It might seem a little laughable now, but there was a time that all Russian players were considered soft. Vladimir Konstantinov may have been part of the 1980’s Soviet Red Army team but he was a man who was seemingly bred for the NHL as he was anything but “soft”. Konstantinov had an instant impact on the pros with the Red Wings. He was literally a pest who made it exceptionally difficult for opponents to score. This was reflected by his high plus/minus tallies. Konstantinov’s last season saw him as the Norris Trophy runner up and hoist the Stanley Cup. Less than a week after that triumph, Konstantinov was in a horrible limousine accident that put him in a coma and literally put him in the fight of his life. Needless to say, Vladimir never played again, though if he had it can be argued that he might be a much stronger candidate for induction than he is now.

A somewhat disrespected goaltender, Chris Osgood won three Stanley Cup Rings without anyone really saying that he was among the elite in his position. Granted, he played with a loaded Red Wings team, but he still backstopped the team to victory after victory.

Although Brian Rafalski did not enter the National Hockey League until he was 26, he still managed to achieve a 500 point career which is a very respectable total for a defenseman. He spent most of his career with the New Jersey Devils where his powerful shot and defensive skills were a great fit for their style of play. After netting two Stanley Cup Rings, he went to Detroit and landed his third ring. Rafalski likely won’t end up in the Hall of Fame in Toronto, but he earned his place in the United States Hockey Hall of Fame for his overall work in the sport