This one might be a little difficult to justify putting him on this list at all, as many considered the career of Sergei Samsonov a disappointment, but while he may not have lived up to lofty expectations, there is no doubt that the Russian had a promising career. 

Alexei Zhamnov was a product of the Soviet Union and the Moscow Dynamo, and unlike many of his older peers, he was able to enter the National Hockey League early in his playing career.

Alexei Zhitnik holds the distinction of being the first defenseman born in the former Soviet Union to play over 1,000 Games in the NHL.  Early in his career, Zhitnik was a member of the famed Red Army, and he would join his “comrades” in North America.  Zhitnik would go to two All-Star games and internationally would help the Unified Team win the Gold Medal at the Olympics in 1992.  He would win an Olympic Silver Medal with Russia in 1998.

Vyacheslav Kozlov, one of the last players to be manufactured from the U.S.S.R., played for the Soviet Union as a Junior and was a two-time Silver Medalist in the World Junior Hockey Championship.  Entering the NHL two months before his 20^th birthday, Kozlov would provide a solid scoring touch for the Detroit Red Wings, a team he was comfortable with, as they had four other Russians on the team.  With Detroit, he would have two 70 Point seasons, but more importantly, was a cog in the machine that won back-to-back Stanley Cups in 1997 & 1998.

With a devastating wrist shot and smooth skating skills, Sergei Gonchar has quietly put together a very good career in professional hockey. Gonchar is a four-time All-Star and has had eight seasons with 50 points or more, which is very impressive for a defenseman. With over twenty campaigns in the National Hockey League, Gonchar had a great career, but without that elusive Norris Trophy, the Russian may not be considered for the Hall despite being a two-time Second Team All-Star. Perhaps his four All-Star Appearances and international play with Russia will assist his chances.

While Nikolai Khabibulin actually has a losing won/loss record in the NHL, nobody can say that he did not have a very good career in the National Hockey League.  The “Bulin Wall” may never have been considered the top goaltender in the league (or maybe even in the top three), but he was always better than most of his peers and did backstop the Lightning to a Stanley Cup, becoming the first Russian to do so. Throw in the fact that he also had an excellent performance leading the Russians to the Olympic Gold Medal, and you have the makings of a fringe candidate for the Hall of Fame.

Evgeni Nabokov took his time to enter North America after being a late-round draft pick by the San Jose Sharks in 1994.  Six years later, the Goalie would make his debut with the San Jose Sharks and is, without doubt, the best backstop in franchise history.

If you ask the fans of the Ottawa Senators, you already know the answer to this question. Alexei Yashin may have spurned the fans of Canada’s capital, but even they would agree that the Russian was a talented skill player. Now playing in Russia, Yashin had over 750 points in the NHL and probably could have hit the four-digit mark had he chosen to play more in North America (and not sit out a season in his prime due to a contract dispute).

With the distinction of being the first ever Russian-born player to be drafted in the first round by a team in the National Hockey League, Alexei Kovalev did not disappoint. Kovalev would score over 1,000 Points in the NHL and is a winner of the Stanley Cup and a Gold Medal as a member of the 1992 Unified Team. The crafty forward was a three-time All-Star and would earn Second Team All-Star honors once in his career.