators (2016-19), New Jersey Devils (2019-22)

Career statistics: 834/115/351/905

Bottom Line: P.K. Subban

Adam Hunger / AP Photo

Subban is (too) well known for his lust for attention and demonstrative ways. Sorry, brah, wrong sport.

Worse yet, the guy has turned low hits into an art form, although he means no harm, of course. Opponents tend to not like that, you know.

47. Steve Ott

Chris O’Meara / AP Photo

Career: 14 seasons (2002-17)

Teams: Dallas Stars (2002-12), Buffalo Sabres (2012-14), St. Louis Blues (2014-16), Detroit Red Wings (2016-17), Montreal Canadiens (2016-17)

Career statistics: 848/109/179/1,555

Bottom Line: Steve Ott

Jeff Roberson / AP Photo

Ott had value as a dogged defender, efficient face-off specialist and occasional scorer who could invade heads. But those traits were neutered by his nonstop chatter, all-too-frequent cheap shots and multiple suspensions.

He took on all lightweights but often turtled or hid behind referees against tough guys. Kind of like…

46. Max Lapierre

Loxy!! / Wikimedia Commons

Career: 10 seasons (2005-15)

Teams: Montreal Canadiens (2005-10), Anaheim Ducks (2011), Vancouver Canucks (2011-13), St. Louis Blues (2013-15), Pittsburgh Penguins (2015)

Career statistics: 614/65/74/586

Bottom Line: Max Lapierre

Loxy!! / Wikimedia Commons

At 6-foot-2, 215 pounds, yappy Lappy was a public nuisance of giant proportions. When the career fourth-liner didn’t piss off opponents with dives and insults, he rankled teammates with hit-and-run tactics that pushed them into the fire.

Boston Bruins coach Mike Milbury called the guy a “punk,” and who would know better than him?

45. Alex Burrows

Ross D. Franklin / AP Photo

Career: 13 seasons (2005-2018)

Teams: Vancouver Canucks (2005-17), Ottawa Senators (2017-18)

Bottom Line: Alex Burrows

LM Otero / AP Photo

There have been a lot of Burrows in NHL history — aka low draft picks who feel that they have something to prove and will do virtually anything to leave their marks. It’s just that this psycho did it as well or better than anyone. Like when he bit the finger of future Hall of Famer Patrice Bergeron in a scrum, for instance.

He also could speak French and English, which made him one of the most versatile smack talkers ever.

44. Esa Tikkanen

Bob_Stauffer / Twitter

Career: 1985-99 (14 seasons)

Teams: Edmonton Oilers (1985-93), New York Rangers (1993-94, 1999), St. Louis Blues (1994-96), Washington Capitals (1997-98)

Bottom Line: Esa Tikkanen

Bob_Stauffer / Twitter

Tikkanen is one of the better two-way players on this list, but did he have to be such a supersized jerk about it? He wielded his stick like a samurai and chirped incessantly in Tikkanese. Not even his teammates knew what the hell came out of his potty mouth.

All of this made him the all-time pest that he was — The Grate One famously goaded The Great One (ex-teammate Wayne Gretzky) into a hissy fit — but he crossed the line more times than anyone could count.

43. Patrick Kaleta

Gerry Broome / AP Photo

Career: 9 seasons (2006-15)

Teams: Buffalo Sabres (2006-15)

Bottom Line: Patrick Kaleta

Chris O’Meara / AP Photo

Kaleta was up to no good so often, he knew league police chief Brendan Shanahan on a first-name basis. He was especially nasty against the Philadelphia Flyers. The shortlist of victims: Mike Richards, Jared Ross, Nik Zherdev and Jakub Voracek.

Oh, and he trolled Danny Briere and Scott Hartnell about their broken marriages. Not exactly a nice guy.

42. Steve Downie

Ross D. Franklin / AP Photo

Career: 9 seasons (2007-16)

Teams: Philadelphia Flyers (2007-08, 2013-14), Tampa Bay Lightning (2008-12), Colorado Avalanche (2012-13), Pittsburgh Penguins (2014-15), Arizona Coyotes (2015-16)

Bottom Line: Steve Downie

Ross D. Franklin / AP Photo

If Downie had stuck to hockey, he might not have been out of the league at 28 years of age. But nooooo, he chose to be the worst kind of coward, the kind that purposely tries to injure people and blames others for his behavior.

His blindside that effectively shortened the career of Dean McAmmond and drew a 20-game suspension was beyond pathetic.

