Which was the dirtiest team in the NHL this season? Shedding light on the most notorious set of players in 2022/23

The 2022-23 NHL season had tons of bright moments for players and teams but one stat not many teams want to be atop of is penalty minutes.

Taking penalties hinders the team and often results in goals scored for the opposing teams, but some penalties are needed like fighting, or roughing after sticking up for players.

But, let's take a look at the top three dirtiest teams in the NHL this past season and who led the way for them

#1. Ottawa Senators

The Ottawa Senators had the most penalty minutes in the NHL this past season, leaving them to be the dirtiest team in the league.

The Senators finished the season with 1017 penalty minutes good for an average of 12.4 minutes per game. Ottawa also took 39 major penalties - which are for fighting or for five-minute penalties which was the most in the league.

Leading the way for the Senators was Brady Tkachuk who had 126 penalty minutes which was third-most in the NHL. Austin Watson also ranked fifth in the league with 123 penalty minutes, as Ottawa played with a physical edge this season which caught the multiple times. Mark Kastelic had 107 PIMs which ranked 11th in the league.

Part of the reason why Ottawa is atop the league lead is due to the game in April against the Florida Panthers where the teams combined for 166 penalty minutes and Tkachuk was front and center of it.

Ottawa was the only team to have more than two players with more than 100 penalty minutes.

#2. Florida Panthers

The Florida Panthers finished second in the league in penalty minutes at 998, 19 minutes behind the Ottawa Senators, with that April 6 game against Ottawa playing a big role. The Panthers only had 22 major penalties this season, however.

Leading the Panthers in penalty minutes was Matthew Tkachuk who finished the year with 123 PIMs which was good for tied for fourth in the league. The next Panther was Brandon Montour who had 107 which ranks tied for eighth, and Ryan Lomberg had 88 which was 17th in the NHL.

To no surprise, Tkachuk led the way as like his brother Brady, he plays with an edge and is often in the middle of scrums.

#3. Tampa Bay Lightning

The Tampa Bay Lightning finished third in the NHL in penalty minutes with 995 just three back of Florida and 23 ahead of the fourth-place Arizona Coyotes. Tampa Bay also had 37 major penalties which was tied for second in the NHL.

It shouldn't be a surprise to see the Lightning in third place given the fact that Pat Maroon led the league in penalty minutes with 150, 14 more than second place. Tanner Jeannot also had 107 - although he was traded mid-season - which ranks eighth and Corey Perry had 95 which ranks 14th as Ottawa, Florida, and Tampa Bay were the only three teams to have three players rank in the top-20 of penalty minutes.