Easily one of the greatest Detroit Red Wings of all time, Steve Yzerman spent his entire 22 year career in Motown and amassed a whopping 1,755 points for them. Yzerman was a godsend to the struggling Red Wings, who were an awful team in the early 80’s, and slowly became a power under Yzerman’s leadership. That was not a misnomer, as he would become the youngest captain in the franchise’s history. He entered the NHL as a good scorer, but he reached elite status for a six year stretch where from 1988 to 1993 he topped the 100 point mark. As he got older, he still was a decent scorer, but he was more than just a leader, as his defensive skills shone through as new offensive stars came to play for Detroit. His loyalty, hard work and dedication paid off as “Stevie Y” was the leader of a now powerful Red Wings team and won three Stanley Cups there. Yzerman not only became a legend in Detroit, but across the border in his native country of Canada, where his leadership was instrumental on their successful International teams. He would later take over as the General Manager for Canada in their 2007 and 2008 World Championships and was the Executive Director for the successful Canadian 2010 Winter Olympic Hockey Team.

Luc Robitaille spent nineteen seasons in the NHL and won a Stanley Cup as a member of the Detroit Red Wings in 2002, but it was his tenure in Los Angeles years before where he had his greatest success. For a six year stretch, Robitaille was considered the games top Left Wing, and he would hit the 100 point mark four times as a member of the Kings. In L.A., he was part of a powerful offense that became more potent with the arrival of the Wayne Gretzky.  Robitaille would finish with 668 goals in his career and would finish in the top ten in that category in nine seasons. Considering that Luc Robitaille played alongside some of the greats of the game, he was never really in a shadow which was a great testament to his ability and popularity. It was no surprise that he was selected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility.

Think about this for a second. Before Lou Lamiorello took over as the General Manager of the New Jersey Devils, the franchise (which was in Kansas City and Colorado before) had never had a winning record. That changed in Lou’s first year in 1987, and the building of a winner continued. The Devils not only won games, but they won three Stanley Cup Championships, primarily because of the shrewd business acumen of Lou. He would become the CEO and President of the club, a post he held when he was inducted to the Hockey Hall of Fame. Internationally, he was the General Manager of team U.S.A. and built the World Cup winner in 1996. The odds that the Devils would have ever held hockey’s Holy Grail without Lou Lamiorello is remote.

Although many think of Mark Messier in reference to the 1994 New York Rangers team that brought the Stanley Cup back to Broadway after a length absence, it was Brian Leetch who was the Conn Smythe Trophy winner that year. Overall, Brian Leetch was considered one of the top two way Defenceman of the 1990’s and his strong play was rewarded by two Norris Trophies and five Post Season All Star selections. Leetch was also the captain of the United States team that won the 1996 World Cup of Hockey. Leetch is not only one of the greatest New York Rangers of all time, but is also one of the greatest American players ever.