Vancouver Canucks goalie Ryan Miller (30) during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the San Jose Sharks Thursday, March 2, 2017, in San Jose, Calif. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

Marcio Jose Sanchez

Top 25 Michigan-born hockey players

By Ryan Zuke | rzuke1@mlive.com

The NHL playoffs are right around the corner, most college hockey conference tournaments already are underway and the MHSAA state finals are this weekend. With that said, MLive decided to rank the top 25 Michigan-born hockey players of all time, taking into account career stats, accomplishments and longevity.

If you believe we’ve missed someone, please feel free to leave a comment in the section below.

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Detroit Red Wings forward Justin Abdelkader, left, works against Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Markus Nutivaara, of Finland, during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Columbus, Ohio, Saturday, Feb. 11, 2017. (AP Photo/Paul Vernon)

Paul Vernon

No. 25: Justin Abdelkader

Abdelkader is a current forward and alternate captain for the Detroit Red Wings. He has spent his entire seven-year NHL career in Detroit, recording 80 goals and 95 assists in 480 games.

The Muskegon native has developed into a respective power forward the past few seasons. He has scored 42 goals combined the previous two seasons and was named to the U.S. World Cup team in 2016.

Abdelkader played his junior season in high school for Muskegon Mona Shores and was named Mr. Hockey as the top high school player in the state. He played his senior season for the Cedar Rapids Roughriders of the United States Hockey League before playing three seasons at Michigan State.

On April 7, 2007, Abdelkader scored the game-winning goal in the 2007 NCAA championship against Boston College.

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Boston Bruins' Torey Krug (47) and Vancouver Canucks' Markus Granlund (60), of Finland, battle for the puck during the third period of an NHL hockey game in Boston, Saturday, Feb. 11, 2017. The Bruins won 4-3. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)

Michael Dwyer

No. 24: Torey Krug

Krug has been one of the NHL’s best offensive defenseman since entering the league in 2013. He has 36 goals and 133 assists in 307 games. At just 5-foot-9, the 25-year-old can be overmatched in his defensive zone at times, but he is a valuable offensive asset for the Boston Bruins, especially on the power play.

This season, Krug is tied for fifth in the NHL in points by defensemen with 44. The Livonia native also had a stellar offensive career at Michigan State. He had 12 goals and 22 assists during his junior season and was a Hobey Baker Award finalist. Krug also was named the CCHA Player of the Year that season while leading all league defensemen in points.

Overall, Krug had 83 points in 114 games at MSU.

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No. 23: Shawn Chambers

Chambers played in the NHL from 1987-2000, winning the Stanley Cup in 1995 with the New Jersey Devils and 1999 with the Dallas Stars. The defenseman finished his career with 50 goals and 185 assists in 625 games.

Before turning pro, the Sterling Heights native played two seasons at Alaska-Fairbanks, recording 66 points in 53 games. The Shawn Chambers Top Defenseman Award is presented annually to the best defenseman on the Nanooks.

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No. 22: Alec Martinez

Martinez has been a staple on the Los Angeles Kings’ blue line since his first full season with the team in 2010-11. The Rochester Hills native is best known for his heroics during the 2014 playoffs, scoring both the Western Conference finals series-clinching goal and the Stanley Cup-clinching goal in overtime.

The 6-foot-1, 210-pound defenseman also won the Cup with the Kings in 2012. He has 47 goals and 93 assists in 402 career games, plus six goals and 10 assists in 60 playoff games.

Martinez turned pro after three years playing at Miami University, where he had 67 points in 123 games.

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New Jersey Devils' Adam Henrique (14), Beau Bennett (8) and Devante Smith-Pelly (25) celebrate with Andy Greene (6) after Greene assisted on a goal during the third period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Feb. 25, 2017, in Newark, N.J. (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)

Bill Kostroun

No. 21: Andy Greene

Greene has been a steady defenseman for the past 11 years with the New Jersey Devils. The 34-year-old Trenton native helped the Devils reach the Stanley Cup finals in 2012, and he was named the team’s captain entering the 2015-16 season.

Greene has just 35 goals in 641 NHL games, but he is known as a reliable shutdown defenseman. He also has 149 career assists.

