What was the most disgraceful event in NHL history?

Question

While the sports league we all know and love has had a lifetime (or several) of wonderful stories and events, the NHL has also been sullied with sordid tidbits throughout its almost 92 years of existence. Of those events, which was the most disgraceful in NHL annals?

Answer 1

I think the lockout.  It's pretty pathetic that a professional sports league would shut down for a year because it couldn't come up with a CBA.  It makes the sport look bad.

Also the Bertuzzi attack on Moore was really disgraceful.  It was all over the news.  Finally hockey got some publicity, but for a bad reason.

Answer 2

chris simon has definitely done some awful things. the marty mcsorely stick swinging was pretty bad too. but i think the todd bertuzzi sucker punch tops all. it definitely gave the nhl a bad name, and i don't think bertuzzi received enough punishment/

Answer 3

The Recent Jonathon Roy inceddent. Nothing is more disgracful then a goalie beating another goalie not wanting to fight then he gave the finger to the crowd. And his father cheers him on the whole time.

Answer 4

Lots of great examples already but here is one that really bothers me (and I am "from the states"). The exodus of teams from Canadien cities to places where hockey isnt a local passion. I am not about to bash any particular city as I am well aware there are hockey lovers virtually everywhere but not seeing a Nordiques or Jets jersey on the ice kinda sucks. I understand the reasoning behind the moves but that doesnt make it right.

   And Claude Lemeiux turtling instead of being a true hockey player and excepting that he was going to be challenged after the Draper cheap shot. Nothing is more disgraceful than not manning up, nothing wrong with being a physical and tough hard nosed player but have the balls to accept the challenge you create. Totally disgraceful and completely gutless.

Answer 5

I know this sounds weird, but I liked the game where Stu Grimson went insane and tried to beat up the referee. It was funny, but really bad. One of the worst, yet, in a way, one of the best...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2EXLoC7Dw...

LET'S GO HAWKS! COMMIT TO THE INDIAN!

Answer 6

I have several to nominate - not in any particularly order ..

1) Bertuzzi's attack on Steve Moore.

2) Ron Hextall's attack on Chris Chelios in the 1989 playoffs.

3) Sean Avery and many others mouthing off against Quebecois.

4) Dale Hunter going after Pierre Turgeon in the 1993 playoffs.

5) Eric Lindros refusing to play in Quebec City on the basis of it being "the capital of a French-speaking province that might become a country". That is beyond ignorant as on the ice, the Nordiques had English as their lingua franca. His words really pissed off many Quebecois, whether if Francophone, Anglophone or Allophone, especially as the PQ had a strong presence in those days.

6) Kyle McLaren going after Richard Zednik in the playoffs (I can't seem to remember if it was in 2002 or 2004)

*Lingua Franca is Latin for "common language" and Allophone is a Quebecois term to identify someone whose 1st language is not French nor English (i.e. Greek, Chinese)

Nice to see the mention of Ted Lindsay's role in helping to form the NHLPA : the movie Net Worth is among my all time faves for that reason.

Answer 7

Two words.

Chris Simon.

Habs-Fan- I wouldn't call McLarens hit "going after him" He had his head down, I'm not saying that it wasn't a dirty hit, but it truly was not THAT bad. 1st rule of hockey, keep your head up ESPECIALLY when you just caught a pass. Dirty hit? Yes. One of the top disgraceful events in NHL history? Not even close.

Answer 8

I think it depends on perspective. From a hockey fan standpoint, I consider the lock-out (which ultimately accomplished nothing), the lack of a solid marketing campaign to grow the sport (expansion to non-traditional markets does NOT count), and Chris Simon's repeat offenses being ignored some of the biggest disgraces. Oh, and a complete lack of accountability among League officials and game officials when they totally s***w up.

However, from a public perspective, probably the Bertuzzi-Moore incident is the most disgraceful because it generated so much bad publicity for a sport that's barely a blip on the radar in most places in the U.S.

Answer 9

the most disgraceful thing to me is fans cheering and going crazy after a hit and the player is obviously hurt. On tv its different because you can tell right away the guys hurt when he isn't moving and he is laying on the ice with his eyes wide open rolled back. i mean its part of the game but it just startles me a little how much some people love that aspect of it

Answer 10

Ted Green (Boston Bruins) and Chico Mackey stick fight during the 1960s.  Ted Green ended up with a plate in his head.

Answer 11

Gil Stein voting himself into the Hall of Fame bypassingt the committee just because he was League President

Alan Eagleson telling Bobby Orr that the Bruins don't want him anymore, after the Bruins tender him a contract (through Eagleson) which included partial ownership of the club.

Answer 12

I don't think Bertuzzi's attack on moore was the most disgracefull event in NHL history because it wasn't done with intent to break his neck and end his career.

