Greatest NHL Journeymen of All Time
There's something special about the players who call themselves journeymen in any sport. They are good enough to play at the highest level but not willing (or able) to ever tie themselves to one team.
As professional sports have evolved, so has the ability of players to jump teams as much as they want almost. And nowhere is that more evident than in the last 30 years in the National Hockey League.
These are the greatest journeymen in NHL history. To qualify, a player had to play for at least seven teams, one for each day of the week.
30. Mike Sillinger
Born: June 29, 1971 (Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada)
Position: Center
NHL career: 18 seasons (1990-2004, 2005-09)
Number of teams: 12
Teams: Detroit Red Wings (1990-95), Anaheim Mighty Ducks (1995-96), Vancouver Canucks (1996-98), Philadelphia Flyers (1998), Tampa Bay Lightning (1998-2000), Florida Panthers (2000-01), Ottawa Senators (2001), Columbus Blue Jackets (2001-03), Phoenix Coyotes (2003-04), St. Louis Blues (2004, 2005-06), Nashville Predators (2006), New York Islanders (2006-09)
Stanley Cup titles: 0
Bottom line: Mike Sillinger is the true king of NHL journeymen. He played for an NHL-record 12 teams in 18 seasons and set another NHL record by being traded nine times.
Sillinger never made an All-Star team and never played in a Stanley Cup Final despite playing in over 1,000 career regular-season games.
His son, Cole Sillinger, is one of the top hockey prospects in the world and projected to be taken in the 2021 NHL draft.
29. Radim Vrbata
Born: June 13, 1981 (Mlada Boleslav, Czechoslovakia)
Position: Right wing
NHL career: 16 seasons (2001-04, 2005-18)
Number of teams: 7
Teams: Colorado Avalanche (2001-03), Carolina Hurricanes (2003-04, 2005-06), Chicago Blackhawks (2006-07), Phoenix Coyotes (2007-08, 2009-14), Tampa Bay Lightning (2008-09), Vancouver Canucks (2014-17), Florida Panthers (2017-18)
Stanley Cup titles: 0
Bottom line: Radim Vrbata turned being a throwaway draft pick by the Colorado Avalanche in 1999 — he went No. 212 overall — into a pretty respectable NHL career that lasted 16 seasons.
In an interesting twist, Vrbata made his only All-Star team in his 13th season, playing for the Vancouver Canucks in 2015.
Vrbata was able to cash out big once during his career, signing a two-year, $10 million contract with the Canucks in 2014.
28. Lyle Odelein
Born: July 21, 1968 (Quill Lake, Saskatchewan)
Position: Defense
NHL career: 16 seasons (1989-2004, 2005-06)
Number of teams: 8
Teams: Montreal Canadiens (1989-96), New Jersey Devils (1996-00), Phoenix Coyotes (2000), Columbus Blue Jackets (2000-02), Chicago Blackhawks (2002-03), Dallas Stars (2003), Florida Panthers (2003-04), Pittsburgh Penguins (2005-06)
Stanley Cup titles: 1 (1993)
Bottom line: Some players made the NHL — and extended their careers — because they weren't afraid to drop the gloves with anyone.
Lyle Odelein is one of those guys. He played for 16 seasons and finished his career No. 30 on the NHL career list with 2,316 penalty minutes, which included a staggering 182 fights over 16 seasons.
Odelein wasn't just an enforcer, though. Montreal Canadiens head coach Jacques Demere turned him into an effective scorer and facilitator on power plays, including on a Stanley Cup-winning squad in 1993.
27. Marc Bergevin
Born: Aug. 11, 1965 (Montreal, Quebec, Canada)
Position: Defense
NHL career: 20 Seasons (1984-2004)
Number of teams: 8
Teams: Chicago Blackhawks (1984-88), New York Islanders (1988-90), Hartford Whalers (1990-92), Tampa Bay Lightning (1992-95), Detroit Red Wings (1995-96), St. Louis Blues (1996-2000, 2001-02), Pittsburgh Penguins (2000-01, 2002-03), Vancouver Canucks (2003-04)
Stanley Cup titles: 0
Bottom line: Marc Bergevin was an old-school defenseman who never scored more than 24 points in a single season but managed to play in the NHL for 20 years.
