If You Can't Name These NHL Players, It's Time To Hang Up Your Skates
- by Andrew Brethauer
- – on
- in Sports
How much do you know the current NHL and its players, or how about the former players who made the league what it is? With the National Hockey League being over 100 years old, it has had its fair share of amazing players who will be household names in the hockey world for years to come. Goal scorers who knew how to put the puck in the net with a blistering shot, or defencemen who knew how to lay the body and take out an on-coming forward looking to score. And then the goalies, the masked men of the crease who were the last line of defence between the opposing forwards and the red light turning on.
Whomever they are, many of these players deserve to be remembered for their play on the ice in the past or their player current in the NHL, as they are the many faces of the 31 franchises in the league. They are the players your dad told you about, or the players you'll tell your kids about, so see if you know who each of these players are in this quiz, and if your all-star hockey knowledge is on par with the all-stars in the game.
Who is this player?
This NHL player is the captain of the Pittsburgh Penguins and has led them to three Stanley Cups, including his first in 2009, and then back-to-back Stanley Cups in 2016 and 2017. Concussion injuries have sidelined him in the past, putting doubt if he would be able to come back to the level he played at before, as he is considered a once-in-a-lifetime player who many believe is in the discussion for best player of all-time. He also has two Olympic Gold Medals with Canada, scoring the legendary ‘Golden Goal’ in 2010.
Who is this player?
This Montreal Canadian goalie doesn’t have a Stanley Cup to his name, but is often considered one of the best goalies in the present-day NHL, as he has won the Vezina and Hart Trophy. He became the first goalie in league history to win those two awards, plus the Ted Lindsay Award in the same season, doing so with the Canadiens in 2015. In 558 regular season games, he has 286 wins, and a 0.918 goals against average and has earned 40 shutouts in his career.
Who is this player?
Known as simply ‘The Great One’, he is the all-time leader in goals, assists and points in the NHL, as well as holding 58 other records in hockey. He scored 894 goals, 1963 assists and 2857 points, and is the only player in league history to ever score 200 points in a season. Considered the best player to ever play the game, he got his name on the Stanley Cup four times as a member of the Edmonton Oilers, but was then traded away to the Los Angeles Kings in what became known as ‘The Trade’.
Who is this player?
This Russian sniper is known for his celebrations after scoring goals and being one of the most dominate goal scorers in the NHL over the last decade, surpassing 50 goals seven times in his career. In 1,003 regular season games, all with the Washington Capitals, the team he is the captain of, he has scored 607 goals and 1122 points, and has won the Hart Trophy as the league’s most valuable player three times, along with the Art Ross trophy once.
Who is this player?
At 21 years old, he was named the captain of the Detroit Red Wings, the team he would play for over his entire career, leading them to three Stanley Cup victories and helping to establish the Wings as a dynasty. In 1514 games with the Red Wings, he scored 692 goals and 1755 points, and was known as simply ‘The Captain’ due to the fact that his tenure as captain of the team was so memorable and he was a born leader.
Who is this player?
He has lifted the Stanley Cup three times as the captain of the Chicago Blackhawks, and is also the youngest player to enter the Triple Gold club, having won the Stanley Cup, as well as the Olympic Gold Medal, doing so twice with Canada, and the Gold Medal at the World Championships. He is often referred to as Captain Serious due to the nature of how he conducts himself. In 791 regular season games, all with the Blackhawks, he has 292 goals and 674 points.
Who is this player?
While he never won a Stanley Cup, this Swedish forward did win an Olympic Gold Medal for his country at the 2006 Winter Olympic Games, which he said was a greater achievement than winning the Stanley Cup. He was most notably the captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs, where he is the franchise leader in goals with 420 and points with 987. He finished his career as the only Swedish born player to have over 500 goals scored in his career.
Who is this player?
This three-time Stanley Cup champion with the Pittsburgh Penguin was drafted second overall in 2004, one spot behind another Russian. He turned into one of the Penguins most elite goal scorers, and has won the Conn Smyth trophy as the best player in the playoffs, as well as the Hart Trophy and two Art Ross trophies as the league’s top scorer. In 784 games, all with the Penguins, he has 370 goals and 930 points, with 359 of those points coming on the power play.
Who is this player?
