The past six weeks have gone extremely well for Dustin Penner and the Los Angeles Kings in their unexpected run to the Stanley Cup final and the 29-year-old from Winkler, Man., who scored his team's series-clinching overtime winner in the Western Conference final, sure needed an upturn in his life.
Long before Jay Beagle emerged as an important component in the Washington Capitals unexpected, but impressive postseason run, he already had carved out a reputation as someone who played his best when the games matter the most, in the playoffs.
Tampa Bay Lightning forward Teddy Purcell, along with Alex Burrows of the Vancouver Canucks, are the only undrafted NHL players with Canada and the only two who will pull on a Canadian sweater at any level for the first time in their careers at the 2012 world hockey championship in Helsinki this week.
Steve Staios almost retired last summer. Instead his agent talked him out of it and this week the 38-year-old defenceman will play in his 1,000th NHL game.
Take a closer look at the stars of the NHL.
