Ranking the NHL's Biggest Villains of the Last Decade
The NHL has had countless stars over the decades who have become heroes to its legions of fans. From Maurice Richard, Gordie Howe, Bobby Orr, Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux to today's stars such as Sidney Crosby, Alex Ovechkin and Connor McDavid, there is no shortage of superstars who've earned countless praise for their style of play.
On the other hand, the NHL has also had its share of villains over the decades. Mention the names of Claude Lemieux, Dale Hunter, Matt Cooke, Ulf Samuelsson, or Marty McSorley and their actions during their playing careers can still evoke strong reactions even though they're now long retired.
What does it take to become an NHL villain?
It can be reckless or dirty play resulting in multiple suspensions. For some, it's driving opponents to distraction with trash talk or sneaky cheap shots, incurring the wrath of fans in the process.
Some of those traits can be found in many of today's stars such as Boston Bruins captain Brad Marchand or New York Rangers captain Jacob Trouba. But where would they rate among the NHL's biggest villains of the past decade?
That's what we'll attempt to determine in this ranking, breaking down what it is that's put them in this category.
If you agree or disagree with our selections or if there's someone you believe we've overlooked, let us know in our app comments section.
10. P.K. Subban
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After 13 NHL seasons, P.K. Subban announced his retirement in September 2022. Winner of the James Norris Memorial Trophy in 2012-13 and a two-time finalist in 2014-15 and 2017-18, he was also honored for his charitable work with the King Clancy Memorial Trophy in 2022.
Flamboyant and outgoing, Subban was a talented puck-moving defenseman through most of his career. However, he also embraced the role of villain early in his NHL career, using his skills to silence opposing crowds.
Subban's swashbuckling, agitating style and tendency toward embellishment could get under the skin of opposing fans, particularly the embellishment. He earned a $2,000 fine in February 2015 and $3,000 the following month for diving, and $2,000 for another dive during the 2017 Western Conference Final.
However, what put him on this list was his sneaky habit of slew-footing opponents. The first was in 2012 for a dangerous trip on Pittsburgh's Chris Kunitz, $5,000 in October 2021 for attempting to kick the legs out from under Calgary's Milan Lucic, and $15,000 eight days later for a similar tactic on Anaheim's Trevor Zegras.
There were instances where Subban avoided being penalized, such as clipping Sammy Blais with his skate in Nov. 2021 and a slew-foot on Nikolaj Ehlers the following month. While those tactics drew the wrath of fans and pundits on social media, Subban never received a suspension. Still, he earned a spot among the decade's top NHL villains.
9. Jordan Binnington, St. Louis Blues
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Goaltenders usually aren't among the players one would expect to find on a list of villains. While there have been some exceptions, such as Ron Hextall and Hall-of-Famer Billy Smith, most avoid the extracurricular hijinks that draw the wrath of opposing players and fans.
Like Hextall and Smith before him, Jordan Binnington reminds us that even a goaltender can sometimes get under the skin of opponents. The 30-year-old St. Louis Blues netminder earned his villainy through sneak play and temper tantrums that arise if he's having a rough game between the pipes.
The first notable incident that drew headlines occurred on Feb. 28, 2021, against the San Jose Sharks. Pulled from the game in the second period, he shoved Sharks defenseman Radim Simek, jabbed his stick at Erik Karlsson and nearly came to blows with Sharks goalie Devan Dubnyk.
Following a 2022 playoff game with the Colorado Avalanche, he threw a water bottle at Avs center Nazem Kadri while the latter was having a postgame interview. Last December, Binnington hit Pittsburgh Penguins winger Jason Zucker in the face with his glove as he was circling the Blues' net.
On March 16, 2023, Binnington angered Minnesota Wild goalie Marc-Andre Fleury (one of the nicest guys in the league) after he hit Wild forward Ryan Hartman. Fleury was so incensed that he skated the length of the ice and challenged the Blues netminder to a fight.
Binnington earned a two-game suspension for that cheapshot on Hartman. So far this season, he's refrained from any meltdowns. Perhaps he's gained some maturity or maybe the coaching staff has requested he tone things down and focus on his goaltending.
8. Jacob Trouba, New York Rangers
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During his six seasons with the Winnipeg Jets earlier in his NHL career, Jacob Trouba garnered more headlines for his often difficult contract negotiations with management. That included a contract holdout and a trade request in the opening month of 2016-17, a one-year arbitration award for 2018-19, and his trade to the Rangers in June 2019.
Trouba's physical on-ice style has drawn more attention in the spotlight of New York, especially after he was named team captain in August 2022. As a Ranger, he has a reputation for thunderous bodychecks that have yet to earn him a suspension. His only one thus far (two games) came in February 2017 while with the Jets.
Nevertheless, Trouba was fined $5,000.00 by the league in January 2020 for slashing Vince Dunn. On Nov. 25, 2023, he received a similar fine for high-sticking Boston Bruins forward Trent Frederic.