Known as Mr. Hockey, this player played 26 seasons in the NHL, and is regarded as one of the best players and most complete players to ever play the game. Along with his four Stanley Cup victories with the Detroit Red Wings, he was also a six-time Hart Trophy winner and six-time Art Ross winner. He also led the league in scoring five times, and also holds the record for most NHL regular season games played, with 1767, and is tied for most NHL seasons played.
Who is this player?
When this player scored the Stanley Cup clinching goal for the Chicago Blackhawks in 2010, no one in the building knew he had scored for a few moments, despite his celebration. It was a memorable goal afterwards, and one of the reasons this American born forward is considered one of the best in the league today. He was the first American born player to win the Art Ross Trophy as the league’s top scorer in 2015-16, netting 106 points, and in his time in Chicago, he has won three Stanley Cups.
Who is this player?
This player doesn’t seem to want to retire from hockey, as he continues to play in European leagues after being dropped by the Calgary Flames in the NHL. He started with the Pittsburgh Penguins and won two Stanley Cups with them in the early 90s before moving to Washington and New York. He would leave for the KHL for three seasons before coming back to the NHL with Philadelphia. He’s won five Art Ross Trophies as the league’s top scoring player, and one Hart Trophy as the league MVP.
Who is this player?
He is one of the league’s most offensive defencemen, having scored 126 goals and 518 points in 627 regular season games, all with the Ottawa Senators, the team that he is the captain off. It’s been one of the major reasons he has won two Norris Trophies as the league’s best defenceman, as he has led the Senators to one Stanley Cup final appear in his time. He also has a Silver Medal with Sweden from the Olympics in 2014,
Who is this player?
Drafted first overall in 2009 by the New York Islanders, he has become the face of the franchise and is known to be one of the most exceptional players in the game. In nine seasons with the Islanders, he has played 669 regular season games, scoring 272 goals and 621 points. However, he has only played in 24 playoff games as the Islanders have struggled to put a team around him. While he hasn’t won a Stanley Cup, he has won Gold Medals at the World Juniors, World Championships and the 2016 Olympics.
Who is this player?
When he was drafted first overall in 2015 by the Edmonton Oilers, he was already considered one of the best players in the game, having had an exceptional run with the Erie Otters in the OHL before going to the NHL. He had an injury shorten first season with the Oilers, but he still scored 48 points in 45 games. Over the next two seasons, he has scored over 100 points in each, and has 87 goals and 256 points in 209, and has won the Art Ross Trophy in back-to-back seasons as the league’s top scorer.
Who is this player?
This longtime San Jose Shark didn’t start with the California team, as he was drafted first overall in 1997 by the Boston Bruins, before being traded to the Sharks in 2005. It is in San Jose where he became the team's captain and one of the most dominate centermen in the league, known for his ability to make any winger with him one of the top goal scorers in the league. In 1493 NHL regular season games, he has 1030 assists and 1427 points, though he is still missing a Stanley Cup.
Who is this player?
He is the captain of the Tampa Bay Lightning and one of the most elite goal scorers in the NHL today, as he has scored 348 goals in 664 games, and has won two Rocket Richard Trophies, as he led the goal in goals scorer in 2009-10 with 51 goals, and 2011-12 with 60 goals. The former first overall pick in 2008 by the Lightning hasn’t won a Stanley Cup yet, and has had to deal with some injuries that have kept him out of international competitions.
Who is this player?
Considered one of the best players of all time, this player won two Stanley Cups with the Pittsburgh Penguins in the early 90s, lifting the Cup first as the team’s captain. He would later on become part owner of the franchise, saving it from being relocated, and become a player-owner when he returned to the team in 2000. He would finish his career in 2006, and played 915 regular season games, scoring 690 goals and 1723 points. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1997, after it was thought he was retired, making him an owner, player and Hall of Famer still playing when he returned.
Who is this player?
This goalie holds the record for the most shutouts in league history with 125, as well as the most wins, with 691 and losses with 397 in his 1266 games player, also a record. In his career, which he spent entirely with the New Jersey Devils, he won three Stanley Cups, and was a huge factor in them winning. He won five Jennings Trophies for allowing the least amount of goals in as eason, and was also named the Vezina Trophy Winner four times in his career as the league’s best goalie.
Who is this player?
He is regarded as the best defenceman to ever play the game, as he redefined the position, especially in the offensive role they played from the blueline, as he scored 270 goals and 915 points in a short career. Knee injuries cut his time in the league short, but he still won the Norris Trophy as the league’s best blueliner eight times, as well as the Stanley Cup twice with the Boston Bruins. He holds the record for most points in a season by a defenceman with 139.
