There's No Way Millennials Can Name These 90s NHL Stars
- by Chris Roberts
- – on
- in Sports
The 1990s were a different time in the National Hockey League (NHL). There were no shootouts, games still concluded in a tie, and the divisions were drastically different than the ones we know today; in fact, if you can believe it, in the early 1990s, the Toronto Maple Leafs even played in the Western Conference, despite being in the Eastern time zone. It was also a time of continued expansion for the league as it established markets in Anaheim, Florida, Tampa Bay, and Ottawa in the early part of the decade and Nashville, Minnesota, Atlanta, and Columbus toward the turn of the century. Additionally, the Winnipeg Jets moved to Phoenix and the Hartford Whalers moved to Carolina. It was a time of tremendous transition , but also high-caliber, wide-open play. Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux were still in the league and players were regularly scoring at least 100 points per season. In today's era, it's unlikely multiple players reach that mark; Connor McDavid led the league in scoring last year with 100 points exactly.
The playing style was much different in that hooking and grabbing was accepted and went uncalled by referees. If you watch a game from the early 90s, you'll recognize at least a dozen infractions that would undoubtedly be called a penalty by today's standards. Fighting was also much more common. It was a completely different game. In fact, it was so different that we believe anyone who grew up in that era might even have a hard time identifying these stars.
Who is this 1990s NHL star?
Speaking of stars, this American-born center played most of his career with the Minnesota North Stars/Dallas Stars franchise. Drafted first overall by the North Stars in the 1988 NHL Entry Draft, he recorded an impressive 75 points in his rookie season and went on to win a Stanley Cup with the team in 1999-99. He joined the Detroit Red Wings in 2010-11 after 21 years with the Stars franchise, but played only 40 regular season games and two playoff games. He retired at the end of the year with 1,374 points in 1,499 career games.
Who is this 1990s NHL star?
A member of the 2016 Hockey Hall of Fame induction class, this former first overall pick was a 6-foot-4 power forward who was one of the most physically dominant players of his era. Not only could he run you over at full speed, he was also a gifted goal scorer who scored at least 25 goals in each of his first nine seasons in the league. He recorded a career-high 115 points as a member of the Philadelphia Flyers in 1995-96, but, like so many other players, his career was affected by concussions. He retired in 2007 after recording 865 points in 760 career games.
Who is this 1990s NHL star?
The best goaltender of all-time, depending on who you ask, this netminder is a native of Czech Republic who helped the country to a gold medal at the 1998 Nagano Winter Olympics. His unorthodox style between the pipes made him the subject of plenty of highlight reels throughout his career and players have often cited him as the toughest goalie to beat. Drafted in the 10th round of the 1983 NHL Entry Draft by the Chicago Blackhawks, he went on to post a career record of 389-223-95 along with a 2.20 goals against average and .922 save percentage. He won six Vezina Trophies and received the Hart Trophy in 1998 as the league's MVP.
Who is this 1990s NHL star?
Although he was born in Ontario, Canada, this right winger played for the United States at the international level throughout his career and is regarded as one of the country's best goal-scorers of all-time. Surprisingly, he wasn't drafted until the sixth round in 1984, but he was a standout at the University of Minnesota-Duluth and went quickly adapted to the NHL game. A one-time winner of the Hart Trophy, he retired in 2006 after playing 1,269 games with five different teams and recording 1,391 points.
Who is this 1990s NHL star?
A native of Toronto, Ontario, this 6-foot-5, 220-pound center was selected third overall by the Detroit Red Wings in the 1990 NHL Entry Draft after a 127-point season with the Niagara Falls Thunder of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). He struggled in his first two seasons, but developed into a dominant two-way power forward center by his fourth year in the league. He retired in 2006 after playing in 909 career games and recording 619 points to go along with 1,541 penalty minutes.
Who is this 1990s NHL star?
The winner of the Vezina Trophy as a rookie in 1984, this goaltender played into the early 2000s, retiring in 2003 as a member of the St. Louis Blues. Throughout his lengthy career, he compiled a record of 369-277-86 to go along with a 3.24 goals against average and a .892 save percentage. A native of Boston, Massachusetts, he was originally drafted by the Buffalo Sabres fifth overall in the 1983 NHL Entry Draft. He later played for the Pittsburgh Penguins, Ottawa Senators, Carolina Hurricanes, Toronto Maple Leafs, and the Blues.