41. Milan Lucic

David Zalubowski / AP Photo

Career: 16 seasons (2007-present)

Teams: Boston Bruins (2007-15), Los Angeles Kings (2015-16), Edmonton Oilers (2016-19), Calgary Flames (2019-present)

Bottom Line: Milan Lucic

Jeffrey T. Barnes / AP Photo

It wasn’t just that Lucic could beat opponents with a punch as well as a goal that pissed them off. It was also the way he went about his business. The big lug repeatedly crossed the line yet acted like some kind of moral authority.

His career lowlight came in a handshake line when he threatened to kill Dale Weise the next season. He owns the unofficial record for most testicular procedures performed with his stick in league history.

40. Chris Neil

Alex Gallardo / AP Photo

Career: 15 seasons (2001-17)

Teams: Ottawa Senators (2001-17)

Bottom Line: Chris Neil

Jay LaPrete / AP Photo

Neil ranks 20th in penalty minutes on the all-time list, but the half-agitator-half-enforcer was dirty only about half the time. Rather, it was that toothless smirk of his that made opponents want to wring his thick neck.

He also was known to take on smaller players and avoid bigger ones, which led one-time teammate Brian McGrattan to complain, “I had to protect that guy for three years when I was there.”

39. Jordin Tootoo

Duane Burleson / AP Photo

Career: 13 seasons (2003-17)

Teams: Nashville Predators (2003-12), Detroit Red Wings (2012-14), 2014-16), Chicago Blackhawks (2016-17)

Bottom Line: Jordin Tootoo

Mel Evans / AP Photo

At 5-foot-9, 195 pounds, Tootoo beat the odds with big hits and a small conscience. The guy had a huge Napoleon complex and the suspensions to prove it. The dirtball would hit high. He would hit low. He would hit head-on and behind the back.

Thunder even trucked 168-pound goalie Ryan Miller, for cripes sakes. Yes, more than one foe would tell that Tootoo was DooDoo.

38. Bob Probert

Fred Jewell / AP Photo

Career: 16 seasons (1985-2002)

Teams: Detroit Red Wings (1985-94), Chicago Blackhawks (1995-2002)

Bottom Line: Bob Probert

Fred Jewell / AP Photo

The fact that this all-time tough guy isn’t too high on our list is an indication of his widespread respect as an honest brawler. He reached the 20-goal mark on two occasions and received votes for the Selke Trophy once.

Still, the sight of a 6-foot-3, 225-pound hitman in an occasionally drug-altered state made for an enormous amount of fear and loathing around the league for more than a decade.

37. Chris Nilan

Benoit / AP Photo

Career: 15 seasons (1979-92)

Teams: Montreal Canadiens (1979-88), New York Rangers (1988-90), Boston Bruins (1990-92)

Bottom Line: Chris Nilan

Joe Giza / AP Photo

What made Knuckles even more despised was that he played with the Canadiens, allegedly the standard for righteous play. Yeah, right.

Boston Bruins fans really hated their native son (of an expletive). It got so bad that the Bs installed plexiglass to separate their bench from the runway to the locker room to discourage any more of his lunacy.

36. John Scott

Nick Wass / AP Photo

Career: 8 seasons (2009-15)

Teams: Minnesota Wild (2009-10), Chicago Blackhawks (2010-12), New York Rangers (2012), Buffalo Sabres (2012-14), San Jose Sharks (2014-15), Arizona Coyotes (2015), Montreal Canadiens (2015)

Bottom Line: John Scott

Jeff Roberson / AP Photo

Scott qualifies as the biggest goon in pucks’ history in more ways than one — 6-foot-7.75 of violence and a quarter-inch of hockey skills. The guy averaged one goal every six hours, 46 minutes and 36 seconds that he was on the ice. (We’re serious.)

All he did was skate in circles and pick fights, even one with pansy Phil Kessel of all people. We said Phil Kessel, people! Unfortunately, the result was not a double knockout.

35. Lou Fontinato

CanadiensMTL / Twitter

Career: 9 seasons (1954-63)

Teams: New York Rangers (1954-61), Montreal Canadiens (1961-63)

Bottom Line: Lou Fontinato

hockey_samurai / Twitter

As the first player to reach 200 penalty minutes in one season, Leapin’ Louie dragged the enforcer role to a historic low. His short fuse and two-fisted talents incurred the wrath of opponents around the league.

It wasn’t until Gordie Howe turned his schnoz into an S-curve that the reign of terror finally came to an end.

34. Rob Ray

Ry_Feathers / Twitter

Career: 15 seasons (1989-2004)

Teams: Buffalo Sabres (1989-2003), Ottawa Senators (2003-04)

Bottom Line: Rob Ray

Twitter / Twitter

The Sabres have been one of the biggest jokes in pro sports for years, and this guy is the punch line. The stark raving lunatic amassed 3,207 penalty minutes, 41 goals, a minus-38 rating and zero Stanley Cups in his career.