Bergevin spent the first four years of his career with the Chicago Blackhawks and wasted away on the bench for the New York Islanders before finding his footing first with the Hartford Whalers, then with the Tampa Bay Lightning on their inaugural teams.
Bergevin has been general manager of his hometown Montreal Canadiens — a team he never played for — since 2012.
26. Olli Jokinen
Born: Dec. 5, 1978 (Kuopio, Finland)
Position: Center
NHL career: 17 seasons (1997-2004, 2005-15)
Number of teams: 10
Teams: Los Angeles Kings (1997-99), New York Islanders (1999-2000), Florida Panthers (2000-04, 2005-08), Phoenix Coyotes (2008-09), Calgary Flames (2009-10, 2010-12), New York Rangers (2010), Winnipeg Jets (2012-14), Nashville Predators (2014-15), Toronto Maple Leafs (2015), St. Louis Blues (2015)
Stanley Cup titles: 0
Bottom line: Olli Jokinen's career didn't play out quite the way he planned. After the Los Angeles Kings selected him No. 3 overall in the 1997 NHL draft, he ended up on 10 teams over 17 seasons.
The center didn't have much playoff success in his career either. Jokinen didn't even make a postseason appearance until his 11th season when he was with the Calgary Flames.
He played seven seasons for the Florida Panthers and is their career leader in goals. He also represented Finland in three Olympics, earning three medals.
25. Brad May
Born: Nov. 29, 1971 (Toronto, Ontario, Canada)
Position: Left wing
NHL career: 18 seasons (1991-2004, 2005-10)
Number of teams: 7
Teams: Buffalo Sabres (1991-98), Vancouver Canucks (1998-2000), Phoenix Coyotes (2000-03), Vancouver Canucks (2003-04), Colorado Avalanche (2005-07), Anaheim Ducks (2007-09), Toronto Maple Leafs (2009), Detroit Red Wings (2009-10)
Stanley Cup titles: 1 (2007)
Bottom line: Brad May is probably best known for his time with the Buffalo Sabres, where he spent his first seven seasons and scored the famous "Mayday goal" to upset the Boston Bruins in the 1993 NHL playoffs.
May, who won a Stanley Cup with the Anaheim Ducks in 2007, is also known for a series of incredibly dirty plays throughout his career. He was suspended 20 games for slashing Columbus Blue Jackets forward Steve Heinze in 2000 and was reportedly the person who put the bounty on the Colorado Avalanche's Steve Moore that led to his career-ending injury in 2004.
24. Jim Dowd
Born: Dec. 25, 1968 (Brick, New Jersey)
Position: Center
NHL career: 16 seasons (1991-2004, 2005-08)
Number of teams: 10
Teams: New Jersey Devils (1991-96), Vancouver Canucks (1996), New York Islanders (1996-97), Calgary Flames (1997-98), Edmonton Oilers (1998-2000), Minnesota Wild (2000-04), Montreal Canadiens (2004), Chicago Blackhawks (2005-06), Colorado Avalanche (2006), New Jersey Devils (2006-07), Philadelphia Flyers (2007-08)
Stanley Cup titles: 1 (1995)
Bottom line: Jim Dowd owns a pretty unique place in the history of the New Jersey Devils. He's the first New Jersey native to play for the Devils.
While Dowd played 16 seasons for 10 teams, it's his time with the Devils that he's best known for. In Game 2 of the 1995 Stanley Cup Final, he scored the game-winning goal and helped the team sweep.
In the process, he became the first New Jersey native to win the Stanley Cup.
