A member of four Stanley Cup Championship teams for the Toronto Maple Leafs (1942, 1945, 1947 & 1948) Wally Stanowski was the runner-up for the Calder Trophy in 1940 and was a First Team All-Star the following season when he had a career high 21 Points.  Nicknamed the “Whirling Dervish” for his skating skills and aggressive play Stanowski was incredibly popular and probably would have had a more honored career had he not had to serve his country during World War II.  He would notably lead all skaters in Assists in the 1942 post season.

From Massachusetts, Robbie Ftorek went undrafted in the NHL but would play a handful of games for the Detroit Red Wings after being part of a surprise Silver Medal United States Olympic Team in 1972.  Ftorek would join the Phoenix Roadrunners of the World Hockey Association where he shocked fans with his production.  In his second season in the WHA he scored 113 Points and was named the league MVP and he had 117 Points the year after.  Ftroek signed with the Cincinnati Stingers after the Roadrunners folded and he had two years of 100 or more points again.  The entire league folded and he joined the Quebec Nordiques now of the NHL and would finish off his career with the New York Rangers.  Ftorek is fifth all time in Points per Game in the WHA.

Joel Otto came from Elk River, Minnesota where he went starred for Bemidji State University.  Otto would go undrafted but after what must have seen like an eternity, he was signed with the Calgary Flames.  Otto would become a permanent fixture in the pro ranks in the 1985/86 season and found a niche excelling at the less than sexy aspects of the game.  He had size that he could use was an excellent faceoff man and he would become an excellent defensive Centre.  Otto never won the Frank J. Selke Award as the NHL’s best defensive Award but he finished 3^rd on two occasions, was in the top ten another two times and received votes another four seasons.

Thomas Steen played his entire National Hockey League career with the Winnipeg Jets where he may not have been known outside small market Winnipeg and his home country of Sweden, but this was a player who was vastly underrated and selfless and thus invaluable to the Jets who never let him go.  Beyond his work with the Jets, Steen played for Sweden Internationally on three Canada Cups and was a two time Silver Medalist in the World Championship.  Steen’s #25 would be retired by the Jets in 1995.