The 5-foot-11, 190-pounder played two seasons with the Compuware Ambassadors in the North American Hockey League before a four-year collegiate career at Miami University from 2002-2006.

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No. 20: Wayne Presley

Presley played 12 NHL seasons with five different teams. His best season came in 1986-87, when he registered 32 goals and 29 assists in 80 games for the Chicago Blackhawks.

The forward was born in Dearborn and finished with 155 goals and 147 assists in 684 career NHL games. He finished his career playing two seasons with the Detroit Vipers in the International Hockey League.

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No. 19: Charlie Burns

Burns broke into the NHL with the Detroit Red Wings in 1958. He played just one season in Detroit before spending the next four seasons with the Boston Bruins.

He spent the next four seasons in the Western Hockey League with the San Francisco Seals, where he was a player-coach for two of the years.

Burns returned to the NHL in 1967-68 and played six more seasons – four with the Minnesota North Stars. The defenseman finished his NHL career with 106 goals and 198 assists in 749 games.

Burns was born in Detroit but grew up in Toronto.

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Mike York. (Photo used with permission from MSU Athletic Communications)

Ryan Zuke | rzuke1@mlive.com

No. 18: Mike York

York scored 50 or more points in four of his 10 NHL seasons. He was an all-star in 2002, when he finished the season with 61 points split between the New York Rangers and Edmonton Oilers.

The winger last played in the NHL in 2009 and finished with 127 goals and 195 assists in 579 games. York then played the next six seasons in Germany with the Iserlohn Roosters.

The Waterford native also played four seasons at Michigan State, where he was named the CCHA Player of the Year for the 1998-99 season. He had 201 career points in 158 games.

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No. 17: Mike Grier

Grier never had a 45-point NHL season, but he was a reliable checking forward who played 1,060 games over 14 NHL seasons.

The 6-foot-1, 227-pounder, who was known for his toughness, recorded 162 goals and 221 assists in his career. Grier was born in Detroit but grew up in Massachusetts. He played three seasons at Boston University, scoring 45 points or more twice.

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Kelly Miller. (Photo used with permission from MSU Athletic Communications)

Ryan Zuke | rzuke1@mlive.com

No. 16: Kelly Miller

Miller carved out a nice NHL career, playing 15 seasons with the New York Rangers and Washington Capitals. The forward played in 1,048 games, recording 181 goals and 282 assists. He also had 20 goals and 34 assists in 119 playoff games.

The Detroit native played four seasons with Michigan State from 1981-1985 before turning pro. He is one of 10 members of his extended family to play hockey at MSU. His brothers Kevin and Kip Miller also played in the NHL, and his cousins Ryan Miller and Drew Miller are currently playing professional hockey.

With the Spartans, Kelly had 164 points in 165 games.

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No. 15: Gordie Roberts

Roberts is a two-time Stanley Cup champion as a member of the Pittsburgh Penguins in 1991 and 1992. The Detroit native played in 1,097 NHL games, registering 61 goals and 359 assists.

The defenseman also spent four seasons playing for the New England Whalers in the World Hockey Association before the NHL-WHA merger in 1979.

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No. 14: Derian Hatcher

Hatcher was an intimidating presence on the blue line throughout his 16-year NHL career. The former captain of the Dallas Stars won a Stanley Cup in 1999. The Sterling Heights native recorded 80 goals and 251 assists in 1,045 career games. He also racked up 1,581 penalty minutes.

Hatcher spent 10 seasons with the Stars before he signed with the Red Wings in 2003. The former eighth-overall draft pick spent just one season in Detroit before closing out his career in Philadelphia.

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No. 13: Tim Thomas

Thomas didn’t reach the NHL until he was 28, but he quickly made an impact with the Boston Bruins. The Flint native had a career record of 196-121-45 with a 2.48 goals-against average and .921 save percentage. He was a four-time all-star and also won the 2011 Conn Smythe Trophy during the Bruins’ Stanley Cup run.

Thomas took home the Vezina Trophy in 2009 and 2011 as the league’s top goaltender.

Before reaching the NHL, Thomas played collegiately at Vermont for four years. He spent time in the East Coast Hockey League and the International Hockey League before playing overseas until 2002.

