The Best of U.S.
My top 10 American NHL players of all time
By Tom Layberger
Posted: Thursday February 16, 2006 12:34PM on
SI.com
When the United States was winning gold in Lake
Placid in 1980, there were only 55 American-born
players on NHL rosters -- not even three per
team. Few of them had careers of any
consequence.
Thanks in large part to that monumental Olympic
victory, hockey interest throughout the U.S.
began to surge and continues to do so. Want
proof? There were a record eight Americans taken
in the first round of the 2005 NHL draft.
From Alaska's Scott Gomez (Devils) to Florida's
Dan Hinote (Avalanche), 121 Americans dot NHL
teams, and a few of them are among the best ever
to hail from the States. With a growing number
making their mark in the world's best league, we
offer a list of the top U.S.-born players to
suit up in the NHL.
1. Pat LaFontaine
Born: St. Louis NHL career: 1984-1998;
Islanders, Sabers, Rangers Forced to retire at
33 due to concussion-related symptoms, the
classy center was a prolific scorer who averaged
45.4 goals in the seven seasons that he managed
to play at least 70 games. He accumulated 468
goals in only 865 games for a .541
goals-per-game clip that ranks ninth among the
top 50 all-time goal scorers.
2. Brian Leetch
Born: Corpus Christi, Texas NHL career:
1988-present; Rangers, Maple Leafs, Bruins
Twenty years after he was selected ninth overall
by the Rangers, Leetch is adding to a point
total that stands at 1,020. Second to Phil
Housley in scoring among America-born
defensemen, Leetch is a two-time Norris Trophy
winner who has been named to the NHL's First or
Second All-Star Team five times.
3. Joe Mullen
Born: New York City NHL career: 1980-1997;
Blues, Flames, Penguins, Bruins The product of
Hell's Kitchen in Manhattan stands as the
all-time goal scorer among U.S.-born players,
with 502. In one four-year stretch the winger
got his name etched on the Cup three times. A
Boston College standout, Mullen recorded at
least 40 goals on eight occasions.
4. Chris Chelios
Born: Chicago
NHL career: 1984-present; Canadiens, Blackhawks,
Red Wings
The oldest active player in the NHL at 44, Cheli
is still logging better than 17 minutes per
game. In his 23-season career the hardnosed
defenseman has appeared in 1,452 games and ranks
in the top 15 all time, second only to Housley
among U.S. players. The two-time Cup champ also
has 920 points and 2,783 minutes in the box.
5. Mike Modano
Born: Livonia, Mich.
NHL career: 1989-present; Stars
Selected first overall by the Minnesota North
Stars in the 1988 draft, Modano entered the
Olympic break second among U.S.-born players,
with 1,159 points. Skilled at both ends of the
ice, the one-time 50-goal scorer has totaled 477
for his career -- good for third all-time among
Americans.
6. Phil Housley
Born: St. Paul, Minn.
NHL career: 1982-2003; Sabres, Jets, Blues,
Flames, Devils, Capitals, Blackhawks, Maple
Leafs
The all-time leading scorer among American-born
players, Housley's 1,232 points rank fourth in
NHL history among defensemen. A participant in
seven All-Star games, the deft passer ranks 10th
in league annals with 1,495 games.
7. Jeremy Roenick
Born: Boston
NHL career: 1988-present; Blackhawks, Coyotes,
Flyers, Kings
The passionate J.R. needs 18 goals to join
Mullen as the only American-born players to
reach 500. He has topped 100 points three times
and his career total of 1,135 is good for third.
Roenick has also appeared in nine All-Star
games.
8. Mike Richter
Born: Abington, Pa.
NHL career: 1989-2003; Rangers
Whether he was tending goal with the Rangers or
on the international stage with Team USA,
Richter rose to the occasion when the pressure
mounted. Though he fought through serious knee
injuries, it was a concussion that cut short a
career that included a Stanley Cup and a
Rangers-record 301 victories.
9. John LeClair
Born: St. Albans, Vt.
NHL career: 1991-present; Canadiens, Flyers,
Penguins
His three 50-goal seasons (achieved
consecutively) top all Americans. The former
Vermont Catamount is a mere six goals shy of 400
for his career. LeClair has twice led the NHL in
plus/minus, and the left wing was also twice
named a First Team All-Star.
10. Frank Brimsek
Born: Eveleth, Minn.
NHL career: 1938-1950; Bruins, Blackhawks
One of the inaugural members of the U.S. Hockey
Hall of Fame (which is located in Eveleth), Mr.
Zero was a two-time Vezina winner who helped
lead the Bruins to a pair of Stanley Cups.
Brimsek was either a First- or Second-Team
All-Star in each of his eight seasons with
Boston.
Honorable mention (in alphabetical order)
Tom Barrasso (Boston; 1983-2003); Neal Broten
(Roseau, Minn.; 1981-1997); Mark Howe (Detroit;
1973-1995), Keith Tkachuk (Melrose, Mass.;
1992-present); Doug Weight (Warren, Mich.;
1991-present)
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