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Wed Sep 09, 2009 12:00 pm EDT

Is Boston's Lucic or Detroit's Kronwall the NHL's best hitter?

By Greg Wyshynski

Rafal Ladysz of The Hockey Writers preys on our love of lists (more on that later this week) and reveals his Top 15 Hitters in the NHL, with Milan Lucic(notes) of the Boston Bruins at No. 1 overall because he brings the pane.

Complaints? We have a few. Brooks Orpik(notes) of the Pittsburgh Penguins is criminally low at No. 9. Cal Clutterbuck(notes) of the Minnesota Wild, who led the League in hits as a rookie last season, hasn't blow up enough opponents to warrant a lofty No. 6 ranking. We're not going down the Don Cherry/"Cal Buttercup" road here ... just saying that quantity doesn't necessarily connote quality, which goes for body-checks and Tampa Bay Lightning defensemen.

As for Niklas Kronwall(notes) of the Detroit Red Wings ranking No. 2 and earning a comparison to Scott Stevens ... well, the validity of that depends on whether you believe either of them jumps more than a Kris Kross video when knocking out foes. The case for Kronwall being No. 1 over Lucic can be made; legality aside, his hits can change a game or even a series.

(The "leaving his feet" thing is always a tough call because we're dealing with incredible velocity here. Not to say that Stevens never left his feet, and certainly not to say Kronwall doesn't, because he does. In fact, this would have been a stronger list if Ladysz had given a demerit to those who leave their feet on checks ... but who knows how that would have affected Ovechkin's ranking?)

Interesting list ... see anyone they missed? Wonder where Dion Phaneuf(notes) of the Calgary Flames would have ranked last summer before his stock fell. Here's a look back at the top hits from 2008-09 in the NHL; Ballard on Malkin remains scary.

Related: Goons and Pugilism, Puck Videos

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116 Comments

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  1. Dan
    1. Posted by Dan Wed Sep 09, 2009 12:17 pm EDT

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    Good post! Hitting and fighting are two of the unique and attractive dimensions to Hockey that really brings in the casual fans.
    Always good to see a compilation of awesome hits
  2. HotStacey
    2. Posted by HotStacey Wed Sep 09, 2009 12:18 pm EDT

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    definitely Kronwall. no one outside of boston really knows lucic or even cares about him. he's over rated as heck
  3. FREE_CANDY44
    3. Posted by FREE_CANDY44 Wed Sep 09, 2009 12:19 pm EDT

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    Brooks Orpik; The shift. nuff said
  4. Kendal
    4. Posted by Kendal Wed Sep 09, 2009 12:20 pm EDT

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    clutterbuck is dirty...Kronwall #1, Orpik way too low at #9 (agree!)
  5. muredhawk
    5. Posted by muredhawk Wed Sep 09, 2009 12:26 pm EDT

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    Just tell me how some of these hits in this video make the top ten but Kronwall's hit on Havlat in the playoffs doesn't?
  6. pnkwag
    6. Posted by pnkwag Wed Sep 09, 2009 12:28 pm EDT

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    Douglas Murray should have been on the list, although he did get an honorable mention.
  7. herecomethehawks
    7. Posted by herecomethehawks Wed Sep 09, 2009 12:29 pm EDT

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    #4 confuses me. You single out Clutterbuck for dirty play and then in the next breath you say Kronwall #1? Did you not read the article? Have you never seen Kronwall play?
    You, sir, are either ignorant or stupid, or both.
  8. hockeymaster4789
    8. Posted by hockeymaster4789 Wed Sep 09, 2009 12:30 pm EDT

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    As a Red Wings fan and more, Kronwall is not the best hitter in the NHL. Give him credit for timeliness, but Lucic is like a heavy pinball, bouncing everywhere and crushing everything in his path. Kronwall picks his spots for his big hits, but there are some better options lower down the list.
  9. Jeffery
    9. Posted by Jeffery Wed Sep 09, 2009 12:30 pm EDT

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    Cal Clutterbuck has the most awesome name in hockey history... that cements his position on this list if nothing more!
  10. Jeff
    10. Posted by Jeff Wed Sep 09, 2009 12:34 pm EDT

