Pucks of a Feather
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Most hated Anaheim Ducks players around the league – Part One

By Ed Stein

ANAHEIM, CA - DECEMBER 10: Ryan Getzlaf #15 of the Anaheim Ducks talks with referee Francis Charron #6 during the game against the Edmonton Oilers on December 10, 2014 at Honda Center in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Debora Robinson/NHLI via Getty Images)
ANAHEIM, CA - DECEMBER 10: Ryan Getzlaf #15 of the Anaheim Ducks talks with referee Francis Charron #6 during the game against the Edmonton Oilers on December 10, 2014 at Honda Center in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Debora Robinson/NHLI via Getty Images) /
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Anaheim Ducks
LOS ANGELES, CA: Anaheim Ducks Left Wing Nick Ritchie (37) fights with Los Angeles Kings Left Wing Kyle Clifford (13) and shoves him to the ice during an NHL game on January 13, 2018. (Photo by Chris Williams/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

4. Nick Ritchie

Nick Ritchie drives Anaheim fans nuts by taking stupid penalties. How many times has he derailed the Ducks by making “unfathomable” plays? His offenses are many, and his timing is terrible. Ritchie has earned the all the shade thrown his way from Ducks Nation.

As much as he’s irked his own side, he’s also ticked off the fans of his victims. No fan wants to see one of their own team get steamrolled on the boards by a questionable hit. They get mad, and they want revenge. Ritchie has a target on his back.

There have been plenty of instances that led to his bad reputation. We can start with a K.O. punch to Michael Rozsival of Chicago in April of last year which got Ritchie a two-game suspension. His blindside hit to Viktor Arvidson during the 2017 playoffs, left his own coach Randy Carlyle shaking his head. Ritchie received a game misconduct and the spite of Music City hockey fans.

That hit came after an earlier incident during the previous round against Edmonton. Ritchie leveled Oilers defenseman Kris Russell when he a long run up and threw a high check slamming the Edmonton player’s head into the boards. Another team, another city that hates Ritchie.

Obviously, he didn’t learn much from his playoff indiscretions. Nope. Last January, he knocked out David Backes of Boston. Backes is no boy scout, but Ritchie didn’t need to level him with a late high shoulder up two goals and just over five minutes left to play.

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