His greatest achievement was the Rob Ray Rule, which required pugilists to keep their jerseys and shoulder pads buttoned down. Currently, he shares his thimbleful of hockey acumen on team telecasts, and boy, are we the lucky ones or what?

33. Evander Kane

Karl B DeBlaker / AP Photo

Career: 14 seasons (2009-present)

Teams: Atlanta Thrashers (2009-11), Winnipeg Jets (2011-15), Buffalo Sabres (2015-18), San Jose Sharks (2018-21), Edmonton Oilers (2021-present)

Bottom Line: Evander Kane

Rick Scuteri / AP Photo

Mention his name in league circles, and “bad guy” are the two words that you’ll hear most often.

After he signed with his third team in five years amid massive gambling debts and accusations of violence against women, broadcaster Jeff O’Neill summed up the situation thusly: “If the guy’s a total idiot and a goof and a jerk, no matter what happens, everyone is going to hate his guts.”

32. Andrew Shaw

Carlos Osorio / AP Photo

Career: 10 seasons (2011-21)

Teams: Chicago Blackhawks (2011-16, 2019-21), Montreal Canadiens (2016-2019)

Bottom Line: Andrew Shaw

Jack Dempsey / AP Photo

This public nuisance had few fans around the league for starters, but when he called out the entire gay and lesbian community, his name had a permanent spot on this list. The moment of truth came in the 2016 playoffs when he raised both middle fingers (with his gloves on) at the officials after a penalty call.

Upon his arrival to the sin bin, he went on a profanity-strewn tirade that featured a homophobic slur. He tried to convince us that wasn’t the real him in an emotional apology, but a lot of us knew better.

31. Zac Rinaldo

MatchsticksCGY / Twitter

Career: 9 seasons (2011-21)

Teams: Philadelphia Flyers (2011-15), Boston Bruins (2015-16), Arizona Coyotes (2017-18), Nashville Predators (2018-19), Calgary Flames (2019-21)

Bottom Line: Zac Rinaldo

TheAthleticNHL / Twitter

Zac The Hack always finds a way — way high, way late, way from behind. Yeah, that’s about as close as the coward will ever come to a hat trick. The guy shows no remorse for his despicable actions, a few of which have left opponents with serious health issues.

Consider all the other mindless penalties that the peabrain has committed over the years, and it’s difficult to tell who’s dumber — him or his employers.

30. Mike Milbury

Mike Milbury after he was caught out of net

Dave Tenenbaum / AP Photo

Career: 12 seasons (1975-87)

Teams: Boston Bruins (1975-87)

Bottom Line: Mike Milbury

Ray Stubblebine / AP Photo

You didn’t care for him as a talent-challenged Bruins defenseman; you couldn’t stand him as a petulant Bruins head coach; you swore at him as an overmatched Islanders general manager; and you couldn’t wait for him to get fired as a smug television know-it-all.

Has anyone turned off more people at more levels than this do-nothing know-nothing? He’s the only person on Earth who has a bad word to say about Hall of Fame coach Badger Bob Johnson, which is all you need to know about him.

29. Raffi Torres

Raffi Torres checked by Minnesota Wild defenseman Justin Falk

Paul Battaglia / AP Photo

Career: 12 seasons (2001-14)

Teams: New York Islanders (2001-03), Edmonton Oilers (2003-07),Columbus Blue Jackets (2008-10), Buffalo Sabres (2010), Vancouver Canucks (2010-11), Phoenix Coyotes (2011-13), San Jose Sharks (2013-14)

Bottom Line: Raffi Torres

Paul Sakuma / AP Photo

This power forward was a real player early in his career, but it wasn’t long before he regressed into a hired assassin. In the 2012 playoffs, he infamously jacked the jaw of Chicago Blackhawks forward Marian Hossa to draw a 21-game suspension.

Three years later, his decapitation of the Anaheim Ducks forward Jacob Silfverberg resulted in a 41-game vacation, the longest suspension in league history. And let’s not forget that this happened in a preseason game of all places.

28. Corey Perry

Corey Perry works the puck past Colorado Avalanche defenseman Scott Hannan

David Zalubowski / AP Photo

Career: 18 seasons (2005-present)

Teams: Mighty Ducks of Anaheim/Anaheim Ducks (2005-19), Dallas Stars (2019-20), Montreal Canadiens (2020-21), Tampa Bay Lightning (2021-present)

Bottom Line: Corey Perry

Darryl Dyck / The Canadian Press

When Winnipeg Jets forward Mark Scheifele did something out of character to one of their players last postseason, the Canadiens moaned to no end.

