MSG’s Bad Boys of Hockey

August 18, 2009   ·   Derek Felix   ·   Jump to comments

Occasionally, you come across some interesting reads. Such is the case with MSG’s Top 25 Bad Boys of Hockey list.

Each of the Battle clubs are represented headlined by Devils’ Hall of Fame defenseman Scott Stevens, who brutalized opponents with his bone crushing hits. Better keep your head up Eric Lindros, Ron Francis and Shane Willis, whose career was ruined. Stevens might be the only Hall of Famer on the list. While it’s easy to focus on his memorable hits, let’s not forget that he was once a loose canon on some good 1980′s Cap teams. He would take on anyone and rack up a ton of minutes. Under Jacques Lemaire, he learned to be a winner and tone it down staying on the ice. One look at those eyes was enough to strike fear. This Devil captain wasn’t to be messed with.

Also making the cut was Claude Lemieux, who not only could tick off opponents with his edgy play but also could hurt them where it mattered on the scoreboard as evidenced by his four Cup rings and Conn Smythe performance with the Devils. It’s amazing that he tried a comeback six years later with the Sharks this past season before calling it a career. But it’s also a credit to how competitive he is. Lemieux had a distinguished 19-year career tallying 379 goals and 407 assists for 706 points while racking 1,777 PIM. Indeed he could do more than fight although he’s best known for a dangerous cheapshot on Kris Draper during a heated battle the Avs won eventually winning the Cup. The hit fractured Draper’s cheekbone, nose and jaw leading to no handshake. Darren McCarty avenged the dirty hit a year later pummeling Lemieux who turtled. The rematch was more entertaining as Claude stood in against McCarty right at the drop of the puck in an ESPN game. What makes Lemieux such an intriguing case is how clutch he was in the postseason scoring 80 goals and 78 assists for 158 points over 239 games. He was a money performer scoring big goals dating back to his rookie year with Montreal alongside a kid by the name of Patrick Roy, ousting Hartford in sudden death. So intriguing is he that a thread materialized on NJ Devs on whether he’s a Hall of Famer. If he had a little better numbers, we’d agree. Love or hate him, he had a great career.

Representing the Sabres is one of the toughest SOBs in Rob Ray who never met a scrap he didn’t like. The current Buffalo on-ice color analyst had some of the best hands in the business taking on all comers while racking up 3,207 penalty minutes in 900 career games. In fact, his first two full seasons, Ray hit the 350 PIM mark. The tough heavyweight had at least 10 seasons of 200 PIM-or-more. His hands kept him as a Sabre fixture for 14 years before finishing a 16-year career with rival Ottawa. Not bad for a guy whose penchant for losing his equipment led to a league rule named after him.

The Rangers are represented by Joey Kocur, who became a fan favorite while helping the club win Lord Stanley. Though best known as a Red Wing for two successful stints in Hockey Town including returning for the final three seasons of his career winning two more Cups, the man known as Joey to the Garden Faithful was a good Ranger spending parts of six seasons in the Big Apple. While he didn’t fight as much as earlier in his career, the man was tough as nails and had hands of steel racking up 2,519 PIM. He also could contribute if needed registering 80 goals and 82 assists in 821 career games. Kocur had a solid 14-year career eventually serving as an assistant for Detroit a couple of seasons.

Also part of the list is pest Sean Avery, who has made a living out of agitating opponents with his antics. He’s still the only player we’ve ever seen get Martin Brodeur off his game as was the case two years ago in a Ranger first round win best known for the Avery Rule and the future Hall of Fame netminder dodging his nemesis during the traditional handshake. Such is the bizarre nature of Avery, whose screening tactics during a five-on-three he eventually scored on resulted in his own rule. His mouth got him into huge trouble last year ending a failed stint with Dallas with only the Rangers willing to take the trouble maker back. While an effective player, he can lose discipline as was the case in a Game 4 win that saw him take selfish penalties leading to a benching. The Rangers never won another game ousted in seven by the Caps. This is what makes Avery such an enigma. In order to survive under John Tortorella, he’ll need to be on his best behavior.

The Islanders are represented by bad boy Chris Simon, who of course is most remembered for his baseball bat swing across Ryan Hollweg’s neck in one of the scariest incidents, leading to a 25-game suspension. It was basically the end for Simon who played only another 38 combined games with the Isles and Wild before bolting for the KHL. Unfortunately, a rugged player who once scored 29 goals and 49 points while racking 146 PIM for the Caps is best known as the most suspended player drawing seven bans. He not only packed a punch but could finish around the net notching 144 goals and 305 points in a 782-game career while adding 1,824 PIM. Simon was also part of the Lindros blockbuster trade that sent Peter Forsberg, Mike Ricci, Kerry Huffman, Ron Hextall, Steve Duchesne, two No.1′s and cash to Quebec for No.88. In an 18-year career, he hit the century mark in PIM nine times including 200-or-more twice. Ironically, one of those came wearing Ranger blue scoring 14 goals and nine assists with 225 PIM before being dealt to Calgary for Blair Betts and Greg Moore. He actually helped the Flames make the Cup Final notching five goals and two helpers along with 74 PIM before they fell to Tampa Bay. So, he was a capable player. Hopefully, his troubles are in the past.

Other players that made the list who spent some time here were Chris Nilan, Tie Domi, Ulf Samuelsson, Marty McSorley and Theo Fleury who’s attempting a comeback. Fittingly, one-time Ranger assistant Terry O’Reilly and former Islander GM Mike Milbury made the cut for the memorable melee with the MSG crowd in 1979 seen below:

Former Isle Todd Bertuzzi is included for his assault of Steve Moore. One of the ugliest incidents the game’s ever seen. Also not surprisingly ommitted is new Blueshirt Donald Brashear, who could become the first player to be booed at this year’s home opener. Bad boys Dave Schultz and Dave Brown represent the Broad Bullies. Two of the scariest players to ever take the ice. You just never wanted to get in their way.

Notable ommissions include Lindros, Brad May, Mick Vukota, Bobby Clarke, Clark Gillies, Gary Roberts, Matt Barnaby, Darius Kasparaitis, Craig Berube and Tim Hunter.