Online sportsbook bettors and hockey fans have
been thrown for a loop during the 2009-10 NHL season, haven’t they? We’ve seen
head shots, high sticks and, last Monday, an accidental goalie bludgeoning by
Keith Ballard and a knee-on-knee hit by Alexander Ovechkin. Ovie’s hit sparked
discussion about whether or not he’s a dirty player. We know the Jarkko Ruutus,
Sean Averys and Chris Prongers of world are goons, but how many other Ovechkins
are out there – guys who are quietly dirty and to whom we turn a blind eye
because they bring so many good things to the game?
5. Martin
Havlat
Marty’s gone dark in the dirty department over the
last few seasons, especially because he spends half his time in the press box
nursing injuries. But no one can forget his infamous kicking incident.
4. Daniel
Alfredsson
Leaf fans know Alfredsson’s evil side more than
most other hockey odds
followers. Mocking Mats Sundin’s stick throw a few years back could be chalked
up to a Swede teasing his countryman. But his blindside elbow on Darcy Tucker
in the 2002 playoffs, which broke Tucker’s shoulder, will forever live on in
angry Toronto supporters’ minds.
3. Corey
Perry
Is Perry “secretly” dirty? He’s known as an elite
power forward in the NHL and with that comes scrappy play. But it seems his
stellar offensive play has overshadowed his feud with Evgeni Nabokov last year.
He accused the Sharks goalie of kicking him but no one ever saw it happen; what
we did see was Perry chopping at Nabokov’s legs. Anyone who goes after goalie
deserves a “dirty” label.
2. Mike
Richards
Sacrilege! We all love Mike Richards. The Flyers’
captain is a great two-way player and leader; he also just seems like a cool
guy to hang out with. But one too many “accidents” keep popping up with
Richards. Obliterating David Booth’s skull and crashing into multiple goalies
come to mind. Most recently, he barreled into Ryan Miller last Friday when he
easily could’ve gotten out of the way. If Richards doesn’t clean up his act,
he’ll earn full-fledge dirty status in the Pronger mold. Maybe all those Eagle
concussions in NFL betting are karma for the Flyers’ sins in Philly?
1.
Alexander Ovechkin
As the week’s big newsmaker, Ovie gets top
billing. He’s an electrifying player, a joy to watch, but he’s getting reckless.
He explodes into defenders on the forecheck with almost excessive force and has
two knee-on-knee hits to his name in the 2009 calendar year. First, he took out
Sergei Gonchar; this week it was Tim Gleason.
Let’s hope these guys mend their ways and that
nothing dirty happens when we make our Florida Alabama betting picks this
weekend.