23. Brian Boucher
Born: Jan. 2, 1977 (Woonsocket, Rhode Island)
Position: Goaltender
NHL career: 13 seasons (1999-2004, 2005-12)
Number of teams: 7
Teams: Philadelphia Flyers (1999-2002, 2009-11, 2012-13), Phoenix Coyotes (2002-04, 2005-06), Calgary Flames (2006-07), Chicago Blackhawks (2006-07), Columbus Blue Jackets (2007), San Jose Sharks (2007-09), Carolina Hurricanes (2011-12)
Stanley Cup titles: 0
Bottom line: Brian Boucher was selected No. 22 overall in the 1995 NHL draft by the Philadelphia Flyers and had three separate stints with the team in three different decades.
Boucher still has the NHL record for the longest shutout streak in NHL history, not giving up a goal for 332 minutes and one second with the Phoenix Coyotes in 2003-04.
Boucher came within one game of leading the Flyers to a Stanley Cup championship during his rookie year, when they lost to the New Jersey Devils in seven games.
22. Scott Young
Born: Oct. 1, 1967 (Clinton, Massachusetts)
Position: Right wing
NHL career: 18 seasons(1987-2004, 2005-06)
Number of teams: 7
Teams: Hartford Whalers (1987-91), Pittsburgh Penguins (1991-92), Quebec Nordiques (1992-95), Colorado Avalanche (1995-97), Anaheim Mighty Ducks (1997-98), St. Louis Blues (1998-2002, 2005-06), Dallas Stars (2002-04)
Stanley Cup titles: 2 (1991, 1996)
Bottom line: Massachusetts native Scott Young played 18 seasons in the NHL and won two Stanley Cup championships, with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 1991 and with the Colorado Avalanche in 1996.
Young's biggest contribution to the game may have been what he did for the United States in international competitions. He helped lead the U.S. to a silver medal at the 2002 Olympics and was inducted into the USA Hockey Hall of Fame in 2017.
21. Ron Tugnutt
Born: Oct. 22, 1967 (Scarborough, Ontario, Canada)
Position: Goaltender
NHL career: 16 seasons (1987-95, 1996-2004)
Number of teams: 8
Teams: Quebec Nordiques (1987-92), Edmonton Oilers (1992-93), Anaheim Mighty Ducks (1993-94), Montreal Canadiens (1994-95), Ottawa Senators (1996-2000), Pittsburgh Penguins (2000), Columbus Blue Jackets (2000-02), Dallas Stars (2002-04)
Stanley Cup titles: 0
Bottom line: Ron Tugnutt was an elite goaltender for a good chunk of his career, most notably setting an NHL record for most saves in a regular-season game when he stopped 70 of 73 shots for the Quebec Nordiques in a 3-3 tie against the Boston Bruins in 1991.
That's not the only team Tugnutt holds that record for. He stopped 46 shots for the Anaheim Mighty Ducks in one game against the Edmonton Oilers in 1993.
He's also part of an interesting piece of NHL trivia as the only goaltender to win the first game for two different franchises with the Anaheim Mighty Ducks and the Columbus Blue Jackets.
20. Thomas Vanek
Born: Jan. 19, 1984 (Baden bei Wien, Austria)
Position: Left wing
NHL career: 14 seasons (2005-19)
Number of teams: 8
Teams: Buffalo Sabres (2005-13), New York Islanders (2013-14), Montreal Canadiens (2014), Minnesota Wild (2014-16), Detroit Red Wings (2016-17, 2019), Florida Panthers (2017), Vancouver Canucks (2017-18), Columbus Blue Jackets (2018-19)
Stanley Cup titles: 0
Bottom line: Probably the greatest Austrian player to ever make it to the NHL, Thomas Vanek was picked No. 5 overall by the Buffalo Sabres in 2005. That is the highest a player from Austria has ever been drafted.
Vanek made his lone All-Star team in 2009 but was also an American college star before he made it to the NHL, leading the University of Minnesota to the 2003 national championship by scoring the game-winning goal in both the national semifinals and finals.
