2011 NHL Playoffs: Choosing the Most Worthless Player on Every Remaining Team

The Stanley Cup playoffs can bring out the very best of players whose teams are competing for the Cup. Skaters turn up their offense, put their bodies on the line to block shots and try to physically wear down their opponents. Goalies, meanwhile, stand as tall as they can and go for the biggest save at the most crucial moment.

However, these things can't be said for every player in the postseason.

Every team has a player who just isn't playing his best. Sometimes, this player is put in the press box, while other times, the coach continues to give them big minutes, making the fans wonder "Why is Player X getting so much ice time? He doesn't do ANYTHING!"

This slideshow talks about those players.

Boston Bruins: Gregory Campbell

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NEWARK, NJ - APRIL 10: Gregory Campbell #11 of the Boston Bruins skates against the New Jersey Devils at the Prudential Center on April 10, 2011 in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

Campbell has been in the NHL full time since 2006-07 and only has one 30-point season in that time. He came close this year with 29 points, but ultimately couldn't crack the mark for the second time.

In the playoffs, the first of his career, he has just one goal in eight games and is a minus-two. His 10:53 of ice time is the fourth lowest on the Bruins.

He also struggles in the faceoff circle, where he is second-to-last on the team with just 37.5 percent of faceoffs won. This gives him a lowly 27-45 record in 72 faceoffs.

Campbell was brought to Boston as part of a trade that sent Dennis Wideman to the Florida Panthers. Nathan Horton was the other player involved in that deal, and he has been successful for the Bruins, posting five points in eight playoff games, which includes two game-winning goals.

It's time for Campbell to step up as the Bruins take on the Philadelphia Flyers in the Eastern Conference Semifinals.

Detroit Red Wings: Mike Modano

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DETROIT, MI - MARCH 30: Mike Modano #90 of the Detroit Red Wings looks on the St. Louis Blues at Joe Louis Arena on March 30, 2011 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)

Modano recently announced that he would retire if the Wings went on a deep playoff run. However, Detroit is down two games to none in their Western Conference Semifinals series, and Modano hasn't exactly done a lot to earn a new contract if the Wings are eliminated.

It's hard to realize Modano is not the star player he once was with the Dallas Stars, but his time with Detroit has hardly been of benefit to the team.

He has been scratched in every playoff game, except for Game 4 against the Phoenix Coyotes. He had one assist in that game and posted a plus-one rating.

During the regular season, he only played in 40 games due to a wrist injury that required surgery. He finished the year with just 15 points and a minus-four, and he was never fully able to integrate into Detroit's stacked lineup.

It's very hard to call Modano worthless, but the glory days are long over, and it is time to focus on the present.

Nashville Predators: J.P. Dumont

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NEWARK, NJ - DECEMBER 17: J.P. Dumont #71 of the Nashville Predators skates against the New Jersey Devils at the Prudential Center on December 17, 2010 in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

Dumont's best postseason run was with the Buffalo Sabres in 2005-06, where he posted 14 points as the Sabres went to the Eastern Conference Finals.

However, his playoff production has been going down since. His poor performance has resulted in him sitting for every playoff game but two. He has yet to play in the team's semifinal series with the Vancouver Canucks.

Dumont's regular season production has not been stellar lately, either. This year, he posted 19 points in 70 games, a decrease for the third straight year. He did miss 12 games due to injury, though.

The worst part of all of this is that Dumont will be making $4 million next season. He can be better than his most recent statistics show, and it's time to prove that.

Philadelphia Flyers: Michael Leighton

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BUFFALO, NY - APRIL 24: Michael Leighton #49 of the Philadelphia Flyers skates during a timeout in the first period against the Buffalo Sabres in Game Six of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals during the 2011 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at HSBC Arena at H

Leighton was just added to the Flyers' injured reserve list with a lower body injury, but even if he had stayed healthy, he likely wouldn't be making any impact on Philadelphia's Cup hopes.