Who is this player?
This goalie split time with the Montreal Canadiens and Colorado Avalanche, winning the Stanley Cup twice with both teams. He is considered one of the best goalies in league history, as he won the Vezina Trophy three times and the Conn Smythe Trophy as the best player in the playoffs three times as well. He revolutionized the game with his butterfly style of goaltending, which was a large departure from typically stand-up style that most older goalies used. He also finished with 66 shutouts in his career.
Who is this player?
This player many say is the prototype for what a power forward should be in the NHL, as he was a big body and physical player who was also one of the most elite players in the league. He was drafted by Quebec in 1991 first overall, but refused to go to the team and was traded to Philadelphia where he spent most of his time on a line known as the Legion of Doom. In 13 seasons, he scored 372 goals and 865 points, however, concussions forced him to retire early and he never won a Stanley Cup.
Who is this player?
This power forward was most known for his time with the Calgary Flames where he was the team captain and led the Flames to the Stanley Cup final where they would lose in 2004. He then would be traded around in the later years of his career looking to win a Stanley Cup, with stops in Pittsburgh, Boston and Los Angeles. In 1554 regular season games, he has scored 625 goals and 1300 points, and has won the Rocket Richard Trophy twice for leading the league in goals scored.
Who is this player?
This player is from Finland and won the Stanley Cup in 2007 as a member of the Anaheim Ducks. But he is known for his time with the original Winnipeg Jets before they moved to Arizona, where he won the inaugural Rock Richard Trophy winner when he scored 76 goals in his rookie year, a record that still stands today. He got the nickname the ‘Finnish Flash’ because of his speed and skill, and finished his career with 1457 points in 1451 games.
Who is this player?
This captain of the Colorado Avalanche spent his entire career with the franchise, which included the original team in Quebec, and won two Stanley Cups with them in his career when they moved to Colorado. He finished his career with 1641 points, putting him eighth all-time in league scoring, as he scored 100 points six different times in his career. He also won a Gold Medal at the Olympics in 2002, and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2012.
Who is this player?
This big body defencemen was one of the most elite blueliners in the game, winning the Norris Trophy in 2000 as was the league MVP that same year. He won the Stanley Cup in 2007 with the Anaheim Ducks, and a Gold Medal with Canada in 2002 and 2010. He started in the league with St. Louis before moving around to plenty of teams throughout his career, finishing in Philadelphia where he had to retire early because of concussion issues. He finished his career with 698 points in 1167 games.
Who is this player?
This six-time Vezina Trophy winner, awarded to the league’s best goalie, made a career of being one of the most aggressive goalies in the crease, using every part of his body to make saves in a style that saw him flop around the crease. He got the nickname ‘The Dominator” for his ability to single-handedly shut down teams as a member of the Buffalo Sabres. He wouldn’t win a couple in Buffalo, however, but did get his name on the Cup when he went to Detroit and won it twice.
Who is this player?
If you were to name the top five in all-time goals scorer, his name wouldn’t pop up to many, but this player is fourth on the list with 741 goals, and is one of only five players to score 50 goals in 50 games. He won a Stanley Cup with the Dallas Stars back in 1999, scoring the championship goal with the no famous, ‘toe in the crease’ goal, and would win it again three years later with the Detroit Red Wings. He finished off his career scoring 1391 points in 1269 games.
Who is this player?
Nicknamed ‘The Moose’, this forward won six Stanley Cups in his playing career, five with the Edmonton Oilers and once as the captain of the New York Rangers. It was in New York where he guaranteed a victory in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Final against the New Jersey Devils and went on to score three goals in that game, leading his team to a Game 7 win and Cup in the process. He won two Hart Trophies and scored 1887 points in 1700 games.
Who is this player?
If you were to cut across the middle of the ice on this defenceman, more than likely he would meet you with a thundering hit. He was known for his aggressive play on the blueline and as the team captain for the New Jersey Devils, a team he won three Stanley Cups with in his 22 seasons as an NHL player. Many consider him to be the perfect example of a shutdown defenceman, but he never won the Norris Trophy as the league’s best defenceman, and finished his career with 908 points in 1636 games.
Who is this player?
