>KEN LINSEMAN

ANYONE WHO IS FULL marks for earning the nickname ‘The Rat’ merits a spot on this list. Linseman is often cited as the NHL’s first true agitator. Even if there were several who came before him, he took it to unparalleled heights and in many ways perfected the craft. He was once charged in junior hockey when he kicked an opponent in the head during a game. During one game, prior to Mario Lemieux winning his two Stanley Cups with Pittsburgh, Linseman lined up against ‘Le Magnifique’ and before every faceoff asked Lemieux the following question: “How many Stanley Cups have you won?” To which Lemieux responded, “How much money do you make?” Linseman was also not afraid to cross swords with the hockey establishment off the ice, challenging the NHL’s draft rules in court, which essentially led to the 18-year-old draft.