The Biggest Headcase on Every NHL Team
By (Featured Columnist) on February 14, 2012
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As everyone is well-aware, it takes a special kind of person to be a professional hockey player. To say some of these guys have a few loose screws would be an understatement.
Whether it's the excessive amounts of blows to the head or just their predisposed makeup, these gladiators of the ice have a completely different mental mentality than the average human being.
No matter the team, every roster has at least a couple bizarre characters within their unit. Here is the biggest headcase for every NHL team.
Anaheim Ducks: George Parros
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All one has to do is look at this guy to realize he's cut from a special cloth. Parros is a free spirit who has become synonymous with mustaches and dropping the gloves.
Boston Bruins: Tim Thomas
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It's no secret that some of the most peculiar beings on the earth are goalies. A prime example of that is Tim Thomas.
Most recently there has been a lot of banter surrounding his political views and his desire not to address them to the media.
Buffalo Sabres: Ryan Miller
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Another big-name goalie, another fascinating creation.
Ryan Miller at times has seemed disconnected from the rest of the world and on several occasions has been a bit impatient with the media.
Calgary Flames: Olli Jokinen
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Another interesting character in the NHL is Olli Jokinen. When he was dealt to the New York Rangers it was obvious he wasn't comfortable with the high exposure that came with the New York media.
Jokinen is more of a reserved guy who doesn't command a lot of attention.
Carolina Hurricanes: Tuomo Ruutu
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The Carolina Hurricanes are able to keep most of their bizarre happenings out of the public eye.
One guy who has a very unique personality is Tuomo Ruutu. However, as the deadline approaches, his time in Carolina may quickly be coming to an end.
Chicago Blackhawks: Ray Emery
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Someone who is certainly a free spirit is Ray Emery. He's not afraid to speak his mind and has made some interesting comments and decisions through the years.
He's bashed Buffalo and gotten in fights with forwards during his tenure in the NHL.
Colorado Avalanche: Cody McLeod
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One absolute mad man is Cody McLeod. He plays hockey with reckless abandonment and with little to no regard for his body.
He dukes it out with the top enforcers in the league and is constantly crashing into the boards and others.
Columbus Blue Jackets: Jeff Carter
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Jeff Carter probably isn't the most stable player in the NHL, seeing as how he has been put on the trading block a half-season after he joined his new team in Columbus.
Making matters worse for Carter, he may soon be on his third different team in less than a year's time.
Dallas Stars: Mike Ribeiro
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Remember that time Mike Ribeiro outlandishly faked an injury to try to draw a penalty?
Clearly, someone who does that isn't working with a full deck.
Detroit Red Wings: Tomas Holmstrom
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One has to be certifiably insane to do what Tomas Holmstrom has done for his entire career. He has made a living by camping in front of the net and having the puck shot at him—he doesn't even wear a visor.
That takes some serious gall.
Edmonton Oilers: Ryan Smyth
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Ryan Smyth is a guy who has several superstitions and idiosyncrasies.
He never skips a skate (optional or not) and is a very diligent player.
Florida Panthers: Brian Campbell
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Brian Campbell is quite a unique character. Maybe it's the red hair, but "Soupy" marches to the beat of a different drummer.
Los Angeles Kings: Kevin Westgarth
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A player who may be more brawn than brains is Kevin Westgarth. It doesn't matter the situation; he is completely fearless even if it's not the best decision for him physically.
Minnesota Wild: Dany Heatley
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As it's been well-documented, Dany Heatley has unfortunately made some poor decisions in his life which is headlined by a car accident that led to the death of his former teammate Dan Snyder.
Events as severe as that carry ramifications for many years.
Montreal Canadiens: P.K. Subban
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Maybe it can be chalked up to immaturity, but P.K. Subban has made some questionable decisions over the course of his young career.
Maybe as he ages, things will change. Right now, he seems a little immature.
Nashville Predators: Brian McGrattan
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Brian McGrattan is a rough-and-tumble character. At times, his play can be reckless (at least in the sense of his own health).
It takes a special man to play the brand of hockey that McGrattan does.
New Jersey Devils: David Clarkson
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David Clarkson is another gritty player whose sanity is in question. He's a wild hockey player who is never afraid to mix it up no matter how big the opposition is.
New York Islanders: Rick DiPietro
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Rick DiPietro has been the butt of several jokes over the course of the last few seasons, whether he's the strange one or strange things just happen to him.
Regardless, it appears that DiPietro is straight from a bizarro world.
New York Rangers: Sean Avery
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Sean Avery is the NHL's poster child for headcases. He's become so intolerable that no team even wants to deal with him.
He now spends his days in the AHL. It should only be a matter of time before he figures out how to do something stupid in the minors.
Ottawa Senators: Chris Neil
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Another physical player who's committed some questionable acts over the years is Chris Neil.
His job is to agitate the opposition, but at times he takes it a bit too far and gets carried away. Let's just say Neil has made a few enemies along the way.
Philadelphia Flyers: Ilya Bryzgalov
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Thanks to HBO's 24/7 series leading up to the Winter Classic, fans got a chance to experience how bizarre Ilya Bryzgalov is firsthand.
Even for a goalie, he's pretty quirky.
Phoenix Coyotes: Paul Bissonnette
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Paul Bissonnette is quite a character to say the least. He's become more known for his Twitter presence than what he does on the ice.
Follow @BizNasty2point0 and you can experience his craziness firsthand.
Pittsburgh Penguins: Sidney Crosby
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It's said that the more talented someone is at something, the more odd they also are. Sidney Crosby makes a strong case for this argument.
He has a number of superstitions including never calling his mother on game days and having his sticks just right.
San Jose Sharks: Brad Winchester
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The San Jose Sharks seem to be a pretty normal team by hockey standards.
One guy who seems to be on another level is Brad Winchester. Sometimes, you have to wonder what he is thinking.
St. Louis Blues: Ryan Reaves
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Ryan Reaves has been one of the most active fighters this season in the NHL. He'll go toe to toe with absolutely anyone.
Given his loose screws, he's not a guy that should be crossed.
Tampa Bay Lightning: Dwayne Roloson
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One doesn't make it this long in an NHL goal without being a little crazy. Dwayne Roloson, 42, is still plugging away between the pipes.
If you've ever seen an interview with Roloson, you'd understand he's not like the rest of us.
Toronto Maple Leafs: Dion Phaneuf
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He has seemed to mature since his younger years, but Dion Phaneuf definitely went through some growing pains.
He used to be a bit of a loose cannon at times.
Vancouver Canucks: Roberto Luongo
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Roberto Luongo is another goalie with some uncanny characteristics.
There's just something that happens to a young man when he decides to take up goaltending.
Washington Capitals: Alex Ovechkin
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If you've ever seen Alex Ovechkin play hockey you'd understand he's cut from a different cloth.
At times, it looks like he'll skate right through the wall to try to get the puck.
Winnipeg Jets: Tanner Glass
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A guy who seems to play the game a bit differently is Tanner Glass. He's always willing to dish out the physical play, even if he feels some of the pain.
He's a real grinder.
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