But for every Ken Daneyko or Chris Phillips or even Vlasic himself who’s a franchise lifer, there’s a journeyman who travels from town to town, clearing pucks and cross-checking spinal cords.

“Nobody gave us a chance,” recalled Devils defenseman Ken Daneyko. “The papers said we had no chance, the radios, the talk shows of the hockey world. The media didn’t really give us a chance.

Where do all-time greats like Martin Brodeur, Scott Stevens, and Ken Daneyko fall on the list? One of the most obvious top choices you can have across the NHL. Broduer is the all-time leader in ...

“What the [bleep] is this guy doing here?” Ken Daneyko, then only 23 years old, recalled thinking as Tsujiura made his way toward the bar. “It’s got to be some kind of joke. The guys loved ...