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Top 10 most controversial people of 2015 (Puck Daddy Year in Hockey)
(Puck Daddy presents its annual look back at the year in hockey. Check back every day through the New Year for our many lists and hot takes.)
Earlier this month, we brought you the Top 10 Hockey People of 2015, which was a real sunshine and rainbows kind of list.
Now it’s time for the storm clouds and apocalyptic hail.
Here are the top 10 most controversial hockey people of 2015. Or the top nine and the one you already probably guessed.
10. Mike Babcock
Mike Babcock kept the Red Wings on needles and pins about his future before deciding to see if the grass was indeed greener outside of Detroit. He flirted with the St. Louis Blues. He nearly consummated with the Buffalo Sabres. But in the end, the ego landed with the Toronto Maple Leafs for a reported eight-year contract with $50 million. Which is a lot for a coach, but not necessarily one whose bar is set at “bring a Cup to the Leafs."
9. Brandon Saad
Perhaps the demise of Cap Geek left Saad without ready access to salary cap information. Or perhaps he decided looking out for himself trumped remaining with a dynasty. His salary demands to the Chicago Blackhawks, who were capped out, necessitated a trade to the Columbus Blue Jackets. As of Dec. 23, the Blackhawks and Artem Anisimov are looking at another Cup run, and Saad is getting to hear John Tortorella blow his top at a last-place team every day.
8. Dani Rylan
Rylan hit No. 2 on our Hockey People of 2015, but starting a new women’s hockey league wasn’t without its controversy.
There was the instant feud with the Canadian Women’s Hockey League, who saw top stars defect to the NWHL, which promised to pay them a regular salary. There was the tug-of-war with USA Hockey over having national team stars play in an outdoor game at the Winter Classic. And then there were the doubters and critics nipping at her heels because she dared make a bold move for women’s hockey.
She's stepped on some toes to get the NWHL off to the right start, but it may all have been worth it in the end.
7. Mike Ribeiro
When details of a civil suit between Mike Ribeiro and a former nanny (18 at the time) to his children leaked earlier this year, many hockey fan were left disgusted. The case was settled in July.
GM David Poile had to do some verbal gymnastics to justify bringing Ribeiro back as a free agent, and didn’t quite stick the landing.
6. Gary Bettman
What would this list be without Gary Bettman on it?
Maybe you’re not a fan of the NHL’s response to various controversies involving violence against women. Maybe you’re not a fan of his thoughts about what hockey fans want. Maybe you’re really not a fan of his thoughts on CTE.
Point is, Bettman gave us plenty of reasons to include him here.
5. Andre Deveaux
In March, the 31-year old Deveaux, playing for Rogle of Sweden’s HockeyAllSvenskan, viciously slashed Vasteras defenseman Per Helmersson during warmups before a playoff game between the two sides. The attack went unnoticed by officials and Deveaux played the final two games in the series. Helmersson wasn’t injured and played as well.
Once video surfaced of the attack, Rogle quickly announced they had terminated Deveaux’s contract and soon thereafter authorities issued a warrant (something Deveaux denies) for his arrest on suspicion of assault. He was later banned by the Swedish Hockey Association until Feb. 2016.
Deveaux held a May press conference in Toronto defending his actions, claiming he had been suffering from the effects of a concussion suffered in the game prior to the attack at the hands of Helmersson.
Prosecutors dropped the case after Deveaux left the country.
4. Raffi Torres
Don’t worry, everyone, Raffi Torres has totally changed and isn’t the kind of guy that … oh wait hold on he was just suspended 41 games by the NHL.
His hit on Jakob Silfverberg in the preseason earned him the ban, and one of the few NHL players that can’t seem to grasp what the Department of Player Safety is teaching was once again suspended.
But again, don’t worry, he’s totally changing this time.
3. Dean Lombardi
He oversaw the Slava Voynov domestic violence debacle, which ended with the defenseman self-deporting to Russia. He oversaw the Mike Richards debacle, in which the Kings attempted to use a drug bust at the Canadian border to cancel his contract, before settling with him. He oversaw a locker room that produced more drug arrests than playoff wins in 2015, and then hired Brantt Myhres as special assistant to help his players get on the straight and narrow.
The Kings have started 2015-16 strong. Lombardi ended 2014-15 as one of the most controversial executives in the League.
2. Tyler Sheldrake
It was going to take a lot to land at No. 2 on this list. Assaulting a linesman will do it.
Sheldrake, a defenseman for the Fayetteville Fire Antz of the Southern Professional Hockey League, was suspended on Feb. 18 for the rest of the regular season and the playoffs. He punched a defenseless player, Peoria’s Dan Bremmer, who he had cross-checked to the ice in the face, then pulled him up off the ice in an attempt to fight the Peoria player.
He then punched Peoria winger Matt Summers and wrestled with a linesman in an effort to assault Bremmer again.
According to the League, it went beyond wrestling and into assaulting the linesman, causing injury.
1. Patrick Kane
Well, that was obvious.
On Aug. 2, a Buffalo area woman went to police with a claim that Kane raped her at his home in the early morning hours, after the two met at a bar earlier in the evening. Kane was investigated for three months by Erie County prosecutors. During that time, the case produced bizarre moments (like this “elaborate hoax”) and controversial reactions, such as the Blackhawks’ decision to have Kane participate in camp and face the media.
In the end, Kane wasn’t charged with a crime, and the alleged victim in the case received a strongly worded rebuke from the district attorney, which came after she said she was no longer participating in the prosecution of Kane.
The legacy of this investigation is one of outrage, pain, disappointment, anger, debate and lives forever altered. As Kane continues to have an MVP-level season for the Blackhawks, there are many hockey fans that will keep this controversy from becoming a footnote to that achievement.
Tomorrow: Top 10 hockey fights of 2015.
Previously on the Year in Hockey 2015:
- Top 10 hockey people of 2015
- Top 10 social media moments of 2015
- Top 10 most shocking transactions of 2015
- Top 10 Most Heinous On-Ice Acts of 2015
- 10 best pop culture hockey moments of 2015
- Top 10 best shootout goals of 2015
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Greg Wyshynski is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Contact him at puckdaddyblog@yahoo.com or find him on Twitter. His book, TAKE YOUR EYE OFF THE PUCK, is available on Amazon and wherever books are sold.
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