Zac Rinaldo is a “prick.”



That’s his word. It’s probably yours, too.



“I’m hard to play against,” Rinaldo said. “I’m rude. I have attitude. I have swagger on the ice.”



Rinaldo doesn’t push the envelope. He tears it into little pieces, then blows them in your face with a smug grin. The modern NHL has weeded out players like Rinaldo, but not him. He keeps getting work.



Of course, there are consequences for being an unapologetic agitator. Rinaldo’s extensive rap sheet speaks for itself: two fines, five suspensions totaling 25 games and $173,851.09 in lost salary since debuting in 2011. The Department of Player Safety has enough footage of Rinaldo, 28, to produce a short film.



But it’s more than that. Because of his reputation, the line between Rinaldo the player and Rinaldo the person often is blurred.



“I’ve always played on the...