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No. 12: Al Iafrate

Iafrate was best known for his heavy slap shot. The defenseman set the record at the NHL Skills Competition in 1993 for hardest slap shot, reaching 105.2 mph.

Iafrate played 14 NHL seasons, spending time with Toronto, Washington, Boston and San Jose. He recorded 152 goals and 311 assists in 799 games.

Iafrate was born in Dearborn and grew up in Livonia.

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No. 11: John Vanbiesbrouck

Vanbiesbrouck holds the record for most wins by a U.S.-born goaltender with 374 during his 17-year NHL career. The Detroit native won the Vezina Trophy in 1986 as a member of the New York Rangers. He finished with a 31-21-5 record and 3.32 goals-against average.

He also reached the Stanley Cup finals in 1996 playing for the Florida Panthers. His final stats in the NHL: 374-346-119 record, 2.98 GAA and .899 save percentage.

Vanbiesbrouck played for Tier I Little Caesars Hockey Club growing up in Detroit before moving on to the Ontario Hockey League, where he played three seasons.

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No. 10: Jimmy Carson

Carson was the second overall pick in the 1986 NHL draft and went on to score 37 goals for the Los Angeles Kings as an 18-year-old rookie.

The Southfield native also is known for being a part of the 1988 blockbuster trade that brought Wayne Gretzky to Los Angeles from Edmonton.

Carson went on to score 275 goals and 286 assists in 626 career games during his 10-year stint in the NHL. He played his last two season of professional hockey playing for the Detroit Vipers of the International Hockey League.

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No. 9: David Legwand

Legwand had a 16-year NHL career after being selected second overall by the Nashville Predators in the 1998 draft. He was traded to the Detroit Red Wings during the 2013-14 season, when he recorded four goals and seven assists in 21 games.

The forward tallied 228 goals and 390 assists in 1,136 NHL games before retiring in 2016.

Legwand attended Grosse Pointe North High School before playing two seasons with the Plymouth Whalers in the Ontario Hockey League.

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Anaheim Ducks forward Ryan Kesler (17) attempts to tip the puck past Buffalo Sabres goalie Robin Lehner (40) during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Thursday, Feb. 9, 2017, in Buffalo, N.Y. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes)

Jeffrey T. Barnes

No. 8: Ryan Kesler

Kesler has been one of the best two-way forwards since entering the NHL in 2003. He won the Selke Trophy for the league’s best defensive forward in 2011 and has 242 goals and 298 assists in 879 games playing for the Vancouver Canucks and Anaheim Ducks.

This season for the Ducks, Kesler has 19 goals and 28 assists in 64 games.

The Livonia native also won a silver medal playing with the U.S. Olympic team in 2010.

Kesler played for the U.S. National Development team before playing one season for Ohio State in 2002-03.

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No. 7: Kevin Hatcher

Hatcher was selected 17th overall in the 1984 NHL draft by the Washington Capitals and went on to have a 17-year career. The defenseman was a five-time all-star and amassed 227 goals and 450 assists in 1,157 games.

Hatcher was born in Detroit and grew up in Sterling Heights. He was inducted into the United States Hockey Hall of Fame in 2010.

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Vancouver Canucks goalie Ryan Miller (30) makes a save near defenseman Alexander Edler (23) against the Calgary Flames during the third period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Feb. 18, 2017, in Vancouver, British Columbia. (Ben Nelms/The Canadian Press via AP)

BEN NELMS

No. 6: Ryan Miller

Miller is in his 13th NHL and has had quite the career. He is the Buffalo Sabres franchise leader in wins (284), spending the majority of his career there before being traded to the St. Louis Blues at the 2014 trade deadline. The 6-foot-2, 168-pound goalie has spent the past three seasons with the Vancouver Canucks and has a career record of 357-252-72 with a 2.60 goals-against average and .915 save percentage.

In 2010, the East Lansing native helped the U.S. earn a silver medal at the Winter Olympics. He also was named the 2010 Olympic tournament MVP.

Miller’s strong play that season continued with the Sabres. He finished the season 41-18-8 with a 2.22 GAA and .929 save percentage en route to winning the Vezina Trophy.

