Vincent Lecavalier – Centre – 1998/99-2015/16
Drafted in the first round, first overall, in the 1998 NHL Entry Draft by the Tampa Bay Lightning, Lecavalier debuted during the 1998/99 season. Lecavalier scored 949 points (421G, 528A) in 1212 games, as well as 56 points (26G, 30A) in 75 playoff games, for the Tampa Bay Lightning (1998/99-2012/13), Philadelphia Flyers (2013/14-partway through 2015/16), and Los Angeles Kings (part of 2015/16).
Lecavalier won the Stanley Cup in 2004 with the Tampa Bay Lightning. He won the Maurice Richard Trophy as the league’s leading scorer in 2007 and the King Clancy Memorial Trophy for leadership and humanitarian contributions in 2008. He earned Second-Team All-Star honours in 2007 and played in four All-Star Games, representing Tampa Bay in 2003, 2007, 2008, and 2009. Internationally, he represented Canada winning the 2004 World Cup of Hockey.
He wasn’t the Michael Jordan of hockey, and today he doesn’t even go first overall in 1998 redrafts, but I think Lecavalier does have a case to be inducted. His swift decline during the 2010s kind of overshadows how prolific a point producer he was in the 2000s. From 1999 through 2010, only once did he fail to reach the 60-point mark, in 2000/01, where he at least scored at a 60+ point pace. He did reach at least 70 points five times during that stretch, and hit the 30-goal mark five times as well. Of those seasons, he had 52 goals and 108 points in 2007 and 40 goals and 92 points in 2008. While his early 2010s do constitute a decline from him, injuries resulted in those seasons being underrated. He scored 54 points in 65 games, a 68-point pace, in 2010/11. He scored 49 points in 64 games, a 63-point pace in 2011/12. His 32 points in 39 games during the lockout-shortened 2012/13 season translate to 67 points in a full 82-game season. His compliance buyout at the end of the season was necessary, his production legitimately petered out afterward, and even during his time in Tampa Bay the team wasn’t always effective, with Lecavalier captaining the Lightning from 2000 to 2001 and from 2005 to 2013 and only leading them to the postseason three times (2006, 2007, 2011) and out of the first round once (2011, a Conference Final loss to eventual Cup champion Boston), but even with that, few reach the 50-goal plateau in the modern era, fewer win the Rocket Richard, and fewer still manage both that and a Stanley Cup win.
John LeClair – Left Wing – 1990/91-2006/07
Drafted in the second round, 33rd overall, in the 1987 NHL Entry Draft by the Montreal Canadiens, LeClair debuted during the 1990/91 season. LeClair scored 819 points (406G, 413A) in 967 games, as well as 89 points (42G, 47A) in 154 playoff games, for the Montreal Canadiens (1990/91-partway through 1994/95), Philadelphia Flyers (partway through 1994/95-2003/04), and Pittsburgh Penguins (2005/06-2006/07).
LeClair won the Stanley Cup in 1993 with the Montreal Canadiens. He earned Second-Team honours in 1996, 1997, and 1999, and First-Team All-Star honours in 1995 and 1998, and played in five All-Star Games, representing Philadelphia in 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, and 2000. Internationally, he represented the United States, winning Silver at the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics, and the 1996 World Cup of Hockey.
During the lockout-shortened 1994/95 regular season, the Philadelphia Flyers made a blockbuster trade to ship out scoring star Mark Recchi for help on the blueline in Eric Desjardins, with a perennial 40-point scorer in LeClair being included along with Desjardins. LeClair wound up being lined up on a line with Eric Lindros and Mikael Renberg, a pair of young scoring forwards coming off a 97-point sophomore season and an 82-point rookie campaign, respectively. The line caught fire and LeClair, with full-season career-highs of 19 goals and 44-points, and with five points in nine games on the season, added 25 goals and 49 points, totalling 26 goals and 58 points. The Legion of Doom, a trio of big power forwards, was born, and while shortlived, they would be at the forefront of the NHL during their time together. LeClair was easily the most consistent of the three during the late 90s. From 1995/96 through 1999/00, LeClair had seasons of 51 goals and 97 points, 50 goals and 97 points, 51 goals and 87 points, 43 goals and 90 points, and 40 goals and 77 points, all while Lindros was grappling with injuries and Renberg was failing to match his rookie output and being swapped multiple times for also-underperforming Chris Gratton. He remained effective through the remainder of his career in the early-to-mid 2000s and a post-lockout move to rival Pittsburgh, reaching the 20-goal and 50-point marks in each of the 2001/02, 2003/04, and 2005/06 seasons, missing most of 2000/01, 2002/03, and 2006/07 with injuries before retiring. LeClair is unique among the Legionnaires, as he is the only one to win a Stanley Cup. The three were the leaders when Philadelphia faced Detroit in the 1997 Stanley Cup Final, but of course they lost that series handily, and the franchise wouldn’t reach the Final until 2010, when they lost to Chicago. While neither Lindros nor Renberg got a Cup, LeClair had already won one with the 1993 Habs.
