Who are some of the dirtiest players you can think of?

[JR Ewing]

This is Link Gaetz and, oh man, this is going to be a long post.

DISCLAIMER - It's almost impossible to tell his full story, so I'm sure others here will have a story I either forgot to mentionr or didn't know about.

-Gaetz showed up for the 1988 draft with a pair of black eyes from a bar fight he'd had against four men the night before. Minnesota GM, Lou Nanne, later said that he should drafted a lawyer with his third pick. Legend has it that Gaetz brough two cases of beer to the draft, but nobody knows for sure.

-One of his favorite things to do was intercept team mail in the management office. He would open any letter addressed to a rookie, and if there was cash in it from back home, he'd steal it.

-Once stole his roommate's TV, then trashed the room and took a whizz on the other guy's bed. Arrested and spent three days in jail.

-While playing in the ECHL in 1993, Gaetz decided to take the opposing team's net during warmups. According to Wheeling Thunderbirds head coach Jim Bermingham “This guy Link Gaetz was a monster man, and crazy. I remember him skating down into our end during warm-up while we were taking shots on goal and just taking our net and pushing it down the ice back down to his end!!” Nobody retrieved the net and Bermingham had his goalie take shots in the crease.

-While playing for the Nashville Knights, he was driving to a party one night. The car in front of him tried to go through the gate slowly so Gaetz couldn't follow him, and this caused Gaetz to seriously lose it. Rammed the car from behind, beat the holy hell out of the other driver and casually walked into the party. The cops ended up being called, and he had to spend the night in jail after coach Nick Fotiu refused to bail him out. Gaetz was apparently still hot, because when he was released the next morning, he went straight over to the Knights practice facility and sucker punched Fotiu. The team cut Gaetz immediately.

-By 1994, Gaetz went too far for the Sharks liking, and he was traded to Edmonton. Dean Lombardi just didn't know what to do with him anymore. Gaetz had held a group of his teammates hostage at a party, terrorizing anybody that attempted to leave. Fotiu was called again, and he came to break it up. "I said, 'C'mon, Link, let's call it a night,' " Fotiu says. "So I grabbed the bottle out of his hand, and Link blew. We went toe-to-toe in the living room. Tumbling over couches, the whole bit. Finally, the cops showed and took him away. Five in the morning, he comes over to my house and wants to fight. I say no. Eight o'clock, he comes back. He wants to go to breakfast."

-Later that year, he moved on to that hockey hotbed of Mexico City, playing for the Toreros of the NAL. Instigated a full brawl which finally ended with the opposing goalie spearing Gaetz in the forehead. The first shift of the next game, Gaetz was thrown out after pulling another guy's hair, and decdied that getting loaded was the right thing to do. The night ended with him and some teammates going to Denny's, where he terrified the waitress and ran into the kitchen and began flipping burgers. The police were called and he spent the night in jail. The team cut him the next day.

-Also in 1994, Gaetz played 8 games for the Sacremento River Rats in Roller Hockey International. He was thrown off the team after he beat the snot out of a team trainer.

-In 1995, Gaetz was cooling his heel after fighting Sasha Lakovic, and decided he wasn't done yet. He climbed the glass and fought Lakovic some more in the other penalty box. Suspended. Later that year, Gaetz broke Frank LaScala's arm with a viscous two-hander. He was suspended for the remainder of the year.

-In 1997, Gaetz was playing for Madison in the United League, and his coach, Dave Schultz, couldn't stand him. Gaetz constantly showed up at the rink drunk and in no condition to play. Was thrown out of the league after initiating a stick swinging incident from his own bench. Schultz must have been glad to be rid of him.

-In 1998, the Anchorage Aces, over in the WCHL, wanted him to play, but the league made them pay a $40,000 bond before he could join up, payable if he caused any problems... Didn't take long. Eleven games into the season, he beat the crap out of another guy and then wouldn't stop, even while the player was laying on the ice. The ref and the linesmen had to tear him off and when they did that, Gaetz bit the ref on the league. Gaetz was gone and so was Anchorage's $40,000.