19. Geoff Sanderson
Born: Feb. 1, 1972 (Hay River, Northwest Territories, Canada)
Position: Left wing
NHL career: 17 seasons (1990-2004, 2005-08)
Number of teams: 8
Teams: Hartford Whalers (1990-97), Carolina Hurricanes (1997-98), Vancouver Canucks (1998, 2004), Buffalo Sabres (1998-2000), Columbus Blue Jackets (2000-04), Phoenix Coyotes (2005-06), Philadelphia Flyers (2006-07), Edmonton Oilers (2007-08)
Stanley Cup titles: 0
Bottom line: Geoff Sanderson was a two-time All-Star and spent the first seven seasons of his career with the Hartford Whalers, then hopped around the NHL for the rest of his career. His longest stint was with the Columbus Blue Jackets for four seasons from 2000 to 2004.
Sanderson made two All-Star teams and played in the Stanley Cup Finals once, with the Buffalo Sabres in 1999 when they lost on a controversial goal by Brett Hull.
His son, Jake Sanderson, was selected No. 5 overall in the 2020 NHL draft by the Ottawa Senators.
18. Roman Hamrlik
Born: April 12, 1974 (Gottwaldov, Czechoslovakia)
Position: Defense
NHL career: 22 seasons (1992-2004, 2005-13)
Number of teams: 7
Teams: Tampa Bay Lightning (1992-98), Edmonton Oilers (1998-2000), New York Islanders (2000-04), Calgary Flames (2005-07), Montreal Canadiens (2007-11), Washington Capitals (2011-12), New York Rangers (2012-13)
Stanley Cup titles: 0
Bottom line: Roman Hamrlik was the No. 1 overall pick in the 1992 NHL draft by the Tampa Bay Lightning — the first pick in franchise history.
Hamrlik played almost 1,400 career regular-season games and was a three-time All-Star but never played in a Stanley Cup Final in 22 seasons.
Hamrlik's older brother, Martin, was drafted by the Hartford Whalers one year before he was but never played in the NHL.
17. Matt Cullen
Born: Nov. 2, 1976 (Virginia, Minnesota)
Position: Center
NHL career: 21 seasons (1997-2004, 2005-19)
Number of teams: 8
Teams: Mighty Ducks of Anaheim (1997-2003), Florida Panthers (2003-04), Carolina Hurricanes (2005-06, 2007-10), New York Rangers (2006-07), Ottawa Senators (2010), Minnesota Wild (2010-13, 2017-18), Nashville Predators (2013-15), Pittsburgh Penguins (2015-17, 2018-19)
Stanley Cup titles: 3 (2006, 2016, 2017)
Bottom line: Matt Cullen was a steady presence on eight different NHL teams over his 21-year career, winning Stanley Cup championships with the Carolina Hurricanes in 2006 and then back-to-back titles with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2016 and 2017.
Cullen's career is kind of an anomaly. He's one of only 21 players to play in over 1,500 games and never to be named an All-Star.
16. Reg Noble
Born: June 23, 1896 (Collingwood, Ontario, Canada)
Died: Jan. 19, 1962, 65 years old (age 65, Alliston, Ontario, Canada)
Position: Center
NHL career: 17 seasons (1916-33)
Number of teams: 8
Teams: Toronto Blueshirts (1916), Montreal Canadiens (1916-17), Toronto Arenas (1917-19), Toronto St. Pats (1919-24), Montreal Maroons (1924-27, 1932-33), Detroit Cougars (1927-30), Detroit Falcons (1930-32), Detroit Red Wings (1932)
Stanley Cup titles: 3 (1918, 1922, 1926)
Bottom line: We're giving Reg Noble credit for his one year with the Montreal Canadiens in the National Hockey Association in 1916-17 because they eventually became an NHL franchise.
