To be a successful franchise in any sport it's imperative that some of your players outperform their contracts.

Nowhere is that more true than in than in the cash-constrained NHL.

Every team has superstars earning tens of millions of dollars. And even some emerging favorites like Steven Stamkos and Drew Doughty are deserving of the significant raises they'll soon receive.

But on a 20-man team it's the little guys — the younger players on entry-level deals; the recycled veterans with one more year left in them; the journeymen earning just a few hundred thousand dollars — that make the difference between Cup contenders and playoff also-rans.

2010 statistics though the games of November 3.

