Hockey has always had a bit of an edge. Between the fights, the hits, and the cold stares, it’s the perfect sport for guys who love walking the line between competitive and chaotic.
But then there are the guys who didn’t just toe the line—they stomped on it with a pair of sharpened skates. These NHL bad boys took the enforcer role, the villain persona, or the rebel act and ran wild with it.
22. Sean Avery
Being hated was Sean Avery’s brand, and he leaned into it as if it were a full-time job. Between his trash talk, antics, and off-ice drama, he never met a controversy he didn’t like.
21. Raffi Torres
Torres didn’t just hit hard—he hit late, high, and often. His highlight reel might as well be a list of suspension-worthy moments.
20. Dave Schultz
He was nicknamed “The Hammer,” and not exactly for his gentle demeanor. Schultz was a one-man demolition crew during the Broad Street Bullies era.
19. Marty McSorley
McSorley had a long leash thanks to being Gretzky’s protector, but he snapped it in half with his infamous stick-swinging incident. Nothing says “bad boy” like getting banned from the league.
18. Zac Rinaldo
There’s aggressive, and then there’s whatever Zac Rinaldo was doing. His hit-first-ask-questions-never attitude made him a menace to both opponents and, occasionally, his team.
17. Claude Lemieux
Claude had a talent for scoring goals and making enemies. Known for stirring the pot, he somehow found a way to get under everyone’s skin.
16. Chris Simon
Simon played with an edge—and occasionally, a whole toolbox of illegal moves. His long suspension history is a highlight reel of exactly how not to behave on the ice.
15. Tie Domi
Domi loved fighting almost as much as he loved being booed. His reputation as a pest was as strong as his right hook.
14. Tom Wilson
Wilson plays with fire, and more than a few times, he’s gotten burned. His hits are loud, his penalties louder, and his ability to rile up fans might be his greatest skill.
13. Patrick Kaleta
Kaleta was a heat-seeking missile disguised as a hockey player. Cheap shots, embellishments, and a total disregard for PR made him a true NHL villain.
12. Dale Hunter
Hunter’s legendary hit on Pierre Turgeon will not be talked about. He was the kind of player who played like he had a personal vendetta every single night.
11. Matthew Barnaby
Barnaby stirred the pot as if he were auditioning for a cooking show. His mouth ran just as fast as his feet, and his penalty minutes proved it.
10. Ken Linseman
Linseman earned the nickname “The Rat,” which tells you just about everything you need to know. He had an uncanny ability to agitate and infuriate without technically breaking the rules—well, most of the time.
9. Brendan Lemieux
Like father, like son—only with even less restraint. Brendan brought the same chaotic energy but with a little more recklessness and a lot more biting.
8. Jordin Tootoo
Tootoo made his name by being physical, relentless, and occasionally unhinged. He didn’t just play on the edge—he sharpened it first.
7. Donald Brashear
Brashear wasn’t just an enforcer; he was the enforcer. But that role came with a dark side, and Brashear often crossed the line between tough and downright dangerous.
6. Brad Marchand
Licking opponents? Really, Brad? He’s the NHL’s ultimate troll—equal parts talented and completely exhausting.
5. Esa Tikkanen
Tikkanen was a master of chirping, slashing, and generally making people hate him. His ability to irritate was an art form.
4. Ron Hextall
Goalies aren’t usually the bad boys—unless you’re Ron Hextall. He made slashing players and charging out of the crease his hobby.
Read More: 20 NHL Stars Who Thought They Owned the Ice
3. Bobby Clarke
Clarke wasn’t just the face of the Broad Street Bullies—he was their heart and soul. Ruthless on the ice, his win-at-all-costs mentality sometimes came with a few too many casualties.
Read More: 20 NHL Stars Who Thought They Owned the Ice
2. Billy Smith
Smith made it clear that entering his crease came with consequences. Stick-swinging, trash talk, and zero tolerance made him the original goalie you did not want to mess with.
Read More: Ranking the 30 Most Unlikable NHL Stars of All Time
1. Chris Pronger
Pronger played like he was trying to hurt feelings and collarbones. One of the most dominant defensemen ever, but also one of the most feared, d—for good reason.
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