Top 10 most heinous on-ice acts of 2014 (Puck Daddy Year in Review)

(Puck Daddy presents its annual look back at the year in hockey. Check back every day through the New Year for our many lists and hot takes.)

It hasn't been the busiest year for the NHL's Department of Player Safety, which is good news: It means players are getting it. Alas, as we see in this countdown, many do not. Including some that are one their way to the NHL one day.

Here are the top 10 most heinous on-ice acts of 2014:

10. John Moore’s head-shot on Erik Haula

The Rangers defenseman was given a 2-game ban for a hit on Dale Weise on the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Just 12 games later, he was given a 5-gamer for this hit on Erik Haula of the Minnesota Wild that had a little bit of that ‘ol Cooke-on-Savard black magic.

9. Mike Rupp’s head-shot on T.J. Oshie

A shoulder to the head on Oshie earned Rupp a 4-game suspension from the NHL, which called it late and too high and totally interference. This incident was memorable for former Minnesota Wild player Wes Walz defending the Wild’s Rupp for the hit, blaming the St. Louis Blues for vowing to send a message to Minny.

8.  Gianluca Curcuruto head-shots Travis Konecny

The Plymouth Whalers defenseman saw an opportunity to lay out Ottawa’s Konecny and took it, nailing the 17-year-old draft prospect in the noggin. The result was a 12-game suspension from the OHL. Watch the hit on the OHL site.

7. Ryan Garbutt gets trippy vs. Winnipeg

The Dallas stars pest had a two-fer against the Winnipeg Jets in December, with a straight-legged trip of goalie Michael Hutchinson and then a slew-foot that lifted the 526-pound* Dustin Byfuglien off the ice and then crashing down. He earned a 3-game suspension from the NHL.

*Our estimate

6. Matt Cooke goes knee-on-knee with Barrie

Matt Cooke had been on his best … well, best for Matt Cooke behavior for a while. Then, in a playoff game against the Colorado Avalanche, he basically did the Captain Morgan pose in going knee-on-knee with Tyson Barrie, taking out the Avs’ No. 2 defenseman. Cooke earned a 7-game suspension and lost the benefit of the doubt.

5. Noah Bushnell elbows Julius Bergman in the head

Bushnell skated up to Julius Bergman, raised his arm and elbowed Bergman in the head, earning a 10-game suspension for the Sarnia Sting forward from this September game. (Watch the video here.) Hey, it’s preseason for dudes who want to elbow other dudes in the head, too…

4. Milan Lucic spears DeKeyser

It’s one thing to go tape-to-taint with an opponent. It’s another to do it when he’s got his back turned to you. The Boston Bruins forward was fined $5,000 for this cup-check on Danny DeKeyser of the Detroit Red Wings. Not exactly Milan Lucic’s finest moment, but it would be erased later in the postseason when he threatened to murder most of the Montreal Canadiens.

3. Anthony Stolarz slashes Josh Ho-Sang in the head

Windsor’s Josh Ho-Sang gave London Knights goalie Anthony Stolarz a slash at the end of a play in their Memorial Cup playoff game. Stolarz responded by taking his goalie lumber and smacking Ho-Sang in the back of the hear. Inexplicably, outside of “it was Josh Ho-Sang,” Stolarz was only given a 2-minute minor. That was later rectified by the OHL, who gave him an 8-game suspension. Also, Stolarz is a Philadelphia Flyers draft pick. Sometimes the jokes write themselves, folks.

2. Lukas Kaspar throws stick at ref

In a KHL game in November, Yugra Khanty-Mansiysk forward Lucas Kaspar was hit with a slap shot. He crumpled to the ice as his opponents controlled the puck. Like, for a while. Kaspar was in ridiculous pain, so he’s thinking this was a serious injury. Yet there was no whistle. So he decided to get a whistle … by hurling his stick like a javelin at the referee.

He was kicked out of the game and suspended for five more.

1. Storm Phaneuf, wearing skates, kicks a dude

Storm Phaneuf is a goalie for the Chicoutimi Sagueneens of the QMJHL. The crease is his domain. The Drummondville Voltigeurs' Dylan Montcalm crashed that crease, and for that was given a goalie interference penalty.

At that moment, Phaneuf remembered he was wearing Ginzu knives on his feet, and kicked Montcalm with his skate.

Montcalm was injured, but not seriously. Phaneuf was suspended for nine games. But hey, bright side: His was the most heinous on-ice act of 2014. Congrats, or something.

MORE FROM YAHOO HOCKEY