Top 10 most heinous on-ice acts of 2016 (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.)

We continue our look back at 2016 with the top 10 most heinous on-ice acts.

We’re talking about the nastiest, most sinister, most violent and offensive acts committed during games. Some of then not even against linesmen!

And here … we … go.

10 – Cody Eakin Plows Into Henrik Lundqvist

The Dallas Stars’ goalie bulldozer just makes the cut!

On Dec. 15, Eakin plowed into Lundqvist as the New York Rangers goalie was playing the puck behind his own net. Should Lundqvist have been eligible to be hit? Of course, but that’s not the rule. Did Eakin drive up on the hit, sending Lundqvist’s mask flying off? Yes, and that’s an even bigger issue.

Eakin was suspended four games for the hit. Really hoping this did nothing to adversely affect Lundqvist’s perfect hair.

9 – Viktor Alexandrov attacks referee

Viktor Alexandrov, a 30-year-old winger for Admiral Vladivostok, was given a five-game suspension for going knee-on-knee with referee Evgeny Gamalei in a Dec. 12 incident.

Was he upset over the collision just before the incident? Perhaps, but that’s obviously no excuse to make contact with an official.

8 – Duncan Keith on Charlie Coyle

When the Chicago Blackhawks defenseman decides to be dirty, he goes all-in. Witness this swinging stick to the face of Minnesota Wild forward Charlie Coyle, a retaliation for an earlier incident. The NHL gave Keith five regular-season games and one Stanley Cup Playoff game for it.

7 – The Go-Pro Stick Attack

In a Russia amateur league game, referee Nikita Tikhonov called a 10-minute penalty. A player disagreed, and then proceeded to swing his stick and hit the ref in the head and later deliver a punch while still arguing. The entire incident was all captured on the GoPro camera attached to Tikhonov’s helmet.

The Disciplinary Committee of Hockey Federation of the Republic of Buryatia met on Wednesday night and decided that the player in question, Sergei Petrov, is been banned from the league and his team will be broken up. His teammates will be available to be acquired via a transfer list. Two of Petrov’s teammates were suspended five games.

6 – Andrew Shaw Opens His Big Mouth

In a playoff game against the St. Louis Blues, Andrew Shaw of the Chicago Blackhawks was quite upset with the referees. He had been given a minor for interference (after which he flipped off the refs with his gloves) and then jumped Alex Steen off a faceoff to earn a game misconduct.

While sitting in the penalty box, Shaw was caught on camera saying “[expletive] [gay slur], [expletive] you!”

When asked about it after the game, he said, “I don’t know what I said. I wasn’t happy with the call.”

The NHL knew what he said, and suspended him fro Game 4 of the Hawks’ series loss to the Blues. Said NHL Senior Executive Vice President of Hockey Operations Colin Campbell, “While Mr. Shaw was apologetic and remorseful for both the offensive comments and the inappropriate gesture directed at the on-ice officials, he must be held accountable for his actions. The emotion of the moment cannot and will not be a mitigating factor for the conduct that is expected of an NHL player.”

Shaw was later traded to the Montreal Canadiens as a salary cap move, where he signed a new contract and earned another suspension in the preseason. So gritty!

5 – Zachary Malatesta lays out Pascal Laberge

Moncton Wildcats defenceman Zachary Malatesta was suspended seven games by the QMJHL on Tuesday for his check on Victoriaville Tigres star Pascal Laberge. The hit left Laberge, a Philadelphia Flyers prospect, with a concussion.

Laberge picked up the puck and turned to skate out of the zone with speed. Malatesta got low and met him at the left point, sending the Tigres star to the ice, as Laberge’s stick flew up in the air on impact. It was pretty nasty.

4 – Tyler Murovich of the Atlanta Gladiators was suspended 12 games

Tyler Murovich of the Atlanta Gladiators was suspended 12 games on Friday by the ECHL for an ugly, ugly hit on Anthony Calabrese of the Norfolk Admirals. The ECHL suspended Murovich indefinitely the next day and fined him an undisclosed amount after he was given a major and game misconduct for boarding Calabrese during the third period of their Nov. 24th game.

Calabrese suffered multiple vertebrae fractures as well as a punctured lung. Murovich was suspended 12 games. “I’ve watched that video close to 200 times,” Calabrese told Jim Hodges of the Virginia-Pilot. “I watch it every single day. I don’t know why I watch it because it makes me sick to my stomach.

3 – KHL gives Damir Ryspayev lifetime ban following preseason brawl

Now we’re getting into that special territory for heinous on-ice acts.

In August, the KHL’s new Kunlun Red Star team left its preseason game against Barys Astana after Damir Ryspayev, a Barys player, started a mass brawl.

Ryspayev was at first suspended for the rest of the preseason. But after the KHL mulled it over, they gave him a slightly longer suspension: A LIFETIME BAN FROM THE LEAGUE.

Man, you can imagine the Department of Player Safety video on that one?

2 – Dennis Wideman

Not much we can add this infamous incident, but a brief summary: Wideman, a Calgary Flames defenseman, was suspended 20 games for intentionally plowing into linesman Don Henderson in a February game. There was much debate over whether Wideman had his wits about him in that moment, and the NHLPA argued that he was concussed beforehand. The Players Association appealed the suspension; Bettman upheld it; and then an independent arbitrator reduced it to 10 games already served. The NHL then appealed that to a federal court.

Meanwhile, Don Henderson had neck surgery in July and is still recovering from the incident.

Wow, that was a heinous one. But not the most heinous.

1 – Viktor Thomasson banned for two years

Viktor Thomasson of Nacka HK, Swedish Division 2 team, leveled Bålsta forward Tommy Latouche Gauvin with one of the nastiest cross-checks we’ve ever seen.

According to Euro Hockey, “Gauvin wasn’t seriously injured but Thomasson still got the longest suspension possible – two years. During that term he is not even allowed to practice with any team in any sport.”

Yes, all sports. Say what you will about Dennis Wideman, but at least he could, like, take up bowling or something.

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