Noble was the first NHL journeyman, but did it in a weird way. While he played for eight different teams, Noble did so while only playing in three cities. He played for two teams in Montreal and three teams in both Detroit and Toronto.
Noble was the last player in the NHL remaining from both the NHA and the NHL's inaugural season when he played his last game in 1933. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1962.
15. Scott Gomez
Born: Dec. 23, 1979 (Anchorage, Alaska)
Position: Center
NHL career: 16 seasons (1999-2004, 2005-16)
Number of teams: 7
Teams: New Jersey Devils (1999-2004, 2005-07, 2014-15), New York Rangers (2007-09), Montreal Canadiens (2009-12), San Jose Sharks (2012-13), Florida Panthers (2013-14), St. Louis Blues (2015-16), Ottawa Senators (2016)
Stanley Cup titles: 2 (2000, 2003)
Bottom line: Arguably the greatest athlete to ever come out of Alaska, Scott Gomez is also the first Alaskan-born player to make an NHL roster.
Gomez was one of the best players in the NHL for the first decade of his career, helping lead the New Jersey Devils to a pair of Stanley Cup championships in 2000, when he was also named NHL Rookie of the Year, and then again in 2003.
Gomez led the NHL in assists in 2003-04 and was also a four-time All-Star.
14. Mathieu Schneider
Born: June 12, 1969 (New York City, New York)
Position: Defense
NHL career: 23 seasons (1987-2004, 2005-10)
Number of teams: 10
Teams: Montreal Canadiens (1987-95, 2009), New York Islanders (1995-96), Toronto Maple Leafs (1996-98), New York Rangers (1998-2000), Los Angeles Kings (2000-03), Detroit Red Wings (2003-04, 2005-07), Anaheim Ducks (2007-08), Atlanta Thrashers (2008-09), Vancouver Canucks (2009-10), Phoenix Coyotes (2010)
Stanley Cup titles: 1 (1993)
Bottom line: Mathieu Schneider played the first eight seasons of his career with the Montreal Canadiens, where he won his lone Stanley Cup championship in 1993.
Schneider didn't make his first All-Star roster until 1996, after he was traded to the New York Islanders, and missed out on a pair of Stanley Cup championships by one season with the Detroit Red Wings and Anaheim Ducks.
Schneider has worked for the NHL Players Association since his retirement in 2010.
13. Esa Tikkanen
Born: Jan. 25, 1965 (Helsinki, Finland)
Position: Left wing
NHL career: 15 seasons (1984-99)
Number of teams: 7
Teams: Edmonton Oilers (1984-93), New York Rangers (1993-94, 1997, 1999), St. Louis Blues (1994-96), New Jersey Devils (1996), Vancouver Canucks (1996-97), Florida Panthers (1997-98), Washington Capitals (1998-99)
Stanley Cup titles: 5 (1985, 1987, 1988, 1990, 1994)
Bottom line: Esa Tikkanen had one of the greatest decades in NHL history when he won five Stanley Cup championships from 1984 to 1994, winning the first four with the Edmonton Oilers and the last with the New York Rangers and former Oilers teammate Mark Messier in 1994.
Tikkanen was known as "The Grate One" while playing alongside Gretzky because of his ability to annoy opponents.
He also was well known for inventing his own language — an almost impossible to understand Finnish-English mix, which teammates labeled "Tikkanese" or "Tiki-Talk."
12. Owen Nolan
Born: Feb. 12, 1972 (Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK)
Position: Right wing
NHL career: 18 seasons (1990-2004, 2006-10)
Number of teams: 7
Teams: Quebec Nordiques (1990-95), Colorado Avalanche (1995), San Jose Sharks (1995-2003), Toronto Maple Leafs (2003-04), Phoenix Coyotes (2006-07), Calgary Flames (2007-08), Minnesota Wild (2008-10)
Stanley Cup titles: 0
Bottom line: Arguably the greatest player to ever come out of the United Kingdom, Owen Nolan played 18 seasons in the NHL after the Quebec Nordiques made him the No. 1 overall pick in 1990.