Gary Leeman – Right Wing – 19821/82-1994/95, 1996/97
Drafted in the second round, 24th overall, in the 1982 NHL Entry Draft by the Toronto Maple Leafs, Leeman debuted during the 1983 playoffs. Leeman scored 466 points (199G, 267A) in 667 games, as well as 24 points (8G, 16A) in 36 playoff games, for the Toronto Maple Leafs (1981/82-1991/92), Calgary Flames (partway through 1991/92-partway through 1992/93), Montreal Canadiens (partway through 1992/93-1993/94), Vancouver Canucks (1994/95), and St. Louis Blues (1996/97).
Leeman won the Stanley Cup in 1993 with the Montreal Canadiens. He played in one All-Star Game, representing Toronto in 1989.
Leeman’s career as a top player was short, short enough even to make him unworthy of the Hall in many’s eyes. They are most likely right, but winning a Stanley Cup is hard, and 50-goal seasons are rare, and few players manage to accomplish both. Leeman also accomplished seasons of 21 goals and 52 points, 30 goals and 61 points, and 32 goals and 75 points prior to his 51-goal and 95-point season. His production fell dramatically in the 90s, with only one more season reaching 30 points, in 1992/93 in store for him. Another thing that makes Leeman famous is his involvement in one of the biggest trades in league history. The Leafs sent him, along with enforcing winger Craig Berube, blueliners Michel Petit and Alexander Godynyuk, and goaltender Jeff Reese to Calgary for star forward Doug Gilmour, depth forward Kent Manderville, defensive defenceman Jamie Macoun, depth blueliner Ric Nattress, and goaltender Rick Wamsley during the 1991/92 season in the biggest trade in league history in terms of number of players involved. Never before or since has there been a single trade with ten players changing hands. It worked out well, as the Flames wound up sending him the next season where he won his Stanley Cup. Even if the conversation begins and ends with “he didn’t do enough overall” I do think winning a Stanley Cup and scoring 50 goals or more in a season make a player automatically worthy of there being a conversation about their Hall-worthiness.
Jere Lehtinen – Left Wing – 1995/96-2009/10
Drafted in the fourth round, 88th overall, in the 1992 NHL Entry Draft by the Minnesota North Stars, Lehtinen debuted during the 1995/96 season. Lehtinen scored 514 points (243G, 271A) in 875 games, as well as 49 points (27G, 22A) in 108 playoff games, playing for the Dallas Stars (1995/96-2009/10).
Lehtinen won the Stanley Cup in 1999 with the Dallas Stars. He won the Frank J. Selke Memorial Trophy as the league’s best defensive forward in 1998, 1999, and 2003. He played in one All-Star Game, representing Dallas in 1998. Internationally, he represented Finland, winning Bronze at the 1994 Lillehammer, 1998 Nagano, and 2010 Vancouver Olympics; second place at the 2004 World Cup of Hockey and Silver at the 1992, 1994, and 2007 World Championships and 2006 Turin Olympics; and Gold at the 1995 World Championships.
How many wingers have won the Selke Trophy? The answer is four. Narrowing down to the “modern era” (anything since the first lockout), and that answer narrows down to one: Jere Lehtinen. The others were Bob Gainey, Craig Ramsey, and Dirk Graham for those unaware. As time has gone on, it has been harder and harder for wingers to get any recognition for the Selke, due largely to the reputation the wing positions have for being offence-first positions that play the smallest part in a team’s defence. I guess that’s what makes it impressive that he’s tied for second in all-time Selke wins with three. He only twice reached the 50-point mark, scoring 52 points in each of 1999 and 2006, but did manage to score 31 goals in 2003. He may not have been an offensive force in general, but his defensive skill made him a fixture in Dallas’ top-six throughout his career. Once upon a time, a player with Lehtinen’s list of achievements wouldn’t be considered for the Hall based on too-low scoring numbers, but whether justified or not, his teammate Guy Carbonneau, even more of a defensive-style forward, was inducted into the Hall of Fame very recently, and the result has been more of a discussion of how deserving traditionally defensive forwards are for Hall induction. Lehtinen has been at the forefront of this conversation.
