12. BM67------------- New Jersey Devils
Bobby Hull, LW – 5’10â€, 195 lbs, Age: 27
RS: 65-*54-43-*97-70 PO: 6-2-2-4-10
He won the Hart Trophy and was named to the 1st All-Star team, while setting new records for most goals (54) and points (97) in a season in 1965-66. His goals and points totals dwarfed the runners-up, F. Mahovlich with 32 goals, and his teammate S. Mikita with 78 points. A truly dominant player with blazing speed, bullish strength and a booming shot.
Mark Messier, C – 6’1â€, 205 lbs, Age: 29
RS: 79-45-84-129-79 PO: 22-9-*22-*31-20
Won the Hart Trophy, the Lester B. Pearson, was runner-up for the Art Ross Trophy, was named to the 1st All-Star Team in 1989-90. He captained the Oilers to victory and led all playoff scorers in assists and tied for the point lead. An inspirational leader who was dominant in all facets of the game, he was a true complete player.
Red Kelly, D – 6’0â€, 195 lbs, Age: 26
RS: 62-16-33-49-18 PO: 12-5-1-6-0
Won the first Norris Trophy, leading all defensemen in goals, assists and points, finished 6th in league scoring and was runner-up for the Hart Trophy, as well as taking home the Lady Byng in 1953-54. Led Detroit in playoff goals and contributed a point in each win in the Cup Final victory over Montreal. His fast, powerful skating and fine play-making skills made him one of the best two-way players of all-time.
Ken Dryden, G – 6’4â€, 205 lbs, Age: 29
RS: 62-*42-10-8-3580-121-*8-*2.03 PO: *13-*12-1-*780-25-1-*1.92
Led the league in wins, shutouts and GAA, winning the Vezina and being named to the 1st All-Star Team, and lost only 1 game in leading Montreal to the first of 4 straight Stanley Cups in 1975-76. The large list of accomplishments this “damn octopus†with the “7 foot legs†accumulated in his brief 8-year career is testament to his dominance.
Dickie Moore, LW – 5’10â€, 185 lbs, Age: 28
RS: 70-41-*55-*96-61 PO: 11-5-*12-*17-8
Was named to the 1st All-Star Team and won the Art Ross Trophy in setting a new record for points in a season with 96 in 1958-59. He followed that up with a just as impressive playoff run. “Digging Dicker†was a passionate player that could hit, fight and make beautiful touch passes on the fly. He was one the best clutch playoff performers of all-time.
Charlie Conacher, RW – 6’1â€, 202 lbs, Age: 22
RS: 44-*34-14-48-66 PO: 7-*6-2-8-6
Led the league in goals during the regular season and playoffs leading Toronto to the Stanley Cup in 1931-32. “The Big Bomber†had a hard heavy shot, could make nifty moves around the crease, and was willing to go through the goalie and the net to score. He also acted as the policeman for the Leafs.
Nels Stewart, C – 6’1â€, 200 lbs, Age: 23
RS: 36-*34-8-*42-119 PO: 4-*6-1-*7-14
Led the league in goals in winning the Hart Trophy and the scoring title, while ranking second in PIM in 1925-26. Then scored 6 goals, including the Cup winner, and 7 points in a 4 game playoff victory over the Victoria Cougars as a rookie. Earning the nickname “Old Poison†because of his deadly accurate shot, he combined talent and physical play at a level rarely seen in league history. He was also dominant on face-offs.
Andy Bathgate, RW – 6’0â€, 180 lbs, Age: 26
RS: 70-40-48-88-48
Finished 3rd in goals and points, 2nd in assists and won the Hart Trophy in 1958-59. He was a wizard with the puck, manning the point on a deadly New York PP. He had one of the hardest slap shots ever seen, and was a tricky, weaving skater. He was also an effective, even dangerous penalty killer.
Earl Seibert, D – 6’2â€, 198 lbs, Age: 26
RS: 48-8-13-21-38 PO: 10-5-2-7-12
While Chicago struggled to make the playoffs, and Seibert only made the 2nd All-star team, the playoffs were another story. He was such a huge factor in the Hawks Stanley Cup win that owner Major McLaughlin reportedly gave him a piece of the team. Earl was a strong, fast skater, an intimidating force with his stick and body, and was one of the best shot-blockers around. He also owned excellent puck-handling skills and was almost impossible to knock off his skates.
Lionel Conacher, D – 6’2â€, 195 lbs, Age: 32
RS: 48-10-13-23-87 PO: 8-2-0-2-4
“The Big Train†was a 1st All-Star Team member, and runner-up for the Hart Trophy as he anchored the Chicago defense in 1933-34. He was 3rd on the team in goals, and 4th in points on a team that won the Stanley Cup on the strength of its Vezina winning defense. Lionel was a legendary all-around athlete, a brick wall on defense, and a ferocious fighter, once famously thrashing his own brother Charlie.
