Last week we gave you our Top-10 Statistical Overachievers of ‘09-10, which sparked some heated discussion. This week, we shift our focus to NHLers who put disappointing numbers in the ‘09-10 regular season.

But first, we respond to a couple of e-mails. (Don’t ask us how these e-mailers knew ahead of time who wouldn’t make the list. We don’t know either.)

Q: Hockeycentric! Love your top-10 lists. But what’s the deal with Tim Thomas not making your list of underachievers? — Jesse from Philly

A: The answer is pretty simple Jesse: Tim Thomas overachieved last season, so his numbers this year are fairly reasonable, and still quite good. This is where he should be.

Q: Hey there, how come Rod Brind’Amour didn’t make your list? — Moses in Port Perry

A: Thanks for the question Moses. Because Rod Brind’Amour should have retired two years ago and really, no one expects anything from him now except taking up salary cap space and looking like a camel.

Now, onto the list of statistical underachievers:

10. Martin Havlat — 54 Points
It was Havlat who led the offensively gifted Chicago Blackhawks in scoring before signing with Minnesota in the summer of 2009, and then falling off considerably as a member of the Wild. By the time Havlat began to produce in ‘09-10, the Wild were well back of a playoff spot.

9. Dion Phaneuf — 32 Points
The hulking Flame-turned-Maple Leaf set the bar for himself in the first four years of his career, scoring 20 goals in his rookie season and 60 points in ‘07-08. After a scoring only 22 points in 55 games with the Flames, Phaneuf was shipped to Toronto where he saw his goal production diminish drastically, with only 2 markers in 26 games with the Leafs.

8. Mattias Ohlund — 13 Points, 0 Goals
Prior to this past season, Mattias Ohlund was a safe bet for 25 points, or even 30-plus. Ohlund followed the scent of cash to Tampa Bay in the summer of 2009, where he was offered a 7-year deal worth 3.6 million per season that will pay him until the age of 39. Penciled in as the Lightning’s number one defenseman, Ohlund’s production fell well short of expectations.

7. Milan Michalek — 34 Points
Despite the relatively successful regular season by the Ottawa Senators which saw them return to the post-season, the trade return for Dany Heatley performed quite pathetically. Milan Michalek was the centre piece of San Jose’s package for Heatley, and while he did light the lamp 22 times, he was directly involved in only 34 scoring plays. Clearly, Bryan Murray was expecting Michalek to score the way he did between 2006 and 2009, where he put up 66, 55 and 57 points.

6. Niklas Backstrom — 26-23-8, .903, 2.72
One year removed from a Vezina Trophy nomination on the strength of a .923 save percentage and 8 shutouts, Backstrom’s game went south as the entire Minnesota team adapted to a new coach and a new system.

5. Pavel Datsyuk — 70 Points
Considering the injuries in Motown this year, Datsyuk’s production understandably dropped, but for a player who had just recorded back-to-back 97-point campaigns, a 70-point output simply looks anemic for the Russian skillster.

4. Brad Boyes — 14 goals, 42 points
From 43, to 33, to 14 goals for the go-to goal-scoring forward on the St. Louis Blues. Boyes was perhaps the key underachiever on the Blues in a season where they finished 9th in the West after finishing 6th the year previous.

3. Jay Bouwmeester — 3 Goals, 26 Assists
Darryl Sutter thought Jay-Bo would be the final piece to the puzzle in Calgary. Half a season later, neither Bouwmeester or Phaneuf were producing, and the stacked blueline wasn’t performing as expected. With a cap hit of 6.68 million, Bouwmeester must put up 40 points at minimum, and at least 10 goals.

2. Scott Hartnell — 14 goals
After an impressive year in ‘08-09 (30-30-60), Scott Hartnell’s goal total dropped by more than 50%, as did his status for the time being as a premier NHL power forward. There should be no excuse for Hartnell, who is in the fortunate position of lining up alongside an ultra-talented group of top-6 forwards in Philadelphia.

1. Steve Mason — 20-26-9, .901, 3.06
They will be calling him ‘Steve Mason: Net Detective’ if the former Calder Trophy winner can’t get back to form for the ‘10-11 season. Mason was the biggest factor in vaulting Columbus into the playoffs in ‘08-09, recording 10 shutouts along the way and a .937 save percentage. One year later, his save percentage was barely over .900 (it was below that mark for most of the season), and the Blue Jackets were floundering near the bottom of the Western Conference Standings.

We have more NHL Top-10 Lists, and we guarantee there will be at least one that you enjoy reading.

Statistics often tell the truth, but they rarely tell the whole story.

When hockey fans of the future look at the numbers, they might think Matt Moulson was a budding superstar. That is, unless they read this list first…

Here are the ten players who are better represented by the numbers than on the ice.

10. Jimmy Howard — 37 Wins, .924 SV%, 2.26 GAA
Playing in a well-established system that has been designed to shelter goaltenders, Howard put up numbers that have made him a dark horse contender for the Calder Trophy. The Red Wings helped Chris Osgood to a .914 save percentage and a 2.09 goals against average two just seasons ago, which makes you wonder just how much the Red Wings’ team concept played into Jimmy Howard’s stellar rookie numbers.

9. Alex Burrows — 35 Goals
While we do give Alex Burrows credit because he cares about his teammates and the fans, his profile has been raised considerably — along with his statistical output — after finding himself taking a regular shift with the Sedins. As a result, he finished 10th in goal scoring, in a league where he’d be ranked outside of the top-30 in terms of talented finishers.

8. Jussi Jokinen — 30 Goals, 65 Points
One of the lone bright spots in a down year for the Hurricanes, Jussi Jokinen found his scoring touch with a shooting percentage of 18.8%, which was 25th best in the league. He’ll certainly be sought after in pools next year, but don’t assume that he’s set the pace for the prime of his career. Jokinen will more likely average around 20 goals and 50 points rather than 30 and 65.

7. Joni Pitkanen — 1st in TOI/G – 27:22
The premier defensemen in the National Hockey League are quite frequently top minute munchers as well, skilled and physically sound enough to be put on the ice in any situation. Strangely, Joni Pitkanen was first in the league in ice time per game this year, finishing ahead of such studs as Keith, Niedermayer, Pronger, Bouwmeester and Boyle. His talent shouldn’t warrant such ice time.

6. Troy Brouwer — 7 Game-Winning Goals
Scoring seven game winners tied Brouwer for fourth in that category league-wide. More of a mucker than a finisher, Brouwer managed 22 goals in ‘09-10, meaning nearly one third of his goals were game-deciding. What can we attribute to Brouwer’s propensity to score at the right time? He spent a significant chunk of time with Kane and Toews, and had lots of opportunities for game-winners as the Hawks finished with 52 wins.

5. Matt Carle — Plus-19
Beyond Chris Pronger’s plus-22 and Matt Carle’s plus-19, the next best Philadelphia Flyer in that category was Blair Betts at plus-7. Pronger and Carle played as a pairing for most of the season, and it should be fairly obvious to most that it wasn’t Carle elevating Pronger’s game, but in fact the very opposite.

4. Lee Stempniak — 28 Goals
The former St. Louis Blue was a ghost for nearly two seasons in Toronto, scoring 14 goals in 62 games with the Maple Leafs in ‘09-10 prior to being acquired at the deadline by the Coyotes. Stempniak then scored 14 goals in 18 games with the Coyotes, equalling his Toronto totals in 48 less games and finishing with a respectable total of 28. This inflated number should make him an attractive free agent for teams in non-hockey markets.