Nolan's family immigrated to Canada when he was just 7 months old and was a standout in baseball and soccer (of course) before he began playing hockey when he was 9 years old.
Nolan made the All-Star roster five times but had the hard luck of being traded from the Colorado Avalanche one year before they won the Stanley Cup in 1996.
11. Sean Burke
Born: Jan. 29, 1967 (Windsor, Ontario, Canada)
Position: Goaltender
NHL career: 18 seasons (1987-91, 1991-2004, 2005-07)
Number of teams: 9
Teams: New Jersey Devils (1987-91), Hartford Whalers (1992-97), Carolina Hurricanes (1997-98), Vancouver Canucks (1998), Philadelphia Flyers (1998, 2004), Florida Panthers (1998-2000), Phoenix Coyotes (2000-04), Tampa Bay Lightning (2005-06), Los Angeles Kings (2006-07)
Stanley Cup titles: 0
Bottom line: It's tough to describe the kind of frenzy Sean Burke created when he joined the NHL in the late 1980s, leading the New Jersey Devils to within one game of winning the Stanley Cup in 1988, despite having only played 11 games in the regular season.
Still technically a rookie in 1988-89, Burke became the first rookie goaltender to start an All-Star Game that season. But his career became more of a case of sliding doors after that.
Burke sat out the entire 1991-92 season over a contract dispute, and his career was never the same after that, as he played for eight teams over the next 15 years.
10. Rob Ramage
Born: Jan. 11, 1959 (Byron, Ontario, Canada)
Position: Defense
NHL career: 15 seasons (1979-94)
Number of teams: 8
Teams: Colorado Rockies (1979-82), St. Louis Blues (1982-88), Calgary Flames (1987-89), Toronto Maple Leafs (1989-91), Minnesota North Stars (1991-92), Tampa Bay Lightning (1992-93), Montreal Canadiens (1992-94), Philadelphia Flyers (1993-94)
Stanley Cup titles: 2 (1989, 1993)
Bottom line: Rob Ramage was the No. 1 overall pick in the 1979 NHL draft by the Colorado Rockies and played for them until the team folded in 1982. He went on to win two Stanley Cup championships, with the Calgary Flames in 1989 and the Montreal Canadiens in 1993.
Ramage, who was a four-time All-Star selection, was convicted of impaired driving causing death and dangerous driving causing death for a 2003 car crash that killed fellow former NHL player Keith Magnuson.
He was sentenced to four years in prison and released in 2014.
9. Ray Whitney
Born: May 8, 1972 (Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta, Canada)
Position: Left wing
NHL career: 22 seasons (1991-2004, 2005-14)
Number of teams: 8
Teams: San Jose Sharks (1991-97), Edmonton Oilers (1997), Florida Panthers (1997-2001), Columbus Blue Jackets (2001-03), Detroit Red Wings (2003-04), Carolina Hurricanes (2005-10), Phoenix Coyotes (2010-12), Dallas Stars (2012-14)
Stanley Cup titles: 1 (2006)
Bottom line: The 1991 NHL draft was all about No. 1 overall pick Eric Lindros — one of three Hall of Famers taken in the first six picks. But a closer look at Lindros' career compared to Ray Whitney, the No. 23 overall pick in 1991, shows us that much of what we think about hockey history can easily be turned on its head.
For comparison, Whitney finished his career with 1,064 career points to Lindros' 865. They were both multiple time All-Star picks, and Whitney actually won a Stanley Cup (Lindros never did) in 2006.
Lindros played for four teams and refused to play for a fifth, the Quebec Nordiques, who selected him No. 1.
