Ranking the NHL's 10 Most Polarizing Players in 2016-17
NHL fans have a love-hate relationship with many of the league's best players. Some of that has to do with style, and there is no doubt impact players become wildly unpopular among road teams when instrumental in ending playoff hopes.
Most fans have a favorite player to hate, and it is all fun and part of the game. Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins isn't likely to have a fan club in Philadelphia. Brad Marchand of the Boston Bruins hears lots of jeers in Montreal. And on it goes.
There are even some players who divide a specific fanbase because of being a high pick or highly touted addition while disappointing on the ice. Here are the 10 most divisive players in the NHL entering the 2016-17 season.
10. Nazem Kadri, C, Toronto Maple Leafs
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What Kind of Player Is He? Nazem Kadri of the Toronto Maple Leafs is a strong two-way center and an effective even-strength offensive player.
How Valuable Is He to His Team? Kadri has emerged as a fine possession center for Toronto during a time when the team has not been successful. According to Stats.HockeyAnalysis.com, Kadri has posted a 51 percent possession number in the last two seasons while playing for a losing team.
Why Is He so Polarizing? Kadri is a physical player and an extremely aggressive checker. Kadri and his linemates are routinely the most agitating Maple Leafs line and challenge for every inch of the ice. Kadri is also efficient in drawing penalties, as Travis Yost of TSN detailed in 2015. Kadri is no fun to play against, but he has been a source of hope for Toronto fans in recent seasons.
9. Dustin Brown, RW, Los Angeles Kings
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What Kind of Player Is He? Dustin Brown of the Los Angeles Kings is a tough-as-nails right winger who, at this point in his career, is a role player.
How Valuable Is He to His Team? Brown's value has been reduced in recent seasons, as his offense is fading with age. What he can do is agitate opponents and draw penalties from the opposition. Viewers of Kings games are well aware of his ability to put skill players off their games and think about things other than winning. He does it often enough for this to be considered a skill.
Why Is He so Polarizing? Brown hits a lot—234 times last season—and many of his hits are borderline penalties. He is aggressive in all areas and has a reputation for being a disturber, with lingering issues across all 30 NHL rinks with players of various abilities. By making himself a target, other Kings players are often free to concentrate on the finer points of the game.
8. David Backes, F, Boston Bruins
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What Kind of Player Is He? David Backes, now of the Boston Bruins, is a quality power forward who can play in any role. He is a solid center but can play wing, providing offense and a physical style. Backes can also be counted on to play a responsible game.
How Valuable Is He to His Team? His recent five-year, $30 million deal puts a number to his value, and Boston acquired a complete player who can play almost anywhere. With the Bruins' strength up the middle—think David Krejci and Patrice Bergeron—Backes may be best plugged into a role on the wing.
Why Is He so Polarizing? Backes is a hard hitter, and he does it more than most skill players in the NHL. His tendency to establish the physical side of the game early in each contest often makes him a target and gets opponents chasing him. Backes is effective when playing his style.
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7. Phil Kessel, RW, Pittsburgh Penguins
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What Kind of Player Is He? Phil Kessel of the Pittsburgh Penguins is a quality first-shot scorer, able to find the net from distance and bring consistent offense.
How Valuable Is He to His Team? Kessel's ability to score goals is extremely valuable, and he is a consistent player in this area. He has scored 20 or more goals in each of the last eight seasons—including the lockout year of 2012-13.
Why Is He so Polarizing? Kessel is a one-dimensional player and sometimes appears nonchalant during games, which can draw the ire of fans. As an interviewee, he can appear aloof—although he is also capable of being hilarious. He was often the target of Toronto Maple Leafs fans during a down time, as a team's best player sometimes gets the blame for difficult seasons.
6. Wayne Simmonds, RW, Philadelphia Flyers
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What Kind of Player Is He? Wayne Simmonds of the Philadelphia Flyers is a quality two-way winger who brings a rugged style to every shift. He blocks shots, hammers opponents and gives no quarter despite only being 183 pounds.
How Valuable Is He To His Team? Simmonds grades out high across the board, including the skill elements. He has emerged as the Flyers' spiritual leader—as Simmonds goes, so goes Philadelphia—and is usually playing on the line that is getting things done.
