What Factors Separate Stars from Superstars in the NHL?

In virtually every major professional sport, the term superstar is reserved for the most outstanding talents in each respective league, and the National Hockey League is no different. 

For players to earn the distinction of being included in the exclusive group of players commonly referred to as superstars, they need to have demonstrated an ability to play the game at an elite level, and have the credentials to show for it. 

It's not an easy status to achieve, as many of the league's most gifted players still find themselves short of being true superstar-caliber talents. For example, on the Pittsburgh Penguins' Stanley Cup champion squad in 1992, there were no less than six either present or future Hall of Famers on the team, but the only true superstar was Mario Lemieux, though Jaromir Jagr would join him soon after.

That's not to say that Larry Murphy, Joe Mullen, Bryan Trottier and of course, Ron Francis weren't all great players, it's just that Lemieux was that much better at the time, and it was his team. 

Some of it is personality. Brett Hull's quick wit off the ice made him likable, and though becoming the best goal scorer of his generation cemented his place among the game's brightest stars, his demeanor made him an even bigger draw. 

With that in mind, here's a look at what really separates NHL superstars from stars. 

Individual Awards

It’s no coincidence the vast majority of the guys considered to be the game’s biggest superstars over the years have also been the same players being handed hardware at the NHL Awards.

Earning individual recognition at the NHL level is a difficult thing to do, as it is in any other major professional sport. Everything from All-Star Game selections to major award nominations can do wonders for a player’s popularity.

Actually winning a coveted individual honor such as a Hart Trophy, a Conn Smythe Trophy, a Vezina Trophy, a Norris Trophy, a Ted Lindsay Award or an Art Ross Trophy can very much signal a player’s arrival as a superstar.

With the exception of Jose Theodore, every Hart Trophy winner in recent memory has blossomed into a viable NHL superstar, and even he enjoyed a brief period as one of the game’s brightest young talents.

More importantly, it’s the one thing that separates Hall of Fame forwards like Mike Gartner, Adam Oates, Cam Neely, Bernie Federko, Clark Gillies and Glenn Anderson from some of their contemporaries like Mark Messier, Brett Hull, Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux.

Each of the major awards go to one player every year (with the exception of the Rocket Richard Trophy on certain occasions), which means having one or more of them on one’s résumé is a clear indication of being a superstar-caliber performer.

 

Winning Pedigrees

In addition to individual trophies, team success can play a sizable role in cementing a player’s status as a superstar.

And rightfully so, because on great teams there are often two or more superstars present. Take this year’s Stanley Cup-­winning Blackhawks, for example. Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane are without a doubt the two most recognizable names on the roster, but one could also make an argument for Marian Hossa or 2009 Norris winner Duncan Keith.

Either way, Toews and Kane both saw their stars rise not because they’ve each captured a Conn Smythe and earned All-­Star nods, but rather due to the leading roles they’ve played on a pair of Cup champion teams.

If that wasn’t enough, both were among the world’s best at the 2010 Olympics, and were big reasons why their respective squads made it to the gold medal game.

In some cases, such as with Ovechkin, the Sedin twins and Ilya Kovalchuk, individual awards are enough to earn superstar status, but for those who have the luxury of being on good teams, team success will do just fine if they’re among the main reasons for it.

Consistency

An important factor in separating superstars from stars is consistency, because sustained excellence is a necessity to be considered among the league’s best.

Take Jonathan Cheechoo for example.

In some respects, Cheechoo had checked off some of the requirements for being a superstar, after his 56 goals in 2005-06 earned him the Rocket Richard Trophy, and garnered an All-Star Game selection a year later. In addition, he’d been a key player on a couple of deep postseason runs with the Sharks, and seemed to have a promising future. However, after Cheechoo managed just one more 30-goal season, he had become largely a forgotten man just seven years later.

Marc Andre Fleury is in a similar situation to a degree, as the former No. 1 overall pick has enjoyed some dizzying highs and humbling lows since entering the league in 2003. One would think that Fleury was near attaining superstar status after winning a Stanley Cup in 2009, earning an All-Star Game selection in 2011 and capturing gold at the Vancouver Olympics.

Due to Fleury’s persistent recent struggles in the postseason, however, he won’t be regaining his top-flight reputation until he can lead Pittsburgh on another deep playoff run.

Yes, there are exceptions to this rule, as offensive dynamos such as Pavel Bure, Eric Lindros and Peter Forsberg rose to stardom despite not reaching the 1000-game plateau, but as stated before, a trophy case full of individual awards can compensate for shortcomings such as this.

International Performance

While it’s true that a player’s performance while skating in the NHL is what’s most important, standing out during international competitions can be a launching pad for those on the cusp of stardom.

In the spring of 1998, Dominik Hasek was well on his way to his second consecutive Hart Trophy with the Buffalo Sabres, but his true coming out party was his showing at the Nagano Olympics, as he lead the Czech Republic on an unexpected run to the gold medal.

Four years earlier, though it was prior to the NHL’s involvement in the Olympic Games, Peter Forsberg announced his arrival as a clutch performer to the hockey world by scoring the championship-­winning goal in Lillehammer, giving Sweden the gold.

In the United States, Mike Modano, Mike Richter, Chris Chelios and Brian Leetch became immensely popular due to their contributions to American hockey on the international stage, in part due to the national pride that their 1996 World Cup invoked among fans domestically.

More recently, Rick Nash and Shea Weber each played big roles in Canada’s winning effort in Vancouver, which was one of the first opportunities they’d had to shine on a grand stage.

Personality

There are many superstars that allow their play and production on the ice to speak for them, such as Pavel Datsyuk, Crosby, Malkin or the Sedin twins. Others with substantially less impressive credentials can become just as popular due to their likability among fans.

Jeremy Roenick was a great example of this during the 1990s and early 2000s, as the outspoken Chicago Blackhawk and Phoenix Coyote became one of hockey’s most recognizable stars, despite never winning a Stanley Cup or a major individual award.

More recently, Ovechkin has become one of the most popular hockey players on the planet, and though that can be attributed to his eye­popping goal totals and three league MVP awards, it was his inspired goal celebrations and youthful exuberance that initially drew fans to him.

The reverse can be said about Dany Heatley.

His numerous off-­ice problems and multiple trade demands have alienated him from fans, not only in Ottawa and whatever few remain in Atlanta, but also around the league. Heatley’s declining numbers haven’t helped, but his popularity and reputation certainly hasn’t improved since the fiasco that was his exit from Ottawa.