25 Worst Smiles in the NHL

Ethan Miller/Getty Images

No hockey player is meant to be a dentist's easiest client.

One of the tolls of playing the toughest sport in the world is the constant loss of teeth that results in some of the most frightening smiles humans can have.

What might seem normal on the ice is actually looked down upon in the normal world; what kind of person has a smile like that?

Admirable for some, detestable for others...these are the worst (or best, depending on how you look at it) hockey smiles recently associated with the NHL.

25. Claude Giroux

Image Source: http://cdn.sportsoverdose.com/thumbs/claude-giroux-28-nhl.jpg

"One time I got a crosscheck to the face and I lost a bunch of teeth. Mostly I’ve been lucky, though. At the end of the day, you know if you play the game you’re going to get hurt eventually—you just have to battle through it. That’s the way hockey players are made."

-Claude Giroux on playing hockey.

24. Mike Ricci

Image Source: http://cdn.bleacherreport.net/images_root/slides/photos/000/872/458/55905330_display_image.jpg?1303189739

Now a development coach for the San Jose Sharks, Mike Ricci had quite the look going for him when he was a player.

23. Jon Sim

Image Source: http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/multimedia/photo_gallery/1102/toothless.hockey.smiles/images/Jon-Sim.jpg

Remember Jon Sim? No?

Consider yourself lucky, Islanders fans don't want to.

22. Kim Johnsson

Image Source: http://www.thecanadianpress.com/uploadedImages/Home/Products_and_services/Serivices_for_CP_member_newspapers/Pictures_and_graphics/oct_SPORTS_big.jpg

"How's it look, ref?"

"Ah, it's an improvement."

21. Alex Burrows

Image Source: http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_pKMuvI-4w9M/TNCPZlyGYnI/AAAAAAAABgA/ovmwLoK81Sc/s400/alex-burrows.jpg

Burrows lost teeth?

There must be so many people feeling pity for him.

20. Jody Shelley

Paul Bereswill/Getty Images

Shelley is missing at least one tooth from his career as an enforcer, but this smile is bad enough even without that.

19. Craig Berube

Image Source: http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/multimedia/photo_gallery/1102/toothless.hockey.smiles/images/Craig-Berube.jpg

Berube is now an assistant coach for the Flyers.

He loses points here for not rocking the toothless look on the bench.

18. Jaromir Jagr

Image Source: http://dissensionmedia.com/temp/jagrnoteeth.png

During a game in October 2007, Jagr took a shot to the mouth and lost three teeth.

He scored the game-winning goal later that night.

17. Shean Donovan

Image Source: http://dsc.discovery.com/news/2006/07/03/teeth_hea_zoom0.html?category=health&guid=20060703130000

Missing teeth might detract from the pleasantness of Donovan's smile in this picture, but at least he's not bleeding all over himself.

16. Dany Heatley

Image Source: http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_TwAbZhMGVEw/TH86-JXaOEI/AAAAAAAAK24/mbHFyAYdrBU/s320/heatley.jpg

You can't really hide it when you lose one of your two front teeth.

So Heatley just smiles.

15. Joe Thornton

Image Source: http://img503.imageshack.us/img503/4783/aaahhhh8dj.jpg

Thornton took a high stick from Milan Hedjuk in December 2005.

He looked something like a well-fed piranha.

14. Bryan Bickell

Image Source: http://i.usatoday.net/sports/gallery/2011/NHL/White%20House%20Hockey/WH-Hockey_06-pg-horizontal.JPG

The missing teeth really goes well with the brushed back hair and tie.

13. Alex Ovechkin

Bruce Bennett/Getty Images

(Ridiculous and definitely not true) Theory: Ovechkin's down season is being caused by taking too many Facebook profile pictures instead of focusing on hockey.

12. Chris Conner

Image Source: http://sportszelep.nso.hu/data/cikk/2/6/54/94/cikk_2065494/Chris-Conner.jpg

Conner belongs to the Red Wings, but currently plays in the AHL.

11. Teemu Selanne

Image Source: http://www.nhlsnipers.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/Selanne.jpg

Selanne could probably play until he reaches an age where his teeth fall out, and he'd still be a productive scorer.

10. Matt Cooke

Image Source: http://www.unsportsmanlike.ca/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/matt-cooke-copy.jpg

So maybe this picture was photoshopped a bit, but Cooke's smile isn't the cutest thing in the world.

Neither is his playing style.

9. Paul Stastny

Doug Pensinger/Getty Images

Paul Stastny is nearly a point-per-game player in his NHL career, and he's doing it with a proper dental history.

8. Chris Neil

Image Source: http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_LWFET7ZfpfI/Sv1w2D-5UWI/AAAAAAAACdw/TYEl1KpbAvs/s400/Chris+Neil.jpg

Neil has been an aggressive forward for many years, fighting some of the NHL's biggest and toughest players.

It's amazing that he hasn't lost more teeth.

7. Zach Stortini

Image Source: http://blu.stb.s-msn.com/i/EA/376337B4A23B56D6F273D6DEE0D8D7.jpg

There are a few good guesses as to what caused Stortini to lose his teeth.

6. John Erskine

Image Source: http://hockey-fan.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/john-erskine-movember-capitals.jpg

Considering the type of bombs John Erskine likes to trade, it's a surprise more teeth aren't gone.

5. Dan Carcillo

Image Source: http://nbcprohockeytalk.files.wordpress.com/2011/01/dancarcillosmiles.jpg?w=198

"Carbomb" might be one of the league's most-hated players, but he has an epic hockey smile that matches his role.

4. Steve Montador

Image Source: http://lifelooksbetterinred.files.wordpress.com/2011/11/montador1.jpg

Take off the helmet, put on street clothes...suddenly this fitting look turns into an inappropriate dental misfortune.

3. Bobby Clarke

Image Source: http://cdn.bleacherreport.net/images_root/slides/photos/000/788/325/bobby-clarke-wink_display_image.jpg?1300159772

"Clarkie" had what was perhaps the most iconic hockey smile of all time.

Now the Senior Vice President of the Philadelphia Flyers, Clarke has found some replacement teeth.

2. Sean Couturier

Image Source: http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_5V9RaNBCBg/TwjqzvDNlwI/AAAAAAAAQTs/BJL3STWY2vs/s1600/couturier.jpg

Couturier looks eerily similar to another player in the countdown.

1. Duncan Keith

Image Source: http://www3.pictures.zimbio.com/gi/Chicago+Blackhawks+Victory+Parade+AMmgd7UMnTNl.jpg

The attitude of a true hockey player:

"My teeth weren't good to start with so hopefully I can get some better ones now."

-Duncan Keith after losing seven teeth in Game 4 of the 2010 Western Conference Finals.

 

B/R Featured Columnist Jason Sapunka is available on Twitter. Follow @moreSapunka