3. Matt Moulson — 30 Goals
For a player who had not hit the 30-goal mark since his last year of Junior B hockey, Moulson scored 14 goals in his first 28 games of ‘09-10 as a relatively anonymous 26-year-old free agent pickup. Maybe the opposition was just paying way too much attention to John Tavares…

2. Jose Theodore — 30-7-7 Record
For the second consecutive year, Theodore has entered the playoffs as starter and been replaced after a poor showing by Semyon Varlamov. Theodore isn’t regarded by many as a top-20 NHL goaltender, which is supported by his 2.81 goals against average, which doesn’t at all match up with his win/loss record of ‘09-10.

1. Jeff Schultz — Plus-50
Schultz has established himself as a competent defensive defenseman in the last two seasons, but the credit he receives playing for the offensive powerhouse Washington Capitals is a bit much. The Caps have seven other players who are plus-20 or greater, a team goal differential of plus-85, and were the only team to eclipse the 300 goal mark. Perhaps more importantly, Schultz spent the season playing with a point-per-game defense partner named Mike Green.

Nobody knows why, but certain jersey numbers just don’t look right.

Further to this mystery, hockey fans have a sense of when a number looks right on a player’s back, and when the digits simply don’t work.

Sometimes it’s not the look of a number, but the history of a number that causes a fan to take offense. Nobody wants to see lesser players tarnish the numbers once worn by their heroes.

In a highly-subjective and unscientific manner, we’ve thrown together a list of particularly offensive jersey numbers worn by current NHLers. We encourage you to add those you think we’ve missed in the comments section.

10. Rostislav Klesla – 97
An unnecessarily high number, one that is too close to 99 and worn by a low-profile Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman.

9. Jay Bouwmeester & Others – 4
The NHL retired Wayne Gretzky’s 99 league-wide upon his retirement, ensuring that no player will share digits with The Great One. But what about Bobby Orr, who shares a similar stature as Gretzky? The greatest defenseman of all time and certainly the most influential, should Orr’s number 4 be retired amongst defensemen?

8. Mike Ribeiro – 63
For Mike Ribeiro, it’s all about style and originality, which gives you the sense that number 63 was Ribeiro’s best attempt at choosing a number that reflects his personality. Problem is, number 63 is ugly as sin.

7. “The Number 91 Gang”
For a time, the number 91 was solely defined by Sergei Fedorov. Back then, it was a cool number, but has since been watered down. Youngsters John Tavares and Steven Stamkos join Brad Richards, Mike Comrie and Marc Savard as owners of the digits, while Scott Gomez (for some reason) made the switch when he landed in Montreal. Prominent prospects Kyle Turris and Nazem Kadri wear 91, as will several 1991-born prospects yet to join the NHL. Maybe one or more of Club 91 will realize that the number isn’t cool anymore.

6. Martin Havlat – 14
Upon signing in Minnesota for big dollars, Martin Havlat adopted the number 14 after wearing 24 for his entire career. Minnesota and Havlat’s early tenure under contract there have been failures, so perhaps it’s time to swing a deal with Derek Boogard for the number 24?

5. The Sedins – 22 and 33
It took me a few years to finally memorize who was 22 and who was 33. Then I forgot again. It’s really swell of the Sedin Twins to wear numbers in consecutive increments of 11, but it confuses the hell out of people. Here’s an idea: Daniel and Henrik should wear numbers based on their average career goal totals — Daniel would stay 22 and Henrik would become 15.

4. Erik Karlsson, Victor Oreskovich – 65
An ugly number and one digit away from Mario’s 66. Maybe for a rag-tag player like Oreskovich the number is appropriate, but the highly-skilled Karlsson would be better suited to a sleek number. No fan should be subjected to the number 65.

3. Brandon Yip, Chad LaRose – 59
“…56, 57, 58, 59…. 59…. what comes after 59? Hmm okay I’ll just stop at 59.” Just like 65, 59 is one of those ugly and awkward numbers. Unless this is the year one of your parents were born, don’t wear the number.

2. Mike Mottau – 27
Scott Niedermayer wore number 27 in his prime with the New Jersey Devils, and Mike Mottau wears number 27 today for the same franchise. Mottau should have read up on Devils’ history before wearing and tainting the number of a franchise great.

1. Bobby Ryan – 9
Since the Anaheim Ducks came into existance in 1993, Teemu Selanne and Paul Kariya have defined the franchise more than any two players. Selanne’s number 8 and Kariya’s number 9 have gained legendary status in Anaheim. Unfortunately, rising star Bobby Ryan has adopted Kariya’s number and redefining it for a young generation of Ducks fans. Kariya’s contribution to the early years in Anaheim and his 669 points in 609 games should be honoured along with his number. Ryan looked snazzier wearing 54 anyway.

Streaks come in many forms, from winning and losing, to goal-scoring and goal-less. When a team or a player really gets into a streak, they almost don’t acknowledge it, for fear that it will end (if it’s a winning or goal-scoring streak) or will keep going (a losing or goal-less streak).

There have been some pretty remarkable streaks in the NHL this season. Beginning on January 5th, the Washington Capitals won 14 straight games, a streak that ended on February 10th in overtime against the Montreal Canadiens.

Just last week, Steven Stamkos’ 17-game point scoring streak ended — a stretch that saw him notch 17 goals and 33 points from January 19th to March 11th.

And the Carolina Hurricanes have endured a 14-game losing streak as well as a seven game winning streak during the 09-10 regular season.

As astonishing as those streaks are, they don’t even crack our top 10. Here are the top 10 NHL streaks of all time:




10. Doug Jarvis’ 964 Consecutive Games
Considered the ultimate ironman, centre Doug Jarvis played in 964 consecutive games, breaking the previous record set by Gary Unger of 914 games. Jarvis didn’t miss a single game from the start of the 1975-76 season until the end of the 1984-85 season. Playing with the Montreal Canadiens and the Washington Capitals, he won four Stanley Cups with the Habs during the nine season playing streak.

9. The Washington Capitals’ 17 Game Losing Skid
The 1974-75 Washington Capitals are widely considered the worst team in NHL history. They finished the regular season with a record of 8-67-5, a full 20 points behind the next worst team, the Kansas City Scouts (who would go on a 27-game winless streak just one season later). Washington set the record for fewest wins in a season (8), fewest wins on the road (1), fewest points (21), most consecutive losses (17) and most goals allowed (446).

8. The Bruins’ Playoff Streak
As incredible as it is that the Detroit Red Wings have qualified for the playoffs every season since the 1989-1990 season, the Boston Bruins competed in the post-season from 1967-68 until 1995-96. They won two cups during the streak, 1969-70 and 1971-72. Their streak of post-season appearances is a North American major professional record, and the Detroit Red Wings will need to compete in the spring for another 11 seasons just to tie this record.

7. The Philadelphia Flyers Go Unbeaten in 35
The Broad Street Bullies were a mean and talented group in the late 70s and early 80s. In 1979-80, they strung together 25 wins and 10 ties for the longest undefeated streak for not only the NHL but all professional sports. Simply known as “The Streak” it lasted from October 16, 1979 until January 6th 1980. The Flyers took first overall in the NHL that year and lost two playoff games on the way to the Stanley Cup Finals, where they lost to the New York Islanders.

6. Brian Boucher’s Shutout Streak
Yes, the same Brian Boucher that plays backup to Michael Leighton on the Philadelphia Flyers, recorded the NHL’s longest shutout streak in 2005 while with the Phoenix Coyotes. Boucher recorded an amazing five straight shutouts, a total of 332 minutes without allowing a single goal. The streak ended on a fluky goal 6:16 into the first period of the Coyotes’ next game against the Atlanta Thrashers.