Who is this 1990s NHL star?
Although most people associate this player with the New Jersey Devils, he was actually drafted 10th overall in the 1989 NHL Entry Draft by the Hartford Whalers. He lasted only two seasons with the team before he was dealt to the Devils and didn't really become a consistent scoring threat until his seventh season in the league, when he posted 62 points in 82 games. The native of Czech Republic later played for the New York Rangers and Atlanta Thrashers before returning to New Jersey in 2008 to retire as a Devil.
Who is this 1990s NHL star?
A native of Sweden, this goaltender is best known for allowing a goal from center ice in an Olympic contest against Belarus that led to one of the greatest international upsets of all-time. Despite that fact, he was a quality goaltender in the NHL, playing in 526 games and posting a career record of 210-225-73 to go along with a 2.55 goals against average and .905 save percentage. His sub-500 record could be owed to the fact he played for mediocre teams such as the Edmonton Oilers and New York Islanders throughout his career.
Who is this 1990s NHL star?
The current general manager of the Tampa Bay Lightning, this player spent his entire playing career with the Detroit Red Wings and guided the team to multiple Stanley Cups. A high-scoring offensive-minded player when he came into the league in the mid-1980s, he later developed into one of the game's best two-way centers and earned a Frank J. Selke Trophy in 1999-00. He captained the Red Wings for nearly 20 seasons and retired in 2006 after playing in 1,514 career regular season games and accumulating 1,755 points.
Who is this 1990s NHL star?
A native of Burnaby, British Columbia, this player was drafted 15th overall in the 1987 NHL Entry Draft by the Quebec Nordiques and, like Yzerman above, spent his entire career with the franchise, even through the Nordiques' move to Colorado, where they became the Avalanche. He's a Stanley Cup champion and has won the Conn Smythe Trophy, Hart Trophy, Lady Byng Memorial Trophy, and the Lester B. Pearson Trophy. He retired in 2009 after playing in 1,378 games and recording 1,641 points.
Who is this 1990s NHL star?
An undrafted player out of Winnipeg, Manitoba, this winger played junior hockey with the Moose Jaw Warriors of the Western Hockey League (WHL) and was signed by the Montreal Canadiens in 1987. He made his NHL debut the following season and went on to play 1,161 career games between seven different teams, including the Dallas Stars and Colorado Avalanche. Instead of retiring after the NHL lockout in 2004, he spent the next five seasons playing for his hometown Manitoba Moose of the American Hockey League (AHL).
Who is this 1990s NHL star?
Although more prominently known as a Montreal Canadien, this native of Montreal was in fact drafted sixth overall by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 1986 NHL Entry Draft and spent the first five years of his career with the team. He played one season with the Edmonton Oilers before joining the Canadiens in 1992 and went on to play seven seasons with the team. He was traded to the San Jose Sharks in 1999 and spent five seasons with the Western Conference team before retiring in 2004 with 1,205 points in 1,378 career games.
Who is this 1990s NHL star?
One of the first Russian-born players to defect from the Red Army team to North America, this player was drafted in the fifth round of the 1988 NHL Entry Draft by the Buffalo Sabres and joined the team after the following season. He recorded a career-high 127 points in 77 games during the 1992-93 season and later topped 100 points as a member of the Vancouver Canucks. He played in 990 career games and recorded 1,032 points. He retired in 2006 as a member of the New Jersey Devils.
Who is this 1990s NHL star?
A native of Medicine Hat, Alberta, this former player is currently the president of the Vancouver Canucks, a team he was drafted by in 1988 and played with for the better part of his career. He recorded 59 points as a rookie with the team in the 1988-89 season and spent 10 seasons with the team before being dealt to the New York Islanders. He later played for the Montreal Canadiens and Washington Capitals before returning to Vancouver in 2001 and playing six more seasons with the team. He retired in 2008 after recording 867 points in 1,382 career games.
Who is this 1990s NHL star?
A recent inductee into the Hockey Hall of Fame, this player is among the all-time leaders in games played with 1,639, in which he recorded 1,338 points (640 goals and 698 assists). A consistent 30 goal scorer, he reached a career high 53 goals as a member of the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1993-94 and, even as a 40 year old, scored 21 goals as a member of the Tampa Bay Lightning. He helped the team win its first Stanley Cup that season by recording 14 points in 23 playoff games.
