Today we celebrate the birthdays of 30 NHL players, past and present. That includes a Hockey Hall of Fame member, a three-time Stanley Cup champion, and a current defenseman for the Detroit Red Wings. Let's take a moment to appreciate these athletes and their contributions to the sport.
Viacheslav Fetisov (1958)
Viacheslav Fetisov was born on April 20, 1958 in Moscow. By the time he made his NHL debut in 1989, he had already compiled a Hall of Fame-worthy resume, including two Olympic gold medals, five world championships, and three world junior titles with the Soviet Union (now Russia). was. In addition to these honors, he won several more silver and bronze medals and ultimately earned induction into the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) Hall of Fame and a spot on his team's Centennial All-Stars. .
Fetisov joined the New Jersey Devils in 1989, appearing in 72 games and scoring 42 points. After six seasons, the Detroit Red Wings traded him and offered him a third-round pick. He won back-to-back Stanley Cup titles in his final two seasons, joining the triple gold club with a world championship, Olympic gold medal, and Stanley Cup title. Fetisov's NHL career was short, lasting only nine seasons, but he played in 546 games, scoring 36 goals and 228 points.
Shayne Gostisbehere (1993)
According to Hockey Reference, Shayne Gostisbehere is just one of 18 players born in Florida. He was selected by the Philadelphia Flyers in the third round (78th overall) of the 2012 draft, debuted in 2014-15, and just completed his 10th season in the NHL. He was named to the All-Rookie team during his 2015-16 rookie season and finished second in Calder Trophy voting.
