Welcome to LWOS’ Summer Hockey Series, Best of the Rest. Plenty of sites do a version of a 30 greats in 30 days series, but this year we are doing something a little bit different. We want to look at the best player from each team who is not in the Hockey Hall Of Fame. In order to do this there are some rules. First the player must have been a significant part of this franchise (franchises include their time in a previous city… see Winnipeg/Atlanta) and must be retired for at least 3 years, making them Hall of Fame eligible. To see all the articles in the series, check out the homepage here.

The hottest ticket in Chicago is one with a Blackhawks logo gracing the front of it.

The five-time Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks have become one of the most successful NHL franchises in the past half-decade thanks to the ownership group with Rocky Wirtz at the helm. It was not always championships and glory for the buzzing franchise, however.

Before Rocky took over, the Blackhawks were controlled by his father Bill, a controversial man who often found himself embroiled in various disputes with both fans and media. The dreaded 49-year Stanley Cup drought was in full swing and the entire organization was paying for it, but no one was criticized more than the man possessing the most power. Wirtz was repeatedly blamed for not televising games, trading away key players (Denis Savard and Chris Chelios), and lowballing superstars such as Dominik Hasek and Ed Belfour. Despite earning the nickname “Dollar Bill” for his obstinacy and penny-pinching style of managing his hockey club, he was still considered a thoughtful individual by several Blackhawk greats before he lost a brief battle with cancer in 2007.

Seven years later, the Hawks top the National Hockey League in attendance, setting trends across the league with their unique rendition of the national anthem, historic colors, and the dynamic duo of Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews. 36 individuals who hit the ice wearing the Indian Head throughout their career in the NHL have been inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame, and that number is sure to increase as the years go on. Chelios was the last Blackhawk player to be inducted into the HOF in 2013, but I believe another 90’s Hawk will join him soon enough.

Yes, I’m talking about Jeremy Roenick.

Jeremy Roenick’s reputation of a hockey prodigy began at the age of 14, as he lit up the scoreboard for a whopping 300 POINTS in a mere 75 games for the New Jersey Rockets. His goal-scoring continued throughout high school at Thayer Academy, playing on a line with no other than Tony Amonte while winning two League championships.

The Chicago Blackhawks then drafted Roenick straight out of high school, selecting him with the 8th overall pick in the 1988 NHL Entry Draft. For the next eight years that followed, number 27 in red would be etched into the minds of hockey fans around North America.

Chicago Blackhawks – Jeremy Roenick

In the 1988-89 season, the Boston native suited up for the Hull Olympiques of the QMJHL, amassing 70 points in 28 games. He then proceeded to lead the 1989 World Junior Championships in scoring, prompting the Blackhawks to call him up to the NHL as the tournament concluded.

Roenick scored his first NHL goal on February 14th, 1989 against the Minnesota North Stars. After putting up 18 points in the opening 20 games of his professional hockey career, he was headed to the postseason, where Hawks fans would catch a glimpse of the tenacity and resiliency he would exemplify for years to come. During a playoff game against the St. Louis Blues, defenseman Glen Featherstone approached Roenick at the blue line and cross-checked him viciously, breaking his front teeth.

The 19-year-old wasn’t too phased, as he tallied a power play goal shortly after serving a minor infraction for his role in the confrontation. In 1989-90, Roenick assisted the Hawks in capturing the Norris Division title, registering 66 points in 74 games. Despite his 18-point effort in the playoffs that followed, Chicago was eliminated by the eventual Stanley Cup champion Edmonton Oilers in the Campbell Conference Finals.

The next season, J.R. continued to evolve into an elite forward, as he exploded for 41 goals and 53 assists. He was selected to his first All-Star Game and spearheaded the Hawks’ journey to the clinching President’s Trophy. Then, Roenick’s performance in the 1991-92 campaign would be one that countless Hawks fans would look back on years later.

Participating in 80 regular season games, Roenick cemented himself into a distinct category of NHL goal-scorers. While showcasing his explosive acceleration and accurate shot, the fan favorite lit the lamp 53 times as well as adding 50 assists for a total of 103 points. The Blackhawks had been knocking on the door for their 4th Stanley Cup for quite some time and had finally clinched a spot in the Final thanks to Roenick’s performance during the postseason.

