by Blue Vespa

Created on: April 26, 2008

Choosing the most disliked players in the NHL is difficult as it depends upon which franchise you support in the league. Those who have "home" teams in the East will disagree, generally speaking, with those in the West. Even those fans within each league will disagree. An aggressive player on a home team could be a favorite while an adversarial team may find him very objectionable and nasty.

It's easy to choose Todd Bertuzzi and anyone who saw the merciless and brutal attack on Steve Moore could hardly disagree. This was a retaliatory move away from actual play that I feel was encouraged by the coach at the time, Mark Crawford. Crawford is known for supporting this kind of behavior. The Vancouver fans were exceptional with their withdrawal of support when Bertuzzi was encouraged to undercut even borderline hockey antics. However, Bertuzzi still bears responsibility as he made the choice to act out as an individual. He continues to play in the sport while Steve's life has been altered forever. I haven't seen a player yet that deserves to be disliked more than Todd Bertuzzi. I would hope that he is the last of the really bad guys. There has been greater attention paid by the officials to control the game in an effort to prevent this kind of injury in the future. I think the fans and players recognize that this kind of action has no place in hockey.

Every hockey fan likes the rough and tumble action during the game. I feel that most also enjoy the powerful movement of the players as they skate on a small blade of steel charged with the challenge of moving the hockey puck into their opponents net. We love it when the opposing team draws a penalty for an advantage but I don't think most fans or players really want someone to be severely hurt. Bruised and a little blood? Well, maybe so. The players at this level certainly know the risks of the game. Their toothless smiles and crooked noses are badges of honor that prove the point.

We need to beat the Bad Guy. He is represented by many and challenged by many more. It's part of the game and remains a local phenomenon. We would be hard-pressed to choose only one. However, for me, Bertuzzi is the guy.

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