5. Bobby Orr’s 8 Consecutive Norris Trophies
Bobby Orr is one of a handful of NHL players that changed the way hockey is played. Orr racked up a remarkable eight consecutive Norris Trophies, a record that will never be beaten. In 1969-70, he not only captured the Norris trophy, but also the Hart, Art Ross, Conn Smythe and the Stanley Cup. After 12 seasons — many of which were affected by injury — he was forced to retire due to knee problems. This streak may have been longer had Bobby been blessed with healthy knees.

4. Montreal Canadiens’ 10 Consecutive Overtime Playoff Wins
The playoffs are a time when clutch goaltending is a necessity, and no one did clutch better than Patrick Roy in the 1993 playoffs. The Habs strung together 10 consecutive overtime wins en route to the 1993 Stanley Cup. They won game 3 in Quebec in OT; games 2,3 and 4 in OT vs. Buffalo; Two overtime wins vs. the New York Islanders, and three overtime wins vs. Wayne Gretzky and the Los Angeles Kings to capture the franchise’s 24th Stanley Cup.

3. The Penguins’ 17-Game Winning Streak
Coming off consecutive Cup wins, the Pittsburgh Penguins were dealt a huge blow when Mario Lemieux was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s disease. After missing only 24 games, Super Mario returned to take the Penguins along on the longest winning streak in NHL history. Lemieux won the Art Ross Trophy with 160 points and the Penguins won their first President’s Trophy.

2. Glenn Hall’s Consecutive Games for a Goalie
Glenn Hall’s 502 consecutive games as a goalie is considered the most unbeatable record in all of sports. Hall’s streak stretches from 1955 to 1962, and during those seven years he perfected his butterfuly style and racked up numerous NHL records, including most games played, most minutes, most wins and most shutouts (these last two have been broken). Hall was famous for his nerves, and during the 502 game streak he vomited before every single game.

1. Gretzky’s 51 Gamer
It is difficult to narrow down just which streak is Gretzky’s greatest. His eight consecutive Hart trophies? What about his 14 consecutive 100+ point seasons? In the end, his 51-game point streak from the start of the 1983-84 season takes the cake. Gretzky recorded a mind-boggling 61 goals and 92 assists from October 4th, 1983 to January 28th 1984 for 153 points. Not only is this the longest point-scoring streak from the start of the regular season, it is also the longest and most productive point-scoring streak in NHL history. The Great One would finish with 87 goals and 118 assist for 205 points on the way to his very first Stanley Cup.

Hockey fans know that the greatest sporting event of the year happens in June, not February.

The following list is as biased towards hockey as you’ll find on the interwebs; we present you with 10 reasons why Game Seven of the Stanley Cup Final is better than the Superbowl.

10. People Don’t Bet On Who Wins the Opening Faceoff
The Superbowl, for many, is an excuse to bet on the tiniest details of a game. What colour sweater will Bill Belichick be wearing? Who will be the first player to step out of bounds? Bets surrounding Stanley Cup Game Seven mostly involve who wins and the final score.

9. No Halftime Show
The NHL doesn’t require a performance by The Who during second intermission to amp up a Game Seven.

8. The Vince Lombardi Trophy is Dinky; The Stanley Cup is Majestic
There’s no contest between the superiority of the Stanley Cup over the Lombardi Trophy, which is about as spectacular as a Tyke house-league championship hockey trophy. The Stanley Cup meanwhile — as even hockey haters will admit — is the sexiest of all trophies.

7. Not Everyone Pretends To Care About The Cup
For some reason, everyone tunes in for the Superbowl and everyone wants in on the conversation. For many, to watch the Superbowl is to stay “in the loop”. Sure, non-hockey fans tune in to Game Seven of the Stanley Cup Final, but its audience is formed of a higher percentage of actual fans than the Superbowl.

6. Played On Home or Enemy Territory, Not Neutral Ground
“Congratulations to the Detroit Red Wings. Nicklas Lidstrom, please come and accept the Stanley Cup!” As the defeated Pittsburgh Penguins look on, the fans in Nationwide Arena in Columbus don’t quite know how to react. The concept of playing a championship game on neutral soil is one of the most idiotic concepts in professional sports. How about rewarding home soil to the team with the better record? A hometown Stanley Cup presentation is one of the most exciting finishes in hockey.

5. You Can Name 90% of The Winning Roster
The NHL playoffs are a great time for learning about the lesser-known contributers on NHL clubs. Beyond the fact that there’s little time in the NFL playoffs to get fully acquainted with rosters, very few players per side are focused on. You’re guaranteed to know the names of six players during the Superbowl: Two QBs, two running backs, and two receivers. Can anyone tell me the name of the right guard for New Orleans?

4. Nobody “Takes a Knee” With 30 Seconds Left
Imagine this: last year’s Game Seven between the Pens and Wings, Marc-Andre Fleury gloves the puck with 30 seconds left, and calmly takes a knee while time runs down. Wow, what a dramatic finish to a championship. Sadly, football games end this way, as have many a Superbowl.

3. Because the Superbowl is a Football Game
If you’re reading this, you’re either a hardcore hockey fan, or a football fan who was directed here by another angry football fan who told you, “Look at what these idiots are saying about football! Stupid puck heads!” Greatest game on earth + winner-take-all culmination of grueling quest = The greatest spectacle in sports.

2. Game Seven Doesn’t Happen Every Year
When we’re lucky enough to see a Cup Final head to Game Seven, it’s a sure sign of an even match-up. You can’t squeak by in the NHL playoffs. When Game Seven happens, it’s unmistakably between the league’s two best teams.

1. The Road To Glory Is Long and Grueling
So the Indianapolis Colts have played two hours of playoff football on their way to Superbowl 44. Wow. Grueling. On their way to the Stanley Cup finals in the Spring of 2009, the Penguins played 17 hours of hockey. The harder the road, the sweeter the glory.

Some people say our Top-10 Archive should be given an award. We agree.

With the Olympic trade freeze just two weeks away, trade speculation is everywhere. Many GMs and members of the media have expressed their discontent with the current CBA and its stifling of mid-season trades. Trades during the regular season are few nowadays, but the deadline is always busy.

This year, there will be a trade freeze commencing on February 12, and ending on February 28th. The NHL trade deadline is March 3rd, so expect a flurry of rumours, negotiations and transactions prior to and immediately after the Olympics.

Contending teams will bid for the services of available players, while those out of the race will look to stock up on picks and prospects with an eye towards the future. Here’s our list of the best deadline deals since the lockout, which have been one-sided steals, bad fits and win-win transactions.

10. February 26, 2008
To Pittsburgh: Hal Gill
To Toronto: 2nd Round Pick in 2008, 5th Round Pick in 2009
Not recognized as a significant trade at the time, Gill became a dependable veteran presence and penalty killer for the young Penguins. He helped them win the Eastern Conference and advance to the 2008 Stanley Cup Finals where they lost to the Detroit Red Wings. Gill then hoisted the Cup in 2009 after the Pens defeated the Red Wings in seven games.

9. February 26, 2008
To Detroit: Brad Stuart
To Los Angeles: 2nd Round Pick, 4th Round Pick
Stuart was traded at the 2008 deadline to an already stacked Red Wings team. He enjoyed top-4 minutes playing alongside Niklas Kronwall and the Wings won the Cup that season. In the off-season, Detroit signed Stuart to a 4-year deal worth $15 million.

8. March 4, 2009
To Pittsburgh: Bill Guerin
To NY Islanders: Conditional 5th Round Pick (Became a 3rd Round Pick)
With so much cash invested up the middle, the Penguins were hurting for a quality scoring winger prior to last year’s deadline, which is why the acquisitions of Guerin and Kunitz made so much sense. After signing with the New York Islanders, Guerin was handed the Captaincy to a team in the midst of an intense rebuild, but he wound up playing out the last months of his contract on the wing with Sidney Crosby in Pittsburgh. Needless to say, Guerin’s size, skill and leadership proved valuable to the Pens, as they toppled the Wings in a Stanley Cup rematch.