Sorry, but any organization that employs this whiney cheapshot has no right to protest. He ran out of his allotment of accidentally-on-purpose cards a decade ago.

27. Dino Ciccarelli

Detroit Red Wings' Dino Ciccarelli has words with ref

Tom Pidgeon / AP Photo

Career: 19 seasons (1980-99)

Teams: Minnesota North Stars (1980-89),Washington Capitals (1989-92), Detroit Red Wings (1992-96), Tampa Bay Lightning (1996-98), Florida Panthers (1998-99)

Bottom Line: Dino Ciccarelli

The Washington Capitals Dino Ciccarelli tripped

Chuck W. Age / AP Photo

Remember those chants at old Chicago Stadium?Di-no sucks! Di-no sucks! Di-no sucks! This chirper/flopper/reckless hitter would annoy opponents and their fans to no end.

Stickerelli twice conked Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Luke Richardson on the head and spent a few hours in jail as a result. Alas, the judge let him off, but not without a warning … “Di-no sucks!”

26. Brad Marchand

Brad Marchand celebrates after Stepahne Goulet scored

Andrew Vaughan / AP Photo

Career: 14 seasons (2009-present)

Teams: Boston Bruins (2009-present)

Bottom Line: Brad Marchand

Jacques Boissinot / AP Photo

Little Ball of Hate? No, more like Big Piece of Excrement. Dirty. Smug. Sneaky. Creepy. Slimey. All the no-good adjectives apply here. Even some Bruins pom-pom wavers are embarrassed by his act, but because the career overachiever puts up big numbers consistently, there’s not much they can say out loud.

You know, like the ever-so-subtle slew foot from behind, his favorite stunt. (If you want to include Theo Fleury as a double-entry here, you have our permission. One and the same dirtbag, basically.)

25. Almost Any Philadelphia Broad Street Bully

Rusty Kennedy / AP Photo

Career: 3 seasons (1972-75)

Statistics: 23 penalty minutes per game

Bottom Line: Almost Any Philadelphia Broad Street Bully

Ray Stubblebine / AP Photo

In a span of three reprehensible seasons, the Flyers averaged 81 percent more penalty minutes per game than the league average while they elbowed/pole-axed/sucker-punched hockey into the dark ages.

So take your pick — Gary Dornhoeffer, Andre Dupont, Bob Kelly, Ed Van Impe, Don Saleski. (Don’t worry, Bobby Clarke and Dave Schultz, your times are about to come.)

24. Dale Hunter

Carlos Osorio / AP Photo

Career: 19 seasons (1980-1999)

Teams: Quebec Nordiques (1980-87), Washington Capitals (1987-99), Colorado Avalanche (1999)

Bottom Line: Dale Hunter

Ron Frehm / AP Photo

If this spit disturber had stuck more to hockey all those years, he might have been a borderline Hall of Fame candidate. The only player to reach four figures in points and penalty minutes in league history resorted to cheap tactics that riled opponents and smeared his reputation, sad to say.

The guy is known more for the very, very late blindside hit that ruined the career of New York Islanders forward Pierre Turgeon in the 1993 playoffs than anything else he did on the ice. The resulting 21-game suspension was the most severe in league history at the time.

23. Daniel Carcillo

Philadelphia Flyers' Daniel Carcillo gettig checked into boards

Matt Slocum / AP Photo

Career: 9 seasons (2006-15)

Teams: Phoenix Coyotes (2006-09), Philadelphia Flyers (2009-11), Los Angeles Kings (2013), New York Rangers (2014), Chicago Blackhawks (2011-12, 2014-15)

Bottom Line: Daniel Carcillo

Daniel Carcillo celebrating game winning goal

Matt Slocum / AP Photo

This potty-mouth suffered traumatic brain injuries in his role as enforcer, but put away the violins, please. The one-time dirtiest player in hockey wasn’t a victim. He was the perpetrator.

In his pugilistic prime, he piled up 578 penalty minutes in back-to-back seasons. That’s nearly seven hours worth for you scoring at home. Worse yet, he was known to flop on contact, an insult to real tough guys everywhere.

22. Larry Zeidel

Rbrutti / Twitter

Career: 5 seasons (1951-54, 1967-69)

Teams: Detroit Red Wings (1951-53), Chicago Blackhawks (1953-54), Philadelphia Flyers (1967-69)

Bottom Line: Larry Zeidel

Popdar318 / Twitter

This maniacal defenseman had a rather brief NHL career, but he pissed off (and terrorized) so many opponents in his earlier minor league days, there was room for him here. “This kid was an animal, I tell ya,” said hockey personality Don Cherry, his roommate for two seasons in the minors. “He’d carve you up as soon as he looked at you.”

