The Most Underrated Players in NHL History

The National Hockey League features a countless number of legends that include both Gretzky and Orr and Howe and Lemieux who cannot be disputed. The players who produced similar impacts to legendary stars somehow escaped recognition in the sporting world. Hockey has many strong yet undercelebrated players who rule the ice without becoming household names.



Long before Jonathan Toews and Patrice Bergeron became identified with their dual two-way abilities Rod Brind'Amour established himself as a complete player. Brind'Amour put in 20 seasons of work that culminated in 1,184 points (452 goals and 732 assists) and advanced him to elite status among faceoff men and defensive forwards of his time. His exceptional leadership in guiding the Carolina Hurricanes to win the Stanley Cup in 2006 never stopped the media from fixating on more extravagant talents. His late acknowledgment received Hall of Fame induction after a delay of 17 years since his retirement.

The discussion of elite defensemen always leads back to Lidstrom and Bourque. Sergei Zubov quietly served as the Dallas Stars’ power play quarterback which resulted in their victory at the 1999 Stanley Cup. The total of 771 points by Zubov (152 goals and 619 assists) positions him at the top of Russian defensemen scorers in NHL history. Throughout the decade of his retirement, he waited before achieving enshrinement in the Hall of Fame.

Availing Selke Trophies came much later than when Claude Provost used his defensive skills to stop top players in the NHL. During the Montreal Canadiens' championship streak of the 1950s and 60s Claude Provost proved essential to the team while successfully combating top players like Gordie Howe and Bobby Hull. His exceptional defensive skills have not stopped his status from being overshadowed as one of the unrecognized players of his time.

People expect the player known as Satan to have widespread popularity. During his time with the Buffalo Sabres and New York Islanders, Miroslav Šatan scored at least 30 goals yearly but never received an invite to an All-Star game. His 735-point total (363 goals combined with 372 assists) during 1,050 games demonstrates his contribution exceeded mere recognition of his memorable name. It’s time they get the recognition they earned.