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Today, I'd like to take a look at who the under-rated player is in, ahhh, are we still calling it the NHL? Or is the BSJHL. You know, the Bettmen, Snider, Jacobs Hockey League.

Ok, we'll just say all of hockey to avoid the arguments.


Here are my top 5


Mark Stuart- He hits, he blocks shots, he kills penalties and does all the little things well. When Stuart is on the ice for the Jets you know two things. One he will give his all. And two, he will be tough on the opposition. I love the way he plays and I really wish he got more press for what he brings on a nightly basis.

Maxim Lapierre- He has a reputation as being a bit of a dickhead/coward, but people really need to realize that isn't who he is anymore. Since coming to Vancouver he has rarely stepped over that line and yapped much. Lappy plays the game hard every night and is a very good face-off man as well. If you want to go with him, chances are he'll go. he's also a decent scorer, who can play top 6 minutes in a pinch.

David Desharnais- Pop quiz, who had more points last year, the great Rick Nash or David Desharnais? If you said Nash you are dead wrong. Desharnais had 60 points last year for a Habs team that wasn't all that good. He also finished third on the team with a +10 rating. I don't care if you're 5"7 or 6"7, if you play like Desharnais did this past year you can play on my team and you certainly deserve to be getting more recognition for your play.

Jamie McGinn- When a lot of people see Jamie McGinn they see a guy who won't be much more than a forth-line plug. When I look a Jamie McGinn I see a very good player, who has been underused in his career. They guy can flat out skate and I love the edge that he brings night-in-an-night-out. I believe he has as much potential as Alex Burrows and hopefully he will get the same opportunity Burrows has gotten in Vancouver, while he is in Colorado.

Alexander Steen- I may be a bit biased here because Steen has a habit of absolutely killing the Canucks, but to me, he is a player that should be mentioned with the elite 2-way players and he seems to get the short end of the stick. Average out his +24 over a full year and he would have run away with that stat this past year. I'll go on record right now and say that if Steen was healthy, he would have won the Selke by a landslide over everyone.


Well those are 5 guys that I think are underrated and that should get more recognition.


Who do you think should be getting more press?



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That's a wrap.

Ian

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