-He moved on to the Toledo Storm in the ECHL. He showed completely out of shape physically and mentally, and got rid of him after only 1 game.

-In 1999, while playing for Huntsville, Gaetz was arrested for public intoxication and resisting arrest, after brawling with the cops. His bail was set at $10,000 but bumped up after he said "Why don't you make it $100,000, bitch?" to Judge Barbara Hale. She reduced it $5,000 after the weekend was over.

-Later in '99, Gaetz moved on the bustling metropolis of Eston (population: 1,031) to play for the Ramblers in the (get this) Saskatchewan Wild Goose League. In his first shift he recorded 68 PIM, a record in that league and probably just about any other. He was later thrown off the team, and legend has it that no bar owner in the area will allow him back in their business. In his time in Eston, he played 11 games, with no points and 112 PIM.

-After playing a handful games in the fighters' paradise of the Quebec Senior League, Gaetz was signed in 2005 to his final pro contract, with the Thetford Mines. He dressed for one final time , wasn't getting any ice time, so Gaetz said "To hell with it" and left during the second intermission to eat a hamburger from the concession stand. He was suspended for the rest of the season, and that ended his pro career.

-Summer 2005: "Battle of the Hockey Enforcers". Promoter Darryl Wolski put together a show which would feature nothing but goons going at it, and he was able to get Gaetz to sign on. He had one fight and then withdrew due to concussion-like symptoms.

JR

[Commander Clueless]

Daniel Alfredsson.

Oh wait, he's a Red Wing now. Nevermind, guy is alright.

But seriously speaking I give my dishonourable mention from recent memory to Perezhogin. I still have nightmares about that overhead smash to that guy's mouth and the convulsions that followed. Only one incident but it's burned into my mind...perhaps helped along by my dislike for having dental work done.

Chris Simon's two hander on Hollweg's throat brings back a shudder too (if he did in fact hit his throat...there was some questions regarding that incident). Hollweg wasn't exactly innocent but yikes.

Edited July 24, 2013 by Commander Clueless

[Dynamo 47]

@Dynamo 47

Dale Hunter was another I was going to mention, if for no other reason than the disgusting and dirty hit on Pierre Turgeon twenty years ago.

JR

Total chickenshit he was.

[Dynamo 47]

This is Link Gaetz and, oh man, this is going to be a long post.

Thanks for the post! I was very intrigued by "The Missing Link" when he was in Juniors and coming into the league. He was one crazy bastard.

Hell of a good bout with The King. I would imagine those two would have had one hell of time hitting the bars together.

A tribute to Link which shows some old Jr footage

Edited July 24, 2013 by Dynamo 47

[flyercanuck]

@JR Ewing

The Missing Link Gaetz. We should all be ashamed for waiting til post #76 to mention him. Hopefully he's not reading this or he'll hunt us all down and kill and eat us.

I'm surprised this guy is still alive.

[Trognitz]

^{killer topic. right up my alley.tried to agree wuth every post but it must have a quota on 'agrees'. my first thought was Marchment, followed by Claude. Marchment could back his knee/knee hits with his fists}

[J0e Th0rnton]

This is Link Gaetz and, oh man, this is going to be a long post.

DISCLAIMER - It's almost impossible to tell his full story, so I'm sure others here will have a story I either forgot to mentionr or didn't know about.

-Gaetz showed up for the 1988 draft with a pair of black eyes from a bar fight he'd had against four men the night before. Minnesota GM, Lou Nanne, later said that he should drafted a lawyer with his third pick. Legend has it that Gaetz brough two cases of beer to the draft, but nobody knows for sure.

-One of his favorite things to do was intercept team mail in the management office. He would open any letter addressed to a rookie, and if there was cash in it from back home, he'd steal it.