8. Martin Gelinas
Born: June 6, 1970 (Shawinigan, Quebec, Canada)
Position: Left wing
NHL career: 19 seasons (1988-2004, 2005-08)
Number of teams: 7
Teams: Edmonton Oilers (1988-93), Quebec Nordiques (1993-94), Vancouver Canucks (1994-98), Carolina Hurricanes (1998-2002), Calgary Flames (2002-04), Florida Panthers (2005-07), Nashville Predators (2007-08)
Stanley Cup titles: 1 (1990)
Bottom line: Martin Gelinas was the No. 7 overall pick in the 1988 NHL draft by the Los Angeles Kings but never played a game for the team after he was made part of the trade that sent Wayne Gretzky from the Edmonton Oilers to the Kings.
Gelinas earned a reputation throughout his career for scoring clutch goals. "The Eliminator" once scored three game-winning goals in a single postseason series with the Calgary Flames in 2004.
Gelinas won a Stanley Cup championship with Edmonton in 1990 and played in the Stanley Cup Final three more times with three different teams — Vancouver in 1994, Carolina in 2002 and Calgary in 2004.
7. Mark Recchi
Born: Jan. 18, 1961 (St. Albert, Alberta, Canada)
Position: Right wing
NHL career: 22 seasons (1998-2004, 2005-11)
Number of teams: 7
Teams: Pittsburgh Penguins (1988-92, 2005-06, 2006-07), Philadelphia Flyers (1992-94, 1999-2004), Montreal Canadiens (1994-99), Carolina Hurricanes (2006), Atlanta Thrashers (2007-08), Tampa Bay Lightning (2008-09), Boston Bruins (2009-11)
Stanley Cup titles: 3(1991, 2006, 2011)
Bottom line: Mark Recchi, who was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2017, is No. 6 on the NHL career list with 1,652 games played.
Recchi is one of just a handful of players to win a Stanley Cup championship in three different decades — with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 1991, Carolina Hurricanes in 2006 and Boston Bruins in 2011, which was his final season.
That was the year he also became the oldest player to score a goal in the Stanley Cup at 43 years old. Recchi was also selected to play in the All-Star Game seven times.
6. Bill Guerin
Born: Nov. 9, 1970 (Worcester, Massachusetts)
Position: Right wing
NHL career: 19 seasons (1991-2004, 2005-10)
Number of teams: 8
Teams: New Jersey Devils (1991-98), Edmonton Oilers (1998-2001), Boston Bruins (2001-02), Dallas Stars (2002-2004, 2005-06), St. Louis Blues (2006-07), San Jose Sharks (2007), New York Islanders (2007-09), Pittsburgh Penguins (2009-10)
Stanley Cup titles: 2 (1995, 2009)
Bottom line: Massachusetts native Bill Guerin was the first NHL player of Hispanic descent and had a lengthy career, playing 19 seasons for eight different teams.
Guerin won a pair of Stanley Cup championships 14 years apart, with the New Jersey Devils in 1995 and the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2009. He also was a four-time NHL All-Star and was the NHL All-Star Game Most Valuable Player in 2001.
The question needs to be asked: Why isn't Guerin in the Hall of Fame?
5. Doug Gilmour
Born: June 25, 1963 (Kingston, Ontario, Canada)
Position: Center
NHL career: 20 seasons (1983-2003)
Number of teams: 7
Teams: St. Louis Blues (1983-88), Calgary Flames (1988-92), Toronto Maple Leafs (1992-97, 2003), New Jersey Devils (1997-98), Chicago Blackhawks (1998-2000), Buffalo Sabres (2000-01), Montreal Canadiens (2001-03)
Stanley Cup titles: 1 (1989)
Bottom line: Doug Gilmour played more games than almost anyone in NHL history, ending his career with 1,474 games when he retired in 2003, which matches up almost perfectly with 1,414 career points.
Gilmour played 20 seasons and won his only Stanley Cup with the Calgary Flames in 1989, which was part of a five-year stretch in which he scored at least 80 points each season.
He was also a two-time All-Star, making it in back-to-back seasons in 1993 and 1994 while he was playing for the Toronto Maple Leafs.
