2022 Hockey Eligibles
For a state as far north as Alaska, there are not a lot of hockey players that come from this region. Brandon Dubinsky is one such player. Dubinsky split his pro career (13 years) with the New York Rangers and the Columbus Blue Jackets and the Center accumulated 438 Points over his career. A solid two-way player, Dubinsky had four years where he received (although not many)…
Brooks Orpik played college hockey at Boston College, where he would lead the Eagles to an NCAA Championship in 2001. Orpik was drafted the year before by the Pittsburgh Penguins with the 18th Overall Pick, and late in 2002-03, he was a fixture on the main roster.
As a rookie in 2005-06, Cam Ward backed up Martin Gerber. The Hurricanes made the playoffs, and Gerber struggled, prompting Ward to take over between the pipes. He proceeded to go on the greatest run of his life, where he won 15 Games with a 2.14 GAA. Carolina won the Stanley Cup, and Ward would win the Conn Smythe Trophy as the best player in…
Dan Girardi spent most of his career with the New York Rangers, where the undrafted Ontarian played eleven seasons. A gifted puck handler, Girardi was a strong two-way player who rarely drew penalties. Girardi would have seven 20 Point seasons for the Blueshirts and was an All-Star in 2012. The Defenseman would play two final seasons with the Tampa Bay Lightning and retired with 264…
The first few seasons of Dion Phaneuf made it look like the Defenseman would be a future Hockey Hall of Fame inductee. It likely won’t happen, but Phaneuf’s career is worth a solid look. Phaneuf debuted in the NHL with Calgary in 2005, where he was an All-Rookie, was third in Calder voting and eighth in Norris balloting. The Canadian had his first 50-Point year as a…
Jason Pominville played most of his career with the Buffalo Sabres, the organization that drafted him in 2001. Playing at Right Wing, Pominville became a strong two-way player, scoring at least 50 Points from 2006-07 to 2011-12, with a peak of 80 in 2007-08. Pominville never won an individual award over his career, but the 2012 All-Star would receive Lady Byng votes in ten of his…
While Kevin Klein was not known for his physical style of play (though coach upon coach pushed for that), what he did do well was use his skating and stickhandling skills to defend his own end of the ice at a high level.
A 14-year veteran of the National Hockey League, Lee Stempniak, played for ten different NHL teams over his career, which considering his beginnings, was a very impressive accomplishment.
Martin Erat came from the Czech Republic to the Nashville Predators, where he would debut in the 2001-02 year. The Right Winger would showcase decent two-way hockey, and from the 2003-04 campaign to the 2011-12 year, he would have at least 49 Points in a year.
Known for his exceptional skating speed, Mason Raymond played college hockey for Minnesota-Duluth for two years after the Vancouver Canucks drafted him in the second round of the 2005 Draft.
Still in the National Hockey League at the age of 40, Matt Cullen is known for producing an all around game and for a consistent level of play. The Center has over 650 Points but more importantly has two Stanley Cup Rings ten years apart, one with the Carolina Hurricanes and the second with the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Matt Stajan had a nice 15-year career in the National Hockey League, which was split between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Calgary Flames. He would have two 50 Point plus seasons, and was a good second or third line Center who could be used on both the power play and penalty kill.
A member of the Triple Gold Club (Olympic Gold, World Championship and Stanley Cup), Swedish Defenseman, Niklas Kronwall was a late first round pick for the Detroit Red Wings, and he has been providing solid blue line work for Hockeytown ever since. Kronwall was a member of Detroit’s 2008 Stanley Cup win and Sweden’s 2006 Olympic Gold Medal.
In the modern era, Ryan Kesler is one of the top defensive forwards, having not only won the Frank J. Selke Trophy in 2011, but finishing in the top three four other times. The American debuted in the NHL in 2003 with the Vancouver Canucks, the team he played for over a decade. Kesler had back-to-back 70-plus Point Seasons (2009-10 & 2010-11) with Vancouver, the team…