Zeidel and Eddie Shack were involved in donnybrooks 10 years apart. The first ended with The Rock in a jail cell after he assaulted a referee in the stands, while the second was a gruesome stick duel that left them bruised and bloodied.

21. Tiger Williams

hockey_vintage / Twitter

Career: 14 seasons (1974-88)

Teams: Toronto Maple Leafs (1974-80), Vancouver Canucks (1980-84), Detroit Red Wings (1984-85), Los Angeles Kings (1985-87). ChHartford Whalers (1987-88)

Bottom Line: Tiger Williams

jakebrad77 / Twitter

For years, this gap-toothed Canucklehead was the most distorted and loathed face in the sport. He made a name for himself with sticks and fists, and five teams gave him the stage to do it. In 1977, after the forward tried to behead Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Dennis Owchar with his stick, he became the first player to face criminal charges in league history.

The judge ruled the 18 stitches were unintentional and acquitted him. “When you’re going to court for assault with a deadly weapon, it sounds like I’m Charlie Manson’s brother,” he sniffed in a CBC interview.

More people were thinkin’ Attila the Hun, actually.

20. Matt Cooke

Vancouver Canucks left winger Matt Cooke moves puck up ice

Jack Dempsey / AP Photo

Career: 16 seasons (1998-2015)

Teams: Vancouver Canucks (1998-2008), Washington Capitals (2008), Pittsburgh Penguins (2008-2013), Minnesota Wild (2013-15)

Bottom Line: Matt Cooke

Pittsburgh Penguins' Matt Cooke collides with Montreal Canadiens' Andrei Markov

Gene J. Puskar / AP Photo

The Cookee Monster could play a little bit. Too bad he valued cheap shots as much as wrist shots. His career lowlight was a knockout of Marc Savard just after the Boston Bruins forward had shot the puck.

Wait, it gets worse — while the victim was concussed, the conspirator got off scot-free. Something good did come out of this, though. At long last, the league adopted Rule 48 that prohibited hits to the head.

19. Bobby Clarke

Carol Vadnais battles for possession of puck opponent Bobby Clarke

DMB / AP Photo

Career: 15 seasons (1998-89)

Teams: Philadelphia Flyers (1998-2008)

Bottom Line: Bobby Clarke

Vancouver Canucks Rick Blight upended by Philadelphia players Bobby Clarke

Puskar / AP Photo

When New York Islanders goalie Billy Smith and this Flyboys captain went at it, as they were prone to do, we kinda rooted for them both to lose. Not only was this swordsman among the dirtiest players of his era — Soviet team star Valeri Kharlamov could vouch for that — but he had the face to match.

That toothless grin and orange sweater made him look like a human jack-o’-lantern. You wanted to drop it on the floor and watch it splatter to smithereens, didn’t you?

18. Pat Quinn

hockey_samurai / Twitter

Career: 10 seasons (1968-77)

Teams: Toronto Maple Leafs (1968-70), Vancouver Canucks (1970-72), Atlanta Flames (1972-77)

Bottom Line: Pat Quinn

hockeymedia / Twitter

This no-talent Hall of Famer (huh?) wasn’t known for his smarts, either, but a person had to have the IQ of a hockey puck to freight-train Boston immortal Bobby Orr in a playoff game. In Beantown!

Bruins teammates were quick to exact payback, but no amount of flesh could ever be enough. The guy remains one of the most hated athletes in Beantown to this day — worse than Bucky Bleepin’ Dent even — and that will rightfully remain his legacy. Then, he took his attitutde to Philadelphia, where the Flyboys head coach and his team peeved off even more people.

17. Darius Kasparaitis

Eric Risberg / AP Photo

Career: 14 seasons (1992-2007)

Teams: New York Islanders (1992-96), Pittsburgh Penguins (1998-2008), New York Rangers (2002-07)

Bottom Line: Darius Kasparaitis

Jason Decrow / Invision for KHL/AP Photo

The 5-foot-11 defenseman was especially brutal on low blows to the knees or thereabouts.

“He thrived on hitting the stars,” said one-time teammate Matthew Barnaby, no shrinking violet himself. “Whether it be clean or dirty, he really didn’t care.”

