Best Top Six Players Who Weren't Stars?

[DitchMarner]

If we call guys like Gretzky, Lemieux, Jagr, Crosby, Ovechkin and McDavid the biggest stars; guys like MacKinnon, Thornton, Matthews, Yzerman and Sakic superstars; and guys like Staal, Seguin, Recchi, Mogilny, Lecavalier, Federko, Bondra and Nash stars, then who are some of the very best top six players who weren't quite stars?

I'm thinking of guys like Tanguay, Damphousse, Steve Thomas, John MacLean, Voracek, Richer, Bellows - players who were productive over lengthy periods of time and accumulated a lot of goals and/or points in their careers but were rarely among the League leaders in goals, assists or points. Let's limit responses to players who didn't finish in the top ten in points more than once and weren't top ten in goals or assists more than twice.

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[Killer Orcas]

Mike Gartner maybe.

 

[BigBadBruins7708]

This thread screams David Krejci.

Very good 2 way center, anchored the Bruins offense under Julien and just always made the right play. He also was a playoff monster leading the league in playoff scoring twice.

Career 235-555-786 in 1032 games and routinely was 1st or 2nd on the team in scoring and assists.

His best skill was producing no matter who was on his wing and also elevating their production. While Bergeron and Marchand were joined at the hip, it was Krejci who was given a revolving door of average wingers.

 

[DitchMarner]

Mike Gartner maybe.

I think he's generally overrated by the hockey community (although not so much by internet fans - more by people who over-value career totals and/or don't account for significant differences in scoring environments), but I would say he was a star player. At the very last, he stands out as a goal scorer with five top ten finishes in goals. That's quite a lot.

 

[BarnabyJones PI]

If we call guys like Gretzky, Lemieux, Jagr, Crosby, Ovechkin and McDavid the biggest stars; guys like MacKinnon, Thornton, Matthews, Yzerman and Sakic superstars; and guys like Staal, Seguin, Recchi, Mogilny, Lecavalier, Federko, Bondra and Nash stars, then who are some of the very best top six players who weren't quite stars?

I'm thinking of guys like Tanguay, Damphousse, Steve Thomas, John MacLean, Voracek, Richer, Bellows - players who were productive over lengthy periods of time and accumulated a lot of goals and/or points in their careers but were rarely among the League leaders in goals, assists or points. Let's limit responses to players who didn't finish in the top ten in points more than once and weren't top ten in goals or assists more than twice.

Brian Propp.

I'd say if it were for defenceman, Brad McCrimmon.

 

[DitchMarner]

This thread screams David Krejci.

Very good 2 way center, anchored the Bruins offense under Julien and just always made the right play. He also was a playoff monster leading the league in playoff scoring twice.

Career 235-555-786 in 1032 games and routinely was 1st or 2nd on the team in scoring and assists.

His best skill was producing no matter who was on his wing and also elevating their production. While Bergeron and Marchand were joined at the hip, it was Krejci who was given a revolving door of average wingers.

Krejci is pretty much a perfect answer, with two fringe top ten finishes in assists and none in goals or points.

He made me think of Danny Briere, who had one top ten finish in goals, one top ten finish in points and one top ten finish in assists and was also a strong playoff player.

 

[carjackmalone]

1.Brian Propp
2.Tim Kerr
3.Vincent Damphousse
4.Bobby Smith
5.Charlie Simmer

 

[MadLuke]

Those shortest giant type of thread are always quite subjective or where you put bar.

Mike Gartner made the all-star games 7 times I think, made the hall of fame and the top 100 player in 100 years in the nhl list.

I am not sure how valids the numbers are or the metric (has contract can be front-loaded or back loaded so looking at a specific year ranking can be misleading):

1992-1993 - Top 25 Salaries

Rookie Eric Lindros is the best-paid NHLer while Teemu Selanne wins the Calder Trophy and breaks the rookie scoring record with 76 goals.For the first time

www.hockeyzoneplus.com

in 92-93 he was #14th in salary according to that website, sandwiched between Roy and Stevens.