Trouba has raised the ire of opposing fans and coaches for questionable hits that have injured opponents. One noteworthy incident was his hit on Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby in Game 5 of their 2022 first-round series. It sidelined Crosby for Game 6 and changed the course of that series in the Rangers' favor.
The incident with Frederic earned Trouba considerable criticism on social media. However, the New York Post's Larry Brooks praised the rugged defenseman, calling him "the villain the Rangers have longed for." Don't expect him to change his style anytime soon.
7. Sam Bennett, Florida Panthers
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Chosen fourth overall by the Calgary Flames in the 2014 NHL Draft, Sam Bennett's first claim to notoriety was his inability to do a chin-up during the draft combine. Now in his 10th full big-league season, the 27-year-old has become a versatile two-way forward with a reputation for elevating his game in the postseason.
Bennett has also drawn attention for his scrappy style of play. His first suspension was in May 2021 for boarding Tampa Bay's Blake Coleman. In Jan. 2022, he got suspended for three games for a hit to the head of Montreal's Cedric Paquette.
Those punishments did little to change Bennett's game. During Game 2 of the 2023 second-round playoff series between the Panthers and Toronto Maple Leafs, he angered Leafs fans with questionable hits on forwards Michael Bunting and Matthew Knies.
Bennett earned a $5,000 fine for cross-checking Bunting. However, he received no supplemental discipline for his hit on Knies, who suffered a concussion that sidelined him for the remainder of the series.
Those actions earned Bennett his place among our list of villains. While his all-around game remains praiseworthy, his recklessness has somewhat tarnished his reputation.
6. Ryan Reaves, Toronto Maple Leafs
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A new NHL fan watching Ryan Reaves skate with the Toronto Maple Leafs this season would never know he was once considered one of the toughest players in the game. Signed to a three-year contract in the offseason, he was brought in to add character and toughness to the Leafs lineup. Now 36, he's been ineffective as an on-ice presence this season.
It wasn't that way earlier in his career with the St. Louis Blues when he garnered his reputation as a hard-hitting, hard-working fourth-line forward who would drop the gloves to defend his teammates. It made him a fan favorite in St. Louis and a villain to opposing fans. He felt he was doing his job if opposing players and their fans hated him.
That style of play made Reaves a frequent trade and free-agent target. Since leaving the Blues in 2017, he's skated with the Pittsburgh Penguins, Vegas Golden Knights, New York Rangers and Minnesota Wild before joining the Leafs. It also earned him a place on this list of the past decade's top villains.
Reaves has also incurred fines and suspensions from the league. In Feb. 2016, he got a three-game suspension for a blindside hit on Matt Tennyson. During the 2020 playoffs, he got one game for an illegal hit to the head of Tyler Motte, and two games for roughing and unsportsmanlike conduct on Ryan Graves in the 2021 postseason.
Since joining the Leafs, however, Reaves has drawn more attention for chirping opponents such as Boston Bruins captain Brad Marchand and former Chicago winger Corey Perry. While entertaining on social media, it's done nothing to make the Leafs any tougher to play against this season.
5. Matthew Tkachuk, Florida Panthers
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Since his NHL debut in 2016-17, Matthew Tkachuk steadily developed into one of the best wingers in the league. He tallied 42 goals and 104 points in 2021-22 with the Calgary Flames, followed by 40 goals and 109 points last season with the Florida Panthers.
Tkachuk was a finalist for the Hart Memorial Trophy last season. He was also the heartbeat of the underdog Panthers run to the 2023 Stanley Cup Final, sacrificing his body to rack up 11 goals and 13 assists in 20 games until sidelined by a broken sternum.
While Tkachuk's skills and his determination through last spring's postseason are admirable, his pesky style of play has also garnered him recognition among the league's top villains.
Tkachuk has been suspended four times between 2016-17 and 2022-23. However, his most effective weapon is his knack for getting under his opponent's skin with hits, stickwork and trash talk.
Look no further than the 2023 playoffs for recent examples of Tkachuk's handiwork. During Game 4 of the Panthers' first-round series with the Boston Bruins, he caught forward Garnet Hathaway in the ribs with a cross-check after the whistle.
During a scrum around the Bruins net late in that game, Tkachuk agitated Bruins goalie Linus Ullmark so much that the latter tried to fight the Panthers' winger before the officials intervened. It's that kind of sneaky villainy that earned Tkachuk his place on this list.
4. Corey Perry
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The NHL career of Corey Perry remains uncertain after Chicago terminated his contract on Nov. 29. While the 38-year-old winger is stepping away to deal with personal issues, his 19 years in the big league could be coming to an end.
During his prime in his 14 seasons with the Anaheim Ducks, Perry was among the league's best forwards. He helped the Ducks win the Stanley Cup in 2007, won the Hart Memorial Trophy and the Maurice Richard Trophy in 2010-11, played for Canada's Olympic Men's Hockey gold-medal teams in 2010 and 2014 and their World Cup of Hockey squad in 2016.