16. Bryan Marchment

Bryan Marchment and Darin Kimble engage in fighting

John Swart / AP Photo

Career: 17 seasons (1988-2006)

Teams: Winnipeg Jets (1988-1991, Chicago Blackhawks (1991-93), Hartford Whalers (1994), Edmonton Oilers (1994-97), Tampa Bay Lightning (1997-98), San Jose Sharks (1998-2003), Colorado Avalanche (2003), Toronto Maple Leafs (2003-04), Calgary Flames (2005-06)

Bottom Line: Bryan Marchment

Chicago Black Hawks Bryan Marchment skating with puck

John Swart / AP Photo

In his prime, this designated hitter was suspended 13 times in a span of 12 seasons. From the first puck drop, the defenseman played on the edge with a full complement of body blows, some of which were even legal.

So proficient was he in his role that no fewer than nine teams wanted him. The guy backed up the frequent cheap shots with his fists, but a willingness to drop the gloves and hold his own doesn’t preclude the fact that he was dirtier than most.

15. Alex Ovechkin

Nick Wass / AP Photo

Career: 18 seasons (2005-present)

Teams: Washington Capitals (2005-present)

Bottom Line: Alex Ovechkin

Nick Wass / AP Photo

As we can’t help but notice, Ovi scores a lot of goals — except that he acts like a kid who got lucky on prom night after every one of them. He rarely makes his teammates better, flops like a stoned seal and leaves his feet to deliver illegal hits.

The Russian is a loyal member of the Vladimir Putin mafia, which speaks volumes about Ovi the person. Some have ever referred to him as “treasonous scum,” not to be critical or anything.

14. Ron Hextall

New York Rangers' Mark Messier sends puck over New York Islanders goalie Ron Hextall

Ron Frehm / AP Photo

Career: 13 seasons (1986-99)

Teams: Philadelphia Flyers (1986-92, 1994-99), Quebec Nordiques (1992-93), New York Islanders (1993-94)

Bottom Line: Ron Hextall

Philadelphia Flyers goalie Ron Hextall blocks shot on goal by Adam Graves

Kevin Larkin / AP Photo

Couldn’t somebody think of a nickname better than Hexy for this whack job? We like The Mad Slasher better. The most penalized netminder in league history picked up where Billy Smith left off in the late-1980s when he took goaltender goonery to an even lower level.

So far out did he stray to assault opponents that one thought his team had pulled the goalie. The shenanigans overshadowed the fact that the guy was little more than above average and won diddly squat. (Have you ever seen the Flyers win the Cup?)

13. Bryan Watson

Washington Capitals' Bryan Watson helps to defend as goalie Bernie Wolfe makes save

Harry Harris / AP Photo

Career: 15 seasons (1963-78)

Teams: Montreal Canadiens (1963-64), Detroit Red Wings (1965-67, 1973-76), Oakland Seals (1968-69), Pittsburgh Penguins (1969-74), St. Louis Blues (1974), Washington Capitals (1976-78)

Bottom Line: Bryan Watson

Paul Cannon / AP Photo

Super Pest was one of the original shadows in the league — i.e., the agitator whose purpose was to get in the face of the top gun on the other side. He did a pretty fair job of it, too — all 5-foot-9, 175 pounds of him.

The big shooters and their fans grew to despise him, most notably normally mild-mannered Chicago Blackhawks star Bobby Hull, who tangled with him on more than one occasion. Worse yet, the one-time league leader in penalty minutes was the rare brawler who had more than an ounce of puck smarts. He went on to coach a kid named Wayne Gretzky in their World Hockey Association days.

12. Chris Simon

MikesMMAPicks / Twitter

Career: 15 seasons (1992-2008)

Teams: Quebec Nordiques (1993-95), Colorado Avalanche (1995-96), Washington Capitals (1996-2002), Chicago Blackhawks (2002-03), New York Rangers (2003-04), Calgary Flames (2004-06), New York Islanders (2006-08), Minnesota Wild (2008)

Bottom Line: Chris Simon

Rand_Hcky_Plyrs / Twitter

This 6-foot-3, 233-pound menace to society was a bad man in so many ways. On the ice, he constantly went out of his way to maim opponents. Off of it, he frittered away $15 million in career earnings, had two lousy marriages and reneged on six figures worth of child support.

Simon says his many failures were the result of brain trauma among other physical problems, but it’s hard to feel sorry for a lughead who willingly took part in more than 100 fights and was suspended for 65 games in his career.

11. Tie Domi

New York Rangers Tie Domi shoves glove in face of Washington Capitals Alan May

Ron Frehm / AP Photo

Career: 16 seasons (1990-2006)

Teams: Toronto Maple Leafs (1990, 1995-2006), New York Rangers (1990-92), Winnipeg Jets (1992-95)

Bottom Line: Tie Domi

Toronto Maple Leafs' Tie Domi skating into Chicago Blackhawks goalie

Fred Jewell / AP Photo

Has there ever been a narcissist who could boil blood in more ways than this Napolean on skates? The 5-foot-10 lightweight was equal parts goon and agitator, both designed to place the spotlight squarely on him. (Remember that goofy WWE belt routine?)

