Hockey is a fast, physical game built on toughness, but there’s a fine line between playing hard and playing dirty. Some players crossed that line so often, it’s amazing the ice didn’t just give way beneath them.
From relentless cheap shots to wild elbows and career-shortening hits, these guys made their names as some of the most feared and hated players in the league. Whether they were enforcers, agitators, or just downright reckless, these are the 20 most brutally dirty players in NHL history.
20. Radko Gudas
If you hear the phrase “reckless abandon,” odds are Radko Gudas is somewhere nearby, throwing a late hit. He’s built like a tank and plays like one that’s lost its brakes.
19. Sean Avery
No one weaponized annoyance quite like Sean Avery, and he didn’t stop at just trash talk. He had a talent for toeing the line of legality and then tripping over it headfirst.
18. Dale Hunter
Hunter’s hits often came after the whistle, after the play, or after common sense. His legendary cheap shot on Pierre Turgeon still makes highlight reels for all the wrong reasons.
17. Raffi Torres
If you blinked, Raffi Torres had already left his feet and was halfway through delivering a massive headshot. He collected suspensions like trading cards and was a playoff liability more than once.
16. Chris Pronger
Pronger was a dominant defenseman who played with an edge so sharp it could cut glass. He made life miserable for opponents with his slashes, elbows, and the occasional stomp.
15. Brendan Shanahan
Before he was handing out suspensions, Shanahan dished out plenty of punishment himself. He brought toughness to every team he played for, mixing big hits with just enough borderline behavior to keep opponents guessing.
14. Tom Wilson
Tom Wilson plays like someone who’s permanently stuck in a 1990s VHS fight montage. He’s built to hurt and never seems to learn from suspensions—probably because he gets so many.
13. Claude Lemieux
Lemieux didn’t just play dirty, he was a postseason villain. His hit on Kris Draper helped fuel one of hockey’s nastiest rivalries and secured his legacy as a hated agitator.
12. Ulf Samuelsson
“Cheap shot” might as well have been stitched on the back of Samuelsson’s jersey. He was responsible for countless knees, elbows, and chirps that crossed the line.
11. Chris Simon
Simon didn’t just cross the line—he trampled it with his skates. From vicious slashes to stomps and sucker punches, he left a trail of suspensions and outrage everywhere he played.
10. Matthew Barnaby
Barnaby made a living getting under people’s skin, and he’d often back it up with just enough violence to keep things chaotic. If there was a scrum, odds are he was in the middle of it.
9. Zac Rinaldo
Rinaldo seemed less interested in the puck and more interested in trying to break his penalty minute record. Suspensions followed him like a shadow on a sunny day.
8. Chris Neil
Neil built his entire career on being a menace in a Senators jersey. Whether it was a late hit, a cheap shot, or starting a fight just because, he played every shift like he had something personal against the other team.
7. Scott Stevens
A Hall of Famer, sure—but Scott Stevens’ hits often bordered on predatory. If you had your head down for even a second, he was coming to introduce you to the boards.
6. Tiger Williams
Tiger Williams leads the NHL in career penalty minutes and made sure every one of them was earned. He hit first, chirped second, and asked questions never.
5. Todd Bertuzzi
Bertuzzi’s name will always be tied to his brutal attack on Steve Moore. It wasn’t just dirty—it was a moment that changed hockey forever.
4. Brad Marchand
Marchand plays hockey like a villain in a cartoon: cheap shots, slew-foots, and just enough skill to keep getting away with it. From licking opponents to low-bridging them, he’s spent his whole career walking the fine line between pest and outright menace.
3. Tie Domi
Domi played like he had something personal against your entire roster. From sucker punches to taunting fans, he never met a line he didn’t want to cross.
2. Matt Cooke
Matt Cooke was basically a walking suspension waiting to happen. His cheap shots, especially the one that derailed Marc Savard’s career, define his legacy far more than any goals.
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1. Marty McSorley
McSorley’s career-ending stick attack on Donald Brashear wasn’t just dirty—it was one of the ugliest moments in NHL history. He wasn’t just an enforcer; he was a headline-maker for all the wrong reasons, leaving a legacy of violence that still defines the conversation about hockey’s dark side.
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