-Once stole his roommate's TV, then trashed the room and took a whizz on the other guy's bed. Arrested and spent three days in jail.

-While playing in the ECHL in 1993, Gaetz decided to take the opposing team's net during warmups. According to Wheeling Thunderbirds head coach Jim Bermingham “This guy Link Gaetz was a monster man, and crazy. I remember him skating down into our end during warm-up while we were taking shots on goal and just taking our net and pushing it down the ice back down to his end!!” Nobody retrieved the net and Bermingham had his goalie take shots in the crease.

-While playing for the Nashville Knights, he was driving to a party one night. The car in front of him tried to go through the gate slowly so Gaetz couldn't follow him, and this caused Gaetz to seriously lose it. Rammed the car from behind, beat the holy hell out of the other driver and casually walked into the party. The cops ended up being called, and he had to spend the night in jail after coach Nick Fotiu refused to bail him out. Gaetz was apparently still hot, because when he was released the next morning, he went straight over to the Knights practice facility and sucker punched Fotiu. The team cut Gaetz immediately.

-By 1994, Gaetz went too far for the Sharks liking, and he was traded to Edmonton. Dean Lombardi just didn't know what to do with him anymore. Gaetz had held a group of his teammates hostage at a party, terrorizing anybody that attempted to leave. Fotiu was called again, and he came to break it up. "I said, 'C'mon, Link, let's call it a night,' " Fotiu says. "So I grabbed the bottle out of his hand, and Link blew. We went toe-to-toe in the living room. Tumbling over couches, the whole bit. Finally, the cops showed and took him away. Five in the morning, he comes over to my house and wants to fight. I say no. Eight o'clock, he comes back. He wants to go to breakfast."

-Later that year, he moved on to that hockey hotbed of Mexico City, playing for the Toreros of the NAL. Instigated a full brawl which finally ended with the opposing goalie spearing Gaetz in the forehead. The first shift of the next game, Gaetz was thrown out after pulling another guy's hair, and decdied that getting loaded was the right thing to do. The night ended with him and some teammates going to Denny's, where he terrified the waitress and ran into the kitchen and began flipping burgers. The police were called and he spent the night in jail. The team cut him the next day.

-Also in 1994, Gaetz played 8 games for the Sacremento River Rats in Roller Hockey International. He was thrown off the team after he beat the snot out of a team trainer.

-In 1995, Gaetz was cooling his heel after fighting Sasha Lakovic, and decided he wasn't done yet. He climbed the glass and fought Lakovic some more in the other penalty box. Suspended. Later that year, Gaetz broke Frank LaScala's arm with a viscous two-hander. He was suspended for the remainder of the year.

-In 1997, Gaetz was playing for Madison in the United League, and his coach, Dave Schultz, couldn't stand him. Gaetz constantly showed up at the rink drunk and in no condition to play. Was thrown out of the league after initiating a stick swinging incident from his own bench. Schultz must have been glad to be rid of him.

-In 1998, the Anchorage Aces, over in the WCHL, wanted him to play, but the league made them pay a $40,000 bond before he could join up, payable if he caused any problems... Didn't take long. Eleven games into the season, he beat the crap out of another guy and then wouldn't stop, even while the player was laying on the ice. The ref and the linesmen had to tear him off and when they did that, Gaetz bit the ref on the league. Gaetz was gone and so was Anchorage's $40,000.

-He moved on to the Toledo Storm in the ECHL. He showed completely out of shape physically and mentally, and got rid of him after only 1 game.

-In 1999, while playing for Huntsville, Gaetz was arrested for public intoxication and resisting arrest, after brawling with the cops. His bail was set at $10,000 but bumped up after he said "Why don't you make it $100,000, bitch?" to Judge Barbara Hale. She reduced it $5,000 after the weekend was over.

