Interested who else knows about hockey outside the NHL...?

Question

I see plenty of questions about NHL hockey but I am curious of how many people out there think who the greatest non-NHLer to have played the game...
I myself have always felt that Vladislav Tretiak was the greatest goaltender never to have played in the NHL but incredibly was inducted to the Hockey Hall of Fame... I have always wondered how he would have done in NHL if the Montreal Canadiens were able to bring him across to north america away from communist Soviet Union....
Now I am curious to find out what everyone else thinks....
Name me your favorite non-NHLer to have played hockey....it could be anyone that has played from junior, collegiate, semi professional in Canada or U.S. or professionally in europe, anything really....
or if you don't have one, name someone you admired greatly that influenced your love of hockey whether it was an old coach or a teammate that you played with when you were growing up...

Answer 1

Hobey Baker -- Look him up.

_

Answer 2

I will say a guy named Milan Novy of Czechoslovakia, although he did play one season with the Washington Capitals when he was like 40 or something. I remember watching him in the Olympics and Canada Cup tournaments back in the late 70's early 80s. He was awesome with the puck, and perhaps the best passer I've ever seen(except for perhaps Bobby Orr and Wayne Gretzky).

The following info I found on the net:
1982-83 Washington Capitals NHL 73 18 30 48 16

Novy's brilliant play determined the outcome of many matches, and he holds his place in history among the rankings of all Czechs and Slovaks who ever played hockey. He also put in solid performances in the NHL, in Switzerland, in Austria and in lower-level competition. At least one goal of his career made history. It was scored in the 1976 Canada Cup in a game against the home team. Czechoslovakia won 1-0 and for the first time ever beat the pick of the NHL in the country that gave birth to the game of hockey.

Answer 3

Watching the Russians play in the 70's and 80's was always a treat. It used to be a big deal to watch the Red Army play the NHLers. Now, some of the minor league games are the most fun to watch. Get a ticket and a Coke for $10.

Answer 4

Vladislav Tretiak was the best that never played in the NHL for sure. back in the Summit series the scouts for Canada said he is no good cause he was young and that Canada would crush the CCCP scores like 9-0 8-0 but we as Canadians were really shocked by the outcome and its probably the best series in hockey history.


jujubah_0...>>>> Hobey Baker got so much attention cause he played several sports in college but he wasn't a great all around hockey player.




GO HABS GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

Answer 5

I agree, Tretiak was THE man during the Summit Series. And this coming from a Canadian. lol

I took a hockey history course a few semesters ago (Hockey Hall of Fame does the course at Seneca College in Toronto) and there are just too many to name. But Herb Carnegie stands out to me. If you want to get technical, he never did make it to the NHL to become the first black player in the league, but he was a career player for the a minor league team called Quebec Aces. He was good enough that even Conn Smythe was quoted saying "I would give ten thousand dollars to turn (that man) white." (Of course, I edited out some words so the Yahoo nazis won't report abuse me.) But he did end up making a big name for himself, founding the Future Aces Foundation for kids who are too poor to afford hockey equipment...regardless of their race. Sadly, a disease (can't remember the name of it for the life of me) has left him blind, but myself with my class had the honour of having him give us a lecture on what hockey was like back then.

Answer 6

Vladislav Tretiak and Valery Kharlamov.

Answer 7

Vladislav Tretiak no doubt! I can't imagine th records he would problaby have if he had played in the NHL!

Answer 8

Milan Novy of Czechoslovakia or maybe Anatoli Firsov of CCCP.