While Perry's offensive skills declined, his aggressive style of play, experience and leadership helped the Dallas Stars, Montreal Canadiens and Tampa Bay Lightning reach the Stanley Cup Final in 2020, 2021 and 2022 respectively. He also garnered a well-deserved reputation as a trash-talking pest who got under the skin of opposing players and fans alike.
Nicknamed "Worm," Perry was typical of most on this list as someone everyone hated as an opponent but loved as a teammate. However, his sneaky stick work and questionable hits could cross the line and did so on several notable occasions.
Perry earned a four-game suspension in Sept. 2009 for an illegal hit to the head of Claude Giroux. In March 2013, he got another four games for a blindside hit on Jason Zucker. Playing for the Stars in the 2020 Winter Classic against the Nashville Predators, he was ejected and received a five-game suspension for elbowing defenseman Ryan Ellis.
That last infraction made Perry just the only player to be ejected from an NHL Winter Classic game. It's indicative of the style of play that garnered him a place on this list.
3. Nazem Kadri, Calgary Flames
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A skillful center who loves to agitate opponents, Nazem Kadri has had five seasons with 20-plus goals and eight with 40 or more points since 2012-13 with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Colorado Avalanche and the Calgary Flames. As the Avalanche's second-line center, he played a key role in their march to the 2022 Stanley Cup.
Kadri, however, also has a history of questionable hits earning him long suspensions and fines. Since 2013-14 and 2020-21, he's been suspended six times by the NHL's Department of Player Safety. Of those suspensions, the most egregious occurred during the playoffs.
During Game 1 of the 2018 opening-round series between the Leafs and Boston Bruins, he received a three-game suspension for boarding Bruins forward Tommy Wingels. In Game 2 of the 2019 first-round rematch between the two, he was suspended for the remainder of that round (five games) for boarding Bruins forward Jake DeBrusk.
Kadri's biggest suspension occurred during the 2021 playoffs. He received eight games for an illegal hit to the head of St. Louis Blues defenseman Justin Faulk in Game 2 of their first-round series.
In each case, Kadri took himself out of the lineup for lengthy periods with his reckless play. It did more harm to his teams as the Leafs and Avalanche struggled during his absence.
Now 33, Kadri has mellowed somewhat since his last suspension. While still a physical agitator, he avoided the type of dangerous hits that the league frowns upon.
2. Tom Wilson, Washington Capitals
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In his 11 NHL seasons, Tom Wilson has developed from a checking-line winger into one of the league's best power forwards. With his physical style and offensive abilities, he's become a first-line winger with the Washington Capitals, exceeding 20 goals and 40 points three times and playing a key role in their 2018 Stanley Cup championship.
Wilson has also run up 1,364 minutes in penalties and counting. As noted by The Hockey News' Ian Kennedy in May 2021, the 6'4", 220-pounder received five suspensions between Sept. 2017 and March 2021. Three of those were handed down for violations incurred during preseason play.
His most infamous incident occurred against the New York Rangers in May 2021 during the COVID-shortened 2020-21 season. During a scrum in front of the Capitals net, Wilson crosschecked Rangers winger Pavel Buchnevich in the back of the head, then slammed Buchnevich's teammate Artemi Panarin to the ice.
Wilson then showed off by flexing his muscles on the way to the penalty box. Panarin wound up missing the final three games of the season with a lower-body injury. While the Rangers called on the league to suspend the Capitals winger, he received a $5,000.00 fine. Those antics earned Wilson the title of the most hated NHL player on social media in 2021.
Since then, Wilson has avoided further fines or suspension. Injuries may have been a contributing factor since he missed the first 42 games of 2022-23 recovering from knee surgery. Nevertheless, his reputation among the top NHL villains of the past decade remains intact.
1. Brad Marchand, Boston Bruins
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One of the most talented players in the league, Brad Marchand was named captain of the Boston Bruins following the retirement of Patrice Bergeron. Despite that honor and his offensive skills, the 33-year-old winger is also the NHL's biggest villain of the past decade.
Look no further than Marchand's disciplinary record. On Nov. 23, Daily Faceoff's Matt Larkin indicated the Bruins winger was the NHL's most suspended player. He's been fined nine times totaling over $1.4 million and received eight suspensions for low-bridge hits, illegal checks to the head, and slew-footing.
It's that style of play that makes Marchand the dirtiest active player in the NHL today. Nevertheless, in NHLPA player polls, he's frequently named the player his opponents hate to face but would love to have as a teammate. They hate being on the receiving end of those cheapshots but appreciate his skill and leadership.
Marchand knows that his style of play draws criticism and even anger from opposing fans. Like any good villain, he plays it up. Representing the Bruins at the 2018 NHL All-Star Game in Tampa Bay, he posed with fans carrying an "Exterminate The Rat" sign featuring his picture, then smiled and blew kisses to the fans booing him during the player introductions.
Now 35, Marchand isn't likely to mellow or change his style because of age. It's made him an NHL star, a beloved fan favorite in Boston, and someone opposing players and fans love to hate. There is no one else in the league right now who can unseat him as the biggest NHL villain of the last decade.
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