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.

You would think that as the son of Hockey Hall of Fame legend, Bobby Hull, that the shoes would be impossible to fill, but Brett Hull not only had a Hall of Fame career on his own, he even managed to eclipse some of his father’s career numbers.

Vincent Lecavalier was saddled some lofty expectations when he entered the National Hockey League and while that level of excellence may not have been met (from the view he was seen at age 19), this is still a player who had one hell of a career.