Who are some of the best HoG players lost in the annals of time?

[Filthy Dangles]

Who are some really good players who weren’t quite great that get lost in the annals of time that is hockey history?

E: Subtle distinction, I’m not necessarily asking for the best players not in the hall of fame (although those answers would be fine too) more so who are some really good players that are more forgotten about over time.

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[seventieslord]

Ed Sandford?
Red Sullivan?
Grant Warwick?

 

[MXD]

Rabbit McVeigh ? Alex Schibicky?

 

[VanIslander]

Shirley Davidson
Billy Breen
Clem Loughlin
Jan Starsi

 

[The Panther]

From what I can remember of players from mid-80s to early-90s, when I was a kid:

John Ogrodnick (Best years = Detroit: 1980-81 to 1985-86 & NYR: 1989-90 to 1990-91)
-- A fourth-round draft choice of Detroit's who put up 402 goals in only 928 games. Somehow scored 138 goals in less than three full seasons for the pre-Demers 'Dead Wings', and then after three years of decline in Detroit/New York suddenly came back to life under Roger Nielson and had back-to-back strong seasons for the Rangers. He's easy to overlook because his best years are pre-Red Wings coming back to life, and pre-Messier in New York.

Thomas Steen (Best years = Winnipeg: 1982-83 to 1992-93)
-- Swedish forward was a mainstay for the Jets 1.0 franchise for many years. Two-way checker/scorer. Four or five seasons at a point-per-game or better, just once hit 30 goals. Finished with 817 points in 950 games! As I grew up in the 80s/90s, it seemed to me like Steen was in Winnipeg forever and he never changed.

Craig Simpson (Best years = Edmonton: 1987-88 to 1990-91)
-- Co-1st overall draft choice (wisely told Toronto not to draft him, so went 2nd). Traded out of Pittsburgh for Coffey in Nov. 1987, scored 56 goals (2nd NHL) in 1987-88, plus 13 more in the playoffs for 69 goals in 99 games. Also great post-Gretzky in 1988-89. Dipped in RS c.1989-1991, but was amazing in 1990 playoffs -- led playoffs in scoring and won 2nd Cup. Career was basically over a month past his 26th birthday. Highest shooting-percentage in NHL history.

Charlie Huddy (Best years = Edmonton: 1982-83 to 1988-89)
-- Oilers' defenceman became a regular in 1981-82 and was a mainstay until the summer of 1991 mass-exodus of what remained of the Dynasty players. He was uniquely positioned between his frequent partner Coffey (offensive rover) and every other Oilers' defenceman (stay-at-home), so he never got credit for his offense or his defense, both of which were above average. Twice scored over 50 points in a season; once scored 20 points in 18 games in the playoffs. From 1982-83 to 1984-85, he was +159.

Craig Hartsburg & Paul Reinhardt (Best years = Minny: 1981-82 to 1986-87 [Hartsburg]; Calgary: 1980-81 to 1986-87 [Reinhardt])
-- Somewhat similar defensemen with similar career curves. Hartsburg was a little tougher; Reinhardt a little more talented offensively. Both looked like borderline Hall of Famers during the early-/mid-1980s, but both had careers shortened by frequent injury. Reinhardt had a nice comeback with Vancouver at the end of the 80s for two seasons, but both players were basically done on their main clubs by summer 1987, aged 27.

 

[Normand Lacombe]

Lorne Chabot
Steve Larmer
Bobby Smith

 

[brachyrynchos]

Ron Greschner doesn't get mentioned enough. He was the main guy on the Rangers blueline, skilled and well rounded. 981-179-431-610, better player than his stats reveal.
Peter McNab 955-363-450-813 was just about a point per game player with Boston (595-263-324-587) after he started with Buffalo. Solid at faceoffs and played an honest game. He briely centered what looked to be a great line in Vancouver with Neely and Taylor Hall before Hall got injured less than 20 games into his career. Finished in New Jersey playing for his dad, Max.

 

[Canadiens1958]

George Armstrong,Bob Davidson, Ron Stewart,
Bobby Rousseau, Bert Olmstead, Gilles Tremblay,
Eric Nesterenko, Elmer Vasko, Pit Martin,
Alex Delvecchio, Gary Bergman,
Murray Oliver, Dallas Smith,
Dean Prentice, Harry Howell, Bruce MacGregor,
Jean Pronovost, Lowell MacDonald,
Cesare Maniago, Danny Grant, Bill Goldsworthy,
Dave Taylor, Bill White, Terry Harper,
Gary Smith, Gilles Meloche,
Jim Watson, Barry Ashbee, Gary Dornhoefer,
Red Berenson, Garry Ungar, Al Arbour.

 

[VanIslander]

Good ones: Pit Martin, Murray Oliver. But...

George Armstrong,
Bert Olmstead,
Alex Delvecchio,...

HHOF induction, name engraved on multiple cups, core of dynasty teams, named constantly in hockey history books, ENTRENCHED in the annals of time!!!

 

[Canadiens1958]

Good ones: Pit Martin, Murray Oliver. But...

HHOF induction, name engraved on multiple cups, core of dynasty teams, named constantly in hockey history books, ENTRENCHED in the annals of time!!!

so who are some really good players that are more forgotten about over time.

 

[VanIslander]

so who are some really good players that are more forgotten about over time.