This player is considered one of the best defensive forwards to play the game, and while he was never in consideration for the most elite player, the players themselves called him one of the hardest forwards to play against, as he had plenty of slick moves. This Detroit Red Wing spent his entire career in Motor City, winning two Stanley Cups, scoring 314 goals and 918 points in 954 games. He also is one of the few players to also win the KHL Championship, the Gagarin Cup, doing so in 2017.
Who is this player?
This defenceman played in the NHL until he was 45 years old, playing for 26 seasons and 1651 games. He holds the record for most penalty minutes in a career with 2891, while he scored 948 points in that same span, becoming one of the best defenceman in the game for his aggressive play and solid backcheck. The three-time Stanley Cup champion was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2013, and most notably played for the Montreal Canadiens, Chicago Blackhawks and Detroit Red Wings.
Who is this player?
After 20 seasons in the NHL where he won seven Norris Trophies, four Stanley Cups with the Detroit Red Wings and one Conn Smyth Trophy, he was put into the conversation as being the best defenceman to every play the game. It’s hard to argue with that, especially in the modern-day NHL, as he finished his career with 1100 points in over 1500 regular season games, and more impressively is that he never once missed the playoffs the entire time he played with the Red Wings.
Who is this player?
He was the first player to score 50 goals in 50 games and was one of the most elite scorers in the NHL, so much so, the top goal scorer every year is given an award named in his honor. He won eight Stanley Cups in his 18 year career, all with the Montreal Canadiens, and finished with 544 goals and 966 points in 978 games. Nicknamed the Rocket, he was the first NHL player to reach 500 goals in a career.
Who is this player?
This player holds the record for the most times his name appears on the Stanley Cup. He won it 10 times as a player with the Montreal Canadiens, but also added another seven Stanley Cups as an executive, for a total of 17 times his name got engraved. He was the inaugural Conn Smyth Trophy winner for playoff MVP, and he played his entire 1125 game NHL career with the Canadiens, finishing with 507 goals and 1219 games, good enough for second all-time in team scoring.
Who is this player?
This goalie was left handed, and was the first black athlete to ever get his name on the Stanley Cup, which he did five times as a member of the Edmonton Oilers, winning it four years in a row at one point. The Hall of Famer, who was inducted in 2003, played 868 games in his career, earning 403 victories and 25 shutouts, while he also holds the record for the longest undefeated streak by a goaltender in his first season at 23 games.
Who is this player?
This player is the captain of the Philadelphia Flyers, the same team that drafted him 22nd overall in the 2006 NHL Draft. Over his career with the Flyers, he has led the team in scoring five times, and just finished his best season where he scored 34 goals and 102 points, good enough for second in the NHL in scoring. In total, he has played 738 regular season games, scoring 214 goals and 677 points, but he is still looking for a personal award and a Stanley Cup.
Who is this player?
This player was drafted first overall by the Edmonton Oilers in 2010 after winning two consecutive Memorial Cups with the Windsor Spitfires in the Canadian Hockey League. In his six seasons in Edmonton, his best season was in 2013-14 when he scored 80 points, but he constantly under achieved and eventually was traded to the New Jersey Devils in 2016. This past season, he scored a career high 92 points in 76 games for the Devils, scoring 39 goals. This year also marked the first time he made the NHL playoffs.
Who is this player?
This Canadian was selected first overall in the 2013 NHL Draft by the Colorado Avalanche and won the Calder Memorial Trophy the following year as the league’s best rookie player, scoring 63 points in his rookie campaign. The struggling Avalanche saw him earn under his rookie totals every season until this year, where he finally broke out with 39 goals and 97 points in 74 games. In total, he has played 374 games, and scored 303 points, while only playing in 13 playoff games total, earning 16 points in those games.
Who is this player?
This player was selected second overall in 2010 by the Boston Bruins, who got the pick from the Toronto Maple Leafs in the trade for Phil Kessel. He made the Bruins in his first year, and in 2011, the Bruins would go on to win the Stanley Cup, winning it in his rookie season. However, his time in Boston was short, as after two and a half seasons, he was traded to Dallas, where he has gone on to become one of the league’s top forwards. In 590 games, he has scored 229 goals and 505 points.
Who is this player?