-Later in '99, Gaetz moved on the bustling metropolis of Eston (population: 1,031) to play for the Ramblers in the (get this) Saskatchewan Wild Goose League. In his first shift he recorded 68 PIM, a record in that league and probably just about any other. He was later thrown off the team, and legend has it that no bar owner in the area will allow him back in their business. In his time in Eston, he played 11 games, with no points and 112 PIM.

-After playing a handful games in the fighters' paradise of the Quebec Senior League, Gaetz was signed in 2005 to his final pro contract, with the Thetford Mines. He dressed for one final time , wasn't getting any ice time, so Gaetz said "To hell with it" and left during the second intermission to eat a hamburger from the concession stand. He was suspended for the rest of the season, and that ended his pro career.

-Summer 2005: "Battle of the Hockey Enforcers". Promoter Darryl Wolski put together a show which would feature nothing but goons going at it, and he was able to get Gaetz to sign on. He had one fight and then withdrew due to concussion-like symptoms.

JR

Damnit!

I had a section of my first blog dedicated to his antics

[JR Ewing]

Total chickenshit he was.

Yeah, it was one of the cheapest cheapshots I've seen (Lemieux running Kris Draper's face into the dasher is up there, too).

JR

[JR Ewing]

Thanks for the post! I was very intrigued by "The Missing Link" when he was in Juniors and coming into the league. He was one crazy bastard.

Hell of a good bout with The King. I would imagine those two would have had one hell of time hitting the bars together.

Oh, that second video.... Kelly Buchberger had NO business fighting a guy in Gaetz's weight class. Always gave Buchberger credit for bravery, but that was just stupid. Gaetz beat the dog **** out of him.

JR

[JR Ewing]

@JR Ewing

The Missing Link Gaetz. We should all be ashamed for waiting til post #76 to mention him. Hopefully he's not reading this or he'll hunt us all down and kill and eat us.

I'm surprised this guy is still alive.

LOL!

He was one of the guys I had in mind from the outset of this thread, but wanted to get through some guys who are maybe not so well (or at all) known by most fans, like Hall and Cleghorn.

And yeah, when I wrote it, I was tempted to say something about being surprised. Even in 1992 (I think...) he was in a serious drunken car accident, and suffered severe injury. I'm willing to guess that between the drinking and the brain injuries he must have, he'll die young. I don't that with enthusiam, just as a matter of (likely) fact.

JR

[JR Ewing]

Damnit!

I had a section of my first blog dedicated to his antics

Ohhhhh. I had no idea, Joe.

JR

[jammer2]

@JR Ewing Thanks for the Missing link info, I had not heard of 90% of those, I'm a better hockey fan for having read that

It's a wonder he's not in jail for manslaughter or murder. Gotta figure, those are just the stories we know about, there must be hundreds more considering his willingness to fight for absolutely nothing. You'd think in one of those many battles he would have hit someone in the temple or just beat them to a pulp until they expired.

Another thing, what is the matter with the league commissioners, willingly putting the other players at risk after he got kicked out of every other league he has been in?? Taking into account the absurdity of his actions, did they magically think he would turn a new leaf??

[JR Ewing]

@JR Ewing Thanks for the Missing link info, I had not heard of 90% of those, I'm a better hockey fan for having read that

Happy to hear it was enjoyed.

It's a wonder he's not in jail for manslaughter or murder. Gotta figure, those are just the stories we know about, there must be hundreds more considering his willingness to fight for absolutely nothing. You'd think in one of those many battles he would have hit someone in the temple or just beat them to a pulp until they expired.

When you see a story like his in as close as it can be to its entirety (because I agree 100% that we don't know the half of it) I can't help but come to the conclusion that he's honestly and actually mentally ill.

Gaetz is the John Beckwith (N e g r o League player from the 20s and 30s) of the NHL. Do yourself a favor: look up Beckwith.'s history.