4. Adam Oates
Born: Aug. 27, 1962 (Weston, Ontario, Canada)
Position: Center
NHL career: 19 seasons (1985-2004)
Number of teams: 7
Teams: Detroit Red Wings (1985-89), St. Louis Blues (1989-92), Boston Bruins (1992-97), Washington Capitals (1997-2002), Philadelphia Flyers (2002), Mighty Ducks of Anaheim (2002-03), Edmonton Oilers (2003-04)
Stanley Cup titles: 0
Bottom line: Adam Oates was a five-time All-Star and, somewhat ironically, never played more than five seasons for any of the seven teams he played for in his 19-year NHL career.
Oates led the NHL in assists five times and carved out a reputation as one of the more unselfish players in NHL history. He played in the Stanley Cup Final twice, in 1998 and 2003, losing both times.
He was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2012.
3. Phil Housley
Born: March 9, 1964 (Saint Paul, Minnesota)
Position: Defense
NHL career: 21 seasons (1982-2003)
Number of teams: 8
Teams: Buffalo Sabres (1982-90), Winnipeg Jets (1990-93), St. Louis Blues (1993-94), Calgary Flames (1994-96, 1998-2001), New Jersey Devils (1996), Washington Capitals (1996-98), Chicago Blackhawks (2001-03), Toronto Maple Leafs (2003)
Stanley Cup titles: 0
Bottom line: Phil Housley played 1,495 games in his 21-year NHL career — the record for most games played without winning a Stanley Cup.
Housley's lack of a title didn't stop him from making it to the Hall of Fame. He was also a seven-time All-Star, the Norris Trophy runner-up in 1992 and retired as the leading American-born point scorer in NHL history in 2003.
Housley spent the first eight seasons of his career with the Buffalo Sabres and was their head coach from 2017 to 2019.
2. Paul Coffey
Born: June 1, 1961 (Weston, Ontario, Canada)
Position: Defense
NHL career: 21 seasons (1980-2001)
Number of teams: 9
Teams: Edmonton Oilers (1980-87), Pittsburgh Penguins (1987-92), Los Angeles Kings (1992-93), Detroit Red Wings (1993-96), Hartford Whalers (1996-97), Philadelphia Flyers (1997-98), Chicago Blackhawks (1998-99), Carolina Hurricanes (1999-2000), Boston Bruins (2000-01)
Stanley Cup titles: 4 (1984, 1985, 1987, 1991)
Bottom line: Paul Coffey's storybook career began when he was selected No. 6 overall in the 1980 NHL draft by the Edmonton Oilers, where he teamed with Wayne Gretzky and Mark Messier to win three Stanley Cup championships.
The three-time Norris Trophy winner set the NHL record for defensemen with 48 goals in 1985-86, and after his trade to the Pittsburgh Penguins, he won another Stanley Cup in 1991 alongside Mario Lemieux.
1. Jaromir Jagr
Born: Feb. 15, 1972 (Kladno, Czechoslovakia)
Position: Right Wing
NHL career: 26 seasons (1991-2004, 2005-18)
Number of teams: 9
Teams: Pittsburgh Penguins (1991-2001), Washington Capitals (2001-04), New York Rangers (2004, 2005-08), Philadelphia Flyers (2011-12), Dallas Stars (2012-13), Boston Bruins (2013), New Jersey Devils (2013-15), Florida Panthers (2015-17), Calgary Flames (2017-18)
Stanley Cup titles: 2 (1991, 1992)
Bottom line: Jaromir Jagr played 26 seasons in the NHL after he was the No. 5 overall pick in the 1990 NHL draft, winning two Stanley Cup championships on the way to becoming the No. 2 on the career points list behind Wayne Gretzky.
Jagr spent the first decade of his career with the Pittsburgh Penguins before hopping teams every few years for the rest of his career.
Jagr was the youngest player in the NHL when he joined the Pittsburgh Penguins at 18 years old and the oldest player in the league when he played his last game with the Calgary Flames in 2018.