NHL: The Best Player at Every Jersey Number, 81-90

As an offensive hockey player in the NHL, one has the license to be a great passer, one who makes things happen in the offensive zone. There are your elite passers like Wayne Gretzky and then you have everyone else.

The key to being a good passer is getting the puck to a teammate that you know will finish.

Hockey players like to get creative. Whether it is a deke inside the offensive zone or any other way that will stand out or make the highlight reel. The key to any play is finishing and scoring that goal.

The player can be as dominant inside the offensive zone but unless he has a finisher on that line, the odds of scoring a goal are not as great.

These are the best NHL players at every jersey number, 81-90.

In the world of hockey, there are some of the best finishers in hockey. Some players just know where to be and you have others who are parked in front of the net looking for that garbage goal.

The great passers in history, other than Gretzky, rarely get noticed, with all of the glory on the players who finished. It is a team sport, and all the players should be recognized when a goal is scored, but fans like flash and highlight-reel goals.

Imagine being the goal scorer who scored to clinch a playoff spot, win a playoff game, or even the one who wins the Stanley Cup.

Being a finisher can have its pressures, especially when everyone, including the other team, knows your role. The greatness is in those who battle through that and still get the job done, regardless of when that goal occurs.

The pure joy of knowing you did your job and the team was successful because of the goal that you scored.

In jerseys #81-90, we look at some players who finished games better than anyone and players who set them up for success. This is a very intelligent group of hockey players listed below and ones who made their mark in the game.

Here are the best players in NHL history based on jersey numbers 81-90.

#81: Phil Kessel, Forward

Phil Kessel has played for the Pittsburgh Penguins, Arizona Coyotes, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Boston Bruins. In his career, he has scored 399 goals and 557 assists for 956 points in 1,204 games. In the playoffs he has played 96 games, scoring 34 goals and 47 assists for 81 points.

Kessel is a 2-time Stanley Cup champion with the Penguins. He also won the 2006-07 Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy, is a 3-time all-star, has scored 7 hat tricks, and is 2-for-5 on penalty shots.

If there is a word to describe Kessel, it is consistent. Going into a season you know what you can expect from him, from games played to offensive production.

He is an exceptional offensive forward who knows where to be before the puck gets there.

#82: Martin Straka, Forward

Martin Straka played for the Ottawa Senators, Pittsburgh Penguins, New York Islanders, Los Angeles Kings, New York Rangers, and Florida Panthers. His career totals include 257 goals and 460 assists for 717 points in 954 games.

Straka was equally good in the playoffs, scoring 26 goals and 44 assists for 70 points in 106 games.

Over his career, Straka has scored 7 hat tricks and is 3-for-9 on penalty shots. He also appeared in the 1999 NHL all-star game.

Although he has played on many teams, Straka has produced everywhere he has played. Usually playing on a top line, he always found a way to make his teammates better. He had a knack for coming up big in late games and producing when it matters.

#83: Ales Hemsky, Forward

Ales Hemsky had played for the Edmonton Oilers, Ottawa Senators, Dallas Stars, and Montreal Canadiens. Playing in 845 games, he scored 174 goals and 398 assists for 572 points.

Hemsky was a big prospect coming into the league and made an impact right away. He was contributing in all areas of the ice and looked like he could have a promising career. Since his days in Edmonton, he had cooled off a bit offensively but still had a productive career.

Hemsky was a solid top-six forward who was not flashy but instead was a blue-collar player. He was not elite by any means, just getting the job done through hard work and dedication.  Hemsky was always a threat on the power play because of his accurate shot.

#84: Mikhail Grabovski, Forward

Mikhail Grabovski played for the Toronto Maple Leafs, Washington Capitals, and New York Rangers. He scored 125 goals and 171 assists for 296 points in 534 games.

Grabovksi was a talented forward who never seemed to play to his full potential but was a good, serviceable NHL forward. He had a 12.5 shooting percentage in his career, mainly playing in the middle six.

Grabovksi played well in all three zones, using his speed to be an effective forward.

Although he never received a lot of power-play time, he did well offensively. Grabovksi had a sneaky wrist shot that he used often and in any situation. Grabovski also had an edge to his game which helped him play a physical style that players his size usually do not play.

#87: Sidney Crosby, Forward

Sidney Crosby has only played for the Pittsburgh Penguins. In the regular season, he has scored 517 goals and 892 assists for 1,409 points in 1,108 games, along with a +202. In the playoffs, he has played 180 games, totaling 71 goals and 130 assists for 201 points.

Among his accomplishments are leading the league in scoring twice, posting a career faceoff winning percentage of 52.7%, 15 hat tricks, and appearing in 4 all-star games. The awards include 2-time Art Ross Trophy, 2-time Hart Trophy, 2-time Ted Lindsay Award, 2009-10 Mark Messier Leadership Award, 2-time Rocket Richard Trophy, 2 Stanley Cups, and 78 game-winning goals.

When he retires he will go down as the best player in the modern era. There is nothing left for him to accomplish as he has dominated since his arrival in the NHL during the 2005-06 season.

#88: Eric Lindros, Foward

Eric Lindros has played for the Philadelphia Flyers, Dallas Stars, Toronto Maple Leafs, and New York Rangers. He played in 760 games, recording 372 goals and 493 assists for 865 points, 1,398 penalty minutes, and was a +215.

In the playoffs, he had 24 goals and 33 assists for 57 points in 53 games.

His career includes 14 hat tricks, 2-for-2 on penalty shots, 6 all-star games, 1994-95 Ted Lindsay Award winner, and a shooting percentage of 16.1%.

During the 1990s there was no better big man in the game than Lindros. He fought, he scored goals, he hit people, and he controlled the game when he was on the ice.

He was big, he was mean, and he could not be stopped until he had concussion issues, which decided his career for him.

#89: Alex Mogilny, Forward

Alex Mogilny played for the Vancouver Canucks, Buffalo Sabres, New Jersey Devils, and Toronto Maple Leafs. He finished his career with 473 goals and 559 assists for 1,032 points in 990 games. He also had a career of +81.

He led the league in goals scored during the 1992-93 season with 76 goals. Mogilny played in 4 all-star games, recorded 18 hat tricks, and won a Stanley Cup with New Jersey in 2000.

A future Hall of Famer, Mogilny was an underrated goal scorer. He scored in many different ways, keeping the defense and goaltenders guessing.

His speed was top-notch but not elite, that speed causing issues for opposing players trying to slow him down. He was a top player during his time and a player that should have received more recognition.

#90: Joe Juneau, Forward

Joe Juneau played for the Boston Bruins, Phoenix Coyotes, Buffalo Sabres, and Montreal Canadiens. He played in  828 games in his NHL career, scoring 156 goals and 416 assists for 572 points.

In the playoffs, he had 25 goals and 54 assists for 79 points in 112 career games. He was part of some good Bruins teams that unfortunately did not get the job done. A fierce competitor who played every game like it was his last.

Juneau was voted to the 1992-93 NHL all-rookie team. During his career he was a gifted passer, patiently holding onto the puck to create an offensive chance.

He could find a seam that no one else could find to get the puck to an open teammate. Solid first-line player.  He ultimately retired on May 1, 2004.