That's a different (less original, hence less interesting) question than the first one asked by the op, and in the thread title. But he does conflate them. Some include:

Frank Nighbor. Marty Barry. Si Griffis. Marty Walsh. Frank Foyston. Ebbie Goodfellow. *yawn* Tons. But they are not lost in the annals of time.

 

[VanIslander]

Normie Himes.

The forward played his entire NHL career with the now defunct NY Americans, only once making the playoffs. He was a Lady Byng finalist three times, was 3rd, 6th, 8th in NHL assists, 8th in NHL goals, leading a lowly franchise he remains forever its leader in career goals, points and games played. So, there is one way the annals of time will have him.

Someone mentioned his teammate: Charley McVeigh. "The Rabbit" was a fan favorite with cheers and songs dedicated to him. He is 4th in franchise games played, 6th in goals, 7th in assists, so the annals of time might pass him over, except for the newspaper articles (dug up for his ATD bio) and his Manitoba HOF induction.

 

[VanIslander]

The great Czechoslovakian teams of the 1970's.

There seems to be very few resources in English on the team that won three world championships over the Soviets.

Milan Novy, Frantisek Pospisil, Jiri Holecek are all stars.

But those teams must have had very good players who were just below their fame level. Who were they?

I fear the annals of time won't be able to inform us unless books are written on them. I wonder how much knowledge is preserved in Czech libraries, how much will be lost.

 

[seventieslord]

Ron Greschner doesn't get mentioned enough. He was the main guy on the Rangers blueline, skilled and well rounded. 981-179-431-610, better player than his stats reveal.

Are you sure about that? I don't think he was the main guy for them that often or ever. And as for his stats, I think the opposite is true for two reasons. One, he never received Allstar or Norris recognition that matched his point totals because he was not that polished defensively, and also spent time at forward

 

[brachyrynchos]

Are you sure about that? I don't think he was the main guy for them that often or ever. And as for his stats, I think the opposite is true for two reasons. One, he never received Allstar or Norris recognition that matched his point totals because he was not that polished defensively, and also spent time at forward

I think he was their main defenseman before Leetch arrived and was pretty good, good enough for the Hall of Good.

 

[seventieslord]

I think he was their main defenseman before Leetch arrived and was pretty good, good enough for the Hall of Good.

Here are the Rangers' top 2 defensemen by TOI estimates in every year of his career (1, 2)

Park, Marotte
Vadnais, Marotte
Vadnais, Greschner
Vadnais, Greschner
Greschner, McEwen
Beck, Greschner
Greschner, Maloney
Beck, Maloney
Beck, Maloney
Beck, Huber
Beck, Ledyard
Beck, Patrick
Patrick, Laidlaw
Patrick, Petit
Leetch, Petit
Leetch, Patrick

He did have a brief time as the #1-2 from 77-81.

 

[Dennis Bonvie]

Don Maloney
Don Marcotte
Barry Beck
Ed Westfall
Danny Gare
Brian Propp
Dave Taylor
Pierre Mondou
Brad McCrimmon
Gilles Lupien (just kidding)

 

[GlitchMarner]

Maybe Don Luce and Frank Stanfield? Craig Ramsay?

 

[GlitchMarner]

More modern ones: Cory Stillman, Andrew Brunette, Petr Sykora, Vaclav Prospal, Steve Sullivan, Slava Kozlov.

 

[seventieslord]

Maybe Don Luce and Frank Stanfield? Craig Ramsay?

Ramsay is HOVG and not forgotten. Arguably HOF.

 

[VanIslander]

...Slava Kozlov.

He was overshadowed in Detroit and forgotten in Atlanta.

Patrick Sharp in Chicago reminded me of him. And Bob Bourne on Long Island. (Historically, probably Geoffrion had a similar, if jacked-up-higher-tier, role.)

To wit, valuable smiling forwards never quite considered top-2 or 3 but several times significant in top-level victories.

 

[vadim sharifijanov]

if we really mean HOG and not HOVG, then alex burrows will probably eventually qualify. an excellent complementary player and clutch performer on teams that did not win it all and will likely be forgotten when all is said and done.

he had also had the misfortune of having a run of being the best penalty killing forward and best defensive winger in the league but not getting the selke votes to show for it because his era completely overvalued two-way centers for selke consideration and because he was overshadowed by his flashier, higher scoring PK partner kesler.

it’s like, you think bob bourne is forgotten now? imagine bob bourne with no cups.

 

[GlitchMarner]

Maybe Don Luce and Frank Stanfield? Craig Ramsay?

That should be Fred Stanfield.

 

[sr edler]

if we really mean HOG and not HOVG, then alex burrows will probably eventually qualify. an excellent complementary player and clutch performer on teams that did not win it all and will likely be forgotten when all is said and done.

he had also had the misfortune of having a run of being the best penalty killing forward and best defensive winger in the league but not getting the selke votes to show for it because his era completely overvalued two-way centers for selke consideration and because he was overshadowed by his flashier, higher scoring PK partner kesler.

it’s like, you think bob bourne is forgotten now? imagine bob bourne with no cups.

He played on a very memorable and successful line though with the twins. Plus he was very hated by other fan bases because of his style, and people remember things they don't like.

Plus he also had a characteristic voice/accent.

 

[NHL WAR]

Joe Primeau