Claude Lemieux – Right Wing – 1983/84-2002/03, 2008/09
Drafted in the second round, 26th overall, in the 1983 NHL Entry Draft by the Montreal Canadiens, Lemieux debuted during the 1984/85 season. Lemieux scored 786 points (379G, 407A) in 1215 games, as well as 158 points (80G, 78A) in 234 playoff games, playing for the Montreal Canadiens (1984/85-1989/90), New Jersey Devils (1990/91-1994/95, part of 1999/00), Colorado Avalanche (1995/96-partway through 1999/00), Phoenix Coyotes (2000/01-partway through 2002/03), Dallas Stars (part of 2002/03), and San Jose Sharks (2008/09).
Lemieux won the Stanley Cup in 1986 with the Montreal Canadiens, 1995 and 2000 with the New Jersey Devils, and 1996 with the Colorado Avalanche. He won the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP in 1995. He represented Montreal on the NHL All-Stars at the Rendez-vous ‘87. Internationally, he represented Canada, winning Second Place at the 1996 World Cup of Hockey, and 1987 Canada Cup and Gold at the 1985 World Juniors.
There is plenty of reason to not like Lemieux. He was an overly violent player who did his job as a pest too well and whose greatest contribution to hockey was helping cement the NHL to this day as one of low offensive totals and complete unwillingness to change, satisfying only the purists who know the quality of a 1-0 defensive battle, who are all wrong and have terrible taste. Personal tract aside, an argument could be made that Lemieux deserves induction into the Hall. A number of his seasons, such as 87/88, 88/89, 90/91, 91/92, 92/93, and 95/96, were excellent regular seasons and he was one of the most prolific playoff scorers there was. Love him or hate him, he did accomplish enough that he deserves consideration.
Doug Lidster – Defence – 1983/84-1998/99
Drafted in the seventh round, 133rd overall, in the 1980 NHL Entry Draft by the Vancouver Canucks, Lidster debuted during the 1983/84 season. Lidster scored 343 points (75G, 268A) in 897 games, as well as 21 points (6G, 15A) in 80 playoff games, for the Vancouver Canucks (1983/84-partway through 1993/94), New York Rangers (part of 1993/94, 1995/96-1997/98), St. Louis Blues (1994/95), and Dallas Stars (1998/99).
Lidster won the Stanley Cup in 1994 with the New York Rangers and 1999 with the Dallas Stars. Internationally, he represented Canada, winning Silver at the 1985 and 1991 World Championships.
One of the aims of this list is to call attention to the achievements of players whose names don’t come to mind immediately when thinking of who deserves to be in the Hall. Lidster only had one really strong offensive season, reaching 63 points in 1987, but was a double-digit point scorer in each of his seasons with Vancouver. He is fifth among Canucks defencemen all-time in points, and is the highest scoring among them to have won a Stanley Cup, which he accomplished as a depth blueliner with both the Rangers and Stars. Worth noting is that he scored two goals for the Rangers during their Stanley Cup Final series.
Trevor Linden – Left Wing – 1989/90-2007/08
Drafted in the first round, second overall, in the 1988 NHL Entry Draft by the Vancouver Canucks, Linden debuted during the 1989/90 season. Linden scored 867 points (375G, 492A) in 1382 games, as well as 99 points (34G, 65A) in 124 playoff games, for the Vancouver Canucks (1989/90-partway through 1997/98, partway through 2001/02-2007/08), New York Islanders (partway through 1997/98-1998/99), Montreal Canadiens (1999/00-partway through 2000/01), and Washington Capitals (partway through 2000/01-partway through 2001/02).
