Erik Karlsson (born 31 May 1990) is a Swedish professional ice hockey defenceman, currently playing for the Ottawa Senators of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected 15th overall by the Senators in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft.

Karlsson made his Elitserien debut for Frölunda HC on 1 March 2008, recording 8:48 of ice time during a sold out home game in Scandinavium, against league leaders HV71. Karlsson scored the game winning goal, assisted by Tomi Kallio and Magnus Kahnberg, with a slapshot off a faceoff, in overtime during a man advantage. The win secured a playoff berth for Frölunda with three games remaining of the regular season.

Karlsson finished the season with Frölunda's J20 team playing in the J20 SuperElit playoffs, where Frölunda took home the Anton Cup when they won two to one in games against Brynäs IF in the Swedish Junior Ice Hockey Championship final.

Prior to the 2008 NHL Entry Draft, Karlsson was ranked fourth among European skaters by the NHL's Central Scouting Service. He was drafted 15th overall by the Ottawa Senators, in front of their hometown fans at Scotiabank Place in Ottawa, Ontario. The selection was made by Ottawa's captain Daniel Alfredsson, a native of Gothenburg, who played for Frölunda before entering the NHL. Ottawa's general manager, Bryan Murray, traded Ottawa's first round pick, 18th overall, and their third round pick in 2009 to the Nashville Predators for the Predators' first round pick, 15th overall, to ensure that no other team would pick Karlsson before them.

Matthew David Cooke (born September 7, 1978) is a Canadian professional ice hockey player currently playing for the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League (NHL). Cooke won the Stanley Cup with Pittsburgh during the 2008–09 NHL season. Cooke was member of the Team Canada at the 2004 World Championships which won the gold medal. He has also played in the NHL with the Vancouver Canucks and Washington Capitals.

Cooke's playing style of intentionally attempting to aggravate opponents has earned him the reputation of one of the NHL's "pests". During his NHL career Cooke has been suspended for several much criticized hits, some involving head-shots that injured opposing players, most notably Marc Savard in 2010. Cooke was an important factor influencing NHL rule changes intended to deter such conduct. After his longest suspension in 2011, Cooke has pledged to change is style of play. Although he is no longer a member of the Vancouver Canucks' organization, he is still active in the Vancouver community with his wife as they run The Cooke Family Foundation of Hope.

Brian Paul Boyle (born December 18, 1984) is a American professional ice hockey forward for the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League. He attended St. Sebastian's School in Needham, Massachusetts for high school before moving on to Boston College.

Boyle was drafted in the first round, 26th overall, by the Los Angeles Kings in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft. He played four seasons at Boston College before making his professional debut with the Kings' American Hockey League affiliate, the Manchester Monarchs, in 2007.

In the 2007–08 season, Boyle made his National Hockey League debut with the Kings against the New Jersey Devils on February 2, 2008. He scored his first NHL goal that same night against Martin Brodeur in a 6-3 defeat. He scored four goals in his first seven NHL games, three in his first four.

At the 2009 NHL Entry Draft, on June 27, Boyle was traded by the Kings to the New York Rangers for a 3rd round pick in 2009.

During the 2012 Stanley Cup playoffs Boyle suffered a concussion after being hit hard by Ottawa Senators' forward Chris Neil. Boyle subsequently missed three games. Earlier in the same series, Ottawa defenceman Matt Carkner received a one-game suspension for repeatedly punching Boyle in the face while Boyle refused to defend himself.

Evander Kane (born August 2, 1991) is a Canadian professional ice hockey left wing with the Winnipeg Jets of the National Hockey League (NHL). Selected fourth overall in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft by the Thrashers, he was drafted from the Vancouver Giants of the Western Hockey League (WHL).

During his major junior career, he won the Memorial Cup with the Giants in 2007, finished as runner-up for the Jim Piggott Memorial Trophy as WHL rookie of the year in 2008 and was named to the WHL West First All-Star Team in 2009. Kane also set the Giants' franchise record for single-season goals in 2008–09.

Internationally, Kane has won gold medals with Team Canada at the 2008 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament and 2009 World Junior Championships. He has also competed in the 2010 IIHF World Championship.

Kane was born in Vancouver, British Columbia, on August 2, 1991, to Perry and Sheri Kane, who named him after American boxer Evander Holyfield (he later met Holyfield at age 18). Kane has two sisters, Brea and Kyla, who are two and four years younger, respectively.