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Brian Sklar
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5 Best American Players in Hockey Today
Today is Memorial Day. It is a day where Americans honor those who have defended our Nation’s Freedom in the United States Armed Forces. We remember those who have passed and paid the ultimate sacrifice for the freedom of one nation.
Without the Armed Forces Americans would not enjoy their freedoms, hobbies, and passions in life. I know for me, one of my biggest passions in life is the sport of ice hockey. I have played, coached, and now write about this great game.
It is my passion in life and whether I am at a roller rink in the fall, on a pond in the winter, at an open hockey session in the spring, or at the beach in the summer, I always think about the sport. American hockey has significantly taken steps forward in the past 20 years and while it is not on the same level as the Canadians yet, USA Hockey is a top 5 hockey country in the world today and major contenders in any international play.
Today I rank the Americans who are fortunate and talented enough to be top players in the National Hockey League. There are a lot of them in today’s NHL, and this is my ranking of the top 5 American Hockey players in the world today.
Prospect Jack Eichel is a player that could be on this list in the future. The freshman won the Hobey Baker Award this past season and is expected to be a top pick in this years draft.(Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports)
(5) Tyler Johnson
The 5’9 native of Spokane, Washington rounds out the top 5 Americans in the sport of ice hockey today. Tyler Johnson is only in his sophomore campaign in this league and it is truly spectacular what he has been able to do. The Tampa Bay Lightning fan-favorite center of ‘The Triplets Line’ is having an incredible season.
Johnson was a Calder Trophy Finalist as a rookie in 2013-2014 and finished the season with 24 goals, 26 assists, 50 points, and a +/- of +23 while appearing in every game. Johnson already had established very good chemistry with his linemate Ondrej Palat from playing together a few seasons in the minors. That chemistry would be taken to a whole new level this season.
An early season injury this year to Alex Killorn led to head coach Jon Cooper moving 2nd year pro and very talented Russian prospect Nikita Kucherov to play with Johnson and Palat in what would become known as ‘The Triplets Line’. Playing a majority of the season at center, Johnson averaged almost a point per game.
Johnson’s high hockey sense and compete level make his tough to stop for any team. (Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports)
Johnson played in 77 games this regular season and had 29 goals, 43 assists, 72 points, a +33, and only 24 penalty minutes. What has he done in the playoffs this year? He only leads the NHL in goals (12) and points (18). Through almost 3 completed rounds of playoff hockey, Johnson is a leading candidate for the Conn Smythe Trophy given to the Most Valuable Player in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Johnson has scored 4 game-winning goals in the Stanley Cup Playoffs this year. His team currently is one win away from the Stanley Cup Final as they have a 3-2 series lead against the New York Rangers. Johnson, only age 24, looks poised to lead this very young group to their first Stanley Cup Final appearance since 2004.
(4) Ryan Suter
Suter is one of the best defenseman in the league today. At age 30 he is still a workhorse defenseman for the Minnesota Wild. Suter is always at the top of the league in ice time and is very valuable to the success of the Minnesota Wild.
Suter is an excellent skater, puck-mover and all-around defenseman. He can play any type of role from the blueline whether it’s setting up or scoring a power play goal or shutting down the others team’s top forwards on a consistent basis. Suter played for years in Nashville with Shea Weber which was an unreal defense pair.
Following in the footsteps as his late father Bob Suter who played for the Miracle On Ice Team USA team in 1980 , Ryan Suter represented Team USA at the Olympics. Suter appeared in the 2010 and 2014 Olympic Games for the Americans.(Photo: Rob Schumacher for USA TODAY)
He has played at the same consistently high level in the Wild system. During this past regular season Suter scored 2 goals and 36 assists for 38 points in 77 games played. During the playoffs he played over 25:00 minutes in 8 out of 10 playoff games.
The Minnesota Wild, who were even picked by some experts to reach the Stanley Cup Final this year, were swept in the 2nd round of the playoffs by the Chicago Blackhawks. The Hawks have eliminated Suter’s Minnesota Wild team in all 3 years he has been with the team.
If the Wild can avoid a matchup against the Hawks in the playoffs or figure out a way to stop their prolific offense, they can contend for a Stanley Cup. As Suter will turn 31 years of age next year, look for the Wild to make a strong push the next 4 seasons to go far in the playoffs while Suter and fellow American star Zach Parise are still in their primes.
(3) Ryan McDonagh
At only age 25 Ryan McDonagh became the captain of the New York Rangers this past season. To describe Ryan McDonagh as a hockey player, I believe he is best described as a warrior and a winner. The high level play of the New York Rangers the past 4 seasons and the arrival of Ryan McDoangh as a rookie in the 2011-2012 campaign is not a coincidence.
