With a historical NHL draft for US born players behind us now, the Fourth of July in a few days and the World Cup of Hockey just a few months out, now is definitely the time to be celebrating the Red, White and Blue on the ice.
Sure there are a ton of current American players that we all love, but I thought I would take this week to remember some of our favorite former players who wore USA on their jerseys.
Chris Chelios
Talk about a beast. The Illinois born Chelios started playing in 1983 and was in the NHL until 2010! Chelios played in a record 24 Stanley Cup Playoffs and was a part of three Stanley Cup winning teams.
Chris Chelios was also part of the 1996 Gold Medal USA World Cup of Hockey squad.
Mike Modano
For many years, Mike Modano was essentially the face of USA Hockey. Modano grew up in Michigan and was drafted in 1988 by the Minnesota North Stars before they moved to Dallas.
Modano finally led the Stars to a Stanley Cup in 1999 and is the All-Time Goal-Scoring and points leader among American born players.
Mike Richter
Mike Richter will always be remembered as one of the best goalies of his time. Not to mention, if you were fortunate enough to be old enough to remember the New York Rangers/Vancouver Canucks Stanley Cup Final, you know just how much fun Richter was to watch.
Richter was also part of the 1996 World Cup winning American team and was named MVP of the tournament.
Keith Tkachuk
Keith Tkachuk might go down as one of the best American players to never have won a Stanley Cup. With that said, he is one of only five American players to have hit the 500 goal mark and much like many of the players on this list, he was also part of the World Cup winning American team in 1996.
John LeClair
Another member of the 1996 World Cup Champions, John LeClair was also a Stanley Cup Champion in 1993 with the Montreal Canadiens.
LeClair became the first American player to score 50 goals in three consecutive NHL seasons while playing for the Flyers on the "Legion of Doom" line with Eric Lindros and Mikael Renberg.
John Vanbiesbrouck
If Keith Tkachuck is one of the best American players to never have won a Stanley Cup, John Vanbiesbrouck may be the best American goaltenders to have never won one.
The American netminder did win the Vezina in 1986 though and he holds the all-time record for wins by an American Goalie (374) and shares the all-time American record for shutouts as well (40) with Frank Brimsek.
Happy Fourth of July everyone!