Typically deemed too small by NHL scouts and executives, undersized gamers continuously have a tougher time breaking into the Nationwide Hockey League. Many are neglected and go undrafted since they don’t match the normal mould of knowledgeable hockey participant. Nevertheless, smaller gamers have discovered their manner into the NHL and made historical past. Smaller gamers like Martin St. Louis, Rod Gilbert, Marcel Dionne, Ted Lindsay, and Henri Richard had been all of smaller stature, however pushed the boundaries and have become important to their groups and remodeled NHL requirements.
Under are ten of the smallest hockey gamers within the league at this time, all beneath 5-foot-10, which have confirmed to achieve success within the NHL, regardless of the problem of being undersized.
10. Logan Stankoven, Dallas Stars
Important statistics: 5-foot-7, 170 kilos
I nonetheless can’t consider Logan Stankoven was not a first-round choose in 2021, as a result of he appears to dominate each league he steps foot in. First, it was his hometown Kamloops Blazers within the Western Hockey League the place he completed with 115 objectives and 260 factors in 179 video games, then the American Hockey League (AHL) with 24 objectives and 57 factors in 47 video games, and eventually the NHL common season and playoffs the place he mixed for 9 objectives and 22 factors in 43 video games. Oh sure, he additionally scored the golden objective on the 2022 World Juniors and had 21 factors over the 2022 and 2023 tournaments the place Canada received gold.
Whereas the pattern dimension is small within the NHL, he rapidly grew to become a go-to ahead for Dallas Stars head coach Pete DeBoer as he averaged 16:01 of ice time within the playoffs – virtually two minutes greater than the common season. His trademark motor, power, and tenacity regardless of being 5-foot-7 (sure, he’s 5-foot-7), has rapidly endeared him to many followers and coaches, prompting this from DeBoer after Sport 5 towards the Vegas Golden Knights:
“He’s robust, he’s fearless and he’s tenacious,” DeBoer mentioned. “When you could have that mixture, you discover him on the ice. He’s on the puck or attacking the puck always, he’s attacking seams, he’s going to the powerful areas of the rink. He’s battling with guys which might be . . . effectively all people on the ice is greater than him . . . so it’s a mismatch. He’s received to make up for that together with his will to win these and he does each time. It’s superb what number of pucks he comes out with towards greater guys.”
Fellow younger star Wyatt Johnston additionally had comparable issues to say concerning the aptly nicknamed “Stank the Tank”:
“He’s not afraid to go in and win a battle,” Johnston mentioned. “He goes in there and he leaves them no selection. It’s spectacular what number of puck battles he wins, particularly when he’s outweighed by 40 or 50 kilos towards a few of these big defensemen. That compete degree he has, it’s form of contagious.”
Stankoven will get on this record for the primary time, and can probably be within the high 5 very quickly. He’s a star within the making – no pun meant.
9. Cam Atkinson, Tampa Bay Lightning
Important statistics: 5-foot-8, 176 kilos
Cam Atkinson was the 157th total choose within the 2008 Draft, by the Columbus Blue Jackets. Like many others on this record, he had a profession season in 2018-19, placing up 41 objectives, and 28 assists for 69 factors. He was additionally named an NHL All-Star.
As a smaller participant, he was accustomed to listening to doubts about his profession as a hockey participant, which he defined to NHL.com, “Everybody at each single age, each single degree, advised me I wouldn’t make it to the subsequent degree. So I feel that’s form of fueled my fireplace, for positive. Clearly being a smaller man, you must have a little bit vanity to your sport. That’s what’s made me the individual, the participant, I’m at this time.”
Associated: Flyers’ Cam Atkinson Is Having Profession-Revitalizing Season
Atkinson has excelled within the NHL due to his explosive velocity and expert palms. And he discovered from his buddy and mentor, St. Louis, how to achieve the NHL no matter his dimension. Since that 41-goal season, he has regressed a bit to solely 63 objectives in 243 video games. After the 2020-21 season, he was traded to the Philadelphia Flyers after spending his total NHL profession with the Blue Jackets.
The Flyers had a disappointing season in 2021-22, however Atkinson didn’t. Ending the season together with his finest objective complete since that profession 12 months in 2018-19, he positively was not the explanation for his workforce’s downfall in 2021-22, that’s for positive. Sadly, he was denied the chance to construct on that season because of the damage bug. First, he needed to have surgical procedure to restore a herniated disc, then when it seemed like he was going to return to the lineup, he was dominated out for the season with a neck damage.
Atkinson missed all the 2022-23 season and eventually returned to the Flyers’ lineup in October 2023. He ended up taking part in 70 video games, however solely scored 13 objectives and 28 factors. The workforce ultimately purchased him out within the offseason, resulting in him signing a one-year contract with the Tampa Bay Lightning. He’ll try to assist fill the void that Steven Stamkos left when he signed with the Nashville Predators.