Linden won the King Clancy Memorial Trophy for leadership and humanitarian contribution in 1997. He earned All-Rookie honours in 1989 and played in two All-Star Games, representing Vancouver in 1991 and 1992. Internationally, he represented Canada, winning second place at the 1996 World Cup of Hockey, Silver at the 1991 World Championships, and Gold at the 1988 World Juniors.
Linden is a player who occupies a particular spot in hockey history comparable to Saku Koivu and Wendel Clark for Montreal and Toronto, one of being iconic for the team he played for to the point he is more well-known in general. And it is for that lofty spot in franchise history that he is on this list. Linden was something of a point compiler, and despite not reaching the 50-point mark after the 1995/96 season (though he did score at a 67-point pace during the 1996/97 season), he did reach the 30-goal mark every season between 1989 and 1996, save for a down 1990 season and the lockout-shortened 1995 season. He was the Canucks’ captain from 1990 to 1997, captaining the Canucks to six of the seven postseasons he took part in while with the Canucks, including a Stanley Cup Final in 1994, before being traded to the Islanders in a very unpopular move that also helped make Mark Messier even more of the most despised man in Vancouver at the end of the 90s. Despite not wearing the “C” again and his offensive production never recovering, Linden was an important part of the Canucks following his 2001 return to the team, helping them to four postseasons out of his remaining six seasons with them. He deserves consideration as a highly respected figure in franchise history.
Willy Lindstrom – Right Wing – 1979/80-1986/87
Signed as an undrafted free agent in 1979 by the Winnipeg Jets, Lindstrom debuted during the 1979/80 season. In the WHA, Lindstrom scored 261 points (123G, 138A) in 316 games, as well as 48 points (26G, 22A) in 51 playoff games, for the Winnipeg Jets (1975/76-1978/79). In the NHL, Lindstrom scored 323 points (161G, 162A) in 582 games, as well as 32 points (14G, 18A) in 57 playoff games, for the Winnipeg Jets (1979/80-partway through 1982/83), Edmonton Oilers (partway through 1982/83-1984/85), and Pittsburgh Penguins (1985/86-1986/87).
In the NHL, Lindstrom won the Stanley Cup in 1984 and 1985 with the Edmonton Oilers. In the WHA, he won the AVCO World Trophy in 1976, 1978, and 1979 with the Winnipeg Jets. He played in one All-Star Game, representing Winnipeg in 1977. Internationally, he represented Sweden, winning Bronze at the 1974 and 1975 World Championships.
Lindstrom doesn’t have much of an NHL career to speak, with seven seasons under his belt, but they’re a pretty decent seven seasons, and he’s another alum of the Cup-winning dynasty Oilers, this time with two from that dynasty, with real outside achievement under his belt. He never exceeded the 60-point mark in the NHL, peaking at 59, but with 32 goals in that season, he’s another one to add to the “didn’t play in an All-Star Game, but had good enough seasons to” list. Aside from his NHL career, he had his strong performance in the WHA, yet another Swedish star with the Jets during the Hot Line days, whom the Jets were able to hang on to thanks to him not having an NHL rights holder. He also had a memorable career in Sweden, with 109 points (63G, 46A) in 111 games for Frolunda from 1970/71 to 1974/75, immediately preceding his arrival in North America, as well as 53 points (34G, 19A) in 93 games for Brynas in the years following his return to Sweden, 1987/88 to 1989/90, before his 1990 retirement.
Ken Linseman – Centre – 1978/79-1991/92
Drafted in the first round, seventh overall, in the 1978 NHL Amateur Draft by the Philadelphia Flyers, Linseman debuted during the 1978/79 season. Linseman scored 807 points (256G, 551A) in 860 games, as well as 120 points (43G, 77A) in 113 playoff games, for the Philadelphia Flyers (1978/79-1981/82, part of 1989/90), Edmonton Oilers (1982/83-1983/84, 1990/91), Boston Bruins (1984/85-partway through 1989/90), and Toronto Maple Leafs (1991/92).
Linseman won the Stanley Cup in 1984 with the Edmonton Oilers. Internationally, he represented Canada, winning second place at the 1981 Canada Cup.
Linseman is another player on this list who was part of the Oilers’ dynasty in the 80s who, despite never getting into an All-Star Game, certainly had All-Star calibre seasons. While his career was on the short side, Linseman retiring at age 33, he was very productive at his peak, topping 70 points seven times, including a 92-point season in 1982 and 81 points in 64 games, a 101-point pace, in 1986. He wound up being traded after the Oilers’ first Stanley Cup win to Boston for Mike Krushelnyski, and would wind up facing the Oilers in two Cup Final series at the end of the decade.