No wonder his act wore thin even on teammates. His career lowlight: a drive-by that laid out New Jersey Devils defenseman Scott Niedermayer in the 2001 playoffs and got him suspended for the rest of the series.

10. Billy Smith

New York Islanders' goalie Billy Smith misses save

Richard Drew / AP Photo

Career: 18 seasons (1971-89)

Teams: Los Angeles Kings (1971-72), New York Islanders (1972-89)

Bottom Line: Billy Smith

New York Islanders goalie Billy Smith blocks shot by Kevin Lowe

Richard Drew / AP Photo

This Hall of Famer was a four-time Stanley Cup and one-time Vezina Trophy winner, but his most historic achievement was a dubious one — he was the first goaltender to use the hockey stick as a lethal weapon on a permanent basis. He was King Henry VIII on skates, a madman who treated intruders like so many Anne Boleyns around the net.

“Yeah, he is a dirty hockey player, and I think that everybody realizes that,” sniper Mike Gartner once said. “He seems to get away with that type of thing, and that seems to be what gets him going.”

9. Tom Wilson

Tom Wilson fights with Calgary Flames Lance Bouma

Alex Brandon / AP Photo

Career: 8 seasons (2013-21)

Teams: Washington Capitals (2013-21)

Bottom Line: Tom Wilson

Nick Wass / AP Photo

Just check out YouTube for a comprehensive list of Wilson’s jerk moments, and there’s plenty of time for him to move up on this list. Yet we blame the enablers as much as Whip for his criminal behavior.

We’re lookin’ at you, linemate Alex Ovechkin. (“It’s hockey. It’s not a ballet.”) And you, ex-head coach Barry Trotz. (Seriously, some people would love to wring his neck if they could just find it.) And you, too, one-time goon George Parros. For him to be the league chief police is like Jack The Ripper as a Supreme Court Justice.

8. Ulf Samuelsson

hockey_samurai / Twitter

Career: 16 seasons (1984-2000)

Teams: Hartford Whalers (1984-91), Pittsburgh Penguins (1991-95), New York Rangers (1995-99), Detroit Red Wings (1999), Philadelphia Flyers (1999-2000)

Bottom Line: Ulf Samuelsson

penguinshistory / Twitter

Contrary to popular belief, this robocop defenseman did not end the career of Cam Neely with a reckless low hit. As Neely said himself, the fatal thigh-knee injury was the result of an earlier confrontation in which Ulfie ducked his attempted hit in the corner.

The coward ducked a lot of things, namely fisticuffs, which made the league-wide disdain for him that much more intense. What did it say for the league that the Penguins needed an enforcer like this to hoist back-to-back Stanley Cups?

7. Claude Lemieux

New Jersey Devils Claude Lemieux skating

Richard Sheinwald / AP Photo

Career: 17 seasons (1983-2006)

Teams: Montreal Canadiens (1983-90), New Jersey Devils (1990-95, 1999-2000), Colorado Avalanche (1995-09), Phoenix Coyotes (2003

Bottom Line: Claude Lemieux

Bill Kostroun / AP Photo

Claude The Fraud was ankle-deep in so much excrement, it took the gloss off his reputation as a clutch player. The nonsense started in the 1988-89 season when the rookie bit Calgary Flames forward Jim Peplinski in a playoff game. Yet that was nothin’ compared to his blindside hit that broke the face of Kris Draper in the 1996 playoffs and would define the Avalanche/Detroit Red Wings blood wars.

“I can’t believe I shook this guy’s freakin’ hand after the game,” Red Wings Dino Ciccarelli said famously. “That pisses me right off.”

6. Marty McSorley

Marty McSorley checks Allen Pederson into the boards

Jim Gerberich / AP Photo

Career: 17 seasons (1983-2000)

Teams: Pittsburgh Penguins (1983-85, 1993-94), Edmonton Oilers (1985-88, 1998-99), Los Angeles Kings (1988-96), New York Rangers (1996), San Jose Sharks (1996-98), Boston Bruins (1999-2000)

Bottom Line: Marty McSorley

Los Angeles Kings defenseman Marty McSorley looking at puck

Chris Martinez / AP Photo

This McMeathead is known for two things: 1) an unconscionable two-handed stick swing that darn near killed Vancouver Canucks enforcer Donald Brashear late in a 2000 game and 2) an illegal stick penalty in the 1993 Stanley Cup Final that might have cost the Kings their first-ever league championship.