Who is this 1990s NHL star?
A native of Bromma, Sweden, this 6-foot-5 center was one of the most dominating players in the league throughout the 1990s with his combination of speed, size, and skill. He became the first ever European player selected first overall when the Quebec Nordiques drafted him in the 1989 NHL Entry Draft and he paid immediate dividends for the franchise, recording 59 point totals of 59, 76, and 114 in his first three seasons. However, following his fourth season with the team, he was dealt to the Toronto Maple Leafs, where he spent 13 seasons and became captain. He retired with 1,349 points in 1,346 career games.
Who is this 1990s NHL star?
A Stanley Cup winner with the New York Rangers in 1994, this player was originally drafted 22nd overall in the 1986 NHL Entry Draft by the Detroit Red Wings. He had a relatively inauspicious start to his career with both the Red Wings and Edmonton Oilers, but thrived when he was dealt to the Rangers in 1990. He recorded a career-high 79 points in the season the team won the Stanley Cup and consistently produced over 30 points in the next six seasons. He retired in 2003 with 616 points through 1,152 career games.
Who is this 1990s NHL star?
A member of the 2017 Hall of Fame induction class, this player is a native of Vancouver, British Columbia who was selected fourth overall in the 1993 NHL Entry Draft after recording a whopping 100 points with the University of Maine in the 1992-93 season. Although his career was negatively affected by concussion problems, he still managed to produce 989 points in 989 games between the Ducks, Colorado Avalanche, Nashville Predators, and St. Louis Blues. He retired following the 2009-10 season.
Who is this 1990s NHL star?
One of the most underrated defenseman of all-time, this player was selected in the fifth round of the 1990 NHL Entry Draft by the New York Rangers. The native of Russia came to North America in 1992 and played parts of three seasons with the Rangers before being dealt to the Pittsburgh Penguins, where he played one season before again being dealt to the Dallas Stars. He spent the next 12 seasons in Dallas and recorded at least 40 points in 10 consecutive seasons, including a 71-point season in 2005-06. Upon leaving the NHL, he played one season with St. Petersburg SKA of the KHL and retired in 2010.
Who is this 1990s NHL star?
Arguably the greatest American-born defenseman of all-time, this player grew up in Corpus Christi, Texas and played college hockey with Boston College. He made his NHL debut with the New York Rangers in 1987 and played 17 seasons with the team, winning a Stanley Cup in 1994 along the way. A remarkably-gifted offensive defenseman, he produced 1,028 points through 1,205 career regular season games as well as 97 points in 95 playoff games. He retired in 2006 after brief stints with the Toronto Maple Leafs and Boston Bruins.
Who is this 1990s NHL star?
Well before Alex Ovechkin, this European winger was the franchise star in Washington. The Slovakian national was drafted in the eighth round of the 1990 NHL Entry Draft and made the team the following season, recording a mediocre 28 points in 54 games. He showed improvement throughout the next few seasons and posted a career-high 85 points in the 1992-93 season. He played for the Capitals until 2004, when he was traded to the Ottawa Senators prior to the NHL trade deadline. He returned to the league following the lockout, but had forgettable stints in Atlanta and Chicago.
Who is this 1990s NHL star?
A native of Brockton, Massachusetts, this player was selected by the Los Angeles Kings in the sixth round of the 1983 NHL Entry Draft and played the next four seasons at Boston College, where, in his senior campaign, he recorded an impressive team-leading 70 points. He was traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins before playing a game in the NHL and won two Stanley Cups with the team in the early 1990s. He went on to play for the Boston Bruins, the Kings, New York Rangers, and Philadelphia Flyers, before joining the Penguins once again to finish his career.
Who is this 1990s NHL star?
The third overall pick in the 1987 NHL Entry Draft by the Boston Bruins, this player was an offensive defenseman early in his career who later developed into one of the league's most steady blueliners. He recorded a career-high 58 points with the Bruins during the 1993-94 season, but was dealt in the offseason to the Hartford Whalers. Aside from a brief seven-game stint with the Toronto Maple Leafs, he spent the remainder of his career with the Whalers/Hurricanes franchise, retiring in 2008 as a veteran of 1,457 career games.
