Underrated: Not rated or valued highly enough. When you hear the term “underrated,” there are probably a few players that immediately come to mind. Whenever you rank players, I’m sure there are players you don’t rank highly enough, or when you hear their name, you probably think to yourself, “Oh yeah, that guy, he’s super underrated.” Today, I’m here to talk about those forgotten superstars and give them their well-deserved flowers. Whether they’re players who were overshadowed by other superstars who played with them, or players who never nearly got the respect they should have when they were playing, here are the most underrated players in NHL history, in my opinion.

1. Marcel Dionne
Is it crazy to call the player who is sixth all-time in points and goals underrated? When it comes to Marcel Dionne, it might not be. Even with his legendary career, he’s often considered the NHL’s most forgotten superstar. For most people, when you think about the all-time points and goal leaders, Dionne is often a name that slips people’s minds. Dionne’s prime was in an era dominated by Phil Esposito in the 70s, and in the mid-80s, dominated by Wayne Gretzky. So, he wasn’t winning too many major awards, although he did win the Art Ross in 1979. Dionne is also the highest-scoring player to never win a Stanley Cup. Dionne had the fifth-most points in the 70s and the third-most in the 80s. He is also tied for second all-time in 50-goal seasons with six. If Dionne had managed to win a cup in his career, it would have helped his legacy tremendously, but he still had a legendary career that most people forget about.

2.Dale Hawerchuk
Another player whose name is forgotten due to Gretzky’s dominance. When you think about the original Winnipeg Jets, the first name that should come to mind is Dale Hawerchuk. From the moment he was drafted first overall in 1981, Hawerchuk changed the trajectory of the Winnipeg Jets. He won the Calder Trophy at 18 years old and took the Jets to the playoffs. He had at least 100 points in six of his first seven seasons in the NHL and finished in the top seven in Hart Trophy voting four times as the league’s MVP. Hawerchuk was the 23rd player in NHL history to hit the 500-goal plateau and finished his career with 1409 points, which was good for 10th all-time when he retired. Hawerchuk is easily one of the most underrated players in history.

3.Adam Oates
Adam Oates is often regarded as one of the best playmakers of all time, but I don’t think you know just how good Oates truly was. I’m sure you know all about Brett Hull’s legendary career with the St. Louis Blues, and Hull scored 86 goals in 1991. Who was passing him the puck? That’s right, it was Adam Oates. Oates led the NHL in assists three times in his career and had two seasons with more than 90 assists. He had the second-most points in the 90s and is eighth all-time in assists. Oates only had four 100-point seasons, but his assist numbers are legendary, and he’s a player who should be talked about more.

4.Kevin Stevens
When you think about the Pittsburgh Penguins teams from the 90s, you probably think about Mario Lemieux, Jaromir Jagr, Paul Coffey, and probably even Tom Barrasso before Kevin Stevens comes to mind. Although his prime wasn’t the longest, Stevens played a vital role in the Penguins’ back-to-back Stanley Cup championships in 1991 and 1992. In 91 and 92, Stevens had back-to-back 50-goal seasons and was the Robin to Lemieux’s Batman. Stevens even finished eighth in Hart Trophy voting in 1992. Stevens was the perfect linemate for Lemieux before injuries took over, and his contributions to those 90s Penguins teams shouldn’t be overlooked.

5.Bernie Federko
If I asked you to name the all-time leading scorer for the St. Louis Blues, you would probably assume it was Brett Hull. It’s actually Bernie Federko. Federko isn’t a household name outside of St. Louis. He was never among the league leaders in scoring; he was just someone who would consistently put up points. In his 14-year career, Federko put up at least 90 points seven times. He also scored at least 30 goals seven times. Outside of 1986, the Blues never made deep playoff runs, so Federko’s name was never in the forefront of people’s minds. But his numbers back it up, and Federko is easily one of the most under appreciated players ever.

This is my list of the most underrated players ever. Did I miss anyone? Let me know in the comments below.