10 Biggest Pests in NHL History

1 of 13

CHICAGO, IL - APRIL 24: Dave Bolland #36 of the Chicago Blackhawks hits Dan Hamhuis #2 of the Vancouver Canucks in Game Six of the Western Conference Quarterfinals during the 2011 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at the United Center on April 24, 2011 in Chicago,

Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images

Annoying. Irritating. Attention-grabbing. Cheap-shot-taking.

These are all phrases that are used when people talk about pests in the game of hockey. Throughout the history of the game, there have been players that have crawled into the brains of their opponents and set up camp for 60 minutes and, in some cases, personally changed the course of a postseason series (see Bolland, Dave cc 2010 v. Vancouver).

What follows is a list of 10 of the biggest pests in the history of the game.

Honorable Mention

PHILADELPHIA, PA - MARCH 12: Daniel Carcillo #13 of the Philadelphia Flyers skates against the Atlanta Thrashers on March 12, 2011 at Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)

Jim McIsaac/Getty Images

The following players just missed the list:

- Chris Pronger
- Adam Burish
- Dave Bolland
- Dan Carcillo
- Ian Laperriere
- Maxim Lapierre
- Tony "Mighty Mouse" Leswick
- Darius Kasparaitis
- Tyson Nash
- Daniel Sedin

10. Matthew Barnaby

DALLAS - JANUARY 9: Matthew Barnaby #77 of the Dallas Stars fights against Josh Gratton #24 of the Phoenix Coyotes on January 9, 2007 at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. The Coyotes won 5-2. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

Everywhere he played, he's annoyed his opponents. Now he annoys everyone through our television screens. He was an instigator who would pick a fight with anyone, anywhere.

9. Pat Verbeek

Ian Tomlinson/Getty Images

"The Little Ball of Hate" had over 1,000 points, and probably hacked the back of 4,000 knees in the same career. He was always good for a wisecrack on and off the ice.

8. Dino Ciccarelli

17 Jan 1997: Rightwinger Dino Ciccarelli of the Tampa Bay Lightning poses before the NHL All-Star Game at the San Jose Arena in San Jose, California. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Squire /Allsport

Jamie Squire/Getty Images

He was an All-Star and is now in the Hall of Fame, and his most effective attribute on the ice might have been his ability to get under the skin of anyone on the other side of the ice. Not many have been a good player and a great pest the way Dino was.

7. Dale Hunter

18 Jan 1999: Dale Hunter #32 of the Washington Capitals in action during the game against the Montreal Canadiens at the Molson Centre in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The Canadiens tied with the Capitals 4-4. Mandatory Credit: Robert Laberge /Allsport

Robert Laberge/Getty Images

His most infamous pest moment came in a postseason game when he brutally crosschecked Pierre Turgeon after he scored a game-winning goal. He received a 21-game suspension for the hit, and Turgeon was left with a separated shoulder.

6. Darcy Tucker

ANAHEIM, CA - MARCH 03: Darcy Tucker #16 of the Colorado Avalanche skates against the Anaheim Ducks at the Honda Center on March 3, 2010 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images)

Jeff Gross/Getty Images

10 years before the league knew names like Carcillo, Bolland and Burish, there was Darcy Tucker. He was always verbally irritating and whacking opponents, making sure their attention was on him and not the game.

5. Esa Tikkanen

16 Dec 1998: Leftwinger Esa Tikkanen #10 of the New York Rangers looks on during a game against the New Jersey Devils at the Continental Airlines Arena in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The Devils defeated the Rangers 6-3. Mandatory Credit: Al Bello /Al

Al Bello/Getty Images

While with the Oilers, his antics were the perfect sideshow for the incredible scoring of Gretzky and Kurri.

4. Theo Fleury

EDMONTON, CANADA - SEPTEMBER 23: Theo Fleury #14 of the Calgary Flames skates against the Edmonton Oilers on September 23, 2009 at Rexall Place in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. (Photo by Dale MacMillan/Getty Images)

Dale MacMillan/Getty Images

One of the most wired players (naturally and otherwise) in the last 25 years, Fleury was a tiny player who flew up and down the ice like a player on Sega Genesis. If you were between him and the puck, odds are he would knock you out of the way to get there.

3. Sean Avery

Just keep your eyes on the blue sweater in front of the net. The man has a rule named after him because he's so **** annoying.

Beyond having a rule named for his antics, Avery has run himself out of more than one organization and has thrown anyone available under the bus.

2. Claude Lemieux

MONTREAL- DECEMBER 4: Former Monreal Canadien Claude Lemieux skates during the Centennial Celebration ceremonies prior to the NHL game between the Montreal Canadiens and Boston Bruins on December 4, 2009 at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. T

Richard Wolowicz/Getty Images

Everywhere he went opponents loathed him. Even if they were former teammates, they couldn't stand playing against him. Every inch of the body was vulnerable while Lemieux was on the ice, and he would make sure everyone in the arena knew when he was on the ice.

1. Kenny Linseman

EDMONTON, CANADA - NOVEMBER 22: Ken Linseman #13 of the Edmonton Oilers skates against the Montreal Canadiens during the Molson Canadien Heritage Classic Megastars Game on November 22, 2003 at Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton, Canada. (Photo by Jeff Vin

Jeff Vinnick/Getty Images

"The Rat" started a lot of extracurricular action in his career, but it usually resulted in an opponent spending a lot of time in the penalty box and focused on revenge.

Begin Slideshow