Guys who never got a chance in the NHL

[Theokritos]

Corey Locke was one of those guys who seemingly produced everywhere he went but could never stick in the NHL for more than a couple of games.

He was small and wasn’t a good skater. Terrible combination for an NHL player.

Even at the European minor leagues level he had the reputation of being a poor defensive player.

 

[Yozhik v tumane]

Thats exactly why he didnt get a chance. He was hounded and bullied by his teams staff to depression and eating disorders. All explained by the man himself in the book you mention.

I think you clarified my point, thank you.

I didn’t mean he got a fair chance, or that he wasn’t squandered - he’s really actually a great case for this thread. I just meant that he did make the NHL and had a full season with the Ducks, and that he probably could have stayed if he decided to soldier on. I’m not implying that the situation made it a viable option, though.
And admittedly I’m just guessing. I never read the book but have read and listened to a couple of interviews with him.

I agree that ultimately Hedström was a squandered talent in terms of his potential being lost to mental health issues induced by ignorant, hostile environments and lack of support, and that due to how miserable he was in the NHL environment he decided to leave.

 

[Hobnobs]

I think you clarified my point, thank you.

I didn’t mean he got a fair chance, or that he wasn’t squandered - he’s really actually a great case for this thread. I just meant that he did make the NHL and had a full season with the Ducks, and that he probably could have stayed if he decided to soldier on. I’m not implying that the situation made it a viable option, though.
And admittedly I’m just guessing. I never read the book but have read and listened to a couple of interviews with him.

I agree that ultimately Hedström was a squandered talent in terms of his potential being lost to mental health issues induced by ignorant, hostile environments and lack of support, and that due to how miserable he was in the NHL environment he decided to leave.

I wonder what would've happened if he was traded to a team with actual good coaching and management at the time. He wouldve been a good replacement for Pyatt in Buffalo, Rangers, Lightning, Preds the list goes on could all have used him tbh.

 

[ForsbergForever]

Thomas Rundqvist. A big 6'3 forward come over to play with Montreal in 1984-85 and put up 58 points in 73 AHL games but only played 2 games for the Habs that season before returning to Sweden. I don't know much about him other than that but I feel like he definitely had the talent to be an NHL regular.

 

[alko]

Patrik Bärtschi: 2002 round 7 #202 overall by Pittsburgh Penguins

Was really productive in seasons 2002/2003 and 2003/2004 in NLA. Also in World Juniors. And as a 18 years old, played also in senior WCH for Swiss.

Why didn't he played in Nort America? Was he in some camp?

 

[MeHateHe]

Always wonder what happened to Rick Girard (Rick Girard Hockey Stats and Profile at hockeydb.com). Kid was 2ppg in his draft year in Swift Current, was taken in the second round by the Canucks and then just sorta fizzled over the course of four seasons in the AHL and IHL before going to Germany. Not sure this qualifies as not having a shot or maybe best described as not getting any real pro development.

 

[Hobnobs]

Did someone, maybe me, already say Lonny Bohonos? I just can't fathom what happened with him. 9 points in 9 playoff games for the Leafs in 1999. Then he's gone. It reminds me of say, in the NFL, whoever had Doug Flutie as their quarterback was just waiting for the chance to say they were cutting him and I never understood why. Pat Quinn had a stubbornness about this sort of thing that bothered me. Bohonos was a skilled player who was a shade under 6'0". He basically ignored Steve Sullivan in the same way and guess how that turned out. How is it someone else didn't give Bohonos a chance?

Bohonos wasn't that great. Did you watch him? Management lost faith in him during the sabres series. Bohonos hada hot round vs Pens where he scored most of hit points with Sundin and Thomas. Then he went back to your standard farm team player against the sabres.

 

[Hobnobs]

Patrik Bärtschi: 2002 round 7 #202 overall by Pittsburgh Penguins

Was really productive in seasons 2002/2003 and 2003/2004 in NLA. Also in World Juniors. And as a 18 years old, played also in senior WCH for Swiss.

Why didn't he played in Nort America? Was he in some camp?

He did have a few camps with the Pens iirc and if memory serves me right he himself chose to stay in eu

 

[mattihp]

Jukka Hentunen would have been a 50-60 point tenacious guy with a nice scoring touch had his drink come earlier.

But the two ultimate Finnish guys would have been

Mika Nieminen - Amazing maestro center with some two-way ability. Didn't play a game in the NHL.