Another thing, what is the matter with the league commissioners, willingly putting the other players at risk after he got kicked out of every other league he has been in?? Taking into account the absurdity of his actions, did they magically think he would turn a new leaf??

Money is all I can guess it is. If you have any sort of a name, some of these minor league teams will sign you on. In the case of the Quebec Senior League, it's basically a goon outfit, so a player like him has some clout. But, as ever, Gaetz was always way more trouble than he was worth.

JR

[Dynamo 47]

Yeah, it was one of the cheapest cheapshots I've seen (Lemieux running Kris Draper's face into the dasher is up there, too).

JR

Funny thing was I was talking to the Boxcar, Ed Hospodar and we were talking about one time when the Flyers were playing the Caps and Ed skated from inside the blue line to nail his ass. You could see the gleam in his eye and his face change as he smiled and said "I remembered that. I hated that mother f'er".

[JR Ewing]

Funny thing was I was talking to the Boxcar, Ed Hospodar and we were talking about one time when the Flyers were playing the Caps and Ed skated from inside the blue line to nail his ass. You could see the gleam in his eye and his face change as he smiled and said "I remembered that. I hated that mother f'er".

LOL!

That's awesome... Hospodar had company; pretty much everybody hated Hunter.

Makes me think of Earl "Oil" Smith, who broke in as a catcher with the New York Giants in the 1920s. Very tough guy, didn't back down from anybody, and would fight for the smallest of reasons. One time in Pittsburgh, Dave Bancroft was arguing balls and strikes with the home plate umpire, when Smith stood up and flattened Bancroft with a massive sucker punch; no warning, he just dropped him like a bad habit. The umpire yelled at Smith, asking what the hell THAT was about, and Smith told him he just didn't like Bancroft.

Also:

-The only player I've ever heard about being in trouble with his team for having a pair of handcuffs being found in his luggage.

-Smith once locked a team trainer in his hotel room closet and told his teammates to go have fun and do what they like; there'd be no bed checks that night.

JR

Edited July 25, 2013 by JR Ewing

[JR Ewing]

This is Mark Douglas Messier. I know... Everybody knows that, but it's what I do.

Messier was a marvelous hockey player. He retired 2nd all-time in points, 7th in goals, 3rd in assists, and but for the 1994-95 lockout he'd have retired the all-time leader in Games Played, instead settling for 2nd, 11 behind Gordie Howe. He was a 5 time Cup champion, and is the only player to captain two different teams to Cup wins. He's considered by many to be one of the greatest leaders in NHL history. And he was dirty.

A wild young man who cut a wide swath of partying, particularly during his period in Edmonton, where stories from old cab drivers are legendary. Was sent down to the AHL Houston Appollos by Glen Sather early on in 1979-80 season after he missed a flight. Sather figured that some time riding the buses and hauling his own bags around would straighten him out, but Messier didn't miss a beat. He ended up partying even more than he did in Edmonton, so Sather recalled him, figuring he could at least keep an eye on him back home.

Messier probably threw more elbows than Randy Savage, and was a fine practitioner of the blindside hit to the head. He just didn't care. There's piles of these clips on youtube, but I'll just go with one for now:

Nice to see that Modano received the best care available...

Messier was suspended for 10 games for injuring Jame Macoun, but if he played today, he'd be on suspension nearly constantly.

JR

[PerfectTwo89]

Cooke, maybe thats because how he has a thing about hurting alot of my favorite players... hes a great guy, just so bloodly dirty.

Good luck with him, minnesota.

And stay classy, throw that skate, Matt Cooke.

[jammer2]

Just taking a glance at the top 100 Penalty minute leaders, some interesting finds....

http://statshockey.h...penminutes.html

1)Homer still hanging on by a thead at #92. I'm pretty proud of that considering he only played 10 years from 75 to 85. A real nice 3.20 PIM per game!

2)Jerry Korab also just haning in there at #98, always liked that guy, King Korab, what a beast he was!