Why Is He So Polarizing? Part of his appeal is Simmonds simply will not back down from an opponent, no matter his size or the number of potential combatants. The Flyers are not a great team but are no fun to play against, partly due to their aggressive style, which reflects Simmonds' game.
5. Corey Perry, RW, Anaheim Ducks
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What Kind of Player Is He? Corey Perry of the Anaheim Ducks is a brilliant offensive player who is also effective without the puck. Perry is an agitator, often using sleight of hand to rile opponents, and he drives fans wild with his antics.
How Valuable Is He to His Team? He delivers on multiple levels, but the offense—330 goals in 11 seasons—makes him vital to the team. The Ducks have reached exceptional heights during Perry's time with the club, including a Stanley Cup in 2007.
Why Is He so Polarizing? Perry plays the game at the outer edges as his default position and has been known to extend his artistry beyond the limits. He has the ability to draw penalties and enrage goaltenders, all the while contributing to his team's success. It is an infuriating and successful combination.
4. Milan Lucic, LW, Edmonton Oilers
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What Kind of Player Is He? Milan Lucic, now of the Edmonton Oilers, is a unique player in the modern game. A physically imposing forward, he serves as enforcer on a skill line because he has the talent to play with great finesse.
How Valuable Is He to His Team? Lucic signed a seven-year, $42 million contract this summer, and that gives us an idea of his value in the NHL. He is distinctive because of his marriage of skill and physicality, so that rarity gives him high value.
Why Is He so Polarizing? Lucic plays with skill and against skill, so he is often the only enforcer on the ice at a given time. This mismatch is uncomfortable for opposition teams and often leads to bad blood and penalties. Lucic has no fear and as yet no equal, giving his team a massive advantage in the skill minutes of each game.
3. Brad Marchand, LW, Boston Bruins
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What Kind of Player Is He? Brad Marchand is an undersized skill winger who is dangerous whenever he is on the ice. He is effective at even strength, where 27 of his 35 goals were scored in 2015-16, ranking him No. 4 overall. His four shorthanded goals ranked No. 3 across the NHL.
How Valuable Is He to His Team? Marchand recently signed an eight-year deal with an AAV of $6.125 million, per Bob McKenzie of TSN, which is a solid reflection of his value. He is a dynamic player with offensive skills and the innate ability to get opponents off their games.
Why Is He so Polarizing? He is a world-class agitator and always plays on the edges of the rules. NHL history is full of such players, who seem equally effective at driving opposition fans and players wild with their antics. What makes Marchand especially galling is he is also a fantastic player—you love him on your team but feel the opposite if cheering against him.
2. Dustin Byfuglien, D, Winnipeg Jets
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What Kind of Player Is He? Dustin Byfuglien of the Winnipeg Jets is a one-of-a-kind player. At 6'5", 265 pounds, he hits like a truck and has left a long list of NHL players on injured-reserve lists just by being so big and playing his style. He is also a productive offensive player and a 25-minutes defender for the Jets.
How Valuable Is He to His Team? Byfuglien is productive and plays a physical game—opponents know when and where he is on the ice, and there is an intimidation factor in his game. Although he is not a dirty player, he gets penalties based on size and strength alone. His unique combination of skills makes him valuable.
Why Is He so Polarizing? The Winnipeg defender has angered fanbases throughout the NHL with his aggressive play. His size and speed have an impact on opposition defenders, and his shot from the point is a deadly power-play weapon. While not an unpopular player, Byfuglien's carnage makes him infamous in NHL arenas.
1. Sidney Crosby, C, Pittsburgh Penguins
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What Kind of Player Is He? Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins is the most complete player in the sport. When healthy—and he played 80 games plus playoffs last year—he is the central figure in every game he plays in.
How Valuable Is He to His Team? Crosby is the top player in the hockey and drives possession and results and is a tremendous two-way center. There is no player in the game who brings more value to his team.
Why Is He so Polarizing? With great fame comes great pressure, and Crosby has handled both for a decade. A player who is the focal point for a successful team will become a target for opposition fans, and the stories about Crosby from other NHL cities are interesting in their perspectives. A 2008 article by Bill Fleischman for NHL.com addressed the issue, and much of that feeling toward Crosby remains. He should take it as a compliment—only the greatest hockey players receive that kind of reaction.
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