8. Yanni Gourde, Seattle Kraken
Important statistics: 5-foot-9, 173 kilos
One more diamond within the tough mined by the Tampa Bay Lightning, Yanni Gourde needed to wait a couple of years earlier than he caught on within the NHL. After a prolific junior profession within the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) the place he had a powerful 220 factors (74 objectives, 147 assists) in 199 video games, he bounced across the AHL till the Lightning signed him in 2014.
After one other three seasons flipping between the Syracuse Crunch and the Lightning, Gourde lastly performed his first full 82-game season in 2017-18, and what a season it was. He scored a career-high 25 objectives and 64 factors and has by no means seen the AHL since. Since that breakout 12 months, he has recorded 95 objectives and 243 factors in 441 video games.
Gourde additionally helped the Lightning win back-to-back Stanley Cups in 2020 and 2021 the place he joined Blake Coleman and Barclay Goodrow on arguably the finest third line within the NHL. By way of the 2 Cup runs, the trio scored 24 objectives and 57 factors and are one of many greatest the reason why the Lightning are a mini-dynasty proper now. Sadly for them, they’re all taking part in for various groups with Gourde, Coleman and Goodrow now members of the Seattle Kraken, Calgary Flames, and San Jose Sharks, respectively.
Associated: Gourde’s Legacy because the Lightning’s Decided, Underrated Star
Gourde was chosen by the Kraken within the 2021 Seattle Growth Draft and is now one in all their high facilities. With two Stanley Cups on his resume and 126 objectives, he has develop into a primary instance of laborious work and perseverance paying off.
7. Jared Spurgeon, Minnesota Wild
Important statistics: 5-foot-9, 168 kilos
Jared Spurgeon is without doubt one of the smallest defensemen within the NHL when it comes to top and weight. Even with out the scale of the normal defenseman, Spurgeon has discovered a spot within the league because of his spectacular skating and puck motion.
Drafted 156th total in 2008 by the New York Islanders, Spurgeon signed with the Minnesota Wild in 2010 after the Islanders didn’t signal him. Since becoming a member of the Wild, Spurgeon has been a dependable defender who may be counted on to place up strong level totals.
Spurgeon hit career-highs in 2018-19 in objectives (14), assists (29), and factors (43). Since then he has continued to pile up the factors to the tune of 40 objectives and 136 factors in 276 video games. He’s constantly amongst the top-20 defensemen within the league in objectives, power-play objectives, blocked pictures, and time on ice. He was additionally named captain of the Wild for the 2020-21 season, so management is a energy of his too.
Sadly, an damage minimize Spurgeon’s 2023-24 season brief and restricted him to solely 16 video games. He’ll look to rebound this season and return to the shape that has made him probably the most invaluable defensemen in Wild historical past. Regardless of being 5-foot-9, he’s constructed a mountain of a repute within the State of Hockey, at the moment sitting second in all-time video games performed with 867, and first amongst defensemen in objectives (110), assists (274), factors (384), and energy play objectives (33).
6. Viktor Arvidsson, Edmonton Oilers
Important statistics: 5-foot-9, 181 kilos
Viktor Arvidsson was drafted by the Predators 112th total in 2014 after taking part in with Skellefteå AIK of the Swedish Hockey League. He signed his entry-level contract with the Predators that July and have become a full-time NHLer within the 2016-17 season.
After becoming a member of the Predators, Arvidsson emerged as a key participant, placing up 61 factors in each of his first two full NHL seasons. In 2018-19, he set a brand new career-high in objectives with 34, regardless of taking part in simply 58 video games. He regressed offensively in 2019-20 and 2020-21 recording solely 25 objectives in 107 video games however has since turned it round in Los Angeles. Acquired by the Kings within the 2021 offseason for a few draft picks, he completed with 20 objectives and 49 factors in his first season, his finest totals since that profession season in 2018-19. He adopted that up with one other robust marketing campaign in 2022-23 when he put up 26 objectives and 59 factors, ending third in objectives behind Anze Kopitar and Adrian Kempe.
Sadly, Arvidsson couldn’t construct on that final season as he suffered a again damage in solely his fourth sport of the season. He missed 50 video games, however nonetheless completed with six objectives and 15 factors in 18 video games after he returned to the lineup in February. He determined to not re-sign with the Kings within the offseason, as a substitute becoming a member of the high-flying Edmonton Oilers to play alongside Connor McDavid or Leon Draisaitl. Anticipate an enormous season from the 5-foot-9 winger, assuming he stays wholesome. I wouldn’t be shocked to see him surpass the 34 objectives he had in 2018-19.
