There are many roles for a player in the NHL. Some are glamorous, and some are not. The agitator carries a little bit of both. The agitator tends to be the fan favorite while simultaneously being hated league wide. This brings an interesting dynamic that challenges even the most objective fans. Agitators, you hate them, until they are on your team. Once that happens you are the first in line for a sweater and will defend them to the grave. It’s a peculiar role unlike any other in professional sports.
“Agitate” is described in the dictionary as “to make someone troubled or nervous.” These five men took that definition to heart and played as the personification of it, whether it be a sucker punch, a slash to the leg, acting hurt, or attacking an entire bench. These players played their role and played it well. They did not discriminate if you were a star or a career minor league player up for his one shot at NHL glory. Here are the top five agitators:
The Top 5 Agitators in NHL History
5. Darcy Tucker: 947 Games Played, 215 Goals, 261 Assists, and 1410 Penalty Minutes
Tucker was a small, gritty player, who loved to cause trouble. The 5’10”, 175-pound firecracker did exactly what he had to do to afford himself space on the ice. It didn’t matter who you were, he would chirp and chip his way into every scrum and stay in it until the very end, hacking and slashing his way through.
He is a fan favorite in Toronto to this day, but won’t be making any friends in the Ottawa area any time soon with him attacking the bench in the first playoff game between the two team in 2008. Also Tucker had no problem with taking captains out at the knee, then fighting them later. Tucker did whatever he had to do to win.
4. Sean Avery: 580 Games Played, 90 Goals, 157 Assists, and 1533 Penalty Minutes
Avery is at the top of a lot of hockey fans’ lists of most hated players. While he was a constant chirper, and was annoying to even look at, he only made number four on this list.
Avery was a very annoying player. We are talking about a player who gathered media in a locker room to infamously disparage another player for dating one of his ex-girlfriends. A player that was able to infuriate future Hall of Famer Martin Brodeur and getting a rule named after him in the process. Avery made the calm and quiet Brodeur so agitated he refused to shake his hand in the line at the end of a playoff series.
There was even a situation while Avery was with the Detroit Red Wings, going against the Colorado Avalanche. Avery stood up to chirp Hall of Famer Joe Sakic and was immediately pulled back down by Hall of Famer Brett Hull, and told “You don’t talk to Mr. Sakic.”
3. Dale Hunter: 1407 Games Played, 323 Goals, 697 Assists, and 3563 Penalty Minutes
Hunter is the sole owner of one of the most renowned cheap shots in NHL history. You will have to dig deep to find a worse sequence than the hit on Pierre Turgeon after he scored a game-winner against Hunter’s Washington Capitals in the playoffs. That hit resulted in a 21 Game suspension.
Hunter was absolutely vicious. It wasn’t uncommon to see Hunter digging for a puck along the boards and his stick “accidentally” find its way in between an opponent’s legs. If the game was out of hand, he made sure the opposing team knew he wasn’t going down without a fight, or a hit, or retribution with an elbow to the head.
Hunter wouldn’t only beat you physically, he also could put the puck in the net in clutch moments. He certainly proved that in Game 7 of the 1988 Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Philadelphia Flyers in overtime.
2. Ken Linseman: 860 Games Played, 256 Goals, 551 Assists, and 1727 Penalty Minutes
Linseman, who was appropriately nicknamed “The Rat,” was a very dirty player that absolutely relished the job of distracting opponents and taking them off their game. He would slash you on the hands and ankles and not care. Hell, he speared Iain Duncan (in the groin) to the ice and just gave him a nod and smiled as he skated away.
What made everything worse is that Linseman was a very good player as well. The fact that he was so talented but still did all of the dirty tricks of lesser players drove opposing players nuts. Dirty tricks like gouging eyes, as he did in a fight against Petr Svoboda.
1. Matthew Barnaby: 834 Games Played, 113 Goals, 187 Assists, and 2562 Penalty Minutes
The king of the Rats. The most infuriating player to ever play. A player who was never afraid to cross the line and did it on regular basis. He chirped better than anyone, he showed up opposing players, and all he would do once the opposing team was losing their mind was just grin. It was enough to drive people crazy.
Barnaby loved it. He loved that when he was on the ice, nobody else mattered. There could be an empty net to clinch the game, but if Barnaby is one the ice it wouldn’t matter. Barnaby would still be the center of attention. He was underneath everyone’s skin and he knew it. To stay in the NHL, he had to be.
Although he wasn’t the best fighter out there, he still never backed down. Even if he was losing the fight he would taunt his opposition just like with Jason Doig or with Rob Ray. There has never been anyone more agitating than Barnaby. He once acted like he was injured, just to pop up and go after goalie Garth Snow. There was no line that he would not cross.
After Hockey
All though these players may have been agitating on the ice, some continued a career in the hockey world.
Hunter was the head coach for the Capitals from 2011 to 2012. He resigned after a year because he had issues with Capitals superstar Alex Ovechkin. Now Hunter is the owner, president, and head coach of the defending Memorial Cup Champion London Knights.
Barnaby pursued a career in broadcasting, being an analyst for TSN, ESPN, and Sirius XM NHL Network. Now he is an assistant coach for the Kitchener Rangers.
Tucker has been busy contributing to many charities across Canada and also as a motivational speaker.
Linseman enjoys the peaceful life of owning a commercial real estate firm and is frequently seen surfing.
Avery has pursued his passion of being a male model and even acted in and play on Broadway. He also is a big activist for same-sex marriage, being the first athlete in New York City to speak out publicly in favor of same-sex marriage. This wasn’t just talk, as Avery helped lobby to legalize same-sex marriage in the state of New York in 2011. Along with that he is on the board of directors of Athlete Alley, which is a non-profit focused on ending homophobia in sports.
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