Most Underated Player?

**mooneyes** · 11-08-2012, 12:43 PM

Not so sure about Datzyuk, everyone raves about him, including the media showing highlights of how long he can hold onto the puck etc...and his peers voted him the best or whatever...big Z chose him 1st at the all star game...I agree about St. Louis, a big game player for sure, which reminds me a Briere, everyone loves Giroux, meanwhile lil Briere was a scoring machine in last years play-offs...
and I have to mention Hawerchuk, if not for Gretzky, he would have won quite a few scoring titles...
There are tons I suppose, but they are just not "highlight reel" guys...everyone mentioned they didn't realize how exceptional Bergeron was until their cup run...he simply does everything well...

**ravens_creed** · 11-08-2012, 02:55 PM

I would argue that Andy McDonald is exceptionally underrated as far as active players go.
Retired players, Pat Verbeek.

**pur3strpker0** · 11-08-2012, 04:40 PM

Teddy Purcell.

Im pretty sure most don't know that the third man between St Louis & Stamkos is Purcell. Purcell has been putting some impressive numbers for the past two years. Of course he flies under the radar more often than not due to the combo of Stammer and St.Louis. A great all round player.

**mooneyes** · 11-08-2012, 07:04 PM

yeah Verbeek, Ciccareli, Robitaille, Neweindyk...a lot of being "underrated" seems to be about not being very exciting players, but extremely productive none the less, which eventually people have to eventually acknowledge, those big #'s just can't be ignored.

**30ranfordfan** · 11-08-2012, 07:56 PM

Not really sure how anyone in the HHOF can be called underrated. They've been given the highest accolade possible in the sport.

Datsyuk... fantastic player, easily one of the best 10 in the league. I'd never put him on a list of 'underrated' though, as I've never even heard of someone writing a top 10 list that didn't include him. I'd actually go the other way..... I've seen far too many people claim him to be the 'best' player in the NHL, which he is not (that list starts with Crosby, Malkin, and Stamkos.... and Datsyuk fits somewhere behind those guys).

For guys that are actually underrated.... a few of the names that jump out at me are Thomas Plekanec, Ray Whitney, Brian Campbell, and John Tavares.

Plekanec just never seems to get the recognition that he deserves, neither does Ray Whiney (who broke 1k points last year). Campbell has a bum rap because his contract is too rich, and Tavares doesn't get nearly enough credit for how good he really is. When the lockout ends, look for JT to be even better than he was last season. He's easily one of the 5 most talented players in the game today, but because he's stuck on Long Island.... and hasn't won anything... he gets passed over on pretty much any 'top' list.