Ed Litzenberger – Centre – 1952/53-1963/64
Signed as an undrafted free agent by the Montreal Canadiens, Litzenberger debuted during the 1952/53 season. Litzenberger scored 416 points (178G, 238A) in 619 games, as well as 18 points (5G, 13A) in 40 playoff games, for the Montreal Canadiens (1952/53-partway through 1954/55), Chicago Blackhawks (partway through 1954/55-1960/61), Detroit Red Wings (part of 1961/62), and Toronto Maple Leafs (partway through 1961/62-1963/64).
Litzenberger won the Stanley Cup with Chicago in 1961 and Toronto in 1962, 1963, and 1964. He won the Calder Trophy as the league’s rookie of the year in 1955. He earned Second-Team All-Star honours in 1957 and played in six All-Star Games, representing 1955, 1957, 1958, and 1959, and Toronto in 1962 and 1963.
Litzenberger is another name I’m surprised to see not already in the Hall of Fame. Sure his career was on the short side, and he wasn’t quite as big a scorer as many of his contemporaries, but he played in six All-Star Games, the bulk of which saw him competing on the All-Star side rather than the defending Cup Champs side, indicating he was there on his own merit, and won four consecutive Stanley Cups. At his peak, he had three consecutive 30-goal seasons, topping 60-points three times, including one season topping 70 points. He’s another of the older names on this list.
Mike Liut – Goaltender – 1979/80-1991/92
Drafted in the fourth round, 56th overall, in the 1976 NHL Amateur Draft by the St. Louis Blues, Liut debuted during the 1979/80 season. In the WHA, Liut posted a 31-39-4 record, 0.878 Save%, 3.69 GAA, and three shutouts in 81 games, as well as a 1-2 record, 3.35 GAA, and zero shutouts in three playoff games, for the Cincinnati Stingers (1977/78-1978/79). In the NHL, Liut posted a 294-271-74 record, 0.883 Save%, 3.49 GAA, and 25 shutouts in 664 games, as well as a 29-32 record, 0.890 Save%, 3.38 GAA, and two shutouts in 67 playoff games, for the St. Louis Blues (1979/80-partway through 1984/85), Hartford Whalers (partway through 1984/85-partway through 1989/90), and Washington Capitals (partway through 1989/90-1991/92).
Liut won the Ted Lindsay Award as the most valuable player judged by the players in 1981. He earned Second-Team All-Star honours in 1987 and First-Team All-Star honours in 1981, and played in one All-Star Game, representing St. Louis. Internationally, he represented Canada, winning second place at the 1981 Canada Cup.
Despite the brevity of his career and no major championships, Liut was considered one of the top goaltenders of his era, as evidence by two postseason All-Star honours during his career and being considered at one point the most outstanding player by his fellow players. He was a starting goaltender from his NHL debut right through the entirety of the 1980s, and earned Hart and Vezina votes during his career.
Hakan Loob – Right Wing – 1983/84-1988/89
Drafted in the ninth round, 181st overall, in the 1980 NHL Entry Draft by the Calgary Flames, Loob debuted during the 1983/84 season. Loob scored 429 points (193G, 236A) in 450 games, as well as 54 points (26G, 28A) in 73 playoff games, for the Calgary Flames (1983/84-1988/89).
Loob won the Stanley Cup in 1989 with the Calgary Flames. He earned All-Rookie honours in 1984 and First-Team All-Star honours in 1988. Internationally, he represented Sweden, winning Bronze at the 1979 and 1980 World Juniors, Silver at the 1990 World Championships, and Gold at the 1987 and 1990 World Championships and 1994 Lillehammer Olympics.
Loob only played six seasons in the NHL, but he definitely made them count. He scored nearly a point per game in his career, reaching the 30 goal mark four times including a 50-goal season and the 80-point mark twice including a 100-point season. Ultimately ending his NHL career at age 29 to return to Sweden for his kids, Loob would go on, with his participation in Sweden’s Gold Medal win at the 1994 Olympics, to become one of the first members of the Triple Gold Club, alongside Mats Naslund and Tomas Jonsson.