He also had an illustrious career at Michigan State, where he won the Hobey Baker Award in 2001 after leading the country in wins (31), save percentage (.950), goals-against average (1.33) and shutouts (10). He had a career record of 73-19-12 in three seasons at MSU.

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No. 5: Brian Rolston

Rolston recorded 342 goals and 419 assists in 1,256 career games, spanning 17 NHL seasons.

The forward began his career with the New Jersey Devils and won a Stanley Cup in 1995.

He also played for the Colorado Avalanche, Boston Bruins, Minnesota Wild and New York Islanders before retiring in 2012. His best season came in 2005-06, when he had 34 goals and 45 assists in 82 games for the Wild.

Rolston, who is best known for his slap shot, was born in Flint and grew up in Ann Arbor. Before turning pro, he played two seasons at Lake Superior State, recording 110 points in 80 games.

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No. 4: Brian Rafalski

Rafalski did not reach the NHL until he was 26, but the defenseman still managed to win three Stanley Cups in his career. He spent the first seven seasons of his career with the New Jersey Devils, winning two Cups. He played his last four years in Detroit, helping the Red Wings win the Cup in 2008 and reach the finals in 2009.

The Dearborn native finished his NHL career with 79 goals, 436 assists and a plus-178 rating in 833 games before retiring in 2011. He played collegiately at the University of Wisconsin before spending the next four years playing professionally in Europe.

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Columbus Blue Jackets New York Islanders interim head coach Doug Weight, top, is seen during an NHL hockey game against the Columbus Blue Jackets in Columbus, Ohio, Saturday, Feb. 25, 2017. The Blue Jackets won 7-0. (AP Photo/Paul Vernon)

Paul Vernon

No. 3: Doug Weight

Weight played 19 NHL seasons, spending time with the New York Rangers, Edmonton Oilers, St. Louis Blues, Carolina Hurricanes, Anaheim Ducks and New York Islanders. He won the Stanley Cup with the Hurricanes in 2006.

The four-time all-star is second among Michigan-born players in career points with 1,033 (278 goals, 755 assists).

The Warren native also is the current head coach of the Islanders.

The forward played amateur hockey with Tier 1 travel program Compuware before being drafted by the Bloomfield Jets of the North American Junior Hockey League (now the North American Hockey League).

Weight went on to play two seasons at Lake Superior State before turning pro.

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Former Detroit Red Wing defenseman Mark Howe looks on as goalie Manny Legace deflects a shot on goal by former Toronto Maple Leaf Gary Roberts during the first period of the Winter Classic Alumni Game at Comerica Park, in Detroit, on Tuesday, December 31, 2013. Melanie Maxwell | The Ann Arbor News

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No. 2: Mark Howe

The son of Gordie Howe, Mark Howe, 61, also carved out a Hall of Fame career with 197 goals and 545 assists in 929 career NHL games. The Detroit native also had a career plus-minus rating of plus-400 and was one of the best two-way defenseman in the 1980s, finishing runner-up for the Norris Trophy three times.

Howe also recorded 208 goals and 296 assists in 426 World Hockey Association Games before the WHA merged with the NHL in 1979. In 16 NHL seasons, Howe scored 60 or more points five times.

Howe was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2011.

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No. 1: Mike Modano

Modano is the all-time leading scorer by a U.S.-born player with 1,374 points (561 goals, 813 assists). The Livonia native played 21 NHL seasons, including his first 20 with the Minnesota North Stars/Dallas Stars before ending his career in Detroit.

The eight-time all-star helped the Stars win their only Stanley Cup in 1999, tallying eight goals and 20 assists in 23 playoff games.

Before reaching the NHL in 1989, the forward spent three seasons playing for the Prince Albert Raiders in the Western Hockey League.

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Detroit Red Wings center Dylan Larkin (71) battles Minnesota Wild defenseman Gustav Olofsson (23), of Sweden, for the puck during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Sunday, Feb. 12, 2017, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Paul Battaglia)

Paul Battaglia

Other candidates

Detroit Red Wings forward Dylan Larkin (Waterford) and Winnipeg Jets defenseman Jacob Trouba (Rochester) both received strong consideration but haven’t built enough of a track record yet in the NHL. Larkin has 36 goals and 30 assists in 141 career games, while Trouba has 29 goals and 69 assists in 261 career games.