Sean Avery, Matt Cooke, Zenon Konopka and the Peskiest Player on Every NHL Team
Agitators are players who get under their opponent's skin and throw them off their game.
They talk a lot, hit hard and taunt opponents after big hits and goals.
Most of the players on this list fall into this category.
Many of these players lead their team in penalties in minutes (PIM) or are two-way players who can back their talk by putting the rubber behind an opposing goaltenders.
The following are the peskiest players on each team.
Anaheim Ducks: Corey Perry
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George Parros, Ryan Getzlaf and many other players on the Ducks roster could have qualified for this spot, but Corey Perry sets himself apart because of his scoring touch.
When he's not in the box (he racked up 104 PIM this season), he's usually scoring goals (his 50 led the league).
It is both his scoring touch and pesky play that allows him to crawl under his opponent's skin.
Atlanta Thrashers: Dustin Byfuglien
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Like Corey Perry, Dustin Byfuglien is an aggressive player with a scoring touch.
This year he led all defensemen with 20 goals and racked up 93 PIM.
The former Blackhawk has become a vocal leader for the young Thrashers since migrating south after the Stanley Cup victory last year.
Boston Bruins: Shawn Thornton
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Zdeno Chara may be a wanted man in Montreal, but Shawn Thornton has pissed off the rest of the league (and the trainer who neatly stacked those pucks).
He does not have much of a scoring touch—although 10 goals and 20 points is not to shabby —but mainly focuses on getting inside the head of his opponents.
Thornton racked up 122 PIM this season.
Teammate Milan Lucic was one minute shy of matching his mark.
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Buffalo Sabres: Cody McCormick
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Cody McCormick racked up 20 points of his own as well, but topped Thornton's mark in the penalty mark with 142 PIM.
He's got a tough job on the defensive-minded, blue-collar Sabres and is often the first guy to stand up for standout goaltender Ryan Miller.
Calgary Flames: Tim Jackman
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Tim Jackman led the disciplined Calgary Flames with 86 PIM this year.
Corey Sarich also could have been placed in this role.
Both players are the only two Flames to top the 75 PIM mark this year. Tom Kostopoulous had 74.
Carolina Hurricanes: Tim Gleason
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Erik Staal (33 goals, 72 PIM) could have been placed in this spot and teammate Bryan Allen, who came over from Florida, totaled 82 PIM this season.
However, Time Gleason is a responsible defensemen who is not afraid to play on the edge and spend time in the penalty box.
His 85 minutes were top on the team, which, like Calgary, was very disciplined this season.
Chicago Blackhawks: John Scott
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The Blackhawks were another lightly-penalized team this year.
In fact, only three players on the roster totaled more than 60 PIM.
John Scott was the leader, with 72...
in 40 games played.
Colorado Avalanche: Cody McLeod
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Somehow Cody McLeod was able to muster five goals while tallying 189 PIM this season.
Had he played in all 82 games (he participated in 71) he easily could have reached the 200 minute plateau.
Columbus Blue Jackets: Jared Boll
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Teammate Derek Dorsett may have racked up more PIM (184) than Jared Boll (182), but Boll has established himself as a great fighter and loquacious communicator.
Dallas Stars: Steve Ott
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If it weren't for a little man named Matt Cooke, Steve Ott would be the league's peskiest player.
His PIM total of 183 does not do him justice.
Detroit Red Wings: Todd Bertuzzi
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The Wings are a notoriously disciplined team.
However, three players: Tomas Holmstrom, Jonathan Ericsson and Todd Bertuzzi could fill this role for Detroit.
Bertuzzi gets the not because of his past.
Edmonton Oilers: Theo Peckham
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Theo Peckham was the third-most penalized player in the league this season (198 PIM).
He would have eclipsed the 200 minute mark had he played in more than 71 games this season.
Florida Panthers: Ryan Carter
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Although he took a pit stop in Carolina, Ryan Carter brought over the intensity and grit ingrained in him from Anaheim to Florida.
The Cats were disciplined this season, but players like Carter and Darcy Hordichuk (76 PIM) took liberties during difficult times throughout the year.
Los Angeles Kings: Kyle Clifford
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Kyle Clifford embraced the defensive, blue-collar mentality enforced by coach Terry Murray this season.
