NHL

Quick Links

Ranking 10 Legendary Players For Chicago Blackhawks and Tampa Bay Lightning

+Read full article

Getty Images

Ranking 10 Legendary Players For Chicago Blackhawks and Tampa Bay Lightning

Ben Bishop Lightning — The Stanley Cup has begun with the Blackhawks taking a 1-0 lead over the Lightning. And while the Lightning are a relatively new franchise and the Blackhawks are an original six team, both franchises have had great players and coaches over the years. Here are the 10 best legends for each team.

The Stanley Cup has begun with the Blackhawks taking a 1-0 lead over the Lightning. And while the Lightning are a relatively new franchise and the Blackhawks are an original six team, both franchises have had great players and coaches over the years. Here are the 10 best legends for each team.

10. Brian Bradley

10. Brian Bradley

Bradley became the franchise's first All-Star, and it was during their inaugural season in 1992-93. Bradley retired in 1998 as as the franchise leader in goals (111), assists (189) and points (300).

9. John Tortorella

9. John Tortorella

Tortorella was the coach of the Lightning for seven years, compiling a 239-222-36-38 mark with four playoff berths. He is the only coach to lead the Lightning to a Stanley Cup Finals victory, winning the Cup in 2004.

8. Ruslan Fedotenko

8. Ruslan Fedotenko

Fedotenko spent only four seasons (2002-07) with the Lightning, but he earned his place in franchise lore in the 2004 Stanley Cup Finals. In Game 7 against the Calgary Flames, Fedotenko scored the only goals in Tampa Bay’s 2-0 win.

7. Nikolai Khabibulin

7. Nikolai Khabibulin

Acquired from Phoenix before the 2001 trade deadline, Khabibulin spent four years in Tampa, making two All-Star Game appearances and backstopping the Bolts to the 2004 Stanley Cup. He posted five shutouts during the playoff run, and shutout the Flames in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals.

6. Ben Bishop

6. Ben Bishop

Bishop has been one of the breakout stars of this year's playoffs. In two game sevens against the Detroit Red Wings and New York Rangers, Bishop posted shutouts to advance the Lightning all the way to the Stanley Cup Finals.

5. Tyler Johnson

5. Tyler Johnson

Like Bishop, Johnson has had an outstanding postseason so far. Johnson has 12 goals, leading all scorers, with six coming against the Detroit Red Wings in the first round.

4. Brad Richards

4. Brad Richards

Richards is on the Blackhawks' side for this series, but his time in Tampa was memorable. During the 2004 Stanley Cup Playoffs Richards scored12 goals and 26 points, and was the Conn Smythe Trophy winner.

3. Steven Stamkos

3. Steven Stamkos

Stamkos was the first pick in the 2008 NHL Draft, and has been one of the league's most prolific scorers. He's surpassed the 50-goal mark twice, hit 60 once, and won the Rocket Richard Trophy twice. Stamkos has also appeared in three All-Star Games.

2. Vincent Lecavalier

2. Vincent Lecavalier

The first pick in the 1998 draft, Lecavalier set franchise records with 1,037 games, 383 goals, 112 power play goals and 60 game winners. Lecavalier was also a major part of the 2004 team that won the Cup.

1. Martin St. Louis

1. Martin St. Louis

St. Louis is the greatest player to ever put on a Lightning uniform. From 2000-2014, St. Louis was a two-time scoring champion, the franchise's only Hart Trophy winner (2004), and ranks as Tampa's all-time leader in assists (588) and points (953).

10. Joel Quenneville

10. Joel Quenneville

Quenneville has spent seven seasons in Chicago, and has guided the Blackhawks to the postseason each time. Under Quenneville, the Blackhawks won two Stanley Cups in four seasons, and are looking for their third in six if they beat the Lightning.

9. Jeremy Roenick

9. Jeremy Roenick

Roenick was drafted No. 8 overall by the Blackhawks in 1988 and helped get the franchise back to the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time in 19 seasons in 1992. Before injuries forced Roenick out of Chicago, he had two 50-plus-goal campaigns and had three 100-plus point seasons.

8. Chris Chelios

8. Chris Chelios

An ageless wonder on defense, Chris Chelios played until his 40s, and he like Roenick, helped get the Blackhawks to the 1992 Stanley Cup Finals. From 1990-99, Chelios won two Norris Trophy awards before being traded away to Detroit.

