Pronger, Ott named NHL's dirtiest players in Sports Illustrated poll

2009-05-05 15:30:00

Chris Pronger and Steve Ott are the dirtiest players in the National Hockey League, according to a survey of their fellow players.

A Sports Illustrated poll of 324 players that is to appear in this week's issue has Anaheim Ducks defenceman Pronger and Dallas Stars forward Ott in a tie, each chosen by 13 per cent of their peers.

Jarkko Ruutu of the Ottawa Senators was third at 12 per cent, with Sean Avery of the New York Rangers fourth at 10 per cent, followed by Scott Hartnell of the Philadelphia Flyers at five per cent.

Pronger, the Hart Trophy winner as the league's most valuable player in 1999-2000, has been suspended eight times in his career.

During the 2007 playoffs alone, he was banned one game for a questionable hit on Detroit's Tomas Holmstrom and got another game in the final for an elbow to the head of Ottawa's Dean McAmmond. In March, 2008, Pronger was suspended eight games for stomping on the leg of Vancouver's Ryan Kesler.

Ott's most recent transgression was a one-game suspension for gouging the eye of Anaheim's Travis Moen on March 1. With 35 minor penalties in 64 games, Ott had the highest ratio of penalties among those who played at least 50 games.

The pesky Ruutu was suspended two games in November for an elbow to the head of Montreal's Maxim Lapierre, then got two games in January for biting the hand of Buffalo enforcer Andrew Peters during an altercation.

Avery dominated the poll last year with 24 per cent of the votes but missed much of this season when he was sent for counselling after making crude comments in Calgary about opponents dating his former girlfriends.

Hartnell, a power forward who likes to crowd the net, had 143 penalty minutes this season.

COMMENTS (6)

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knuckledragger Posted
(2009-05-06 14:01:08)

Wait a minute,.... Sports Illustrated had something in it about Hockey !?! Gasp..!... looks like Bettman's hard work getting the Amwericans to love hockey is working... (snicker)

whatisthatsmell Posted
(2009-05-06 09:55:10)

Guess everyone has forgotten about Claude Lemieux's antics. Voted most hated player ever in the NHL on many of these polls.

ccl2087 Posted
(2009-05-06 01:30:56)

pronger proved that one tonight. seriously he's the biggest player on the ice yet he feels the need to go after datsyuk after the game despite the fact that he's not looking for a fight. hopefully the wings will dress downey or mac so they've got someone to look out for their skill players

aoystreck Posted
(2009-05-05 19:13:04)

What about Steve Downie? Or any of these pricks who have committed blatant attempts to injure so far in the playoffs? Or Tootoo. Or Patrick Kaleta? I an see Ruutu making the top 10 easily, but #3? Most of his act is mouthing off and embellishing to draw penalties. I guess with a broad definition of dirty, but I figured this was aimed more at guys who elbow and hit from behind and target the head, etc...

tiny19 Posted
(2009-05-05 17:38:26)

They needed a poll for that. I suppose it was of all 6 of their hockey fans that subscribe too.

jmurray Posted
(2009-05-05 16:32:10)

Well at least Pronger got a nod for something , bottom line all of these players are the types you hate to play against but would love to have on your team . I just get the feeling that in hockey sometimes we look at the so called dirty palyers and teams and forget that this is hockey not golf , didnt your coaches ever tell you that there is no crying in hockey?( Unless you win the cup ) and the only differance from a dirty palyer to a clean player is that the dirty ones are the ones that get caught , there are dirty players on every team in the NHL , just some more famous then others .