Who is this 1990s NHL star?
The Buffalo Sabres made this player the first overall pick in the 1987 NHL Entry Draft after he posted an impressive 154 points in 58 games with the Granby Bisons of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). He recorded 42 points as a rookie and exploded offensively the following season with 88 points and improved upon that number again the next season with a team-leading 106 points. He later played for the Montreal Canadiens, St. Louis Blues, Dallas Stars, and Colorado Avalanche before retiring in 2007.
Who is this 1990s NHL star?
A native of Slovakia, this winger was selected by the Edmonton Oilers in the fifth round of the 1993 NHL Entry Draft. He didn't make the team until the 1995-96 season and was a decent third-line player at best in two seasons with the team. However, a trade to the Buffalo Sabres helped him develop into one of the league's most exciting offensive players. He reached a career-high 75 points during the 2002-03 season and signed with the New York Islanders following the 2004 lockout. He left the NHL in 2010 after playing 1,050 career games and accumulating 735 points.
Who is this 1990s NHL star?
This player played junior hockey with his hometown Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds of the OHL and was drafted fourth overall by the Hartford Whalers in the 1981 NHL Entry Draft. With a career spanning three different decades, he won two Stanley Cups, three Lady Byng Memorial Trophies, one Frank J. Selke Trophy, and one King Clancy Memorial Trophy. He played 1,731 career games with the Whalers/Hurricanes, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Toronto Maple Leafs and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2007.
Who is this 1990s NHL star?
Although he never won a Norris Trophy as the league's best defenseman, this player was in the conversation in almost every year of his career. A member of the Hockey Hall of Fame, he recorded an impressive 66 points as a rookie with the Buffalo Sabres in 1982-83, but that was only the start of a productive career. He eventually reached a career high in points during the 1992-93 season, when he accumulated 97 points in 80 games as a member of the Winnipeg Jets. He later played for the St. Louis Blues, Calgary Flames, New Jersey Devils, Washington Capitals, Calgary Flames, Chicago Blackhawks, and Toronto Maple Leafs. He retired in 2003 after playing 1,495 games and recording 1,232 points.
Who is this 1990s NHL star?
Although he was a dynamic goal scorer and play maker throughout his career, this Russian forward was also one of the league's best two-way players throughout the 1990s. The former Detroit Red Wings star and multiple-time Stanley Cup winner won a pair of Frank J. Selke Trophies in the 1990s as the league's best defensive forward and even won the Hart Trophy as the league MVP in 1993-94 after posting a career-high 120 points in 82 regular season games. He retired from the NHL in 2009 after recording 1,179 points in 1,248 career games.
Who is this 1990s NHL star?
This defenseman had decent offensive abilities early in his career, but he was primarily known for his ability to patrol the blue line and dish out punishing hits. A native of Michigan, he was selected by the Minnesota North Stars eighth overall in the 1990 NHL Entry Draft and spent most of his career with the franchise, winning a Stanley Cup in 1998-99. He routinely recorded at least 100 penalty minutes per season and retired with 331 points and 1,581 penalty minutes in 1,045 career games.
Who is this 1990s NHL star?
This Russian center was drafted in the 11th round of the 1985 NHL Entry Draft by the Vancouver Canucks, but didn't come over to North America until the 1989-90 regular season. He recorded 44 points with the Canucks as a 29 year old rookie and remained in the league until 2004, when he was a 44 year old veteran. In addition to the Canucks, he played for the San Jose Sharks, Detroit Red Wings, Florida Panthers, and New Jersey Devils. He recorded 644 points in 921 regular season games and 97 points in 150 playoff games.
Who is this 1990s NHL star?
Selected in the second round of the 1991 NHL Entry Draft by the New York Islanders, this native of Slovakia had perhaps the best (or worst, depending on how you look at it) hair in the NHL throughout the 1990s, but was known for more than that. He was a skilled offensive player who reached a career-high of 90 points during the 1996-97 season and topped 80 points in four other seasons. After leaving Long Island, he played for the Los Angeles Kings and Pittsburgh Penguins. He left the league in 2006 and played five seasons with a Slovakian club team.
Who is this 1990s NHL star?