Roberto Luongo – Goaltender – 1999/00-2018/19
Drafted in the first round, fourth overall, in the 1997 NHL Entry Draft by the New York Islanders, Luongo debuted during the 1999/00 season. Luongo posted a 489-392-33-91 record, 0.919 Save%, 2.52 GAA, and 77 shutouts in 1044 games, as well as a 34-35 record, 0.918 Save%, 2.49 GAA, and five shutouts in 70 playoff games, for the New York Islanders (1999/00), Florida Panthers (2000/01-2005/06, partway through 2013/14-2018/19), and Vancouver Canucks (2006/07-partway through 2013/14).
Luongo won the William M. Jennings Trophy, awarded to the goaltender(s) who played at least 25 games for the team with the fewest goals scored against it, in 2011. He earned Second-Team All-Star honours in 2004 and 2007, and played in five All-Star Games, representing Florida in 2004, 2015, and 2016 and Vancouver in 2007 and 2009. Internationally, he represented Canada, winning Silver at 1997 World Juniors and the 2005 World Championships, the 2004 World Cup of Hockey, and Gold at the 2003 and 2004 World Championships and the 2010 Vancouver and 2014 Sochi Olympics.
Luongo was one of the best and most enduring goaltenders of the past 20 years. Despite how weak the Florida Panthers teams were that he played for in the early-to-mid 2000s and the mid-to-late 2010s, he posted consistently great numbers. Luongo will be best known for his time with the Vancouver Canucks, with whom he only failed to reach the playoffs once, in 2008, and won six playoff series. He was the Canucks’ captain during the 2008/09 and 2009/10 seasons, the first goaltender to captain a team since 1948, although he was neither able to wear the “C” on his jersey, instead wearing it on his mask, nor able to carry out any duties as captain. 2011 was the tipping point for Luongo and his time in Vancouver and tarnished his legacy. The Canucks fell in seven to the on-paper-weaker Bruins in that year’s Cup Final, and Luongo was seen in Vancouver as a liability, a shopped trade piece, and never able to get out of the first round, for the remainder of his time in Vancouver. He was surprisingly kept by the Canucks instead of heir-apparent Cory Schneider in 2013, only for the messy divorce to happen the following year around trade deadline time. He went back to Florida, salvaging his reputation as an elite goaltender during his time there, but only appearing once in the postseason, in 2016. Luongo played his last game in 2019, and normally he would be ineligible for induction into the Hall of Fame for its next induction, but since there will be none this year and the next induction group will be three years after his last game, he gets on the list as a no-brainer choice. Also worth noting is that he has been one of the better accounts to follow on Twitter over the years.
Vic Lynn – Left Wing – 1942/43-1943/44, 1945/46-1953/54
Signed as an undrafted free agent by the New York Rangers, Lynn debuted during the 1942/43 season. Lynn scored 125 points (49G, 76A) in 327 games, as well as 17 points (7G, 10A) in 47 playoff games, for the New York Rangers (1942/43), Detroit Red Wings (1943/44), Montreal Canadiens (1945/46), Toronto Maple Leafs (1946/47-1949/50), and Boston Bruins (1950/51-1951/52), and Chicago Blackhawks (1952/53-1953/54).
Lynn won the Stanley Cup in 1947, 1948, and 1949 with the Toronto Maple Leafs. He played in three All-Star Games, representing Toronto in 1947, 1948, and 1949.
The Original Six, for better or for worse, occupy a special place in hockey lore. The six franchises that lasted the culling of franchises in the league’s nascent days due to the economic doldrums of the Depression and the manpower erasure of the Second World War, and exist to this day through round after round of expansion have a special aura and are considered the most important franchises in the league. To play for any Original Six team is generally seen as a very special privilege, but how many players have played for all of them? Just one: Vic Lynn. True he played only six games between three of them (one for the Rangers, three for Detroit, two for Montreal), but he still played for those three, and had a solid, if brief, career with the other three. He was a part of the Leafs’ late 40s three-peat and was a three-time All-Star, and even had back-to-back seasons late in his NHL career as a defenceman scoring 20 points. Truthfully, a player with his numbers doesn’t get in, but nobody else in league has played an NHL game for all of the Original Six teams, and considering the league is more than five times as big as it was, chances are slim any player in the future winds up doing it.
