Posted on 05/22/2008 2:40:04 PM PDT by SouthJrzReaganite18
Detroit rapper Eminem had a hit on his hands with his 2002 release of the single Superman, but it's another super M&M from Michigan who has raced to the top of the charts.
Dallas Stars center Mike Modano from Livonia, Mich. is the Superman of American hockey. By scoring his 1,233th point early this season, Modano became the leader in that category among U.S.-born players.
Now that Modano's made history, it also causes pause for discussion. Where does the No. 1 pick from the 1988 NHL entry draft, one of just six Americans to be chosen first overall, rate among his peers?
As we ponder this notion, remember that prominent U.S. international players such as 700-goal scorer Brett Hull (born in Belleville, Ontario) and ex-Norris Trophy-winning defenseman Rod Langway (born in Taiwan) are excluded from consideration, since although they gained American citizenship, there were not born in the country.
That being cleared up, let the debate begin as NBCSports.com contributor Bob Duff ranks his top 10 U.S.-born players of all time...
(Excerpt) Read more at nbcsports.msnbc.com ...
No American ever had the immediate impact upon the league that Brimsek made the moment he pulled on a Bruins uniform.
Replacing four-time Vezina Trophy winner Cecil (Tiny) Thompson in the Boston net, Brimsek blanked the Montreal Canadiens 1-0 in his NHL debut Dec. 1, 1938, posting a pair of three-shutout streaks during his first 10 NHL starts, earning Brimsek the nickname Mr. Zero.
Despite a career that was interrupted by service in the U.S. Coast Guard during World War II, Brimsek won another Stanley Cup with Boston in 1940-41 and was a nine-time NHL All-Star choice. In 1966, he was the first American-born and trained player to be enshrined in the Hockey Hall of Fame."
Great American - served his country and shut out the Canadiens.
Nick Fotiu, NY Rangers
#12 - Ryan Malone - Pittsburgh Penguins 6’ 4” 224 Born, Dec 1, 1979 - Pittsburgh, PA, USA
Home boy makes it to the Stanley Cup finals! Keep your eyes on this one! He’s going to the HOF!
Broten was one of the top U.S. collegiate players of all time, and was one of the few players from the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team to follow their Olympic gold medal experience up with a great NHL career.
To this day, I believe he's the only player in history to win an NCAA championship, an Olympic gold medal, and the Stanley Cup.
Have to agree with this one.
When Penn State and Joe Pa wanted him to play football, he told Joe where to go. Now that is hutsva.
Now that is impressive and didn't know that. Thanks for the info.
I didn’t know that!
I like him even more!
There is one player (a Canadian) who is -- and probably always will be -- the only player to play on teams that have won all of the following:
1. the Stanley Cup
2. an Olympic gold medal
3. the Memorial Cup (awarded to the top junior hockey team in Canada)
4. the IIHF World Championship
5. the World Junior Championship
6. the Canada Cup / World Cup of Hockey
Any guesses among all you hockey fans out there?
Not bad, for a Devil!
Scott Niedermayer? (sp?)
That’s who I thought of too - Malone. But thinking back on the earlier Penguins Cup teams, I’ll say Kevin Stevens.
Right. You know your hockey, Airborne!
Born and raised up along the Canadian border in Roseau . . . a high school standout . . . star player for the University of Minnesota (under Herb Brooks) . . . one of the top Minnesota North Stars of all time.
A real Minnesota legend!
Are you kidding? I was guessing!
He and his brother, with the Cup on top of a mountain. That’s what came to mind.
When Niedermayer played for the Devils he never showed up at their off-season training sessions. He spent his summers climbing all over the mountains in British Columbia, hunting mountain lions with his brother Rob. All that climbing made him one of the fastest skaters in the NHL even later in his career.
they always say he's from livonia he's actually from westland, i would know..they named the local ice arena after him and they have a huge mural of him on the wall in a dallas jersey holding the cup .
None of these players can touch Gordie Howe.
Wow, that is a lot of hardware. I bet the gold medal is still the sweetest one for him.
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