3)Former Flyer Mel Bridgman still in top 100 at #99, hang in there Mel!!

4)Ken the Rat Linseman at #82, Kenny averaged 2.01 PIM per game, he'd be at 1.0 if you took out the spears!! Not a whole of fighting majors in there, huh? LOL!

5)Flyer legend Dave Brown at #74 with a PIM per game of 2.45....best left hand EVER!

6)Ian Laperrierre sits at #57, didn't think he would be that high on the list.

7)Rick Tocchett is STILL in the top 10!!!

8)Former Flyer Donald Brashear is still a respectable #15....never forgot the no fighting Domi thing, you smash first and ask questions later..sorry there Donald.

9)Dave Schultz at #35, even though he only played in 535 games!!! Spectacular PIM per game of 4.29, almost a fighting major for every game played!! Almost brings a tear to the eye!!

10)Chris Neil is the only active player on the list, coming in at #55 all time. Chris should pass guys like Stu Grimson, Al Secord, Terry O'Riley, Kelly Chase and Harlod Snepsts among others. Quite the impressive list he will be passing.

11)Had to laugh when I saw Gary Howatt's name on this list, respected the guy but what a manic that little bugger was!

[JR Ewing]

10)Chris Neil is the only active player on the list, coming in at #55 all time. Chris should pass guys like Stu Grimson, Al Secord, Terry O'Riley, Kelly Chase and Harlod Snepsts among others. Quite the impressive list he will be passing.

When I think of Stu Grimson, three things come to mind:

a] The night Grimson completely lost it... Bryan Marchment could bring that out in guys, mind you.

b] 24-year old Stu Grimson was playing in his second career NHL game for the Flames when he fought Dave Brown in the first half of a home-at-home. Brown had fresh stitches above his left eye after being hit by a puck in a game a couple of days before, and Grimson opened the cut during the fight, which was pretty close. Grimson felt pretty good about his fight, and after the game he talked about how he'd put a beating on Brown, etc, etc. Early on in the 1st period of the rematch, Brown had his chance for revenge, and he was absolutely merciless.

It was a pretty devestating fight for Grimson. He ended up with a fractured orbital bone, and didn't play another NHL game for the rest of the year. Naturally, after Brown got out of the box, he immediately chirped after Joel Otto...

c] Stu Grimson is an intelligent man, and did something with his life after hockey. He's now a lawyer, working for a lawfirm in Nashville.

JR

Edited July 30, 2013 by JR Ewing

[jammer2]

@JR Ewing I was thinking the exact same thing as the play by play guy was saying, when Dave got that left free, not many could match up with him. Deadly power, loved watching that guy throw down.

[NRH]

Claude Giroux

[blocker]

never forgot the no fighting Domi thing, you smash first and ask questions later..sorry there Donald.

Brashear was interviewed on a Montreal radio station a week or so ago. The guy conducting the interview kept going back to that instance.

[fanaticV3.0]

@ruxpin

Samuelsson is a pretty good name to come up with, I think. Made a career out of low hits, and there's probably lots of Bruins fans who still loathe for the Neely hit. In those days it was probably a toss-up as to who was hated more: Samuelsson or Bryan Marchment.

Tie Domi didn't like him:

I didn't like Ulf, but that was one of the most irresponsible, cowardly, and flat out ***** moves I've ever seen.

JR

[JR Ewing]

Yes, it was a complete horse crap move on Domi's part. I think that plenty of people who didn't like Samuelsson would agree with that. For what it's worth, Domi is a guy who could very easily go on this list, too.

http://youtu.be/cPbN72u4hxs?t=1m18s

Tie Domi: putting the "ass" in class...

JR

[jammer2]

@JR Ewing When Domi pulled that Nieds hit, his team was up 2 games to 1 and had a third period lead in the game in question....they never won another game, totally screwed his team with that selfish move. Pretty sure the Devils tied up game 4 on the ensueing power play also, what a moron.