5. Mats Zuccarello, Minnesota Wild
Important statistics: 5-foot-8, 179 kilos
Mats Zuccarello began his skilled hockey profession in his residence nation of Norway, with Frisk Asker. Subsequent, he performed in Sweden with MODO Hockey earlier than signing with the New York Rangers as a free agent in 2010.
To regulate to the North American fashion, he initially performed with the Rangers’ AHL membership, the Connecticut Whale. In his NHL debut, he scored a shootout objective for the Rangers. He performed 42 video games with them that season, over a number of stints with the NHL membership.
Zuccarello returned to the Rangers in March 2013, after becoming a member of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) through the lockout. He completed the season with the Rangers and performed by all of their postseason video games. In 2013-14 he emerged as a high participant for the workforce, incomes 59 factors (19 objectives, 40 assists) in 77 regular-season video games and was a key a part of their Stanley Cup run that season.
Since his breakout 12 months, he maintained his degree of play with the Rangers, incomes 352 factors in 509 video games. He was then traded to the Dallas Stars, the place he performed simply three regular-season video games and 13 playoff video games (three factors and 13 factors, respectfully). In July 2019, Zuccarello signed with the Minnesota Wild.
Since becoming a member of the Wild, he has continued to be a constant supply of offense. In 5 seasons, he has 84 objectives and 281 factors in 324 video games. Like a lot of the gamers on this record, he had a resurgent 2021-22 season. Ending with a career-high 79 factors, he helped key the Wild assault together with Kevin Fiala, Kirill Kaprizov and the stunning duo of Ryan Hartman and Marcus Foligno. With out Fiala in 2022-23, he was anticipated to on the very least hit those self same numbers once more, however fell a little bit brief with solely 22 objectives and 67 factors in 78 video games. The lower in offense could also be defined by his famous person linemate Kaprizov being injured for a big a part of the season, although.
Final season, Zuccarello fell additional within the objective column, placing up solely 12 objectives in comparison with his 22 from 2022-23. He nonetheless racked up the assists with 51, however may be slowing down at 37 years previous. Nonetheless, anticipate one other 50-plus level season for the undrafted winger who has surprisingly performed 835 video games within the NHL and is closing in on the 700-point milestone.
4. Cole Caufield, Montreal Canadiens
Important statistics: 5-foot-7, 166 kilos
Chosen fifteenth total by the Montreal Canadiens within the 2019 NHL Draft, Cole Caufield has rapidly develop into probably the greatest undersized gamers within the NHL. Bursting onto the scene as a 20-year-old through the 2020-21 season, he scored 4 objectives and 5 factors in 10 video games after which was a key ahead within the Canadiens’ unbelievable run to the Stanley Cup Last scoring 4 objectives and 12 factors in 20 video games.
Going into the 2021-22 season, Caufield was virtually unanimously predicted to win the Calder Trophy because the NHL’s high rookie primarily based on his efficiency within the 2021 Playoffs and late within the 2020-21 common season. Sadly, he received off to a horrid begin and was ultimately despatched right down to the AHL’s Laval Rocket to realize confidence and hone his sport. The Canadiens had been additionally off to a nasty begin, so dangerous in actual fact that head coach Dominique Ducharme was fired and changed by Corridor-of-Famer Martin St. Louis.
St. Louis getting employed behind the Canadiens’ bench was the smartest thing that would have occurred to Caufield. Beneath St. Louis’ path and management, he exploded to complete the season with 23 objectives and 43 factors in 67 video games. His efficiency was so electrical that he received again into the dialog for the Calder Trophy, which ultimately went to Moritz Seider of the Detroit Crimson Wings.
Going into the 2022-23 season, Habs followers hoped that Caufield might proceed the place he left off and develop into the 50-goal scorer lots of people envisioned for him after he was drafted. Whereas he didn’t attain that mark, he did have one other robust season with a career-high 26 objectives in 46 video games. He was misplaced to damage in late January, or he may need really hit that 50-goal plateau if he had performed a full season. Blessed with a goalscorer’s mentality and a pin-point correct shot, the dynamic ahead from Stevens Level, Wisconsin, needs to be a part of this record for a lot of seasons to return.
3. Alex DeBrincat, Detroit Crimson Wings
Important statistics: 5-foot-7, 165 kilos
The Thirty ninth-overall choice within the 2016 NHL Entry Draft impressed early in his profession as a Chicago Blackhawk. Alex DeBrincat was a participant who many mentioned wouldn’t make it as a consequence of his top. It’s protected to say he’s proved them fallacious.
He broke into the league for the 2017-18 season, scoring 28 objectives, and including 24 assists for 52 factors. His sophomore marketing campaign was even higher, placing up 41 objectives, 35 assists and 76 factors. Then after a little bit of a down season the place he solely recorded 18 objectives, 27 assists, and 45 factors, he put up his second 30-goal season in 2020-21 in solely 52 video games. If the season had been the traditional 82 video games, he in all probability would have hit 40 objectives for the second time in his profession. Persevering with his dominance in 2021-22, he matched his career-high of 41 objectives and completed with two extra factors than his profession season again in 2018-19.
