Matt Cooke's 5 Dirtiest Hits

Jamie Squire/Getty Images

Considered one of the dirtiest players on the ice today, Matt Cooke has made a name for himself in the NHL world. Whether it's cheap shots, big hits or fights, it's not uncommon to hear Cooke's name associated with the word "enforcer" or "nasty skater."

He's made the penalty box his second home.

Cooke's hit on Marc Savard, which happened last season on March 7th, 2010, raised the eyebrows of many NHL league officials and most importantly commissioner Gary Bettman.

An establishment of a new rule was created after that. Rule 48 targeted blindside hits to the head and made an effort to reduce the amount of injuries from them, without hindering the physicality of the game.

Over his 13 year career, Cooke has been delivering blows and being, what some players might call him, a "pest." Will there ever be an end to it? Will the NHL get sick and tired of this player's antics and give the ol' heave-ho out of the league?

We'll find out in due time, but while we wait, let's look at Matt Cooke's top five dirtiest hits.

Ryan McDonagh Meets Matt Cooke's Elbow

Cooke's most recent hit, March 20, 2011, and will be the last of his season.

He received a suspension for this hit, which has him sitting out the remainder of the season and the first round of the playoffs.

It's obvious that this was intentional, Cooke was charged with elbowing and a game misconduct for this hit.

And what was targeted in this hit? The head, just what the NHL is trying to avoid.

Marc Savard Gets Blindsided

This run-in somehow received no suspension for the Belleville, Ontario native.

At the time, this blindside hit was criticized because many people didn't understand how Cooke escaped repercussion.

One of Cooke's most infamous blows, this viscous blow caused a Grade Two concussion and kept him out of action until scoring the game winner against Philadelphia in Game One of Eastern Conference Finals the next month.

Cooke Steamrolls into Fedor Tyutin

Cooke didn't have the player's head in his cross-hairs on this nasty boarding collision.

This hit had only one purpose: to hurt Fedor Tyutin. He wanted to hit him so hard that he wouldn't be able to get up.

Cooke received a four game suspension for plastering Tyutin to the boards.

Yet Another Elbow, Courtesy of Matt Cooke

Does this hit look familiar?

Some could compare it to that of the hit on Marc Savard, only this happened about five months earlier.

What happened after this blow? A two game suspension. What happened after the hit on Marc Savard? Nothing.

Regardless of the penalties, this has to be one of Matt Cooke's favorite ways to injure players.

Mathieu Roy Licks the Glass Clean

This hard check from behind could be called a lot of different ways, from boarding to unsportsmanlike conduct.

When will all this end, Mr. Cooke?

Honorable Mentions

Matt Cooke's hit on Zach Bogosian.

Zach Parise finds a new way to get to the bench.

Andrei Markov gets cross checked.