The Colin Greening Influence: Top Ten Newfoundlanders To Play In The NHL

Last night, Colin Greening of St. John's, Newfoundland Labrador, Canada became the 27th Newfoundlander to lace them up for an NHL Team. He logged around 8 minutes of ice time and displayed a good physical performance for a Senators team in the middle of a major rebuilding project.

This season in the AHL, Colin has 12 goals and 20 assists for a Binghamton Senators team ready to make a Calder Cup run.

So, as I was watching the game at work (with my Senators jersey on of course), it made me think: Who are the 10 best players to play in the NHL from the Rock?

(Honourable mention: John Slaney, Adam Pardy, Dwayne Norris, Dan LaCosta)

10: Luke Adam

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SAN JOSE, CA - JANUARY 6: Luke Adam #72 of the Buffalo Sabres celebrates after scoring a goal against the San Jose Sharks during an NHL hockey game at the HP Pavilion on January 6, 2011 in San Jose, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images

Luke Adam

Hometown: St. John's, Newfoundland Labrador

Played For: Buffalo Sabres (2010-Present)

2010-2011 Stats

Buffalo Sabres (NHL)- 18GP, 3G, 1A

Portland Pirates(AHL)- 27GP, 12G, 14A

Adam is a gifted power forward who has a tremendous amount of potential. His play has been well documented, as he is a former World Junior silver medalist (2010) and he represented the Portland Pirates in the 2011 AHL All-Star Classic.

It is only the early stages of his pro career, so much more is expected from this rising star.

9. Harold Druken

Brian Bahr/Getty Images

25 Oct 2001: Left Winger Harold Druken #9 of the Vancouver Canucks standing on the ice looking on during the game against the Colorado Avalanche at the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado. The Avalanche defeated the Canucks 4-1.Mandatory Credit: Brian Bahr

Harold Druken

Hometown: Shea Heights, Newfoundland Labrador

Played For: Vancouver Canucks (2000-2003), Carolina Hurricanes (2003), Toronto Maple Leafs (2003-2005)

Druken burst onto the NHL scene in 2001 with the Vancouver Canucks, and is remembered by most for his overtime winning goal vs. Los Angeles on April 6th, 2001 to secure Vancouver's first playoff birth in 4 years.

After a short stint in the NHL, Druken went over seas to play in Switzerland. He now plays for the Deer Lake Red Wings of the Newfoundland West Coast Senior Hockey League.

8. Teddy Purcell

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UNIONDALE, NY - DECEMBER 22: Teddy Purcell #16 of the Tampa Bay Lightning skates against the New York Islanders at the Nassau Coliseum on December 22, 2010 in Uniondale, New York. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

Teddy Purcell

Hometown: St. John's, Newfoundland Labrador

Played For: Los Angeles Kings (2007-2010), Tampa Bay Lightning (2010-Present)

After a 43 point campaign at the University of Maine in 2006-2007, Purcell went undrafted. A year later he was signed by the Los Angeles Kings and played most of the season with the Manchester Monarchs of the American Hockey League.

In 2008, Purcell became the first rookie to score at hat-trick in the AHL All-Star Classic.

He was traded to Tampa Bay at the trade deadline in 2010 for Jeff Halpern, and is now having a career year playing on a line with superstar Steven Stamkos.

7. Doug Grant

Doug Grant

Hometown: Corner Brook, Newfoundland Labrador

Played For: Deroit Red Wings (1973-1976), St. Louis Blues (1977-1980)

Grant was the first goaltender from Newfoundland to play in the NHL. He played a total of 77 games with a career record of 27-34-8.

His mask from Detroit (above) now rests in the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto.

Picture URL: http://www.hockeymasks.com/details.html?msk=92

6. Darren Langdon

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EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - NOVEMBER 18: Darren Langdon #17 of the New Jersey Devils skates during the game against the Montreal Canadians at the Continental Airlines Arena on November 18, 2005 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The Devils won 5-3. (Photo by Andy

Darren Langdon

Hometown: Deer Lake, Newfoundland Labrador

Played For: New York Rangers (1994-2000), Carolina Hurricanes (2000-2002), Vancouver Canucks (2002-2003), Montreal Canadiens (2003-2004), New Jersey Devils (2005-2006)

A NHL Veteran who played in 521 games, Langdon was most known for his fighting ability. He started his pro career in Dayton (ECHL), where he holds the record for most penalty minutes in a season.