McDonagh is one of the best defenseman in hockey. He is another defenseman that can play in any situation and is a great shut down defenseman. McDonagh has recently added offense to his game as well. McDonagh has been to 3 Conference Finals and 1 Stanley Cup Final in his 4 seasons as a pro.
McDonagh excels in shutting down team’s best forwards.(Photo Credit: Andy Martin Jr)
Offensively his best year was during the 2013-2014 season where he had 14 goals, 29 assists, and 43 points, while averaging just less than 25:00 minutes of ice time per game. McDonagh plays on the Rangers top defense pairing with Dan Girardi and is currently faced with the seemingly impossible task of stopping the Tampa Bay Lightning’s Triplets Line.
If the Rangers are going to get the series back home to Madison Square Garden for a Game 7 where they appear unbeatable, it is going to take a huge effort from McDonagh, Girardi, and goaltender Henrik Lundqvist to lead the team. McDonagh is establishing himself as one of the best defenseman in the game at a very young age. He will be a key component of the Rangers team for the next several years as he looks to bring back the Stanley Cup to New York.
(2) Jonathan Quick
While his regular seasons are sometimes not stellar, Jonathan Quick is one of the best goalies in the world. His athleticism and compete level in the crease is off the charts.
This guy has insane flexibility and can make saves that have you out of your seat. Quick is the only goalie in the NHL today with 2 Stanley Cups as a starter on his resume. He outdueled Henrik Lundqvist in the Stanley Cup Final last year with his superb play. The 2012 Conn Smythe Trophy Winner appeared in 72 games this past season and posted a record of 36-22-13 with a 2.24 GAA and a .918 save percentage.
Jonathan Quick is a top 5 goalie in the world and the best American goalie in the NHL today.(Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports)
The defending Stanley Cup Champions missed the playoffs this year by a few points after a tough year. Whether it was fatigue from so many playoff games recently, injuries, or if teams were just able to find a way against them is not truly known yet.
I expect a big rebound next year for this entire organization and especially Jonathan Quick. He will have a huge desire to get his Kings team back to the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Quick is as clutch and competitive of a playoff goalie as it gets. It seems that the bigger the game, the more elevated Jonathan Quick’s game becomes.
(1) Patrick Kane
Without an injury to his clavicle this year against the Florida Panthers, Patrick Kane has a strong chance to make history. Kane had a chance to become the only American player in NHL history to lead the league in points.
This guy is 26 years old and has 2 Stanley Cups and 1 Conn Smythe Trophy already. Kane is a dynamic playmaker, incredible passer, has elite vision and hockey sense, and can beat you top corner with his shot. 88 has been an offensive force for the Chicago Blackhawks since he arrived in the 2007-2008 season.
The playmaker can have a Crosby effect on his teammates where he makes everyone around him better. Since entering the league Kane’s point totals in the regular season have been 72, 70, 88,73, 66, 55, 69, and 64. The 55 points were in the shortened season of 2013 when Kane put up 23 goals, 32 assists, and 55 points in just 47 games played in the regular season.
Kane had an incredible playoffs in 2013 which included the double OT series- clinching goal in Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals against the LA Kings. (Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports)
In the playoffs that season Kane captured his 2nd Stanley Cup and also won the Conn Smythe Trophy. The Buffalo, New York native scored 19 points in 23 playoff games that season for the Hawks. No player in the league is as dangerous in the offensive zone with the puck on his stick than Patrick Kane. Look for Kane to continue to lead the Hawks offensively for years to come as he signed matching 10-year, $84 million contract extensions last summer with long time friend and teammate Jonathan Toews.
USA Hockey Moving Forward
USA Hockey appears to be better than ever before. With so many NHL stars and great young talent such as Seth Jones of the Nashville Predators, Johnny Gaudreau of the Calgary Flames, and top prospect Jack Eichel, American players will continue to have an impact at the National Hockey League level.
This is through developing youth programs in each state and parents that sacrifice a lot to get their kids to where they need to be as hockey players. The better competition among USA youth players is leading to better players. Also the establishment of the United States National Team Development Program (NTDP) based out of Ann Arbor, Michigan is really helping to develop elite talent.
James van Riemsdyk, one of the best power-forwards in the NHL,was a 2005-2007 player in the United States National Team Development Program. (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)
I know USA Hockey will continue to grow this decade. I want to hear from you, the fans, who do you think are the top 5 American players in the NHL today? If you agree or disagree with the top 5 list you can let me know in the comments below !
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