Who was the greatest hockey player to HAVE NOT PLAYED in the NHL?

Question

I'm an avid baseball fan, and it has been said that Josh Gibson was the greatest baseball player to have never played in the Major Leagues (due to the horrible idea of segregation...bastards). In that vain, I ask the hockey fans in unison: who was the greatest hockey player to have never played in the NHL?

288- After reading your post about Herb Carnegie, I have a few choice words to say about Conn Smythe. Unfortunately, I cannot post them here.

David D- I like the unique twist you put upon the question. No doubt Tom Glavine has had the best alternate career instead of playing in the NHL...definitely a first ballot Hall Of Famer!

Puck and Richard C- Kudos for giving the Russian greats their due. Kudos to the Hockey Hall Of Fame for doing the same.

Answer 1

Herb Carnegie with the Quebec Aces back in Beliveau's days. Even Beliveau said that Carnegie was better than he was. The only reason why he never played in the NHL was because he is black. Conn Smythe was quoted saying, "I would give $10, 000 to turn (Carnegie) white." You can guess what Smythe said instead of "Carnegie."

ADD: LOL I think anyone in this day and age would have some choice words for Smythe. But it was accepted back then, unfortunately.

ADD2: Like You Said....something....dude, you really need to shorten that name. lol
I'm not saying the Carnegie was better than Beliveau. I'm saying that Beliveau was quoted saying that Carnegie was better than him.

Answer 2

Most of the lost opportunities in my generation were borne from the cold war political climate of the 60's, 70's and 80's. Talented players who were trapped behind the Iron Curtain and had no chance to compete against any of the best players in the world outside of the Worlds or Olmpic play.

With that in mind, I'd like to mention a true pioneer, Vaclav Nedomansky.

He was the original cloak and dagger defection story and paved the way for the Stastnys, Klimas and even Fedorovs of the NHL world. Every Eastern European player in the league today owes his career in some small way to Nedomansky.

He was 30 years old and a 12 year pro in Czechoslovakia when he and his family escaped to Canada in 1974. Under the guise of a vacation in Switzerland and under the cover of night, Nedomansky left behind his Olympic victories, loads of personal accolades and his National hero status in search of a better life for his family.

"Big Ned", as he was known, spent the next 3 years with the Toronto Toros lighting up the WHA before signing with the Red Wings as a 34 year old.

His 6 subsequent seasons as an NHLer were highlighted by two 35 goal season and a total of 278 points in 421 games.

Come to think of it, Nedomansky may have been a better candidate for your question about NHL careers cut short, Snoop. The difference being this guy's run started too late instead of being stopped too soon.

Regardless, thought I'd share a little Eastern European hockey history since I saw names like Tretiak and Kharlamov mentioned so many times.

You can read more on Nedomansky's hockey career below, if you wish.

http://www.legendsofhockey.net:8080/LegendsOfHockey/jsp/SearchPlayer.jsp?player=13828

Answer 3

Probably Tom Glavine of the New York Mets, Drafted by the kings but droped out so he could play baseball with the Atlanta Braves and then onto the mets, but i think it mighta been a good choice, hes got 300 wins, and might be the last or second last pitcher to ever do that again.

Answer 4

i would have to go with tretiak. he seriously might have been the best goalie ever. he was one the main reasons why the USSR was so dominant back during the late stages of the cold war. i remember in the movie miracle herb brooks said that, "if you score on him keep the puck cause it doesn't happen too often." now i know that's just a movie quote but i sure as hell would keep the puck if i scored on him.

there was probably a whole lot of the USSR's talent that was missed in the NHL due to the cold war.

Answer 5

Tretiak and black guys like Carnegie. The old-time Nova Scotia Coloured Hockey League teams have been said to have never lost any of the exhibition games they played with white teams.

Answer 6

WITHOUT a DOUBT Lane McDonald. I got to watch the Harvard Crimson beat the Gophers in the '89 championship game. I can honestly say this guy made moves that would make Lemieux proud.

Answer 7

Boris Mikhailov
Valeri Kharlamov
Vladislav Tretiak

For the passages about Herb Carnegie.....He was very good, but he was not as good as Beliveau, Richard, et al. The two years that Carnegie and Beliveau played togather, Beliveau outscored him by over 90+ points.

Yes, I saw Carnegie play!

Answer 8

I heard Doug Flutie was a great hockey player in college, but chose to play football professionally. Tom Glavine was drafted by the Kings, then chose baseball.

Answer 9

Mike Eruzione

Answer 10

Vladislav Tretriak