7. February 24, 2007
To Atlanta: Alexei Zhitnik
To Philadelphia: Braydon Coburn
The Flyers had a brutal 45-point season in 2006-07, but did an excellent job of retooling for the future at the 2007 deadline and in the off-season. Coburn has become an NHL regular in Philly, while Zhitnik was bought out at the end of the 2008 season and has never played another NHL game.

6. February 27, 2007
To St. Louis: Brad Boyes
To Boston: Dennis Wideman
While this deal didn’t amount to much for the 2007 Playoffs, it worked out for both teams in the long run. Brad Boyes scored a combined 76 goals in the 2007-08 and 2008-09 seasons. Dennis Wideman was incredible last year with the Bruins, amassing 50 points in 79 games. Strangely, and rather fittingly, both players have struggled mightily in ‘09-10 after having strong campaigns in ‘08-09.

5. March 9, 2006
To Edmonton: Sergei Samsonov
To Boston: Marty Reasoner, Yan Stastny, 2nd Round Pick in 2006 (Milan Lucic)
Samsonov became a key member of the 8th seeded Edmonton Oilers that made an improbable run to the 2006 Stanley Cup Finals. Reasoner and Stastny didn’t spend much time in Boston, but drafting Lucic as a 2nd round pick worked wonders for the Bruins. Bruins fans love his hard-hitting style and offensive upside that he brings to the table. Different circumstances, but a great result for both clubs.

4. March 8, 2006
To Edmonton: Dwayne Roloson
To Minnesota: 1st Round Pick in 2006 (traded to L.A. for Pavol Demitra), Conditional 3rd Round Pick
Roloson initially struggled after being acquired at the deadline. Oilers’ management took some flack for the deal, but the critics were silenced when Roloson led the Oilers into the playoffs and all the way to the Stanley Cup Finals. Unfortunately, he was hurt in Game 1 of the Finals, and the Oilers were unable to get the job done without him. He stayed on as Edmonton’s starting goaltender for the next three seasons before being let go as an unrestricted free agent.

3. February 15, 2007
To Nashville: Peter Forsberg
To Philadelphia: Scottie Upshall, Ryan Parent, 1st Round Pick in 2007, 3rd Round Pick in 2007
Another great trade that would help the Flyers re-tool for the following season. Trading Forsberg for prospects turned out to be the right move; Scottie Upshall and Ryan Parent would help the Flyers reach the Conference Finals the very next season. Forsberg would enjoy little success in the NHL after this point.

2. February 26, 2008
To Dallas: Brad Richards and Johan Holmqvist
To Tampa Bay: Mike Smith, Jussi Jokinen, Jeff Halpern, 4th Round Pick
The Dallas Stars won this deal. The Stars advanced to the Conference Finals in 2008. They have struggled as a team since then, but Richards has excelled. He is their undisputed franchise player, currently sitting 7th in league scoring with 59 points, including 44 assists. At the end of the 2007-08 season, Johan Holmqvist signed a contract with HC Frolunda, and has never returned to the NHL. Mike Smith has struggled in Tampa Bay, and has not blossomed into the starter the Lightning had hoped for. Jokinen was claimed off waivers by the Hurricanes, and enjoyed a successful playoff run in 2009. Other than a hot streak immediately after being acquired, Halpern hasn’t made much of a difference for the Lightning.

1. February 26, 2008
To Pittsburgh: Marian Hossa and Pascal Dupuis
To Atlanta: Colby Armstrong, Erik Christensen, Angelo Esposito, 1st Round Pick (Daultan Leveille).
This was a monumental deal that was announced just minutes before the 3:00 PM trade deadline. We all know the Hossa story. After being criticized about his performance in the clutch, he stepped up and helped get the Penguins to the 2008 Stanley Cup Finals, where they eventually lost to the Detroit Red Wings. In the off-season, Hossa signed with the Wings, where he thought he had the best chance to win a Cup. The Wings lost the 2009 Stanley Cup Finals to the Penguins. Last summer, Hossa signed with the Blackhawks, who have a legitimate shot at the cup this year. Could it happen again?

Pascal Dupuis is still plugging away on the Penguins, but he has been less than spectacular. Colby Armstrong is the only player Atlanta received in this deal who contributes on the ice. Christensen was placed on waivers and picked up by Anaheim. Esposito still isn’t ready for the NHL, and it is too early to evaluate Leveille.

There you have it. With a miniscule amount of trades during the regular season, the deadline has been called a hockey fan’s “Christmas Day” in recent years. Trade rumours are flying lately and the Kovalchuk sweepstakes are just getting started. Happy Holidays hockey fans.

Check out more of our splendiferous Top-10 lists here.

Peaking too early. It’s a universal phenomenon that Billy Joel explores in Scenes From an Italian Restaurant. He tells the story of Brenda and Eddie, everybody’s favourite highschool sweethearts, who seem to be destined for greatness. Years later they’ve divorced and are trying simply ‘pick up their pieces’. Such is life, and such is the nature of hockey. You can be a stud NHL prospect at 19, only to find yourself 18th in Swiss League scoring seven years later.

There is no better showcase for hockey’s future stars than the annual World Junior Hockey Championships. A great deal of big league talent has competed in the tournament over the years, as have the Eddie’s of the world. Those who didn’t quite make it, but showed flashes of dominance in their youth. Since 1990, here are ten players who peaked at the World Juniors:

10. Martin Gendron – 1994 – Canada
5′9” winger Martin Gendron led the 1994 tournament in scoring on the way to a Canadian gold medal victory over Sweden. While teammates such as Jason Allison, Todd Harvey, Jeff Friesen and Mike Peca found various levels of NHL success down the road, Gendron’s tournament efforts wouldn’t grant him a similar fate, as he only played 32 games in the NHL. Amongst two productive AHL campaigns, Gendron also went on to play seasons in Germany, Switzerland and Italy.

9. Jeff Farkas – 1998 – USA
Maple Leafs draft pick and Boston College standout Jeff Farkas was never expected to be a star in the NHL (and he wasn’t, appearing in only 11 games), but in the Winter months of the 1998 World Junior tournament, the American-born Farkas held the overall tournament lead for goals and points, ahead of future star Olli Jokinen. ‘98 was perhaps Canada’s poorest ever showing at the tournament, as the country finished 8th, with Josh Holden leading the team in scoring with 4 points in 7 games.

8. Daniel Tkaczuk – 1999 – Canada
Would it be fair to say that Daniel Tkaczuk is best known as Keith Tkachuk’s underachieving brother? Did you know that Daniel and Keith are not related? Most people don’t, much to Daniel’s misfortune, but it isn’t all bad for Daniel. In 1999, he led Canada in scoring ahead of Simon Gagne, and was named to the tournament all-star team. Daniel’s 10 points was good for second in the tournament, behind Brian Gionta and tied with the Sedin twins. Tkaczuk played in a single stint with the Flames and never returned to the NHL.

7. Milan Kraft – 2000 – Czech Republic
When one hears the name Milan Kraft, the first thing that undoubtedly comes to mind is Kraft Dinner, one of childhood’s greatest pleasures. Though for a time, Milan Kraft was the Kraft of the hour. He was on top of the hockey world in 2000, leading the Czechs to World Junior gold and finishing second in tournament scoring with 12 points. The former Pittsburgh Penguins 23rd overall pick helped the Czech juniors win their first ever gold over the Sweden, and has since moved on to play in the Czech Republic after having limited success in North America.

