The NHL's 15 Scariest Players of All Time

By Todd Panula

The NHL's 15 Scariest Players of All Time

Jason Voorhees hockey mask
Wikimedia Commons

Many things make an athlete scary -- physical presence, looks, style of play or even how good they can be. In the spirit of Halloween, we take a look at some of the scariest NHL players of all time.

15. Jacques Plante

Jacques Plante
Plante Mask

15. Jacques Plante

Jacques Plante
Plante Mask

Jacques Plante fits into this list based more on look than action. Plante invented the first goaltender's mask after suffering a broken nose against the Rangers. Plante was frighteningly good. He was an eight-time All-Star, seven-time Vezina Trophy winner and six-time Stanley Cup winner. A pioneer in many ways, he'll always be remembered for the mask and if that mask doesn't remind you of Hannibal Lecter then you need to watch more movies.

14. Tie Domi

Tie Domi Maple Leafs
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14. Tie Domi

Tie Domi Maple Leafs
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Tie Domi may only stand at 5-foot-9, but he packs a punch. Literally. He was built like a brick outhouse, weighing in at 215 pounds and never backed down from anyone. He amassed over 3,500 penalty minutes in his career and went toe-to-toe with the NHL's heavyweight fighters. He also just had a look about him that you wouldn't want to run into in a dark alley.

13. Maurice Richard

Maurice Rocket Richard Montreal Canadiens
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13. Maurice Richard

Maurice Rocket Richard Montreal Canadiens
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Maurice "Rocket" Richard was a hockey legend with the Montreal Canadiens between 1942 and 1960. The Hall of Fame winger scared any defenseman with his speed and skill. He scored 544 goals and 965 points.Richard was also known for his temper, which sometimes got the better of him. In 1955, he earned a suspension for hitting a linesman and his season-ending ban eventually resulted in a riot at the old Montreal Forum.

12. Roman Polak

Roman Polak Toronto Maple Leafs
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12. Roman Polak

Roman Polak Toronto Maple Leafs
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Roman Polak makes the list in the category of the silent killer. Like any good horror film, he's the last one you expect. Mild-mannered and quiet most of the time, he masks the wrath that lies beneath. When he played for the St. Louis Blues, he was described as a sleeping giant that you didn't want to wake. He has forearms like tree trunks and if you make him mad, he is one of the strongest people you are ever going to have to deal with.

11. Sean Avery

Sean Avery New York Rangers
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11. Sean Avery

Sean Avery New York Rangers
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Sean Avery was the most hated man in hockey when he played. He was frightening because he did not care. He always bent the rules, sometimes broke them and was well known as a man that would push you over the edge and then not drop the gloves. Avery also tormented goaltenders. He hit Tim Thomas with his stick and had a rule named after him for his antics when he placed his stick blade in Martin Broduer's grill.

10. Cam Neely

Cam Neely Boston Bruins
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10. Cam Neely

Cam Neely Boston Bruins
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Cam Neely was frightening because he could do it all. He scored 50 goals three times in his career, including 50 in 49 games in 1993-94. He had solid bricks for fists when he was forced to fight. Though he had the skill to move around a defender, he preferred a straight line and would just bull-rush defenders like an NFL fullback.

9. Tony Twist

Tony Twist St. Louis Blues
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9. Tony Twist

Tony Twist St. Louis Blues
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Tony Twist was the Jason Voorhees of NHL fighters, impossible to take down. Twist's 10-year career was toward the tail end of the "goon" era, but Twist was an all-time fighter. He was built like a professional wrestler, with forearms that would make Mark McGwire proud. Twist feared nobody, fought anybody (including friends who happened to be on other teams) and put the fear of God into people that messed with his teammates.

