Dave Christian is best known for being a member of the United States 1980 Olympic Gold Medal-winning team, but he was far more than just a member of the Miracle on Ice Team.  Christian was never a top-five finisher in any major individual award, but he was the recipient of the Lady Byng Trophy and Frank J. Selke Award voting, and he would have three 70 Point Seasons, two with the Winnipeg Jets and one with the Washington Capitals.  Christian scored 773 Points over his NHL career.

Mike Ridley had a pretty good career for someone who went undrafted. 

Al Iafrate had the reputation of being one of the fastest skaters in the NHL, and the American blueliner with the famed skullet was not just a capable skater but was a decent scorer and hockey player.  Iafrate played most of his games with the Toronto Maple Leafs, but it was with the Washington Capitals where he had his best run.

Sylvain Cote may not seem like he belongs on this list at all, even if we were just talking about a “Hall of Very Good”.  However, this was a player who competed in 1,171 Games in the National Hockey League and was a steadying defensive presence for years in both Hartford and Washington.  In the latter team, Cote would put together back-to-back 50 Point Seasons, and he was named to play for Team Canada in the 1996 World Cup of Hockey.  Any player who makes the Canadian team in a TRUE World Championship has to be pretty damn good!

A Washington Capital for fifteen of his seventeen seasons in the NHL, Calle Johannson was an integral part of the Capitals, making multiple playoff appearances.  Johannson did not often get the credit he deserved, as Washington had many defensive stars at the time (Scott Stevens, Rod Langway, Kevin Hatcher, for example).  Still, he contributed to these clubs, providing excellent depth.  Internationally, he represented Sweden multiple times, including anchoring them to two World Championships (1991 & 1992).

Born in South Africa but raised in Canada, Olaf Kolzig had a pretty good career in the National Hockey League where he played all but his final season with the Washington Capitals.  “Olie the Goalie” would get into a grove in his seventh season where he finished fifth in Vezina voting and two years (1999-00) later he would have the best season of his career where he would win the Vezina while also finishing fourth in voting for the Hart Trophy and second in Point Shares.  He would later win the King Clancy Memorial Trophy in 2006 and he would win 301 Games in the National Hockey League.

As one of the rare players in NHL history who has netted 60 Goals in a season, you would think that Dennis Maruk would have received more recognition in his career.  Actually, he still is.

In the world of the National Hockey League, you wouldn’t normally think that any player who amassed over 3,000 career penalty minutes could potentially have over 1,000 points, but the notorious Dale Hunter is currently the only player to have accomplished this feat. Hunter may not have led the league in scoring, but he was able to score 70 or more points six times in his career and achieved some level of consistency in that department. He was a tenacious player who you never wanted to face on the ice but would be glad to have on your side. He was a true leader and in many ways symbolic of many hockey players (one of the nicest guys you could meet off the ice and an absolute beast on it). His overall statistics may not show a Hall of Fame career, but Dale Hunter may have had just enough intangibles to receive a peek from the Hockey Hall of Fame committee.

Likely because he played the bulk (and peak) of his career with the Washington Capitals, a lot of hockey fans were not watching Kevin Hatcher. The durable defenseman was able to score a lot of points and netted 34 goals in the 1992-93 campaign. On four occasions, Hatcher was able to achieve at least 50 points and was able to get 677 for his career. The five-time All-Star may not make the Hall in Toronto, but he should be able to rightfully gain entry into the United States Hockey Hall of Fame.

Although Peter Bondra was not born in Slovakia (he moved there when he was three years old), he is one of the best players to have ever emerged from the Eastern European nation. After four years in the Czech league, Bondra joined the Washington Capitals and, after a few years, emerged as their best offensive threat. The Slovakian Sniper not only possessed deadly shot accuracy, but he was also blessed with fantastic speed.

It is always impressive when a man plays 964 games in the National Hockey League. What made Doug Jarvis’ 964 games so special is that he played them in a row, setting the “iron man” mark for consecutive games played. Jarvis didn’t just play in those games: he was a gritty, defensive-minded forward who was the master of the penalty kill. He didn’t light up the lamps, but that was not what he was paid to do. Considering he is the “Iron Man” of Hockey, an induction is not impossible.

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.