6. Dave Chyzowski – 1990 – Canada
Taken second overall in 1989 by the Islanders, the left-winger ping-ponged between the NHL and AHL, managing to score only 14 points in his best season, doing so twice. Considered one of the great draft busts of all time, Chyzowski only played a total of 126 NHL games. However, in the 1990 World Juniors, Chyzowski led Canada in scoring with 13 points, while placing second in points to Jaromir Jagr and Robert Reichel and being named to the tournament all-star team.

5. Christian Dube – 1997 – Canada
Canada captured gold in 1997, but how about the three no-names who led them in scoring: Brad Isbister, Christian Dube, and Cameron Mann. Dube was named to the tournament all-star team along with Sergei Samsonov, Mike York, Mark Streit, Chris Phillips and Brian Boucher. Dube has since played in Switzerland and has been an offensive standout, playing his last eight seasons for Bern.

4. Marty Murray – 1995 – Canada
In a year where several top Canadian junior-aged players were available because of the NHL lockout, Team Canada stormed to a 7-0-0 record to capture gold without much resistance. Despite the availability of talent, it was Calgary Flames fourth round pick Marty Murray who tied Jason Allison for the tournament lead in scoring as Canada’s top producer. While Allison posted some major numbers in the NHL, Murray bounced around from minor to pro, recording only 73 NHL points.

3. Justin Pogge – 2006 – Canada
Every time Justin Pogge appeared to be slipping in his professional development with the Toronto Marlies, an optimistic Leaf fan would be quick to remind you of Pogge’s magnificence in the 2006 World Juniors. Canada’s 2006 squad was led offensively by Blake Comeau, who was the only Canadian to score more than a point a game (7 in 6 games), as the Canadians relied upon solid defense and goaltending to get the job done. Pogge held the fort, recording 3 shutouts in 6 games, finishing the tournament with a GAA of 1.00 and winning MVP honours. On the strength of this performance, Maple Leafs management saw fit to trade their other stud goaltending prospect Tuukka Rask for Andrew Raycroft, effectively entrusting Pogge as Maple Leafs netminder of the future. Brian Burke has since traded Pogge for a conditional draft pick…

2. Florian Keller – 1996 – Germany
The 1996 tournament in Boston saw the Canadians win yet another Gold, Jarome Iginla leading the way offensively with 12 points, which was 6 more than any other teammate. Finishing a distant 8th were the Germans, who were led in scoring by Keller, who is virtually unknown in North America, and who also tied Iginla for the tournament lead with 12 points. Keller also outscored teammate Marco Sturm, who became a consistent NHL performer. Keller meanwhile became a semi-productive pro in Germany, thus ending the parallels between he and Iginla.

1. Pavel Brendl – 2001 – Czech Republic
He was picked fourth overall in the 1999 entry draft by the Rangers and was billed to be an offensive dynamo. At the 2001 World Juniors he showcased his skills, leading the Czech Republic to Gold and being named the tournament’s top forward. Brendl’s skills never fit with the NHL game, as he only managed 22 points in 78 games. He has however made a major impact overseas, holding the record for most goals in a Swedish Elite League season (34), and tying for the league lead in goals (35) in the inaugural KHL season.

We have some fantastic Top-10’s in our archive section!

There are over 750 NHL regulars in the league today, hailing from over 25 different nations around the world.

With so much diversity across the NHL, it is safe to say that each and every player followed a different path to get to the big league.

Some were born in tropical countries where hockey isn’t even played. Others honed their skills in the far north. Some weren’t disadvantaged by geography at all, but rather by political boundaries.

We take you through the top 10 players that had the odds stacked against them to make the NHL, but still made a career out of professional hockey.

10. Cristobal Huet – Huet is the first goaltender and only the second player out of France to play in the NHL. He has played for France at two Olympics and four World Championships. His NHL totals are as follows: a record of 108-76-11 with 20 shutouts, a SV % of .917 and a GAA of 2.45.

9. Olaf Kolzig – The first South African born player to play in the NHL, Kolzig grew up in Germany and has played for them a number of times internationally. Kolzig’s 303 wins put him 22nd all time among NHL goaltenders. He announced his retirement two months ago at the age of 39.

8. Nik Antropov – This 6-foot-6 Kazakhstanian forward was drafted 10th overall in the 1997 NHL Entry Draft. Kazakhstan is not known for its hockey players, nor is the rest of Central Asia. Antropov has played 10 NHL seasons and has been the captain of the Kazakhstanian National Team since 1999. There is no doubt that he is the greatest player to ever come out of Asia, but those who love watching him play should stick to Atlanta games this season, as Kazakhstan did not qualify for the 2010 Olympics.

7. Anze Kopitar – The only Slovenian-born NHL player, Kopitar has not only made the NHL against the odds, he has excelled. In 2006-07 he finished 3rd in rookie scoring behind Evgeni Malkin and Paul Stastny. He currently among the league leaders in NHL scoring this season, in the mix with some elite names. In 4 seasons he has played 263 games and has scored 237 points.

6. Mariusz Czerkawski – The Polish Prince played 11 seasons in the NHL, and is the only significant player to come out of Poland. Playing for the Boston Bruins, Edmonton Oilers, New York Islanders, Montreal Canadiens and Toronto Maple Leafs, he scored a total of 435 points in 745 NHL games. His most productive season was in 1999-2000, when he scored a remarkable 35 goals and 70 points with the New York Islanders, which was good enough for 26th in league scoring.

5. Scott Gomez – While certainly not the only NHL player to hail from Alaska, Gomez is the first Latino player to ever play in the NHL. He was born in Anchorage, Alaska, a long way from where his Mexican-American father and Colombian-American mother are from. Gomez was an early success in the NHL, winning the Calder Trophy and the Stanley Cup during his rookie season in 1999-2000. Canadiens fans now patiently anticipate his retirement.

4. Andre Deveaux – While not officially an NHL regular, Deveaux is the only Bahamian to have played an NHL game. Born in Freeport, Bahamas, he has spent most of his career in the AHL, starting with the Springfield Falcons in 2004-05. He has played a total of 21 games in the NHL with 1 assist and a total of 75 PIM.

3. Borje Salming – Recognized as the first European to have major success in the NHL, it is safe to say that the majority of the players on this list wouldn’t be playing in the NHL if it weren’t for Salming. Before Borje was around, the consensus was that European players weren’t tough enough to play in the NHL. While Don Cherry will secretly hold that assertion until the day he dies, Salming had a tremendous career with 787 points and 1344 PIM in 1148 games played.

2. Manon Rheaume – The first and only woman to play any type of NHL game, Rheaume played parts of two exhibition games for the Tampa Bay Lightning prior to the 1992-93 and 1993-94 regular seasons. She is also the first girl to play in the International Pee Wee Hockey Tournament, an event that young prospects such as Wayne Gretzky and Eric Lindros excelled at, and the first woman to play in a Major Junior game.

1. Willie O’Ree – The “Jackie Robinson of hockey”, O’Ree was the first player of African descent to play in the NHL. As if that wasn’t tough enough to accomplish, Willie was 95% blind in his right eye after being hit with a puck there two years earlier. He managed to keep his injury a secret, and was called up to the Boston Bruins in 1958, playing a total of 2 games. He came back in 1961 for 43 games with the Bruins, recording 4 goals and 14 points. While not much of a success in the NHL, O’Ree later won two scoring titles in the WHL, and continued to play in the minors until the age of 43.

Check out our archive section for more dandy top-10’s

Get ready for the most pro-hockey top-10 you’ve ever encountered.

We’ve compiled our list of the 10 things the National Hockey League does better than the other ‘Big 3′ pro sports leagues. (That is, the NFL, NBA, and MLB).

There’s no doubting the NHL has some shortcomings as compared with the other leagues. Attendance issues, marketing of superstars, television revenue, etc. But there’s no denying the NHL excels in many ways, even if fans of other leagues don’t want to admit it. Something tells me this list will be contested by more Americans than Canadians. Just a hunch.

