NHL Players Who Would Have Been Better off in Different Eras

The modern NHL game is much faster than it was 40 years ago, owing to nutrition, advances in training, equipment and other elements that have helped to develop high-performance athletes. Most players who are in the league for any length of time have an abundance of size, speed and skill.

There are a few throwback types who would have flourished in the NHL decades ago. Some are sublime offensive players who lack foot speed. Others possess unique skills that no longer have the exceptional value of 40 years ago.

Here are seven NHL players who would have thrived in bygone eras, and their special skills that would have allowed it.

Patrick Maroon, LW, Anaheim Ducks

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What kind of player is he? Patrick Maroon is big—6' 2'', 213 pounds—and a powerful winger for the Anaheim Ducks. Although he isn't a prolific scorer, he can find the net.

What limits him in this era? Although Maroon is a classic enforcer for a skill line, that player-type is not in vogue in the modern game. Maroon has survived as a big winger who can move up and down the lineup, but he is not a prominent player.

In what era would he have been most productive? The 1960s may have been the golden age for his kind, with men like John Ferguson skating alongside brilliant players such as Jean Beliveau. Maroon is a good winger today, but he would have been more valuable 50 years ago.

Teddy Purcell, RW, Edmonton Oilers

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What kind of player is he? Teddy Purcell of the Edmonton Oilers is an intelligent offensive winger with deft passing touch and creativity with the puck.

What limits him in this era? Purcell is a good skater, but in the modern NHL era, speed is required for every line and pairing. If he was a fast skater, Purcell would be even more productive.

In what era would he have been most productive? The NHL seems to be faster each season, so Purcell's lack of speed makes his job more difficult with each passing year. If he had been in the NHL during the expansion era from 1967 through 1990, he may have filled the net and compiled gaudy assist totals.

Willie Mitchell, D, Florida Panthers

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What kind of player is he? Willie Mitchell is a throwback defender, assigned shutdown minutes and expected to keep the opposition's best at bay. The Florida Panthers' captain has been doing the job well for a long time, despite slowing down in recent seasons. 

What limits him in this era? Mitchell's role in today's game is becoming less prominent, as puck movers and two-way defenders continue to grab more jobs and minutes.

In what era would he have been most productive? The golden era of shutdown defenders was probably the 1990s, when men like Scott Stevens physically dominated and were free to unleash predatory hits. Mitchell doesn't use that style—and has been effective without that element—but he probably would have had more impact during those years.

Jhonas Enroth, G, Los Angeles Kings

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What kind of player is he? Jhonas Enroth of the Los Angeles Kings is an effective goalie. Reflexes and anticipation are staples of his success, as described by the Hockey News in its scouting report. 

What limits him in this era? Enroth is small—5' 10'', 171 pounds—in an era of giant goalies. There are few starting netminders in the league who could be considered undersized, and the revolution continues.

In what era would he have been most productive? For most of NHL history, quick reflexes and a lightning-fast glove hand were the calling cards of NHL goaltenders. Size took over beginning in the late 1980s, so Enroth would have flourished in an era before then.

Dylan McIlrath, D, New York Rangers

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What kind of player is he? Dylan McIlrath is a giant defenseman for the New York Rangers. At 6' 5'', 215 pounds, he is a load and can hit like a mountain. McIlrath is also one of the better young fighters to enter the game in recent seasons.

What limits him in this era? Two items the modern defenseman must bring are not in McIlrath's toolbox: mobility and puck-moving ability.

In what era would he have been most productive? The Original Six era of the NHL—from 1942 through 1967—would have been ideal for him, as he could have used his size and strength during those decades.

Raffi Torres, LW, San Jose Sharks

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What kind of player is he? Raffi Torres of the San Jose Sharks is such a throwback that they might throw him out of the league in the coming months. The winger has talent but is most famous for vicious checks that have landed him in trouble. He is just now coming back from his latest suspension—41 games—as reported by the Associated Press, via Sportsnet.

What limits him in this era? The hits Torres delivers are identical to the ones the NHL wants to get out of the game. Predatory hits that cause head injuries are not welcome in the NHL, and Torres has been slow to adapt. It could cost him his career.

In what era would he have been most productive? The NHL began as an extremely violent league and has steadily reformed itself to get to where it is today. Torres' hits are not the worst in the game's history, and he would have flourished in any decade before the turn of the century.

Blake Wheeler, RW, Winnipeg Jets

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What kind of player is he? Blake Wheeler of the Winnipeg Jets is a very successful offensive winger. He is a rugged forward who can play in any situation and one of the most famous players to come out of Minnesota in this century. 

What limits him in this era? He has no limitations in this era, beyond his being a Minnesotan no longer as valuable as it once was. NHL hockey in the state has progressed to the point where the Wild can flourish without paying special attention to a player's birthplace.

In what era would he have been most productive? The North Stars moved heaven and earth in the early years to find a way to draw fans of Minnesota high school and college hockey to the NHL game. They brought in Lou Nanne, and he was effective as a player and later as a manager. But a player of Wheeler's quality being available in 1967 may have saved the North Stars.