8. Bob Probert

Bob Probert
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8. Bob Probert

Bob Probert
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If Tony Twist is Jason, then Bob Probert was Michael Myers. Probert had legendary battles with all the big-name fighters of the day like Kelly Chase, Stu Grimson, Tie Domi and the aforementioned Twist. Probert terrorized the Norris/Central Division and played on some of the toughest teams in the league with the Detroit Red Wings and Chicago Blackhawks. He still holds the Red Wings' record for penalty minutes in a career and single season.

7. Gerry Cheevers

Gerry Cheevers Boston Bruins
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7. Gerry Cheevers

Gerry Cheevers Boston Bruins
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Similar to Plante, Gerry Cheevers makes the list due to his imposing mask. Mostly known for his play with the Boston Bruins, Cheevers was a bit of a journey man, bouncing around several leagues from 1961 to 1980. His signature mask changed a lot over the years as each stitch was added when Cheevers was hit in the face with the puck, which is scary enough as it is.

6. Eddie Shore

Eddie Shore Boston Bruins
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6. Eddie Shore

Eddie Shore Boston Bruins
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Like something straight off a horror movie poster, Eddie Shore's nickname was "Old Blood and Guts." Shore was one of the toughest players of his day (1926 to 1940). He was also scary good, claiming the most Hart Trophies of any NHL defenseman. Only Gordie Howe and Wayne Gretzky have more. Shore also fractured the skull of an opponent whom he checked head first into the boards, which led to the first All-Star game as a benefit for the family.

5. Bobby Clarke

Bobby Clarke Philadelphia Flyers
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5. Bobby Clarke

Bobby Clarke Philadelphia Flyers
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Comparing some players on the list to famous horror movies, Bobby Clarke would be Freddy Krueger. Clarke was the stuff of nightmares. He was imposing and his toothless face made the average man cringe. Though skilled, Clarke was akin to Avery in the instigation department. He was a hatchet man with his stick and deliberately hacked/broke the ankle of Valeri Kharlamov of the USSR during the 1972 Summit Series.

4. Scott Stevens

Scott Stevens New Jersey Devils
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4. Scott Stevens

Scott Stevens New Jersey Devils
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Anyone who doesn't think Scott Stevens is scary should ask Eric Lindros or Paul Kariya about him. The Hall-of-Famer’s check on Lindros knocked the Philadelphia Flyers' big-man out cold before he hit the ice. The hit on Kariya is just as legendary. Again, the player was knocked out as the speedster tried to cross the blueline with his head down. What made Stevens more frightening was his hits were clean and done with a surgeon's precision.

3. Bobby Hull

Bobby Hull Chicago Blackhawks
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3. Bobby Hull

Bobby Hull Chicago Blackhawks
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Bobby Hull played in an era when men were men. Hull was bullishly strong and could stand up for himself anywhere on the ice. While there were no radar guns, many say his shot was the hardest of all time and one legend even purports a Hull blast knocked a goalie into the net. Nicknamed the Golden Jet, he could blow by any opposing player but it was goaltenders he frightened most. Without masks, it was a good thing pads were brown when he wound up.

2. Gordie Howe

Gordie Howe Detroit Red Wings
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2. Gordie Howe

Gordie Howe Detroit Red Wings
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Though Gordie Howe was regarded as the NHL's best player, he was a scary sight for opposing players. His longevity, combined with skill, placed him as the NHL's all time scorer until Wayne Gretzky came along. However, unlike the Great One, Howe was known for mixing it up, throwing elbows, using his stick to spear and cross check and knock players to the wall. If nothing else, knowing a Gordie Howe hat-trick involves a fight says enough.

1. Al Macinnis

Al Macinnis
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1. Al Macinnis

Al Macinnis
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Wonder why Al MacInnis? He wasn't known for crunching checks or fighting, or even getting many penalty minutes. However, his shot scared everyone. MacInnis broke the hand of Chris Osgood, the glove/finger of Jocelyn Thibault, arena boards and almost removed the man-zone of teammate Rich Parent (ruptured testicle). Grant Fuhr once said, "As a goalie you're not supposed to be scared of anything. The only thing I'm scared of is Al MacInnis' shot."

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