While the guy had some talent, it’s the cold-blooded head hit that will forever be his legacy. It came with three seconds left in a blowout loss. Dumb-de-dumb-dumb.

5. Eddie Shore

AP Photo

Career: 18 seasons (1926-40)

Teams: Boston Bruins (1926-39), New York Americans (1940)

Bottom Line: Eddie Shore

AP Photo

By almost all accounts, the first great NHL defenseman was almost as nasty as he was talented. Which is to say, very much so. The future Hall of Famer also nearly became the first NHL player to kill somebody on the ice in an era without helmets.

For days, Toronto star Ace Bailey lay near death with a massive brain injury, the result of a thunderous hit from behind. Shore claimed the blow was accidental but was suspended for 21 games, anyway. Bailey’s father was among the less forgiving — he had a .45 revolver at the ready before a team official calmed him down. We’re pretty sure that qualifies as hate.

4. Todd Bertuzzi

Detroit Red Wings right wing Todd Bertuzzi fights with Nashville Predators defenseman Shea Weber

Mark Humphrey / AP Photo

Career: 18 seasons (1995-2014)

Teams: New York Islanders (1995-98), Vancouver Canucks (1998-2006), Florida Panthers (2006), Anaheim Ducks (2007-08), Calgary Flames (2008-09), Detroit Red Wings (2007, 2009-14)

Bottom Line: Todd Bertuzzi

Ross D. Franklin / AP Photo

In one horrific sequence in the 2003-04 season, Big Bert went from a semi-respected power forward to a villain of monstrous proportions. His sucker punch from behind left Colorado Avalanche forward Steve Moore unconscious, concussed and with three broken vertebrae in his neck. The guy never played another game.

The perpetrator issued a tearful apology afterward, but it was too late to undo the damage — to the victim, the sport, the league and his legacy.

3. Sean Avery

New York Rangers' Sean Avery fight against Josh Gorges

Peter Morgan / AP Photo

Career: 11 seasons (2001-2012)

Teams: Detroit Red Wings (2001-03), Los Angeles Kings (2003-2007), Dallas Stars (2008), New York Rangers (2007-12)

Bottom Line: Sean Avery

New York Rangers Sean Avery skates against Pittsburgh Penguins

Keith Srakocic / AP Photo

This psychopath admits that he was unhinged from as far back as he can remember. “I never waited for someone to tell me the rules,” he said. “I always thought there was kind of a way to come in the back door.”

That back door included physical and/or verbal assaults on everything from opponents to referees to law enforcement personnel to even the rules of the game. Even after retirement, the lunatic smashed the car mirror of a neighbor whom he claimed had tried to run him over.

2. Chris Pronger

Anaheim Ducks defenseman Chris Pronger warms up

David Zalubowski / AP Photo

Career: 18 seasons (1993-2011)

Teams: Hartford Whalers (1993-95), St. Louis Blues (1995-2004), Edmonton Oilers (2005-06), Anaheim Ducks (2006-09), Philadelphia Flyers (2010-11)

Bottom Line: Chris Pronger

Anaheim Ducks defenseman Chris Pronger skates against Detroit Red Wings

Paul Sancya / AP Photo

One would think that a defenseman with 6-foot-6 size and considerable talent would be a better human, but in the case of this ogre, one couldn’t be more wrong. The guy turned more stomachs than a week-old burrito wherever he went. He sobbed his way out of Edmonton after one successful season, wimped out on the Florida Panthers in the playoffs and mocked the media more than once.

And when the prima donna didn’t get his way — and the refs allowed him to get away with a lot — he resorted to enough elbows, high sticks and foot-stomps to warrant not two, not four, not six but eight suspensions.

1. Dave Schultz

Philadelphia Flyers Dave Schultz engages in fighting

AP Photo

Career: 9 seasons (1971-79)

Teams: Philadelphia Flyers (1971-76), Los Angeles Kings (1976-77), Pittsburgh Penguins (1977-79), Buffalo Sabres (1979)

Bottom Line: Dave Schultz

Rusty Kennedy / AP Photo

Of the dozens of Flyers over the decades, why this loser? No-brainer. The Hammer was the baddest of the Broad Street Bullies, the criminals who single-fistedly set back the sport and the league years, if not decades.

His brutal assault of helpless New York Rangers defenseman Dale Rolfe in the 1974 playoffs was beyond reprehensible and defined the ugliness of the era. Do that on the street, and it’s jail time. Do that in the NHL, and you’re hailed as a tough guy. Still wonder how the best sport can have the worst league?