The 15 Most Underrated Active Hockey Players

When it comes to the NHL, you usually get highlights of just something simply amazing by Sidney Crosby, or Alex Ovechkin, or a really nice save. But when you look at the NHL, there is a laundry list of stars who have not been getting the credit they deserve for how great they consistantly have been playing. Some for three years, some for fifteen years. Its a matter of consistantsy in determining this list. You can add many more. And of course, I love your feedback! Here we go!

15. Jeff Carter, Philadelphia Flyers

Jeff Carter has three straight seasons with at least 29 goals. Yet Jeff Carter has been nothing but brought down this season in Philadelphia with talks of trade. All though this just may have been rumored, Jeff Carter has responded this year in his goal totals.

14. Mike Richards, Philadelphia Flyers

Mike Richards is in his fifth full season with the Philadelphia Flyers. He has three straight 25 goal seasons and he is going for his second straight 30 goal season, not to mention going for his third straight 70 point season.

13. Jamie Langenbrunner, New Jersey Devils

Jamie Langenbrunner is a two time Stanley Cup champion with the New Jersey Devils. Besides that he has thirteen straight seasons scoring at least ten goals. Out of those thirteen years, five of those seasons he has 50 plus points.

12. Dustin Brown, Los Angeles Kings

Dustin Brown was the first American-born captain of the Los Angeles Kings in club history. He achieved that at the age of 23. Now at 25, he is still underlooked. Team USA took a look at him selecting him to play for them in the 2010 Olympics. Mostly cuz his numbers the past three seasons, including a 33 goal season in 2007-08. He is well on his way of scoring his third straight 50 point season and trying to make the NHL Playoffs for the first time in his young career.

11 Patrik Elias, New Jersey Devils

Patrik Elias is a few goals away from his twelveth straight fifteen goal season in the NHL. Not to mention he might notch another 50 point year to his career. He has nine in his career. He's a Stanley Cup Champion as well.

10. Milan Michalek, Ottawa Senators

Milan Michalek was traded away from San Jose to Ottawa for Dany Heatley in the off season. Despite a misleading Points total, Milan Michalek has had 4 straight 20 plus goal seasons. He is currently on pace for a career high in goals. Not to mention his 10 playoff goals in 39 playoff games. He is a strong asset for Ottawa to build around.

9. Brenden Morrow, Dallas Stars

While the Dallas Stars captain has been consistant his whole career, two seasons stick out like sore thumbs. Two seasons he spent the year on the Injured Reserve. Once for a torn ACL, and once when he severed tendons in his wrist. If it was not for such seasons, the 31 year old, Morrow would be well on his way of scoring his seventh straight 20-goal season. He won the Olympic Gold for Team Canada in 2010 as well.

8. Alexander Semin, Washington Capitals

Alexander Semin is the underrated star on the Washington Capitals roster. You hear Nicklas Backstrom and Alexander Ovechkin, but Alexander Semin just notched his fourth straight 25 goal season in his young career. He has had three 70 point years in his career and a career high of 38 goals in his rookie year for Washington.

7. Craig Anderson, Colorado Avalanche

Craig Anderson is currently in his first season as a full-time starter in the NHL. He currently has 35 wins, and seven shutouts. To compare stats. Martin Brodeur had 34 wins and 6 shutouts in his first season in the NHL. Henrik Lundqvist had 37 and 5 shutouts. Just a few comparisons to show you at where Craig Anderson is at right now in his career.

6. Ryan Smyth, Los Angeles Kings

Ryan Smyth began his hockey career in Edmonton. Since then he has become an NHL journeyman playing for three teams in the last four years. Despite this Smyth has nine 50 point seasons in his last ten seasons, and ten 20 goal seasons in his career. Smyth has made the all-star team once. He has made the Stanley Cup Finals once, yet he has yet to win the Cup. Smyth is making a run with the Kings right now, maybe this could be Smyth's year.

5. Patrick Marleau, San Jose Sharks

Patrick Marleau is having another career year in San Jose with a career high in goals currently at 41. On a team with Dany Heatley and Joe Thornton, Patrick Marleau is the forgotten producer on that team. He has had eleven straight seasons at least scoring 40 points, including at least 17 goals in all of those seasons. Since 1997 he has never missed more than 8 games in a season. Plus he is an Olympic Gold Medalist.

4. Ilya Bryzgalov, Phoenix Coyotes

Ilya Bryzgalov started his career behind Jean-Sebastian Giguere and Martin Gerber. He later became the backup for the Ducks. In his career for the Ducks he was 26-23 in 69 games for the Ducks. Despite his good efforts in the playoffs, the Ducks signed goalie Jonas Hiller and pawned Bryzgalov to the waiver wires where the Coyotes would get a hold of him. He is currently in his third straight 25 win season, not to mention a career high in wins with 37, and counting right now.

3. Ray Whitney, Carolina Hurricanes

Ray Whitney has been consistently putting up big numbers. Since 2001 he has scored over 50 points in every single season except one. Since 1998 he has had 8 seasons scoring at least 60 points. Not to mention at the age of 37, he is still putting up the same consistent numbers from when he was 24 years old. Not to mention, he is a two time all-star and a Stanley Cup Champion with the Carolina Hurricanes.

2. Tomas Vokoun, Florida Panthers

Tomas Vokoun has been the stone in front of arguably two of the worst NHL franchises. Those being the Nashville Predators and the Florida Panthers. Despite this, his numbers have consistantly been good. He has had six straight 25 win seasons for Nashville-Florida. He has made the playoffs twice in his career, with a 3-8 career record despite a G.AA of 2.45 in those eleven games. Tomas Vokoun has single handedly written the Nashville Predators goalie record books, and not to mention he is a two time all-star as well and a Olympic Bronze Medalist. How good could Vokoun be if he was on a better team?

1. Shane Doan, Phoenix Coyotes

Shane Doan is the last remaining player from the Winnipeg Jets, and the captain of the Phoenix Coyotes. He has only seen the playoffs once since the year 2000, despite the fact he has scored 20 goals in EVERY season since before the Millenium, all the way back to 1999. The two time all-star has not won a Stanley Cup and is definitly in the argument of best active players who have never won the Stanley Cup.