Like Gaudreau, DeBrincat sported a brand new jersey in 2022-23 because the Blackhawks traded him to the Ottawa Senators within the offseason for a bundle of draft picks. He had a little bit of a down 12 months with solely 27 objectives and 66 factors, however if you’ve already put up two 40-goal seasons in your profession, extra is anticipated. Now coming into his second season with the Detroit Crimson Wings after being acquired after that brief stint in Ottawa, he’ll look to construct on the 27 objectives and 67 factors he had in his first season within the Motor Metropolis.
2. Brad Marchand, Boston Bruins
Important statistics: 5-foot-9, 181 kilos
Brad Marchand was drafted 71st total by the Boston Bruins in 2006 and joined the workforce in 2008. He performed a big half within the Bruins 2011 Stanley Cup win, as he scored 19 factors (11 objectives, eight assists) in 25 playoff video games throughout these playoffs.
Marchand appears to get higher each season, with 2018-19 setting profession highs in factors, with 100. He collected 36 objectives and 64 assists to hit the century mark for the primary time in his profession. He was an enormous a part of the Bruins’ playoff run once more in that marketing campaign, serving to the workforce attain the Stanley Cup Last and main the playoffs in factors (23) earlier than the workforce fell to the St. Louis Blues. Since then, he has put up 4 extra 20-goal seasons and has eclipsed the 60-point plateau 4 extra occasions as effectively. In actual fact, he recorded his fifth 30-goal and 80-point season in 2021-22 when he completed with 32 objectives and 80 factors in 70 video games.
Regardless that he missed the start of the 2022-23 season as a consequence of offseason hip surgical procedure, Marchand nonetheless put up 21 objectives and 67 factors in 73 video games and helped the Bruins set a brand new common season file for wins and factors. He was additionally given the ‘C’ after Patrice Bergeron retired within the offseason. Evidently, regardless of being undersized at 5-foot-9, he’ll in all probability go down as probably the most deadly goalscorers, to not point out pests in NHL historical past.
1. Jonathan Marchessault, Nashville Predators
Important statistics: 5-foot-9, 174 kilos
Jonathan Marchessault performed within the QMJHL and CHL and impressed together with his scoring talents. Nevertheless, he was neglected and undrafted as a consequence of his smaller dimension. He skated with the Rangers’ 2011 Traverse Metropolis match however was solely supplied an AHL contract with the Whale.
After scoring 24 objectives and a team-high 40 assists in his rookie professional season, Marchessault signed a three-year entry cope with the Blue Jackets. He scored 108 factors in 130 video games for his or her AHL affiliate, whereas solely showing in two NHL video games with Columbus earlier than being moved once more.
The Tampa Bay Lightning lastly gave Marchessault his first actual NHL shot by taking part in him in 47 regular-season video games and 7 postseason video games in two and half seasons. His play within the 2015-16 season earned him a two-year contract with the Florida Panthers.
His one season in Florida put him on the NHL map, scoring 30 objectives and 51 factors however wasn’t sufficient for him to be protected within the Growth Draft. The Vegas Golden Knights had been the beneficiaries as he scored a career-high 75 factors (27 objectives, 48 assists) and was rewarded with a six-year, $5 million common annual worth (AAV) contract.
Marchessault hasn’t matched the identical level totals he put up in his first season with the Golden Knights, however he has continued to be a productive participant. He already has six 20-goal seasons and has amassed 150 objectives and 348 factors in 432 video games since becoming a member of the workforce from Sin Metropolis. In actual fact, he recorded his first 30-goal season in Vegas in 2021-22 and his finest total level complete (66) since 2017-18.
If that wasn’t spectacular sufficient, Marchessault’s tour-de-force efficiency got here in 2022-23 when he not solely led the Golden Knights in objectives within the common season however within the postseason as effectively. He completed with 13 objectives and 25 factors in his workforce’s march to the Stanley Cup Last and walked away with the Conn Smythe Trophy because the MVP of the 2023 Playoffs. He additionally grew to become the primary undrafted participant to win the trophy in its historical past.
Marchessault used that Conn Smythe Trophy and Stanley Cup championship as gas for the 2023-24 season. He put up a career-high 42 objectives, additional cementing his standing as not solely one of the best undersized ahead however one of many high goalscorers within the NHL at this time. Sadly for Golden Knights followers, he shall be sporting a brand new jersey in 2024-25, as he signed with the Predators in free company.
Honourable mentions: Brendan Gallagher, Conor Sheary, Tyler Johnson, and Torey Krug.
