Dennis Polonich Dennis Daniel Polonich Selected by Detroit Red Wings 8th round ( # 118 ) in 1973 NHL Amateur Draft is a retired professional centre who spent his entire NHL career with the Detroit Red Wings . He was known as a troublemaker who would do anything ( especially fighting ) to disrupt the opposition . He was selected 8th ( 118th overall ) by the Detroit Red Wings in the 1973 NHL Amateur Draft . Playing career . Junior hockey . Polonich began noticing early on that he wasn ' t one of the big kids around the league . Standing only an unimpressive five feet , six inches , and while playing for the Flin Flon Bombers of the WCHL , Polonich decided he needed a way to get the attention of the pro scouts . He felt the easiest way to do this was getting the face of every single player on the other team while scoring some goals in between . Polonich started picking fights with players all over the league during the 1972 – 73 season and was known to never stop trash - talking . He racked up 222 penalty minutes to go along with 83 points that season but also accomplished what he first set out to do , impress the scouts . Polonich was drafted 118th by the Detroit Red Wings in 1973 . However , the Wings wanted to see if Polonich could be as effective in a higher league . They decided to ship him across the pond to Britain to play a season with the London Lions . He impressed and was brought back for the 1974 – 75 season . Professional hockey . In the 1974 – 75 season the AHL had its first look at the young firecracker when Polonich joined the Virginia Wings . He helped them reach the playoffs with 34 points while leading the team in penalty minutes and went on to be the best scorer in their short playoff appearance . Towards the end of the season Polonich got the chance to play in his first NHL game . He would join the Wings for four games that season ending with no goals , no assists , and surprisingly no penalty minutes , but with a renewed sense of what he was playing for . After a quick stint with the Kalamazoo Wings of the IHL , Polonich became a full - time Red Wing in the 1975 – 76 NHL season . The Red Wings were retooling , adding toughness and grit to their roster after a few disappointing seasons and Polonich fit the bill . Although small , Polonich brought an instant force to the team and starting wreaking havoc in the highest league in hockey . Polonich set a club record on March 24 , 1976 by sitting out eight penalties - five minors , a major and a misconduct . Looking back , Polonich wishes he ’ d spent less time in the sin bin and more on the ice . " " If I had stayed out of the box a little more , I might have scored 20 or 25 goals , you have to have a mighty long stick to score from the penalty box . " " In the 1976 – 77 season Polonich had a short tenure as captain of the Detroit Red Wings while Danny Grant was injured . He would finish second on the team in scoring with 46 points and first on the team ( second in the league behind Tiger Williams ) in penalty minutes with 274 . He would again lead the team in penalty minutes the following season . On October 25 , 1978 Polonich was doing what he did best when he got under the skin of Colorado Rockies ' Wilf Paiement . In what has been termed as the worst - ever case of brutality in the NHL , Paiement smashed the dimunitive Polonich across the face with his stick , leaving Polonich with a concussion , severe facial lacerations , and a broken nose requiring reconstructive surgery . Polonich sued , and was rewarded with a settlement of $ 850 , 000 in 1982 . Polonich suffered from breathing problems for the remainder of his career . After five and a half seasons with the Red Wings , Polonich was sent down to the AHL after the 1980 – 81 season and , besides 11 games in 1982 , would remain there . He helped the Adirondack Red Wings reach the playoffs twice in the following four years before jumping to the Muskegon Lumberjacks of the IHL . Polonich finally retired in 1987 .