To be fair, we’ll produce a list of ‘10 things the NHL needs to catch up on’ in the near future. …It might be a top-20.

10. The Draft
NHL draft coverage is becoming so in depth it’s almost laughable. It’s only November, but several stories have been run on TSN devoted between the race between Taylor Hall and Tyler Seguin for first overall in June’s draft. It might seem premature, but the NHL and its broadcasters do a terrific job acquainting fans with potential draftees. And drama? They milk the event dry, with the Draft Lottery, the immense build up, and the festivities themselves. The anticipation is heightened in years such as 2009, when the first overall pick remains ambiguous until the GM steps to the podium. Hosting the event in an arena while GM’s talk trade on the draft floor gives the event a unique flavour. And sometimes, just sometimes, Brian Burke owns Bryan Murray.

9. Free Agent Frenzy
One of the three unofficial annual hockey holidays (along with the draft and trade deadline day). The National Hockey League generates tremendous interest in the initial hours of free agency, largely because marquee players are quick to sign on July 1st, as itchy GM’s are ready at noon with persuasive sales pitches. By day’s end, a great deal of talent has changed hands, and fans are rarely disappointed. The explosion of trade rumour sites fuels the speculation, even though some notable rumour sources are less than reliable.

8. A Live Game
The best thing about a live baseball game is the company and the atmosphere, but the game itself isn’t enhanced. The only fans who get a good view of the strike zone are those sitting right behind the plate. Football? Terrific atmosphere, but the game isn’t the same without the aid of broadcasters offering play-by-play dissection and meaningful statistics. Basketball? Would it be a stretch to say that basketball is better on television? A live NHL game simply stands out, as so many aspects of the sport are enhanced. You can follow a player’s every move for an entire shift, and really get a sense of who controls the game. You gain an appreciation for how hard these guys hit too — if you recall the first time you heard the glass rattle because of a hit, you know exactly what I mean. And as the fastest game on earth, you can’t truly gain an appreciation for how fast these guys move until you see it in person. Treat a non-fan to a game and they’ll quickly be converted.

7. NHL Awards
As the hardest working athletes in professional sports, the stars of the NHL are rewarded as such, walking the red carpet once a year in really expensive shoes. A formal award ceremony is the classiest way to do it, and it’s something the other big 3 pro leagues should pick up on. As the Cy Young award is announced on a weekday in November, National Hockey League award-winners are treated to an evening that features honoured alumni, video tributes, and many poorly executed jokes from Ron Mclean.

6. Trade Deadline
When you compare the excitement level generated by the respective trade deadlines of the four major pro sports leagues, the NHL’s version is far and away the best. In Canada, the trade deadline is virtually a holiday. How much interest does this day generate? TSN comes on the air with coverage at 8 A.M., that’s how much. Fans take pleasure in this annual event for a reason — they know that impact players will change hands, and these players will influence the outcome of the Stanley Cup tournament. Look at last year’s Pittsburgh Penguins, who acquired Bill Guerin and Chris Kunitz at the deadline, two players that helped tremendously in the Pens’ cup run.

5. Striving to Improve the Game
There is concussion problem in today’s NHL, and those who run the league aren’t ignoring the issue. Every year the General Managers lock themselves in a room and toss out a variety of topics, with rule changes and improvements to the on-ice quality of the game occupying a large portion of the discussions. Teams were icing the puck to get a break in play, so a rule was implemented to prevent tired defensive skaters from changing after an icing. Teams weren’t getting enough attacking time on the powerplay, so a rule change was made to bring the initial faceoff inside the shorthanded team’s zone. The National Hockey League continually strives for an improved game. On the flip side of this is Major League Baseball, who were eons late in adding instant replay to their operations, and who generally put more stock in tradition than common sense. Only 8 of 30 teams make the playoffs, and there is no salary cap system, which results in lopsided league standings, and far too many teams with no hope for the post season. Applause to the NHL, whose next order of business is to take on the issue of head injuries and illegal hits, as they have already begun discussing the matter.

4. Fostering Technological Innovations
The NHL has taken replay a step further, installing HD cameras which capture every necessary view for reviewing a disputed goal. Meanwhile, items like composite sticks have become a staple of the game that most players swear by. Mark Messier has gotten in on the action, developing a helmet that absorbs and displaces force in order to protect the head. There’s some more experimental technology, such as a heated skate blade which stays at a consistent 5 degrees Celsius, allowing players to skate faster. Though, despite how far the technology evolves, linesmen will always fix a rough patch of ice by adding a handful of snow, wetting the area with the goaltender’s water bottle, and patting the said area down with the flat side of a puck. ***Intentionally omitted from this blurb: RBK Edge Jerseys, which “reduce drag by 9%”.

3. The Winter Classic
Nowhere else in pro sports is there an event of this kind, in which the novelty factor is off the charts, while valuable points remain on the line. The positioning of the event is brilliant as well, because what do most people do on New Years Day? Right, wake up at noon or later and recover on the couch all day… “Oh look, an outdoor hockey game is on NBC!” Early reports suggest that the 2011 game will be played at Yankee Stadium between the Caps and Rangers, which will be league’s fourth installment of the event.

2. League Parity
As this is written, the New Jersey Nets are 0-14, and essentially out of contention in late November. Many have yet to get on board with the idea of a “loser point” in the NHL, and that won’t change. But take a look at the Major League Baseball standings after one month of play, and you’ll have no trouble finding at least 5 teams that are virtually out of the playoff race. As a result, fans lose interest and meaningful games become non-existent in many markets, leaving only the top third of the league to fight it out. With two weeks remaining in an NHL season, playoff seeding remain ambiguous, as do the bottom 3 playoff spots in each conference. The salary cap and 3-point games are largely responsible for this competitive balance.

1. The Playoffs
The Stanley Cup is the hardest trophy to win in professional sports, requiring no fewer than 16 victories to win it all. In no other sport does the game change more from regular season to playoff play, or demand as much additional fortitude from its players. Playoff hockey is a different game, and while it’s difficult to articulate the exact differences, it might best be summed up by the willingness of each player to make sacrifices. Everyone in the Stanley Cup tournament blocks more shots, back-checks more feverishly, and plays the game with more intensity. Words can’t do the Stanley Cup tournament justice, but this video comes close:



You can read other interesting top-10 articles here.

Every GM in the NHL has at some point coughed up too much cash to a star player. It could be the pressure from ownership to retain homegrown talent, or to bring in one of a small handful of available game-breaking free agents. Sometimes (Bob Gainey, Glen Sather) there’s just no way to grasp the motivation behind enlarged contracts.

Amazingly, four of our ten choices are contracts that have actually changed hands via trade — another sign of General Managers and their willingness to take risks in order to better their hockey clubs, despite what financial tensions might later result. All of the following players are valued by their respective franchises, but also equally deserving of a pay decrease.

(All numbers represent cap hit in millions.)

10. Lubomir Visnovsky, Edmonton Oilers – 5.6
After posting 67 points in the transitional post-lockout year, Lubomir has been hampered by injuries and heightened expectations as a result of his contract. Still a formidable offensive defenseman and a help on the powerplay, he makes more than teammate Sheldon Souray (5.4), and Sheldon is more valuable to the Oilers.

9. Jason Spezza, Ottawa Senators – 7
The Mississauga, Ontario native put up an incredible 92 points as a 24-year-old, and still appeared to have room for growth. Spezza has unquestionably regressed since his breakout season, scoring only 73 points last year over a full 82 game schedule. Maybe it’s a result of all the time he spends giggling during post-game media scrums, or the scrutiny he faces after repeatedly turning the puck over at the opposing blueline. The good news for Ottawa is that Spezza has shown more of a willingness to play on both sides of the puck this year, so perhaps he will earn his full paycheque down the road.