Turk Broda, G – 5’9â€, 180 lbs, Age: 33
RS: 60-*32-15-13-*3600-143-5-*2.38 PO: 9-*8-1-557-20-*1-*2.15
Broda had perhaps his finest season in winning the Vezina, making the 1st All-Star Team, and leading the Leafs to the 2nd of three straight Cup victories with only one playoff loss in 1947-48. A true money goalie Turk led the Leafs to 5 Cups and 8 Cup Final appearances in 11 years sandwiched around 2+ years of wartime service.
Alexei Kasatonov, D – 6’1â€, 215 lbs, Age: 24
CC: 7-1-*10-11-8 USSR: 46-12-27-39-45 WEC-A: 10-0-3-3-6
Alexei was an All-Star in the USSR, at the 81 Canada Cup and the 82 World Championships in 1981-82. He led all players with 10 assists at the Canada Cup, and finished one point behind Gretzky’s leading total of 12 points. A big, agile defender he team with Fetisov to form one of the best defensive pairings of all-time.
Dave Keon, C – 5’9â€, 165 lbs, Age: 27
RS: 66-19-33-52-2 PO: 12-3-5-8-0
While not having his best scoring season his defensive play, penalty killing and brilliance at taking face-offs were invaluable to the Leafs in winning their last Cup in 1966-67, and earning Keon the Conn Smythe Trophy.
Vaclav Nedomanksy, RW/C – 6’2â€, 210 lbs, Age: 30
Czech: 44-*46-28-*74-na WEC-A: 10-*10-3-13-4
A speedy power forward with one of the best wrist shots in the world, “Big Ned†led the Czech. League in goals and points and led the World Championships in goals and was named the Best Forward of the Tournament in 1973-74.
Ted “Teeder†Kennedy, C – 5’10â€, 180 lbs, Age: 25
RS: 63-18-*43-61-32 PO: 11-4-5-9-6
Teeder led the league in assists, was named to the 2nd All-Star Team and captained the Leafs to the Cup in 1950-51. He was an exceptional playmaker, an excellent defensive center, the best face-off man in the NHL, and a “thoroughbred plow-horse†in the words of Howie Meeker.
Sprague Cleghorn, D – 5’10â€, 190 lbs, Age: 30
RS: 21-16-5-21-85 PO: 5-0-1-1-4
Sprague had as many goals as any other defender had points and led a powerful Ottawa defense as they captured the Cup in 1919-20. He was one of the finest defenders the game of hockey has ever know, able to make effortless transitions between the physical game and whirling rushes. He captained the Canadiens to the Stanley Cup and was runner-up for the inaugural Hart Trophy in 1924 at the age of 34.
Rick Middleton, RW – 5’11â€, 170 lbs, Age: 29
RS: 80-49-47-96-8 PO: 17-11-22-33-6
“Slick†put up his usual solid numbers during the regular season, but he exploded in the playoffs, finishing second to Gretzky in scoring, as his Bruins came as close as anyone to derailing the Islanders dynasty in 1982-83. Rick was a methodical, thinking man’s type player. He was a solid two-way player, who was very fast, with excellent passing and shooting skills.
Bill Gadsby, D – 6’0â€, 185 lbs, Age: 30
RS: 65-14-32-46-48 PO: 6-0-3-3-4
Bill led all defensemen in goals, assists and points and finished 2nd to Harvey in Norris voting in 1957-58. He was a powerful, raw-boned man with a rugged style, adept at shot blocking and clearing the crease. He was one of the better play making defenders of his day, with a heavy point shot.
Babe Siebert, LW/D – 5â€10â€, 200 lbs, Age: 28
RS: 48-21-18-39-64 PO: 4-0-1-1-4
As a member of the “S’ Line†Siebert finished in the top 10 in goals and points in 1931-32. His primary role was to forecheck like a fiend and feed Nels Stewart. He was a fierce competitor who combined tireless backchecking with speed and playmaking ability. After the “S’ Line†was broken up in 32 he was converted to defense and went on to be named a 1st Team All-Star 3 times and won the Hart Trophy in 1937.
John Tonelli, LW – 6’1â€, 200 lbs, Age: 28
CC: 8-3-6-9-2 RS: 80-42-58-100-95 PO: 10-1-8-9-10
John was name MVP of the 84 Canada Cup, then went on to be named to the 2nd All-Star Team in 1984-85. An unsung hero of the Islanders dynasty, he possessed an uncanny knack for digging out the puck in close quarters, and was an intimidating physical presence.
Only three of these players are not in either the HHoF or the IIHF HoF, Mark Messier, Rick Middleton and John Tonelli.
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