Pest (hockey)

In ice hockey, a pest (also known as an "agitator"), is a type of player who attempts to annoy, anger, or distract opposing players in order to reduce their effectiveness or cause them to take a penalty. They differ from enforcers in that although they seek to anger their opponents, they do not primarily seek to fight with them.

Pests employ legal, illegal, or borderline tactics to accomplish their goals. Some common tactics include trash talk or slashing and hooking while referees are not looking. Also, they may sometimes employ the tactic of goading opponents into a fight but then backing off in order to draw a penalty against them. Some pests may not only use these tactics against opposing skaters, but opposing goaltenders as well.cite news | first=Karl | last=Samuleson | coauthors= | title=Best Pest in Show | date=2001-02-01 | publisher= | url =http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0FCM/is_4_29/ai_68620645/pg_1 | work =Hockey Digest | pages = | accessdate = 2007-03-02 | language = ]

Examples of NHL pests

While exactly who is considered a pest may be debatable among fans, some players are so well-known for their pest behaviour that they are frequently referred to as such, both in the media and in hockey circles. They include:

*Sean Averycite news | first=Bridget | last=Wentworth | coauthors= | title=Devils: Janssen plays head games with Lundqvist | date=2007-02-27 | publisher= | url =http://www.nj.com/devils/ledger/index.ssf?/base/sports-0/1172123351202440.xml&coll=1 | work =The Star-Ledger | pages = | accessdate = 2007-03-02 | language = ]
*Matthew Barnabycite news | first=Karl | last=Samuleson | coauthors= | title=Best Pest in Show | date=2001-02-01 | publisher= | url =http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0FCM/is_4_29/ai_68620645/pg_1 | work =Hockey Digest | pages = | accessdate = 2007-03-02 | language = ]
*Alexandre Burrowscite news | first=Adam | last=Wazny | coauthors= | title=Versatile Rookie Shows Potential | date=2005-03-19 | publisher= | url =http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Hockey/AHL/2005/03/19/966388-sun.html | work =Winnipeg Sun | pages = | accessdate = 2007-03-07 | language = ]
*Dino Ciccarellicite news | first=Morris | last=Dalla Costa | coauthors= | title=Dino | date=2006-06-04 | publisher= | url =http://www.canoe.ca/Slam021115/col_dallacosta-sun.html | work =Slam | pages = | accessdate = 2007-03-02 | language = ]
*Matt Cookecite news | first=Ed | last=Willes | coauthors= | title=Cooke takes care of business his own way | date=2007-02-02 | publisher= | url =http://www.canada.com/theprovince/news/sports/story.html?id=f96fd63f-8f75-48eb-8cd1-5345f18fff00 | work = Vancouver Province | pages = | accessdate = 2007-03-02 | language = ]
*Steve Downiecite news | first= | last= | coauthors= | title=Flames strike Lightning in Game 5 | date=2006-06-04 | publisher= | url =http://www.jewtube.com | work =TSN | pages = | accessdate = 2007-03-02 | language = ]
*Dan Hinote [ [http://games.espn.go.com/cgi/fhl/playernewsarchive?statsId=1950 ESPN Fantasy Hockey 2008: Player News Archive ] ]
*Tomas Holmströmcite news | first=Karl | last=Samuleson | coauthors= | title=Best Pest in Show | date=2001-02-01 | publisher= | url =http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0FCM/is_4_29/ai_68620645/pg_1 | work =Hockey Digest | pages = | accessdate = 2007-03-02 | language = ]
*Darius Kasparaitiscite news | first=Karl | last=Samuleson | coauthors= | title=Best Pest in Show | date=2001-02-01 | publisher= | url =http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0FCM/is_4_29/ai_68620645/pg_1 | work =Hockey Digest | pages = | accessdate = 2007-03-02 | language = ]
*Bob Kellycite news | first=Karl | last=Samuleson | coauthors= | title=Best Pest in Show | date=2001-02-01 | publisher= | url =http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0FCM/is_4_29/ai_68620645/pg_1 | work =Hockey Digest | pages = | accessdate = 2007-03-02 | language = ]
*Ian Laperrierecite news | first=Karl | last=Samuleson | coauthors= | title=Best Pest in Show | date=2001-02-01 | publisher= | url =http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0FCM/is_4_29/ai_68620645/pg_1 | work =Hockey Digest | pages = | accessdate = 2007-03-02 | language = ]
*Claude Lemieux [cite web|url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1208/is_26_226/ai_95676793|title=The villain: when the postseason pressure is on, Claude Lemieux enjoys the role of agitator|publisher=The Sporting News|author=Matt Crossman|date=2002-07-01|accessdate=2007-10-07]
*Ken Linseman
*Kirk Maltbycite news | first=Bruce | last=MacLeod | coauthors= | title=Maltby Creates Power Plays | date=2006-11-01 | publisher= | url =http://www.macombdaily.com/stories/110106/spo_wings001.shtml | work =Macomb Daily | pages = | accessdate = 2007-03-02 | language = ]
*Tyson Nashcite news | first=Karl | last=Samuleson | coauthors= | title=Best Pest in Show | date=2001-02-01 | publisher= | url =http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0FCM/is_4_29/ai_68620645/pg_1 | work =Hockey Digest | pages = | accessdate = 2007-03-02 | language = ]
*Ville Nieminencite news | first= | last= | coauthors= | title=Flames strike Lightning in Game 5 | date=2006-06-04 | publisher= | url =http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/playoffs/news_Story.asp?ID=86277 | work =TSN | pages = | accessdate = 2007-03-02 | language = ]
*Jarkko Ruutucite news | first= | last= | coauthors= | title=He's a Ruutu Too | date=2007-02-14 | publisher= | url =http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07045/761849-383.stm | work = Pittsburgh Post-Gazette | pages = | accessdate = 2007-09-09 | language = ]
*Esa Tikkanencite news | first=Karl | last=Samuleson | coauthors= | title=Best Pest in Show | date=2001-02-01 | publisher= | url =http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0FCM/is_4_29/ai_68620645/pg_1 | work =Hockey Digest | pages = | accessdate = 2007-03-02 | language = ]

ee also

*Enforcer (hockey)
*Penalty (hockey)

References