8. Kimmo Timonen, Philadelphia Flyers – 6.33
Until Chris Pronger arrived in Philly this year, Timonen was the team’s top defenseman. Although the Flyers were one of the dominant Eastern Conference teams last year, they lacked the presence of a true #1 d-man — which Pronger is, and a role which Timonen was unfortunately asked to play for two seasons. He is finally playing the support role which he is best suited for, but it’s problematic that his cap hit will be 2.4 million more than Pronger’s starting next year.

7. Daniel Briere, Philadelphia Flyers – 6.5
Back-to-back Flyers! When Briere signed this deal, he was supposed to fit into Philly’s cap structure as the #1 centreman. Much to Paul Holmgren’s surprise, a couple of young chaps named Richards and Carter decided to have breakout seasons months after the signing of Briere. Injury troubles have prevented Danny from fully taking flight in Philadelphia, but it’s safe to predict he’ll never again match or surpass the 95 points he scored in his contract year.

6. Eric Staal, Carolina Hurricanes – 8.25
The eldest Staal was money in the 2009 playoffs, showing off his clutch goal-scoring ability on more than one occasion. Is Eric a top line talent? Absolutely. Can you build an offense around him? You bet. Is he worth 8.25 million? No chance. There is more than a 450 thousand dollar talent gap between Staal and Pittsburgh’s powerhouse Crosby/Malkin duo. Staal’s cap hit is the 4th highest among National Hockey League forwards, whereas his talent would put him in the 20-30 range among league elites.

5. Vincent Lecavalier, Tampa Bay Lightning – 7.7
More disturbing than the cap hit on Vinny’s contract is the term. Locked up for another 11 years, the Lightning are counting on the former 50-goal man to once again be a consistent goal scorer. At the very least, they should hope he overtakes Steven Stamkos as the team’s #1 centre.

4. Brian Campbell, Chicago Blackhawks – 7.14
Find someone who knows nothing about hockey and ask them to watch one period of a Chicago Blackhawks game. Then, ask them which Hawk stood out the most, and you’ll find that at least 8 out of 10 observers will point to Brian Campbell. One of the best skaters in the NHL, Campbell’s spin-o-rama antics and masterful powerplay quarterbackery earned him a great deal of attention as a free agent in 2008. He fits in well as a Blackhawk, but the whopping contract has already given Hawks’ management some headaches. Adding to the intrigue, both Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook are better all-around defensemen than Campbell, and both are due for raises in the very near future.

3. Chris Drury, New York Rangers – 7.05
Chris Drury is the perfect definition of a second line centreman, and that’s just the role he played in Buffalo behind Daniel Briere. Drury does all of the little things that bring a team success — taking important faceoffs, sacrificing his body, killing penalties, and chipping in on the scoresheet. Drury will comfortably score between 50-65 points each year while playing an imposing defensive game. But for 7 million? As much value as Chris brings with his intangibles, any contract in the 7-million territory should be reserved for players who score 80+ points perennially.

2. Scott Gomez, Montreal Canadiens – 7.35
Glen Sather, you’ve done it again. Most people forget that Scott Gomez is a former 33-goal scorer, but what’s more notable is that Scott’s big payday came on the heels of a 13-goal season. That’s right, 13 goals and 60 points, but the “Alaskin Assassin” put pen to paper on a deal that emphatically spelled the end of Glen Sather’s status as a sane man. And while Gomez’s contract appeared unmovable, Bob Gainey came along in the summer of 2009 with a more severe case of the crazies, surrendering his top defensive prospect (Ryan McDonagh) and the disgruntled Chris Higgins in exchange for Gomez.

1. Brad Richards, Dallas Stars – 7.8
In the spring of 2006, a then-26-year-old Richards cashed in at the expense of Cup-drunk management, and equally because of the newly implemented salary cap system, which GMs (needless to say) hadn’t quite grasped. (Well, evidently they still haven’t…) Upon signing the deal, Richards became the NHL’s second highest paid player, behind only Jaromir Jagr. Though a very talented playmaker, Richards isn’t even in the discussion for the Canadian Olympic team, and has considerably less star power than many players with lesser salaries.

For more Hockeycentric Top-10’s, check out the ever-growing archive here.

Many believe Nicklas Lidstrom to not only be the all-time best European defenseman, but also the best European. Period.

On October 15th, Lidstrom became the first European rearguard to reach 1000 points, adding another milestone to his impressive resume.

Despite Lidstrom’s dominance though, and Europe’s overwhelming presence in the modern NHL, the majority of superstars from overseas have been forwards and goalies.

With Victor Hedman leading the way, today’s crop of youngsters will turn out some fantastic European defensemen, but that’s not to say we haven’t had enough throughout hockey history to put together a stellar top-10.


10. Fredrik Olausson, Sweden
Olausson quietly played over 1000 games in the NHL and scored 581 points. He won the Stanley Cup with a number of other Swedes with the Detroit Red Wings in 2002. Unfortunately, he retired in 2007 due to a serious illness, and is currently awaiting a liver donation.

9. Sandis Ozolinsh, Latvia
Ozolinsh is the all time leader for points and games played by a Latvian in the NHL. He is also the second highest paid sportsman in Latvian history, behind basketball player Andris Biedrins. He is a seven-time All Star and won the Stanley Cup with the Colorado Avalanche in 1996.

8. Roman Hamrlik, Czech Republic
Hamrlik was selected first overall in the 1992 NHL Entry Draft by the Tampa Bay Lightning, and has made a career out of being a powerplay quarterback. His 564 points and 1229 penalty minutes depict his nastiness, and he was an integral part of the Czech Republic team that won Gold at the Nagano Olympics.

7. Teppo Numminen, Finland
This recently retired blueliner set the record for most games by a European-trained player, surpassing Jari Kurri. Incredibly, Numminen was forced to undergo open heart surgery before the start of the 2007-08 NHL season, and he returned for Buffalo’s final game that year, and went on to play one more full season in the NHL. Numminen is the only Finn on our list.

6. Sergei Gonchar, Russia
Gonchar’s 641 points in the NHL have earned him a spot in the top-30 all time in defenseman scoring. Gonchar plays an offensive and aggressive game, sitting a total of 793 minutes in the penalty box. This recent Stanley Cup Winner with the Pittsburgh Penguins is known as well for his international play, having represented Russia in two Olympic Games, a World Junior Championship, two World Cups and two World Championships.

5. Vladimir Konstantinov, Russia
“Vladdie” was drafted 221st overall in the 1989 NHL Entry Draft by the Detroit Red Wings, after impressing a Red Wings scout at the 1987 World Junior Championships, where a brawl broke out in the Russia/Canada game. Scout Neil Smith remembers, “He was the only one of the Russians who fought back.” His mark of +60 at the end of the 1995-96 season has been the highest rating a player has finished with in the past 20 seasons. Konstantinov was involved in a limousine accident just six days after the Red Wings won the 1997 Stanley Cup, and this brought an end to his brilliant career.

4. Sergei Zubov, Russia
Zubov is considered one of the best offensive defencemen in NHL history, scoring a career high 89 points in 1993-94 with the New York Rangers. A two-time Stanley Cup Champion with the New York Rangers (1994) and Dallas Stars (1999), he is the NHL’s all time leading scorer among Russian defencemen.

3. Viacheslav Fetisov, Russia
They once called him “The Russian Bobby Orr”. A Hall-of-Fame member as of 2001, Fetisov’s successes both with the Red Wings in the 1990’s and his overall contribution to international hockey give him a resume comparable to very few others. His international winnings include two gold medals and a bronze in the Olympics, as well as seven golds in the World Championships. Fetisov and Scott Niedermayer are the only two players in hockey history to have won the Stanley Cup, Olympics, World Championships, World Cup, and World Juniors.

