CHB Countdown: Top 5 Canucks Hip Checks

It’s that special moment when one man swerves his hips in a quick fluid motion and uses his momentum to launch his butt at another man. Yes, you guessed it, I’m talking about the hipcheck.  Unique, strange, rare- the hip check is one of the most exciting plays in hockey because of its ability to send a guy flying. Unconventional in it’s technique, the hip check takes a special blend of timing and balance to be completed perfectly. When it is done efficiently, the result is glory for the hitter and shame for the hittee.

We’ve been lucky as Canucks fans to be privy to some beautiful hip checks in recent years. What our back-end lacks in size it makes up for in bum-swinging.

Here are the top 5 Canucks hip checks:

5) Mason Raymond on Brad Marchand –  Not known for his hitting prowess ,Raymond surprises ratboy with a beauty hipper.

4) Keith Ballard on Jordin Tootoo – Ballard gives Tootoo the topsy turvy in this 2011 playoff series game.

3) Dan Hamhuis on Milan Lucic – Another from the 2011 playoff run, the Olympian gives Milan Lucic the ‘howdoyoudo’ via hip/butt.

2) Jan Bulis on Jack Johnson – This was Jan’s only hip and bodycheck in his career! Just kidding (but probably not). Here, Jan welcomes a very green Jack Johnson to the NHL.

1) Keith Ballard on Jamie Mcginn – SICK Flip-ch, er sorry HIP-check by Keith Ballard in 2011 (year of the hip-check) during the Western Conference Finals.