Like Paul Kariya, this player was an undersized forward who dealt with concussion concerns throughout his career, but when he was healthy was one of the league's premiere players. A former third overall pick, he was limited to 865 games during his career, but recorded an impressive 1,013 points. He split his career between the New York Islanders and the Buffalo Sabres and retired in 1998 after playing one season with the New York Rangers. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2003.
Who is this 1990s NHL star?
Selected sixth overall by the Philadelphia Flyers in the 1991 NHL Entry Draft, this Swedish center was promptly dealt to the Quebec Nordiques in a trade for the first overall pick in that draft, Eric Lindros, who refused to play in Quebec. The move was beneficial for both teams as the Swede won a Stanley Cup with the Quebec franchise after it had moved to Colorado and earned a reputation as one of the league's best players. He recorded a career-high 116 points during the 1995-96 season and retired in 2011 with 865 points in 708 career games.
Who is this 1990s NHL star?
A stay-at-home defenseman with some offensive capabilities, this Chicago native played a whopping 28 seasons in the league with the Montreal Canadiens, Chicago Blackhawks, Detroit Red Wings, and Atlanta Thrashers. Selected in the second round of the 1981 NHL Entry Draft, he went on to win three Stanley Cups and three Norris Trophies, solidifying himself as one of the best defenseman of his era. He was deservedly inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2013 after recording 948 points in 1,651 career games.
Who is this 1990s NHL star?
Affectionately known as "Stumpy," this player was born in Stockport, England and grew up in Toronto. He went undrafted but signed a free agent contract with the Maple Leafs in 1984. He played in just 18 games as a rookie, but recorded 57 points in 65 games the following season. He went on to play with seven different teams, accumulating 933 points in 1,235 career games. He served as an assistant coach with the Tampa Bay Lightning from 2012 to 2016 and is currently an assistant with the St. Louis Blues.
Who is this 1990s NHL star?
Although he went undrafted, this native of Victoria, British Columbia was signed by the Boston Bruins in 1983 and bounced back and forth between the NHL and AHL in his first few seasons as a pro. He finally stuck with the Bruins during the 1986-87 season and soon after became a consistent scorer in the NHL. He recorded a career-high 80 points with the Washington Capitals in 1988-89 and played throughout the 1990s with the Vancouver Canucks and St. Louis Blues. He retired in 2000 with 799 points in 1,049 career games.
Who is this 1990s NHL star?
The current head coach of the New York Islanders, this player, at least for the time being, is more prominently known as an offensive-minded center. A native of Detroit, Michigan, he was drafted in the second round of the 1990 NHL Entry Draft by the New York Rangers and was unfortunately traded to the Edmonton Oilers a season before the team won the Stanley Cup. However, he thrived offensively in Edmonton, recording a career-high 104 points in the 1995-96 regular season. He eventually won a Stanley Cup with the Carolina Hurricanes in 2006. He retired in 2011 with 1,033 points in 1,238 career games.
Who is this 1990s NHL star?
Few players can say they lasted as long in the league as this native of Kamloops, British Columbia. A fourth-round pick of the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 1988 NHL Entry Draft, the winger played 1,652 career games and recorded 1,533 points; in fact, his career spanned four separate decades and he didn't retire until he was 43 years old. A three-time Stanley Cup champion with three different teams, he was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame as part of the 2017 class.
Who is this 1990s NHL star?
A third-round pick of the New Jersey Devils in the 1982 NHL Entry Draft, this player was a prolific scorer at the junior level, but most scouts thought he wouldn't make much of an impact in the NHL due to his diminutive 5-foot-9 frame. They couldn't have been any more wrong. He recorded 47 points as a rookie with the Devils and consistently improved each season, culminating in a career-high 89 points in 1989-90 in his first season with the Hartford Whalers. He also played for the New York Rangers, Dallas Stars, and Detroit Red Wings before retiring in 2002 as a veteran of 1,424 career games.
Who is this 1990s NHL star?
A sixth-round pick of the New Jersey Devils in the 1984 NHL Entry Draft, this goaltender is best known for his miraculous playoff run in 1994 in which he helped lead the Vancouver Canucks all the way to the Stanley Cup. The native of Willodale, Ontario spent 11 seasons with the Canucks and later played briefly with the Carolina Hurricanes, Florida Panthers, and New York Rangers. Through 612 career games, he posted a record of 244-261-72 to go along with a 3.25 goals against average and .887 save percentage.