Esa Keskinen - SEL legend with amazing offensive tools.

 

[mattihp]

I agree with the mention of Toni Rajala. Small, but did well during his time in North America and had good all-around skill. Could have been a skilled second-line type if given a chance and is certainly better than any current Oiler forward not named Draisaitl, RNH, or McDavid.

I didn't buy into Rajala being that class of a player until last world champs. His line did splendidly. He not only contributed offensively, he tired out the opposition with world-class forechecking, puck cycling and just being a solid hockey player who was constantly hassled and pressured by NHL stars.

 

[Hobnobs]

Jukka Hentunen would have been a 50-60 point tenacious guy with a nice scoring touch had his drink come earlier.

But the two ultimate Finnish guys would have been

Mika Nieminen - Amazing maestro center with some two-way ability. Didn't play a game in the NHL.

Esa Keskinen - SEL legend with amazing offensive tools.

I could defo see Keskinen making a name for himself in the NHL. Especially if he got a good chance with a nice center. The man was a very good center/winger.

 

[mattihp]

I could defo see Keskinen making a name for himself in the NHL. Especially if he got a good chance with a nice center. The man was a very good center/winger.

He should've meshed well with Gilmour, Otto or Nieuwendyk, the flames center stars a couple of years after his draft..

 

[Hobnobs]

He should've meshed well with Gilmour, Otto or Nieuwendyk, the flames center stars a couple of years after his draft..

Mullen - Gilmour
Niuwendyk - Loob
Otto - Keskinen

Seem very viable to me

 

[Big Phil]

Bohonos wasn't that great. Did you watch him? Management lost faith in him during the sabres series. Bohonos hada hot round vs Pens where he scored most of hit points with Sundin and Thomas. Then he went back to your standard farm team player against the sabres.

I specifically remember that postseason, so yeah I saw him. I also remember Don Cherry's reaction when they sat him. He said something along the lines that they were just waiting for him to have a bad game before they did that. Why not keep him on the top line? It wasn't as if they had wingers for Sundin back then.

 

[Hobnobs]

I specifically remember that postseason, so yeah I saw him. I also remember Don Cherry's reaction when they sat him. He said something along the lines that they were just waiting for him to have a bad game before they did that. Why not keep him on the top line? It wasn't as if they had wingers for Sundin back then.

And Ive seen him quite a bit in Europe. He was good for NLA level of play. Because he stopped performing on the top line and it wasnt like Bohonos hadnt gotten chances before both with the leafs and the Canucks except right before being traded to the Leafs when the nucks for some oblivious reason tried to use him for checking I remember Bohonos himself blamed lack of weight training, confidence and listening to coaches for him not succeeding in the NHL.

Bohonos problems were that he lacked in key areas. Especially for that time. He wasnt a great skater, below average defensively, lacked size, lazy player who didnt like getting into the dirty areas... Im actually surprised you and Cherry seem to be such fans of him. I seem to recall that youve made similar posts about him before. Could be wrong though.

 

[wetcoast]

By all accounts John Mayasich was a phenomenal talent at one time in Minnesota. Like so many good college players at the time he never got a shot at the NHL It was really hard for Americans to break into the NHL, even after Tommy Williams did following his gold medal in in the '60 Olympics.

The Quiet American John Mayasich was a wizard on ice but never got a shot to prove it in the NHL

Interesting story but seems to have been a big fish in a small pond type of guy.

 

[Sanf]

Jukka Hentunen would have been a 50-60 point tenacious guy with a nice scoring touch had his drink come earlier.

But the two ultimate Finnish guys would have been

Mika Nieminen - Amazing maestro center with some two-way ability. Didn't play a game in the NHL.

Esa Keskinen - SEL legend with amazing offensive tools.

I think Nieminen is the bigger what if. Could play center and winger. Like you said had some two way potential. Had size and even strength. Not amazingly fast, but really great acceleration. It´s interesting that nobody ever threw late round pick on him.

He had always the stamp lazy on him. Don´t know, but I believe he would have had potential to bigger achievments. But like the choice of going to Swiss second league while still in his prime shows he didn´t have the ambition and maybe the work ethic to make it in NA.

Keskinen was magical with his stick. Atleast with passing. He really didn´t have a good shot at all. He was purely a center. Slowish always. Never really became two way player. And like many "stars" of that era he didn´t start to train professionally until he was in Jursinov School when he was already close to 30. Making it to Flames top three line center in late 80´s. Sadly I don´t see it. Maybe in some other team.