John MacLean – Right Wing – 1983/84-2001/02
Drafted in the first round, sixth overall, in the 1983 NHL Entry Draft by the New Jersey Devils, macLean debuted during the 1983/84 season. MacLean scored 842 points (413G, 429A) in 1194 games, as well as 83 points (35G, 48A) in 104 playoff games, for the New Jersey Devils (1983/84-partway through 1997/98), San Jose Sharks (part of 1997/98), New York Rangers (1998/99-partway through 2000/01), and Dallas Stars (part of 2000/01-2001/02).
MacLean won the Stanley Cup in 1995 with the New Jersey Devils. He played in two All-Star Games, representing New Jersey in 1989 and 1991.
MacLean was the first star player in the history of the Devils. He broke out in his second full season in New Jersey with 57 points before scoring 31 goals and 67 points the following year. His best years with the Devils were from 1989 to 1991, when he scored 42 goals and 87 points, 41 goals and 79 points, and 45 goals and 78 points. While he had a weak 1992/93 season after missing all of 1991/92 with a knee injury, he also had 37 goals and 70 points in 1994. MacLean was a major part in playoff firsts for the Devils, scoring the game-winning goal that clinched New Jersey’s first playoff appearance in 1988 and was second on the Devils in points and tied fourth leaguewide during the 1995 playoffs en route to their first Stanley Cup. He also scored at a 30-goal rate during the 1996/97 before his trade to San Jose. MacLean was the Devils’ franchise leader until Patrik Elias eclipsed his 701 points with the franchise in 2008.
Rick MacLeish – Left Wing – 1970/71-1983/84
Drafted in the first round, fourth overall, in the 1970 NHL Amateur Draft by the Philadelphia Flyers, MacLeish debuted during the 1970/71 season. MacLeish scored 759 points (349G, 410A) in 846 games, as well as 107 points (54G, 53A) in 114 playoff games, for the Philadelphia Flyers (1970/71-1980/81, part of 1983/84), Hartford Whalers (part of 1981/82), Pittsburgh Penguins (partway through 1981/82-1982/83), and Detroit Red Wings (part of 1983/84).
MacLeish won the Stanley Cup in 1974 and 1975 with the Stanley Cup Finals. He played in three All-Star Games, representing Philadelphia in 1976, 1977, and 1980. With his 50 goals and 100 points, his only season reaching those plateaus, MacLeish became the first Flyer to reach 50 goals and, along with Bobby Clarke, one of the first two to crack triple digits in points. He got over 30 goals and 70 points in both of the seasons that followed, and scored at a pace to in a third. After scoring 49 goals and 97 points in 1977, and would top the 30-goal and 70-point mark in three of the four seasons that followed before his production tapered off permanently. While he scored only 84 points in 134 games, a meagre 50-point single-season pace, across his final three seasons, his production with the Flyers and his championships – he has one more Cup than Flyers franchise single-season goal leader Reggie Leach – ought to put him in the Hall conversation.
Jamie Macoun – Defence – 1982/83-1986/87, 1988/89-1998/99
Signed as an undrafted free agent in 1983 by the Calgary Flames, Macoun debuted during the 1982/83 season. Macoun scored 358 points (76G, 282A) in 1128 games, as well as 42 points (10G, 32A) in 159 playoff games, for the Calgary Flames (1982/83-1986/87, 1988/89-partway through 1991/92), Toronto Maple Leafs (partway through 1991/92-partway through 1997/98), and Detroit Red Wings (partway through 1997/98-1998/99).
Macoun won the Stanley Cup in 1989 with the Calgary Flames and 1998 with the Detroit Red Wings. Macoun won All-Rookie honours in 1984. Internationally, he represented Canada, winning Silver at the 1985 and 1991 World Championships.
Macoun is another defensive-style defenceman who had a successful career who deserves some consideration. He was reasonably productive for a defensive defenceman, scoring at least 30 points seven times in his career, including a 40-point season. He came back to remain an effective defenceman, winning a Stanley Cup as part of Calgary’s shut-down pair, following a car accident that he had to spend the entire 1987/88 season rehabbing from that threatened to permanently cripple his arm. Later in his career, Macoun would be shipped out, along with Doug Gilmour and several others, to the Leafs in the biggest trade in NHL history, at least in terms of total number of players involved, as both teams sent five players the other way, and then would win a second Stanley Cup with the 1998 Red Wings.