He was always in the middle of a scrap, spent time in the box (141 PIM) and had a scorer's touch (seven goals, 14 points) this season.
Minnesota Wild: Cal Clutterbuck
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Brad Staubitz put up 173 PIM this season and Brent Burns was both productive (17 goals, 46 points) and chippy (98 PIM), but Cal Clutterbuck is the peskiest player on the Wild.
He is continually among the hit leaders in the NHL and often gets the bad end of dirty hits (see: Trevor Gilles hit).
Montreal Canadiens: PK Subban
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A vocal young player who is not afraid to chirp at anyone, PK Subban has readily established himself as one of the peskiest players in the NHL at age 21.
He was productive from the blue line (14 goals, 38 points) while racking up 124 PIM.
Nashville Predators: Jordin Tootoo
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Jordin Tootoo did not rack up many PIM this season (61).
Part of the reason was that he only played in 54 games.
Tootoo, however, is one of the toughest fighters in the game and always willing to throw down when called out.
New Jersey Devils: David Clarkson
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With their trap and counter-attack strategy, the Devils are a pesky team to play in general.
David Clarkson led the team with 116 PIM and often was the guy to get the team riled up with his physical play.
New York Islanders: Zenon Konopka
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The Islanders had a frustrating season this year and nobody took it out more on their opponents than Zenon Konopka.
The mercurial center racked up a whopping 307 PIM.
That was almost 100 more minutes than Ottawa's Chris Neal, who came in second with 210.
New York Rangers: Sean Avery
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Sean Avery made a name for himself by slandering Dion Phaneuf's wife before coming to New York.
Since arriving in the Big Apple, Avery has run his mouth every minute he has been on the ice and established himself as the Rangers bad boy.
He led the Blueshirts with 174 PIM.
Ottawa Senators: Chris Neil
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Other than Zenon Konopka, Chris Neal was the only player to surpass the 200 PIM plateau this year.
Throughout his team's struggles, Neal continued to play hard every night and often found himself in the box.
By year's end he had 210 PIM.
Philadelphia Flyers: Daniel Carcillo
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The Flyers are a notoriously pesky team.
Many players, including Chris Pronger, Jody Shelley and Scott Hartnell could be named the most pesky Flyer.
However, Daniel Carcillo is particularly vexatious. Case in point: he got Ryan Miller to take a swat at him during the Buffalo-Philly series.
Phoenix Coyotes: Paul Bissonnette
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The Coyotes were a very disciplined team this season.
In fact, Paul Bissonnette, who only played in 48 games, led the team with 71 PIM.
Pittsburgh Penguins: Matt Cooke
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Perhaps the dirtiest player in the NHL, Matt Cooke is certainly the peskiest player in the league.
San Jose Sharks: Scott Nichol
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One of the hardest working players in the league, Scott Nichol is the spark plug that ignites the Sharks during slumps in play.
Jamal Mayers, Ben Eager and Ryane Clowe all racked up triple-digit PIM totals (Clowe also had 24 goals), but Nichol is most likely to get a reaction out of other players.
St. Louis Blues: Cam Janssen
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David Backes is a guy that can score (31 goals) and does not shy away from physical play (93 PIM) and BJ Crombeen led the team with 154 PIM.
However, Cam Janssen nearly matched Crombeen's total with 131 PIM this season...
in 54 games played.
Tampa Bay Lightning: Steve Downie
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Steve Downie runs away with this title for the Bolts.
His 171 PIM more than double Eric Brewer's total of 81, who is second on the team in PIM.
Toronto Maple Leafs: Dion Phaneuf
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It is a toss up here between Colton Orr and Dion Phaneuf..
Orr put up bigger numbers (128 PIM), but Phaneuf is the bigger name and also irks players with his ability to score from the blue line (eight goals in 66 games) when he's not in the box (88 PIM).
Vancouver Canucks: Raffi Torres
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Raffi Torres has become an abhorrent opponent because of his continued resistance to change his dirty hits and continual complaints when he was penalized.
His hit on Brent Seabrook in the playoffs was probably his most egregious offense yet.
Washington Capitals: Matt Hendricks
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The Capitals have become more defensive and gotten a little tougher this year.
Matt Hendricks has been pulling his weight with 110 PIM in 77 games played.
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