7. Denis Savard

7. Denis Savard

In 10 seasons with the Blackhawks, Savard recorded five seasons with 100-plus points, and is fourth on the franchise's all-time goals scored list with 377, second in assists (719) and third in points (1,096). Savard was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2000.

6. Pierre Pilote

6. Pierre Pilote

A tough defenseman, Pilote was the captain for Chicago's 1961 Stanley Cup Championship team. From 1963-65, Pilote won three Norris Trophies as the league's top defenseman. He capped his hockey career by being inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1975.

5. Patrick Kane

5. Patrick Kane

The No. 1 overall pick of the 2007 NHL Draft, Kane has proved to be a wise investment for the Blackhawks. Kane is a four-time All-Star, and in the postseason, he scored the game-winning goal in Game 6 of the 2010 Stanley Cup Finals. In the 2013 Stanley Cup Finals, Kane won the Conn Smythe Trophy.

4. Jonathan Toews

4. Jonathan Toews

The No. 3 overall pick in the 2006 NHL Draft, Toews is currently the captain of the Blackhawks, and is one of the best two-way players in the game. Like Kane, Toews is also a four-time All-Star, and he won the Conn Smythe Trophy during the 2010 Stanley Cup Finals.

3. Tony Esposito

3. Tony Esposito

During his 15 seasons with the Blackhawks, Esposito had seven consecutive seasons with 30-or-more-wins, won the Vezina Trophy three times, and guided the Blackhawks to the Stanley Cup Final in 1971 and 1973. His 418 wins and 74 shutouts remain the most in franchise history.

2. Stan Mikita

2. Stan Mikita

Mikita skated his entire 22-year NHL career for the Blackhawks, and his No. 21 was the first in the team's history to be retired by the team. During that time, Mikita racked up over 400 goals, was the first player in NHL history to win the Art Ross, Hart and Lady Byng trophies in the same season (1966-67), and was part of the 1961 Blackhawks team that won the Cup.

1. Bobby Hull

1. Bobby Hull

The "Golden Jet" is still the gold standard for Blackhawks players. Hull scored 30 or more goals in a season 13 times in 15 seasons, and won the Stanley Cup in 1961. Hull retired as the second leading goal scorer and ninth leading point scorer in NHL history, and he has a statue alongside Mikita outside the United Center.

Brian Kalchik is a Houston Texans writer and featured writer for www.RantSports.com. He also covers the NBA, College Basketball, Fantasy Sports and College Football for the site. Follow him on Twitter, like him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google+.

Teams in this article »
Chicago Blackhawks

•

Tampa Bay Lightning

Brian Kalchik is a writer for RantSports. Follow him on Twitter and like him on Facebook.

Your Favorites

Close Article Return to stream X

NHL• Videos• 1 month ago

Watch Victor Hedman Get Weak Ejection For Shooting Puck Down Ice

Victor Hedman needed to curb his frustration a little better after a goal was scored against his team, but he did not deserve a game misconduct for allegedly shooting the puck at a referee.

Comment

0 Comments

Close Article Return to stream X

NHL• Videos• 1 month ago

Chicago Blackhawks' Scott Darling Robs Toronto Maple Leafs

Scott Darling with an AMAZING SAVE! #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/kDxql1gi40

— Aldo Soto (@AldoSoto21) February 16, 2016

The Chicago Blackhawks steamrolled over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Monday night by a score of 7-2. Chicago did so with backup goaltender Scott Darling in net, and they didn't skip a beat. Darling's miraculous effort against Nick Spaling resulted in what many are calling a save of the year candidate.

Comment

0 Comments

Close Article Return to stream X

NHL• 2 months ago

Blackhawks' Panarin Making Bowman Look Like Genius

Breaking News

Most fans didn't give Artemi Panarin too much thought when he was first acquired by the Blackhawks, and he's now showing everyone what only Stan Bowman saw.

Comment

0 Comments

Close Article Return to stream X

NHL• 2 months ago

Lightning Begin Contract Negotiations With Stamkos

Breaking News

The Tampa Bay Lightning have finally started to negotiate a new contract with Steven Stamkos and it should've happened sooner as they are quickly running out of time.

Comment

0 Comments

Close Article Return to stream X

NHL• 2 months ago

Lightning Shouldn't Wait To Trade Drouin

Breaking News

The Jonathan Drouin saga continues to roll on and the Lightning seem determined to wait for the best deal, but they should just take what they can get and cut their losses at this point.

Comment

0 Comments