NHL Power Rankings: The 10 Most Overworked Players in the NHL
This slideshow is dedicated to the hardest-working players in the NHL. These are the players who never get a break and never seem to complain about it.
These players play even strength, on the power play, and shorthanded. They put forth 100 percent on every shift and leave it all on the ice.
Each player is a key part of their team’s success and without their willingness to do all of the dirty work their teams would suffer. Here is your chance to give these blue collar superstars a chance to shine, and a chance to relax!
Enjoy!
Joe Corvo, D, Carolina Hurricanes
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Joe Corvo, D, Carolina Hurricanes
Joe Corvo is the keeper of the blue line in Carolina and he brings it in every game. He averages almost 25 minutes a game; he also averages almost three minutes of power play ice time and over four minutes killing penalties.
One top of the eight points he has helped produce, he has blocked 33 shots and is a big part of the physical play.
Corvo is a workhorse for the Hurricanes and with the turmoil in net in Carolina, he is helping to give the 'Canes a chance to be relevant.
Jay Bouwmeester, D, Calgary Flames
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Jay Bouwmeester, D, Calgary Flames
Expectations have been huge since his free agent signing two years ago and he hasn’t been the offensive player they expected.
In Florida, he managed 15 goals and earned himself a nice place with the Flames. While he has failed to live up to the offensive expectations, he has been versatile and plays whenever he is called upon.
Bouwmeester averages over 25 minutes a game over 30 shifts. He also averages almost four minutes a game, both on the power play and shorthanded. He is defensively sound and has managed to keep a +8 through the season.
He also is maintaining the longest active streak at 446 consecutive games started. Bouwmeester is solid and the expectations are very high but he deserves more credit then he gets.
Anaheim's Top Line
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Anaheim's Top Line- Corey Perry, Ryan Getzlaf, Booby Ryan
All three forwards average over 20 minutes a game and are in the top 15 in the league for time on ice for forwards. They average 25 shifts per game and are a huge part of Anaheim's offense.
They all spend time on the power play and Bobby Ryan is the shorthanded specialist among these three forwards. Getzlaf is the assist machine while Ryan and Perry are willing to bury the puck behind an opponent’s netminder.
I said before how important they were to the Ducks, here is a beautiful statistic; 45 percent of the team's goals are scored by a player on this line. Without these players, the Ducks are a mediocre team that can’t be a contender in the Western Conference.
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Ryan Whitney, D, Edmonton Oilers
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Ryan Whitney, D, Edmonton Oilers
Ryan Whitney is my vote for most underrated player in the NHL.
Whitney has helped take a fairly young team and give them a direction. He averages almost 26 minutes a game and those minutes are spread through every facet of the game.
He averages 18:25 even strength, 2:50 shorthanded, and 4:40 power play minutes per game. Through the first 21 games of the season, he has been a rock defensively and has not been afraid to stop a shot with his body, compiling 35 blocked shots this season.
Offensively, Whitney has been a workhorse for the Oilers. The offense moves through Whitney and he relishes the opportunity to command the offense. He has setup or helped setup 17 of the teams 52 goals and has been involved in many more in other ways.
Kimmo Timonen, D, Philadelphia Flyers
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Kimmo Timonen, D, Philadelphia Flyers
Kimmo Timonen is the quintessential two-way defender. He plays whenever he is called upon and is a leader on and off the ice.
While he may average less time than some other big name defenders at even strength, he averages over four minutes on both the power play and shorthanded every game. He is fifth in the league averaging 4:14 on the penalty kill this year while managing 11 points on top of that.
Defensively, Timonen is a hound. Not only is he a +6 for the season, he has 22 hits and has added an astounding 51 blocked shots. After taking that many shots, you know he’s all bruised up!
Sidney Crosby, F, Pittsburgh Penguins
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Sidney Crosby, F, Pittsburgh Penguins
A picture is worth a thousand words.
It says to me he's lazy and catchin' some ZZZZZZ's on company time. As biased as that is (Flyers fan), the numbers tend to disagree with the previous statements.
His talent offensively is unquestionable, managing 36 points over the first 23 games of the season. Although he is hated, his numbers are amazing in other facets of the game besides offense.
He is a 55 percent face-off man and he has been clutch in big situations. He averages over six minutes a game on the power play and is second to only teammate Evgeni Malkin for the NHL lead.
Crosby spends a lot of time on the ice. His shifts are a minute long and he averages 23 shifts a game. Without him, the Penguins are a bottom third team and wouldn’t be in contention for the playoffs.
Duncan Keith, D, Chicago Blackhawks
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Duncan Keith, D, Chicago Blackhawks
With all of the departures from Chicago over the off-season, Keith has remained the heart of the team and is a big contributor in every aspect of Blackhawk hockey.
Duncan Keith is on the ice a lot for the 'hawks and averages a league leading 27:35 minutes per game. He plays on the special teams, averaging almost four minutes on the penalty kill and over three minutes on the power play per game.
Keith has added 13 points, all but one of which are assists, and has also tallied 46 blocked shots on top of that. His only goal was a game winner, proving his resourcefulness and his ability to take over a game.
Dan Boyle, D, San Jose Sharks
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Dan Boyle, D, San Jose Sharks
Dan Boyle is a defensive power play machine and leads the San Jose Sharks potent offense when he is on the ice. Out of his 16 points this season, seven have been on the power play.
Boyle averages 26:45 minutes per game for the Sharks and is ranked second in the NHL in that category. Boyle is willing to do whatever is asked of him and he plays hard 100 percent of the time.
Dan Boyle averages 5:34 minutes per game on the power play, which leads the NHL. He also averages 3:11 minutes per game shorthanded and is as solid defensively as he is offensively.
Anze Kopitar, F, Los Angeles Kings
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Anze Kopitar, F, Los Angeles Kings
Anze Kopitar is the young star that is steering the ship in Los Angeles. Kopitar has taken the role of Mr. Versatility and run with it.
First, the young forward averages 21:34 minutes per game, which ranks him third in the league in that category. He averages almost four minutes per game on the power play and over two minutes of shorthanded time.
Anze Kopitar averages 26 shifts a game at 50 seconds a shift. And these are hard fought shifts, as Kopitar is a fast player who is aggressive on the fore check and into the offensive zone.
He is also very solid in the offensive zone and is almost a 50 percent face-off man. He has also committed just one minor penalty all year. That’s discipline!
Kopitar is a monster offensively as well, scoring 20 points in 21 games for the Kings.
Zdeno Chara, D, Boston Bruins
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Zdeno Chara, D, Boston Bruins
Chara is a mammoth on the hockey rink. Not only does he stand tall on the ice (6’9) but he stands tall in the locker room. He is the workhorse of the Bruins and averages over 26 minutes a game.
Zdeno Chara averages just less than four minutes on the power play per game and over three minutes shorthanded for his club.
He is a shut down defender if there ever was one. He maintains a +11 while accumulating 42 hits and 33 blocked shots over the first quarter of the season.
Chara is also a big threat offensively, not just with his powerful shot but with his on ice intelligence. Of his ten points, four are on the power play while one was shorthanded.
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