2. Borje Salming, Sweden
“The King” was the first European to enjoy major success in the NHL, playing 17 seasons in North America. Salming was a three-time All Star and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1996. He was also named to the IIHF Centennial All Stars Team along with Vladislav Tretiak, Viacheslav Fetisov, Sergei Makarov, Valeri Kharlamov and Wayne Gretzky.

1. Nicklas Lidstrom, Sweden
Lidstrom has enjoyed tremendous success in every area of his career. He is 9th on the all time scoring list for defencemen, and has won four Stanley Cups, an Olympic Gold Medal and eight Norris trophies. Predicting Lidstrom to win the Norris is a safe pick every year, and to pick him as a finalist has become an absolute no brainer. He will later be regarded as one of the ten best players in NHL history, and the greatest defenseman in history next to Bobby Orr.

When the UFA market opens for business on July first, millions of dollars worth of contracts are shelled out to unclaimed talent. We hear about the Gaborik’s, the Cammalleri’s and the Komisarek’s, but a team’s successes through free agency aren’t solely purchased with huge contracts.

Sometimes, players with tiny contracts make the difference when it counts.

Max Talbot for instance, who is paid 1.05 million for his services, scored both of Pittsburgh’s goals in game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals.

On that note, we’ve perused a summer’s worth of transactions, and come across some signings that may have a bigger impact than will their dollar value.

10. Andrew Raycroft – G, Vancouver Canucks
Contract: 1-year, $500,000
Raycroft, slated to make 500 grand this season, might be regarded as the worst goaltender in the entire NHL. We aren’t saying he is a steal, even for a league minimum salary. The signing works for Vancouver for a couple of reasons though. First, Roberto Luongo will likely play 70+ games, meaning the workload for “Rayzor” will be minimal. Second, since Vancouver owns the rights to the best goaltender in AHL, Cory Schneider, they may want to call him up a few times throughout the year. Raycroft is such an unwanted commodity that passing him through waivers will likely not be an issue for Mike Gillis.

9. Jeff Woywitka – D, Dallas Stars
Contract: 2-years, $650,000 per
The St. Louis Blues finished 6th in their conference last year, doing so with an injury-riddled blueline. Defenders such as Woywitka and Colaiacovo were forced to step up in the absense of Erik Johnson. Woywitka (who also has one of the best last names in hockey) posted 18 points, was +8, and logged 18 minutes a game last year for the Blues. An important point to this signing is opportunity — Woywitka will likely earn a top-4 role, behind Niskanen, Robidas, and Daley.

8. Manny Malhotra – C, San Jose Sharks
Contract: 1-year, $700,000
Most third line centres make between 1-3 million, while producing at or below Malhotra’s level. He hit his stride during the 05-06 season, when he reached 30 points for the first time, and he’s maintained that level, scoring a career-high 35 last year. The Sharks inked Manny for $700,000, which puts them in a unique position around the league, as their entire bottom-6 makes under a million bucks. With so much cash tied up in Thornton, Heatley, and Marleau’s contracts, Doug Wilson has no choice but to ice a cheap supporting cast. To Wilson’s credit, his bottom-6 group is still very credible.

7. Petr Sykora – F, Minnesota Wild
Contract: 1-year, 1.6 per
For a team looking to boost it’s offense, picking up a 20-goal candidate for under two million bucks is a good move. Sykora’s playoff ice time was limited, but he scored 25 goals in the regular season, and has scored 20 each of the last three seasons, and 9 times over his career. He will earn the salary of a third-liner but can potentially play a second line role.

6. Vaclav Prospal – LW, New York Rangers
Contract: 1-year, 1.15 per
The Rangers inked Prospal shortly after he was dismissed by the Lightning by way of a buyout. At 1.15 million, Prospal is an absolute bargain. He recorded 45 points last year, which was considered a major underperformance. The previous year he scored 71 points between Philly and Tampa, and still has the skill to hit 60 points. This was unquestionably one of the quietest signings of the summer, but it could provide the Blueshirts with the depth they need to sneak into the playoffs.

5. Craig Anderson – G, Colorado Avalanche
Contract: 2-years, 1.8 per
Anderson’s 1.8 mllion dollar salary and his .924 save percentage just don’t line up. Despite the fact that he looks like a bald mouse, he is a more than adequate goalkeeper, who will look to stabilize Colorado’s dreadful goaltending situation. He has only played in backup or tandem roles as a pro goaltender, so a step back for Anderson isn’t far fetched. However, a platoon system with Peter Budaj is just as likely a scenario, and Anderson is familiar with such a role.

4. Jason Williams/Todd Bertuzzi – F, Detroit Red Wings
Contract: 1-year, 1.5 per
After Jiri Hudler rejected a multi-year deal worth 3-million per season, Ken Holland opted to bring in a couple of former Wings, signing each to 1 year, 1.5 million dollar deals. Bertuzzi and Williams combined for 28 goals last year, as compared with Hudler’s 23. Bertuzzi played 66 games, while Williams played only 39. When the contracts of Bertuzzi and Williams expire at year’s end, Ken Holland will have a better idea of where Ville Leino, Justin Abdelkader, and Darren Helm fit into the future plans of the team. He has given himself flexibility to tweak the club in the summer, which is invaluable in the salary cap world. Plus, if Bertuzzi and/or Williams happen to exceed expectations, they could be brought back for another season, as neither player demands attention from more than a few clubs.

3. Kurtis Foster – D, Tampa Bay Lightning
Contract: 1-year, $600,000
This big bodied defender (6′5”, 240) is one of several new faces on the Tampa blueline. After having his leg snapped to pieces in March of 2008, Foster’s career has stalled. Signing for $600,000, Foster’s contract is the smallest on Tampa’s blueline, next to Matt Smaby’s. The intrigue with Foster is the offense he has managed to put up in limited games — 28 points in 58 games in 05-06 most notably. Now fully rehabbed, he is in a good position to win a spot with the Bolts.

2. Jay McKee – D, Pittsburgh Penguins
Contract: 1-year, $800,000
The 6′3” blueliner was bought out by St. Louis at the conclusion of the 08-09 season. He was heading towards the end of a 4-year, 16 million dollar deal he had signed in 2006. McKee’s major contract came on the strength of his shot-blocking prowess, which he is still tops at, despite what being bought out may indicate. McKee finished 7th in the league in blocked shots last year, a ranking that if sustained, will help the Penguins absorb the losses of Rob Scuderi and Hal Gill to free agency. To put the tradeoff in perspective, McKee will earn $800,000 this year, while Gill and Scuderi are set to earn a combined 5.65 million. Nice maneuvering, Ray Shero.

1. Greg Zanon – D, Minnesota Wild
Contract: 3-years, 1.9 per
Sorry Leaf fans, but Zanon’s inclusion on this list is best presented by way of several comparisons to Mike Komisarek. Komisarek had the most combined hits and blocked shots last year with 398. Second on that list? Greg Zanon with 390. As for plus/minus, Zanon was +8 while “The Blonde Bomber” was even. What about offensive production? Both players had 11 points. The biggest notable difference between the pair, besides height (Komisarek is 6′4″, Zanon is 5′11″), is that Komisarek makes 2.6 million more. Now, Komisarek is unquestionably the more valuable player, but clearly the Wild were shrewd to snatch Zanon from the UFA pool. He’s no franchise cornerstone, but Zanon’s presence will ensure some defensive stability for the Wild, who are expected to transition to an up-tempo style under coach Todd Richards.