Chris Simon's Slash to the face of Ryan Hollwegg was disgracefull was because he had time to think about what he was going to do and made the wrong decision. It disgraces the name of hockey. Hockey isn't about slashing peoples faces or uncalled for violence. and before everyone pisses their pants, i do not consider fighting uncalled for violence, fighting is part of the game and ALWAYS will be, NO MATTER WHAT Mike Bossy thinks.

Montreal's game seven win riot was Absolutly disgusting. never in my life have i ever seen people do such stupid things because their team won a playoff game. Smashed cars, broken into stores, absolutly nasty.

Answer 13

Chris Simon has been envolved in a few. Marty McSorely's Chop to the head of Brashear. The Canadien fans booing the National Anthem. Avery mouthing off about French Canadien people. just to name a few

Answer 14

The simon incident, and the lockouts were disgraceful to me

Answer 15

The Madison Square Garden Player/Fan Riot, 12/23/1979, One Player Hit a Fan with His Shoe.

Answer 16

during the 2007 playoffs first round in anaheim

wild vs ducks

moment of silence for the virgina tec school shooting victims

...a man from the stands yells during the silence

"boogaard you suck!"

may not have been big news, but it was disgusting!

Answer 17

I would have to go with the Bertuzzi hit. That was absolutely horrific.

Answer 18

Puzzled, the Ted Green incident involved Wayne Maki of the Canucks, not Chico of the Blackhawks. They're brothers.

The most disgraceful event in NHL history that I can remember would be Harold Ballard firing Roger Neilson.  Ballard told the media his new coach was a secret and would only be revealed following the next game. Unfortunately for Harold the deal he had with the replacement fell through so he was forced to re-hire Neilson. Ballard in turn made Roger wear a bag over his head for the first part of the game so the fans weren't able to see who the "new" coach was.

Answer 19

My version of the most disgraceful event involves off-ice/ behind the scenes hockey operations.

It revolves around the power, influence and ultimately the bald-faced corruption of Alan Eagleson, the NHL player's union first executive director. While simultaneously serving as union chief, player rep and hockey promoter, he used each position to line his pockets by skimming team profits, serving teams' interests over the players he was to be representing and nearly bankrupting the players pension fund.

Answer 20

The Good Friday brawl during an 1983-84 playoff game between Montreal and Quebec. The teams fought for over an hour after the end of the second period. Then Bruce Hood made the disastrous decision to continue the game. Announcing the penalties at the start of the 3rd period just ignited another brawl. Many thought someone would be killed that night.

http://www.buzzle.com/editorials/4-28-20...

Answer 21

Gary Bettman as commisioner for the last... what is it now, 15 plus years? He's gotta go.

Answer 22

The fact that it took Chris Simon this long to be out of the NHL. He never should have been back in the first place. The Suspensions he gained and the carnage he cause was criminal like.

Answer 23

good question:

bertuzzi's hit on steve moore giving him a broken neck

Answer 24

Definitely NOT the Bertuzzi thing.  That play happens sooo often in hockey.  That was the one time the player (Moore) turned his back and S**t happened.  It could happen in every game.  Stick incidents are WAY worse than that.  The Simon one was pretty bad, but NONE compare to what Dale Hunter did.

All of those disgraceful acts EXCEPT the Hunter incident happened as a retaliation (heat of the moment), or just a dirty hit (Lemieux on Draper) with a classless, gutless refusal to apologize.

What Dale Hunter did was go after a player who scored, WAY AFTER THE PLAY.  He had no reason to suspect anything or to protect himself.  Moore should have known better.  Draper got hit DURING the play.  Hunter was just pissed he gave up a goal and just took it out on the goalscorer.  Just a disgraceful act.

Gary Bettman as Commish is a close second.

Answer 25

On the ice, Todd Bertuzzi's attack on Steve Moore will still live in infamy. Off the ice, I'd say the most recent lockout, to my memory, it was the most disgraceful event I had seen.

Answer 26

Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux deciding to betray their former fellow players and siding with the owners to lock the players out in 2004-05.  They are disgraces to the game for that, and every arena should have a burning of a Number 99 jersey and a Number 66 jersey for this, and leave the burned jerseys in the rafters.  I don't care how old he is: Gordie Howe should teach them some manners.  (And also remind them of who the greatest player who ever lived is: In case you forgot, Gretzky never played defense, while Howe was both the best offensive and the best defensive forward of his time.)

Answer 27

how about ottawa senators 300 re enactment

Answer 28

Definitely Simon's incident and some of his actions throughout the year.....definitely the lockout (and the hiring of Gary Bettman)

Answer 29

Danny heatly killing his teammate because he was driving drunk