This Slovenian centreman was the 11th overall pick in the 2005 NHL Draft by the Los Angeles Kings and was named the team captain in 2015. He won the Stanley Cup with the Kings twice, first in 2012 and then in 2014, as the Kings were considered a dynasty team until that point. At 6-foot-3, he is one of the larger centremen in the league and is an excellent two-way player, having won the Frank J. Selke award for best defensive forward in 2016.
Who is this player?
This player was drafted fifth overall by the Boston Bruins in 2006, but his time with the Bruins lasted only three seasons as he was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2009. He would play six seasons for the Maple Leafs in that time, making the playoffs only once where the Leafs would lose to the Bruins in seven games. He was then traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2015, where he would win his first Stanley Cup. The following season he won his second.
Who is this player?
This defenceman was selected first overall in the 2014 NHL Draft by the Florida Panthers. He was first known for being granted ‘exceptional status’ in the OHL, becoming the first defenceman to do so. With Florida, he made the team the first season and played 81 games, scoring 39 points in the process. In his four seasons in Florida, he has played 309 games and scored 53 goals and 134 points, while the Panthers have only played in six playoff games.
Who is this player?
This Boston Bruin forward is known for being a pest player, but also has turned into one of the best forwards in the NHL in the past two seasons, scoring 85 points in both 2016-17 and 2017-18. Drafted 71st overall by the Bruins in 2006, he would win the Stanley Cup with Boston in 2011, where he scored 19 points in Boston’s 25 playoff games. In total, he has played 602 regular season games and scored 226 goals and 459 points.
Who is this player?
Nicknamed Johnny Hockey, this Calgary Flame forward was the NCAA Division 1 Hobey Baker Award winning as the best player in the NCAA before making the jump to the pros. At 5-foot-9, he is one of the shorter players in the league, but he has been able to score over 20 goals in three of his four seasons with Calgary. He is three goals shy of 100 for his career, and has over 288 points in 312 games. He also won the Lady Byng Award for the most gentlemanly player in 2016.
Who is this player?
This goalie is only the third goalie in league history to be selected first overall in the NHL Draft, which he was by the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2003. Known for his bright yellow pads to start, he struggled early on before becoming the Penguins starter and helping them win the Stanley Cup in 2009. He would win two more Stanley Cups with the Penguins in 2016 and 2017, though he played more of a backup role. He was selected by the Vegas Golden Knights in the expansion draft in 2017.
Who is this player?
This member of the Staal family is part of the triple gold club, having won the Stanley Cup, Olympic Gold and World Championship Gold. He was drafted 2nd overall in 2003 by the Carolina Hurricanes and won the Stanley Cup three years later. He would later be traded to New York Rangers and then sign with the Minnesota Wild as a free-agent. He has played 1093 regular season games, scoring 395 goals and 922 points, while in the playoffs he contributed 46 points in 58 games.
Who is this player?
This American born hockey player was born in Arizona and prior to being drafted, he didn’t play in the Canadian junior league or the NCAA, instead deciding to play professionally in Switzerland for the ZSC Lions in the National League A, playing against men. He would then be drafted first overall by the Toronto Maple Leads in the 2016 NHL Draft, and in his first game as a Maple Leaf he scored four goals. He finished with 40 goals that season and won the Calder Trophy for best rookie in the league.
Who is this player?
This Boston Bruins forward is a member of the Triple Gold Club, having won the Stanley Cup with the Bruins in 2011, two Gold Medals at the Olympics with Canada and two Gold Medals with Canada at the World Championships. He is also considered one of the best two-way forwards in the game, having won the Selke Trophy four times, tying him for the most wins of that trophy in league history. In 963 regular season games, he has scored 289 goals and 734 points.
Who is this player?
This goalie started his career with the New York Islanders who selected him fourth overall, but not even a season in and he was sent to the Florida Panthers where he would play the next five seasons before being moved to Vancouver to become their starting goalie. It was there he would become team captain of the Canucks and lead to the team to the Stanley Cup final in 2011, losing to Boston. He would eventually make his way back to Florida after being forced out of his starting job in Vancouver.
Who is this player?
This player is the captain of the Anaheim Ducks and was selected 19th overall in the 2003 NHL Draft. He has played his entire career with the Ducks and is the franchise’s all-time leading scorer, having played 917 regular season games and counting, scoring 247 goals and 875 points. He would win the Stanley Cup with the Ducks in 2006-07, and he has also won two Olympic Gold Medals with Team Canada form the 2010 and 2014 Winter Olympic Games.