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    Funny thing about the Lucic-Van Ryn hit is that it wasnt even the best check by a Bruin on a Leaf in that game. Prior to that, there was this:
    Wideman on Stajan
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3EuXTd4Y8U
  11. Jonathan F
    11. Posted by Jonathan F Wed Sep 09, 2009 12:34 pm EDT

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    Lucic is a better hitter. Gets the same "bang for the buck" without leaving his feet.
  12. The Bassin Assassin
    12. Posted by The Bassin Assassin Wed Sep 09, 2009 12:35 pm EDT

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    Gotta be Kronwall.
  13. jibblescribbits
    13. Posted by jibblescribbits Wed Sep 09, 2009 12:35 pm EDT

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    @ smitty;
    The irony of calling Clutterbuck dirty and then ranking Kronwall #1 is not lost on me.
  14. books
    14. Posted by books Wed Sep 09, 2009 12:36 pm EDT

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    Of note...three Leafs in the top fifteen and two bruins in the top three. Whether you agree with the rankings it suggests that divison is going to be rather rough this season...Montreal better get used to having their smaller stars targeted. Also, I'm surprised only one Flyer made the list...what I'd really like to see is a top 20 all time list.
    Dion will most likely rebound this year (I hope desperately as a Flames fan) and if he does I think he may be in position to take over the #1 spot a year from now.
    Man I wish my filter at work was so repressive and I could actually watch those hits at the office.
  15. speedk0re
    15. Posted by speedk0re Wed Sep 09, 2009 12:38 pm EDT

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    This season Lucic will make $585,000. Kronwall will make $3,000,000. Lucic is a presence on the ice, will fight for his teammates, destroys people with hits, yet is talented enough to start on the first line. Kronwall is great, but saying nobody outside of Boston knows of Lucic is just stupid. I would take Lucic over Kronwall in a heartbeat.
  16. speedk0re
    16. Posted by speedk0re Wed Sep 09, 2009 12:43 pm EDT

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    @16 I think you're thinking of Alexander Semin
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B_ydsUCzi2E
  17. Johnny Appleseed
    17. Posted by Johnny Appleseed Wed Sep 09, 2009 12:47 pm EDT

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    @ Jeff -
    I've been saying that since the night of the game. That Wideman hit was a railroading.
  18. psmoker43
    18. Posted by psmoker43 Wed Sep 09, 2009 12:48 pm EDT

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    i like Lucic and all, but he's no Brooks Orpik. a few highlight-reel hits are not the same as being a constant menace on every shift of every game of every season.
  19. Paula
    19. Posted by Paula Wed Sep 09, 2009 12:51 pm EDT

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    no tj oshie?
  20. Potvinsux
    20. Posted by Potvinsux Wed Sep 09, 2009 12:51 pm EDT

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    My vote goes to Alexander The Dragon Steambout Semin
  21. Potvinsux
    21. Posted by Potvinsux Wed Sep 09, 2009 12:52 pm EDT

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    *** Steamboat
  22. Guy F
    22. Posted by Guy F Wed Sep 09, 2009 12:52 pm EDT

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    @ HotStacey : Umm....yeah....I think Steve Yzerman knows who Lucic is, considering he invited him to tryout for Team Canada. I think Mike Komisarek knows who Milan Lucic is. I think Mike Van Ryn knows who Lucic is. I think anyone who follows junior hockey (in Canada) knows who Milan Lucic is. I think every coherent hockey fan in North America knows who Lucic is.
    The Clutterbuck-Ian White fight is one of the most pathetic displays I have ever seen. Clutterbuck is just another Matt Cooke. In fact, he's even more of a jack-ass.
    Kronwall is the better hitter. He has timing not seen since Stevens retired. Lucic has the potential to be a more devastating hitter due to his size. It's hard to compare d-men and forwards because the type of hit is generally different.
  23. Bubbabanjo
    23. Posted by Bubbabanjo Wed Sep 09, 2009 12:55 pm EDT

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    What are ya nutz!!! Semin in a slap fight any day!!!
  24. 53A25
    24. Posted by 53A25 Wed Sep 09, 2009 12:55 pm EDT

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    I cannot believe that there is no mention of Dustin Brown. He led the league in hits, and is an offensive dynamo. This article is crap...
  25. Paula
    25. Posted by Paula Wed Sep 09, 2009 12:56 pm EDT

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    also what about the hit on havlat? that was huge and didnt even make the list :/

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