He only had one regular season start in Philadelphia before being waived and sent to the Adirondack Phantoms of the AHL. This was in part due to solid play from rookie netminder Sergei Bobrovsky.

Leighton made his first start of the postseason in Game 5 against the Buffalo Sabres and took the loss with 20 saves on 21 shots.

However, Leighton did not fare well in Game 6. He was pulled for Brian Boucher after the first period, where he allowed five goals on eight shots.He now has a .862 save percentage and 3.43 GAA from his one postseason game.

Those statistics are a far cry from the 2010 playoffs, where he started the majority of games and went 8-3 with three shutouts. He had solid numbers as well, putting up a .916 save percentage and 2.46 GAA.

San Jose Sharks: Ben Eager

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PITTSBURGH, PA - FEBRUARY 23: Ben Eager #55 of the San Jose Sharks during the NHL game against the Pittsburgh Penguins at Consol Energy Center on February 23, 2011 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Sharks defeated the Penguins 3-2 in overtime. (Photo by

Eager joined the Sharks after a trade from the Atlanta Thrashers and finished the year with 17 points in 68 games.

Those aren't bad numbers for a player who is primarily an agitator, but Eager cannot duplicate this in the postseason. This year, he has no points and a minus-two through five playoff games for San Jose.

However, he does lead the team with 19 penalty minutes in the playoffs, 12 of which came in today's Game 2 with Detroit.

Eager only plays 4:30 per game, so he is hardly noticed on the ice. In Game 3 against the Los Angeles Kings, he got just 1:07 of ice time.

Eager is an unrestricted free agent after this season, and there's really not much of a need to bring him back with a playoff performance like this.

Tampa Bay Lightning: Brett Clark

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TAMPA, FL - APRIL 20: Brett Clark #7 of the Tampa Bay Lightning skates with the puck against the Pittsburgh Penguins in Game Four of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals during the 2011 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at the St. Pete Times Forum on April 20, 201

Clark had the third 30-point season of his career this year, posting 31 points in 82 games and also finishing with a plus-two.

However, he has disappeared from the score sheet so far in the playoffs. He has yet to put up a point in nine games and has a plus-one rating. Furthermore, he has taken penalties in each of the first two games against the Washington Capitals. In Game 1 alone, he spent four minutes in the penalty box.

Clark only played in one playoff game with the Colorado Avalanche last year due to injury. His lack of point production last year was understandable, but this year, he has no excuses.

Vancouver Canucks: Raffi Torres

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CHICAGO, IL - APRIL 17: Raffi Torres #13 of the Vancouver Canucks follows his pass against the Chicago Blackhawks in Game Three of the Western Conference Quarterfinals during the 2011 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at the United Center on April 17, 2011 in Chic

Torres has a penchant for making stupid decisions, and he put himself in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons in the Canucks' quarterfinal series with the Chicago Blackhawks.

He put a big hit on Chicago defenseman Brent Seabrook that left Seabrook with a head injury. Although he returned to the series, many felt Torres was a reason that the Hawks were able to get fired up and nearly complete a series comeback.

Torres has 16 penalty minutes in the playoffs and is third on Vancouver in that category. He took four minutes of penalties in Game 1 and 10 minutes in Game 2 of the last round.

Through seven playoff games, he has no points and a minus-one rating.

Washington Capitals: Boyd Gordon

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WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 15: Boyd Gordon #15 of the Washington Capitals skates against the New York Rangers in Game Two of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals during the 2011 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Verizon Center on April 15, 2011 in Washington, DC.

Gordon has not played close to a full season since 2006-07, when he participated in 71 games.

The number of games he has played, along with his points total, has been declining almost every season since. This year, he bottomed out and had nine points and a minus-five in 60 games. His 60 games this year were an improvement over the 36 games he played in 2009-10.

So far in the postseason, he has no points and a minus-one in seven games. His six penalty minutes are tied for third on the Capitals.

Gordon is another player on this list who is a UFA after this season, and his injury problems and low point totals will probably have him looking for a new home come July 1.