But he was amazing to watch in Euro rinks.

 

[Eye of Ra]

Why did Raimo Helminen not have more sucess in NHL? He should have been a good NHLer for many years.

 

[mattihp]

Why did Raimo Helminen not have more sucess in NHL? He should have been a good NHLer for many years.

Culture shock and skating style I would say. A young Raipe had alright speed, but his skating was choppy.

 

[Big Phil]

And Ive seen him quite a bit in Europe. He was good for NLA level of play. Because he stopped performing on the top line and it wasnt like Bohonos hadnt gotten chances before both with the leafs and the Canucks except right before being traded to the Leafs when the nucks for some oblivious reason tried to use him for checking I remember Bohonos himself blamed lack of weight training, confidence and listening to coaches for him not succeeding in the NHL.

Bohonos problems were that he lacked in key areas. Especially for that time. He wasnt a great skater, below average defensively, lacked size, lazy player who didnt like getting into the dirty areas... Im actually surprised you and Cherry seem to be such fans of him. I seem to recall that youve made similar posts about him before. Could be wrong though.

My comments about him come from the 1999 playoffs and then he vanished out of thin air. So I didn't see him afterwards. So I don't have the book on him after that. I just remember this is how Quinn's Leafs were at the time. Or Quinn specificially. Steve Sullivan was someone who didn't get a fair shake in Toronto either and was used improperly. He had 7 straight seasons of 60-75 points after Toronto got rid of him. But Nik Antropov got the benefit of the doubt every time and never missed a shift. There was a stubbornness about Quinn that bothered me sometimes, and this was it.

 

[Hobnobs]

My comments about him come from the 1999 playoffs and then he vanished out of thin air. So I didn't see him afterwards. So I don't have the book on him after that. I just remember this is how Quinn's Leafs were at the time. Or Quinn specificially. Steve Sullivan was someone who didn't get a fair shake in Toronto either and was used improperly. He had 7 straight seasons of 60-75 points after Toronto got rid of him. But Nik Antropov got the benefit of the doubt every time and never missed a shift. There was a stubbornness about Quinn that bothered me sometimes, and this was it.

With Sullivan you have a point but most teams have a guy like that and its just not Quinn. When it came to Bohonos no other team was interested and two teams had already given up on him. On did it to get another dud in Brandon Convery. I had to google to see if I was right and here, from 2014. Lonny Bohonos

 

[Johnny Engine]

My comments about him come from the 1999 playoffs and then he vanished out of thin air. So I didn't see him afterwards. So I don't have the book on him after that. I just remember this is how Quinn's Leafs were at the time. Or Quinn specificially. Steve Sullivan was someone who didn't get a fair shake in Toronto either and was used improperly. He had 7 straight seasons of 60-75 points after Toronto got rid of him. But Nik Antropov got the benefit of the doubt every time and never missed a shift. There was a stubbornness about Quinn that bothered me sometimes, and this was it.

Nik Antropov had his minutes cut by 3 minutes a game in his second year, and then was sent to the minors for most of his third year. Which may not have been fast enough for you... but maybe check on these things first?

 

[Hoser]

Paul Gardner

Tom Reid(Vancouver minor hockey legend for Riley Park) rumour has it cause he was Black no junior team was brave enough to sign him)

Pekka Rautakallio

Tony Currie

Paul Gardner played over 400 games and scored over 400 points through the better part of a decade. To suggest he "never got a chance in the NHL" is ludicrous. Same with Tony Currie, who played almost 300 games over eight seasons.

Pekka Rautakallio only played three seasons in the NHL, but that was his choice: he chose to go back to Finland in 1982. The Flames absolutely would have kept him if he wanted to stay. (In much the same way Hakan Loob voluntarily called it quits and went back to Sweden in 1989.)

 

[Big Phil]

Nik Antropov had his minutes cut by 3 minutes a game in his second year, and then was sent to the minors for most of his third year. Which may not have been fast enough for you... but maybe check on these things first?

I mean his overall Leaf career. He was with us for about a decade. The guy was a liability out there. Couldn't fight, couldn't hit, but he was 6'6" so eventually he'll come around right? Ugh. I couldn't stand him out there year after year. Slow as molasses as well.

 

[Bustedprospect]

Keskinen and LG-Pettersson for sure. Flat out dominant on a good league but also for their national teams.