5. Alex Faulkner

The first Newfoundlander to play in the NHL

Alex Faulkner

Hometown: Bishop Falls, Newfoundland Labrador

Played For:  Toronto Maple Leafs (1961), Detroit Red Wings (1962-1964)

Faulkner was the first Newfoundlander to play in the NHL when he was noticed by Howie Meeker in an exhibition game. Meeker informed Maple Leafs GM King Clancy about Faulkner and he was invited to camp and then assigned to the Leafs AHL affiliate, the Rochester Americans. The next year he scored 73 points in 65 games an was called up the the NHL.

The Leafs lost Faulkner in the 1962 Intra-League Draft to the Detroit Red Wings. Over his 2 seasons in the league, Faulkner tallied 15 goals and 17 assists.

He is now a member of the Newfoundland Labrador Hockey Hall of Fame.

Picture URL: http://eagle35.webs.com/alexfaulkner.htm

4. Michael Ryder

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BOSTON - OCTOBER 21: Michael Ryder #73 of the Boston Bruins celebrates a goal by Zdeno Chara #33 (not shown) at 19:44 of the third period against the Washington Capitals at the TD Garden on October 21, 2010 in Boston, Massachusetts. The Bruins defeated th

Michael Ryder

Played For: Montreal Canadiens (2003-2008), Boston Bruins (2008-Present)

Hometown: Bonavista, Newfoundland Labrador

Drafted 216th overall in 1998 by the Montreal Canadiens, Ryder played outstanding hockey during the early part of his career, as he was a nominee for the 2003-2004 Calder Trophy (Rookie of the Year), only to lose out to then Boston Bruins netminder Andrew Raycroft.

After a goal scoring drought in the 2007-2008 season, Montreal did not offer Ryder a contract, and he left for the Bruins and former coach Claude Julien.

3. Keith Brown

Mike Powell/Getty Images

INGLEWOOD, CA - 1989: Defense Keith Brown #4 of the Chicago Blackhawks takes a shot against the Los Angeles Kings during a game at the Great Western Forum during the 1989-90 season in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Mike Powell/Getty Images)

Keith Brown

Hometown: Corner Brook, Newfoundland Labrador

Played For: Chicago Blackhawks (1979-1993), Florida Panthers (1993-1995)

Keith Brown currently holds the record for most career NHL points by a Newfoundlander, accumulating 342 points over his 16 year NHL career.

2. Ryane Clowe

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SAN JOSE, CA - JANUARY 08: Ryan Clowe #29 of the San Jose Sharks in action against the Nashville Predators at HP Pavilion on January 8, 2011 in San Jose, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

Ryane Clowe

Hometown: Fermeuse, Newfoundland Labrador

Played For: San Jose Sharks (2003-Present)

Now an alternate captain for one of the NHL's elite teams, Clowe is becoming more of a goal scorer than ever before.

A year after being named team MVP of the Cleveland Barons in 2004-2005, Clowe was called up to play on a stacked Sharks team that included the likes of Joe Thornton, Patrick Marleau and Evgeni Nabokov.

During the 2008 Stanley Cup Playoffs, Clowe netted 9 points in 13 games for the Sharks.

He is currently 3rd in team scoring with 41 points, behind Joe Thornton (46 points) and Dany Heatley (45 points).

1. Danny Cleary

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EDMONTON, CANADA - NOVEMBER 5: Danny Cleary #11 of the Detroit Red Wings skates against the Edmonton Oilers on November 5, 2010 at Rexall Place in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. (Photo by Dale MacMillan/Getty Images)

Danny Cleary

Hometown: Carbonear/Harbour Grace, Newfoundland Labrador

Played For: Chicago Blackhawks (1997-1999), Edmonton Oilers (1999-2003), Phoenix Coyotes (2003-2004), Detroit Red Wings (2005-Present)

Oh Danny Boy. Playing for the Belleville Bulls, Cleary ripped up the OHL with 53 goals and 115 points in 1995-1996. Cleary was drafted 13th overall in 1997 by the Chicago Blackhawks, but things never did click, and Cleary never really reached his potential, until he signed with the Red Wings in 2005.

There, he would go on to play a pivotal role in Detroit's Stanley Cup runs, and in 2008 Cleary became the first Newfoundlander to win the Stanley Cup as he and the Red Wings defeated Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins 4 games to 2.

Cleary is now a 20 goal threat every season and plays a key role on a Detroit team that never seems to get old.