Top 5 unusual things NHL players have done on the ice

By Nestor Quixtan

Modified Jul 12, 2024 22:44 GMT

Now and then, unusual things happen during NHL games. Sometimes, players make unusual plays that leave fans stunned, while other times, NHLers try to get away with pulling a trick. But most of the time, players make fans laugh with unusual plays.

So, here’s a look at the top five unusual things NHL players have done on the ice.

Top 5 unusual things NHL players have done on the ice

#5. Ovechkin tried to play with two sticks

In February 2016, Washington Capitals captain Alexander Ovechkin tried playing with two sticks. Here’s how the incident went down:

During the third period of a game against the Pittsburgh Penguins, teammate Evgeny Kuznetsov lost his stick. Ovechkin picked up Kuznetsov’s stick while carrying his own and tried to give the stick back to Kuznetsov. Unfortunately, the officials wouldn’t let Ovechkin get away with that move as it was against the rule.

Ovechkin got a minor penalty for trying to help his teammate. While Ovechkin acted in good faith, the gesture put him in the box for two minutes.

#4. Marchand licking players

One of the most unusual things any NHL player has done is lick other players. That might seem hard to believe, but that’s exactly what Bruins captain Brad Marchand has done. Marchand has licked players like former Toronto Maple Leafs star Leo Komarov and Ex-Tampa Bay Lightning right winger Ryan Callahan.

During an interview in 2019, Marchand was quoted by NBC Sports in reference to the Callahan incident, saying:

“I tried to get him to hit me and draw a penalty and it kind of went the other way.”

The league verbally reprimanded Marchand for his unusual behavior. So far, Marchand hasn’t tried licking anyone again.

#3. Lemieux suspended for biting Tkachuk

Former Los Angeles Kings forward Brendan Lemieux was involved in an unusual scrum with Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk. While the scrum itself was not out of the ordinary, the outcome was.

During a 2021 Sens-Kings clash, Tkachuk and Lemieux got into a tussle that culminated with Lemieux biting Tkachuk’s hand. The incident led to a game misconduct penalty for Lemieux.

However, the biting incident didn’t end there. The league suspended Lemieux for five games following an in-person hearing with the Department of Player Safety.

#2. The “official” high-five

Former Montreal Canadien Erik Cole high-fived an official after scoring a goal during a 2012 game versus the Ottawa Senators. Following the goal, the official standing next to the net raised his hand to signal the goal.

However, as Cole skated by, he thought the official had raised his hand to congratulate Cole. Cole high-fived the official, though he regretted his gesture later.

“He was the only one there, and I had to celebrate with somebody. I told him I was sorry after,” Cole said (h/t Yahoo! Sports).

#1. That helmet incident

One of the wackiest plays in NHL history has to be former Lightning star Evgeny Artyukhin hitting former Senators forward Antoine Vermette with his helmet.

The incident took place during a Lightning-Senators matchup in 2006. During a scuffle, Vermette’s helmet came off. Artyukhin picked it up and hit Vermette with it. The blows led to several stitches needed to repair Vermette’s injuries.

Artyukhin received a two-game suspension for the highly unusual mishap.