His playoff prosperity consisted of 22 points in 18 games, but even that wasn’t enough as the Hawks were swept by the back-to-back champion Pittsburgh Penguins in four games. This turned out to be an eye-opening moment in Roenick’s tenure in the NHL as he had tears on his face as he came off the Chicago Stadium ice as Game 4 ended.

Debunking the idea that his spectacular season wasn’t a fluke, Roenick outdid himself again the next season with 50 goals and 57 assists for a career-high 107 points. At the height of his NHL career, J.R. did it again in 1993-94 , tallying the same point total the next campaign (46 G, 61 A). He truly epitomized the power forward role that season, tacking on 125 penalty minutes. Roenick was selected to four consecutive All-Star Games due to his incredible point production.

The lockout-shortened season of 1994-95 was even shorter for Roenick, as he missed 15 games due to a bruised tibia. Despite the ailment, he continued averaging over a point/game as he registered 34 points in 33 games. Injury problems plagued him once again the following year, missing the final eleven games of the regular season, but managed to lead the Hawks in goals with 32. In total, Roenick played in 524 games with Chicago and scored 267 goals as well as 329 assists. Postseason play didn’t throw him off his game as a Hawk, racking in 77 points in 82 playoff appearances.

On August 16, 1996, #27 became #97. He was traded to the Phoenix Coyotes for Craig Mills, a first-round pick in the upcoming draft, and Alexei Zhamnov. Roenick’s number selection was surely unique as he became the first individual to wear it in the National Hockey League. He would then spend the rest of his career suiting up for the Flyers, Kings, and Sharks (He returned to PHX for one season in 2006-07). On November 10th, 2007, he scored his 500th NHL goal. Only Mike Modano and Joe Mullen were the previous American-born players to reach this milestone.

J.R. announced his retirement in 2009, finishing his 18-season long NHL career with 513 goals, 703 assists, and 1463 penalty minutes in 1363 games. He failed to capture a Stanley Cup personally, but showed great emotion while covering the 2010 Stanley Cup Final as the Hawks were deemed victorious of hockey’s greatest prize.

The passion Jeremy Roenick showed for both the National Hockey League and its fans was just an example of the type of person he was. His personality was extremely outgoing, as he was known for signing autographs on the street and sparking up intriguing conversations with avid fans. Whether it was on the ice in an altercation with trash-talkers such as Matthew Barnaby or during press conferences, Roenick wasn’t afraid to speak his mind when called upon (Who could forget the iconic banter between himself and Colorado Avalanche goaltender now coach Patrick Roy?). This sometimes led himself into hot water with the NHL, but he would be quick to admit when he was out of line.

At the 2004 NHL Skills Competition, Roenick made his presence felt in more ways than one. During an event he wasn’t participating in, J.R. took the microphone and publicly apologized to NHL official Lane Angus for his unsportsmanlike behavior in a previous game. He then went on to the accuracy shooting competition, hitting all four targets in four shots, joining the exclusive 4/4 club. This prompted broadcaster Gary Thorne to proclaim “You see, if you’re a good person, good things happen!”

Jeremy Roenick played in nine NHL All Star Games, and was voted to the All-Tournament Team in the 1991 Canada Cup. He also earned a silver medal in the 2002 Winter Olympics for his efforts in Salt Lake City. Although Jordan Schroeder recently broke his record of most points as an American in World Junior Championship history in 2010, J.R. remains at #2 all-time. That same year, Roenick was inducted into the United States Hockey Hall of Fame.

Despite his countless contributions to the game of hockey, he still lacks the honor of being selected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto. He certainly has my vote, however. Simply put, Roenick was hands-down one of the best Americans to ever play in the NHL. He inspired Americans to pursue an interest in the sport that has since grown immensely throughout the 50 states. I realize that he doesn’t have a Stanley Cup ring or a Hart Trophy to show for it, but there is no doubt in my mind that he should be recognized for his impeccable career.

J.R. revolutionized the power forward role, expressing his constant determination and persistence. He became one of the biggest hitters of his time, utilizing his body as a wrecking ball against unsuspecting opponents to generate timely hits. Combine that with soft hands that allowed him to perform head-spinning dekes, and you have the ideal all-around hockey player you would love to have on your roster.

He will forever be a Chicago Blackhawks great, but time will tell if Jeremy Roenick will make it into the Hall of Fame.

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