The 20 Bloodiest Moments in NHL/Hockey History

Hockey has earned a reputation as a brutal sport. Considering the fact that hockey is the only sport in which the players are actually allowed to fight one another, it's easy to see where hockey earns its reputation.

The physical nature of the game along with the size and strength of the men who play it makes hockey a dangerous. With danger comes a fair amount of blood shed.

If blood bothers you, this slideshow is honestly not for you. Some of the videos and pictures are tough to stomach, to say the least.

International Rivalry

This may not be an NHL moment, but the US and Finland had a brawl of epic proportions in an international game a few years back.

As most good brawls do, this fight started with a questionable hit which caused tempers to flare. A fair amount of blood was shed in this one.

He Doesn't Fight Often, but When He Does...

Zdeno Chara does not often drop the mitts to fight because of how valuable he is to his team. However, on this occasion he got pushed just a bit too far and made a point to make David Koci pay big time.

Claude Lemieux Cheap Shot

Claude Lemieux was responsible for fueling one of the most heated rivalries in hockey history between the Detroit Red Wings and the Colorado Avalanche.

Hits like the one he shells out on Kris Draper in the video above are what made Lemieux one of the most hated players of all time.

Freak Accident

Some of the bloodiest moments in the history of hockey are a result of freak accidents. With the sharp blades this guys have on their feet, it's easy for blood to spill from an accidental cut.

Travis Moen knows that all too well, as he was cut in the forehead, narrowly avoiding complete disaster.

Montreal-Boston

Does it get any better than the rivalry between the Montreal Canadiens and the Boston Bruins?

The amount of blood shed in games played between these two teams could do a lot of good for the Red Cross foundation.

Iginla Gets Cut Up

The most recent moment on this list is the fight between Jamie Benn and Jarome Iginla.

A quick look at Iginla's face would lead one to believe that Benn dominated the fight. However, Iginla actually held his own, despite the blood pouring from underneath his eye.

True Anger

The best hockey fights occur when there is true anger on both sides of the fight. Of course, a little blood doesn't hurt either.

Let's take a moment to realize how unfortunate the refs are, having to clean up all this mess.

Another Bloody Brawl

This brawl has everything you look for. Tons of blood, multiple fights, torn jerseys and healthy dose of Donald Brashear.

Walker's face as he skates off the ice is classic.

Knocked Out Cold

Rarely do NHL fights end in knockouts. But here, Nick Kypreos, fighting his former team, gets knocked out cold and hits the ice hard. So hard in fact, that he immediately begins bleeding profusely. 

Fight of the Year

It is just me, or were fights infinitely better back before the lockout? I mean, these guys took it to a different level than we would ever see today.

Just when you think the fight is over, one guy delivers a few parting shots to open the wounds even more. Awesome stuff.

Ref Gets in the Way

Some fights get so intense that it is best for the linseman to get out of the way. In addition to an injured linesman, players on both teams get their faces beaten in and blood is covering the ice.

That's what I call a rivalry.

Ref Gets Caught in the Fire

The Flyers and Rangers certainly had some epic battles back in the day, and somehow, those battles always seemed to endanger the officials.

How do you punch a referee in the face and get away with just a fighting major?

Record Setting Brawl

In a game which featured record breaking penalty minutes and fights, it is only natural that the Flyers were involved, and that blood was spilled all over the ice. Even the goalies got into it.

Boys Against Men

Since Adam Larsson was recently draft into the NHL, let's take a look at some of his action over in the Swedish Elite League.

Larsson was literally a boy playing amongst men, so it's no surprise that the talented defenseman got himself bloodies up when fighting a man nearly twice his age in the SEL.

The Minors

In my opinion, the minor leagues offer some of the most entertaining fights in all of hockey. Frustrated middle age players trying to make a name for themselves provides fans with great entertainment.

Sharp Gets Roughed Up

Patrick Sharp has never been afraid to mix it up, despite usually coming out on the losing end. Here, he chose Tomas Kopecky as his opponent, and the result was a bloody Patrick Sharp.

The St. Patrick's Day Massacre

The title of the slide says it all. Any fight that earns the title St. Patrick's Day Massacre is sure to be one of the greatest fights in league history.

And as the word massacre implies, plenty of blood was drawn.

Ian Laperriere Can't Catch a Break

Ian Laperriere is a truly gritty hockey player. He was hit twice in the face with shots during the 2010 season, which has essentially ended his career. This resulted in a lot of blood loss.

Zednik Goes Down

Richard Zednik lost a life threatening amount of blood in the video above. It was a freak accident, but Zednik is lucky to be alive given where he was hit and how much blood he lost.

The Worst of Them All

I almost didn't attach the video because I don't think anyone should watch this. Clint Malarchuk had his juguler cut wide open and the amount of blood that ensued was simply frightening.

Nothing is more frightening than seeing a man's life be put in severe danger all while he is playing a game.