NHL Playoffs 2012: Ranking the Dirtiest Hitters in the Postseason

The 2012 NHL Playoffs are ridden with raucous collisions and rowdy fights, none more jarring than these five dirty hits.

Blood is boiled in every series, every year—but these playoffs seem particularly heated. The faceoff between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Philadelphia Flyers is front and center for that.

Already a must-see matchup going into the playoffs, the cross-state rivalry has catapulted onto the national scene for its violence.

Unfortunately, the combined 46 goals in five games are overshadowed by 282 penalty minutes in those games. The former number is quite high, but the latter tally is preposterously large.

And it's not the only series with a focus on physicality.

Game 2 of the New York Rangers and Ottawa Senators series included two separate incidents for which players were later suspended. Rangers forward Carl Hagelin received a three-game ban, while Senators forward Matt Carkner wasn't allowed to play Game 3.

These playoffs are a showcase in savagery. 

1st Star: How Could It Not Be Raffi Torres?

An indefinite suspension of Phoenix Coyotes' wing Raffi Torres makes him an obvious choice as the biggest hitter in the NHL playoffs.

His massive hit on Chicago Blackhawks' Marian Hossa knocked the wing to the ice, onto a stretcher and then out of the rink.

By the looks of it, Hossa blacked out on impact. Probably because Torres sent a shoulder into him as if Hossa was against the boards.

Torres left his feet to make the hit. While his intent is unknown, Torres certainly slammed Hossa with full force.

The suspension comes partly because of Torres's history, but the hit was savage.   

The talk of the playoffs was already their brutality—this tops it all.  

2nd Star: Shea Weber Adds Injuries to Insult

What Nashville Predators' defenseman Shea Weber did to Detroit Red Wings' captain Henrik Zetterberg was barbaric.

Weber took the back collar of Zetterberg's jersey, pulled and then slammed his grip against the glass.

The seriousness of that sequence is a low-light. But Weber's previous action of throwing a right jab at Zetterberg's neck is almost worse.

That strike alone sent the veteran's face into the pane.

Zetterberg could have been injured from the first half of the hit, but then Weber added potential injury to potential injury with the head-slam.

The worst part was, Weber and the Predators were within five seconds of winning the game. There was no reason for Weber to be that ferocious.

The $2,500 fine wasn't nearly enough for Weber's brutality.

3rd Star: Revenge Doesn't Fit Arron Asham

Though he didn't have a history of violence, Pittsburgh Penguins' forward Arron Asham's actions in Game 3 of the series against the Philadelphia Flyers were horrendous.

After Asham saw defenseman Paul Martin get boarded by forward Brayden Schenn, the 13-year veteran wanted revenge.

Asham shot over to Schenn, raising his stick up for a cross-check and then punching Schenn in the back of the head.

Ouch, Arron.

Or really: Ouch, Brayden.

The first part was a pretty gnarly hit, but then striking Schenn in the back of the head was just too much. This is hockey, not ultimate fighting.

Asham received a four-game suspension for the incident.

Hockey is a tough sport, but there is still no need for this sort of behavior.

Extra Star: Two Leaps by James Neal

Pittsburgh Penguins' forward James Neal took a leap of faith in the April 5 game against the Philadelphia Flyers...Actually, it was two leaps, and they were dirty leaps.

Neal was suspended one game by NHL VP Brendan Shanahan for two hits within a minute in Game 4.

The first came on a turnover where he swung around to go on the offensive and flew into Flyers forward Sean Couturier.

That instance was negligible because Neal claimed he was merely turning around, Shanahan said in an official video.

The second, however, did him in. Just 42 seconds later, he zoomed at forward Claude Giroux. Again leaving his feet, though this time obviously not on accident.

Oh, by the way, it started a huge fight.

Dirty, Mr. Neal. Dirty.   

Honorable Mention: Craig Adams to the Rescue

With all these vicious hits in the NHL playoffs this year, Pittsburgh Penguins' forward Craig Adams played defense—coming to the rescue of oft-injured Sidney Crosby and clobbering Philadelphia Flyers forward Scott Hartnell.

After a bench-clearing fight at the end of Game 3 (started by the previously mentioned James Neal hit), Neal's journey across the ice to the penalty box instigated another skirmish.

This time, Hartnell eventually targeted Crosby, who's had concussion issues the past two seasons.

Adams wasn't having it. He immediately attacked Hartnell, pounding him in the back of the head, which isn't the best way to defend someone.

The two eventually found center-ice, fists raised and blood boiling. Adams wound up grabbing Hartnell's long locks before the refs broke it up.

Adams was suspended for a game, and Penguins coach Dan Bylsma was fined $10,000.

But at least Adams wouldn't let an opponent mess with Sid the Kid.