Pavel Datsyuk

Pavel Valerievich Datsyuk (Russian: Па́вел Вале́рьевич Дацю́к, IPA: [ˈpavʲɪl dɐˈtsʊk]; born 20 July 1978) also known as "The Magic Man" is a Russian professional ice hockey player and alternate captain for the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League (NHL).

Datsyuk won the Stanley Cup in 2002 and 2008 with the Red Wings. He was part of the Russia men's national ice hockey team at the Olympic Games in 2002, 2006, 2010 and was team Captain in 2014.

Datsyuk won the Frank J. Selke Trophy as the NHL's top defensive forward in the 2007–08, 2008–09 and 2009–10 NHL season. He has also won four consecutive Lady Byng Memorial Trophies, from 2006 to 2009, awarded for performance and sportsmanship. He was nominated for the Hart Memorial Trophy as the NHL's most valuable player following the 2008–09 season. Datsyuk is well known for his elite defensive play, silky smooth hands, and game changing offensive skills.

Early years

Datsyuk was born in Sverdlovsk (Cвердловск) (now Yekaterinburg), in the Urals region of Russia. His parents have called him by his short name "Pasha" from an early age. His childhood had more than its fair share of difficulties, especially at the age of 16, when his mother died. While Datsyuk displayed above-average hockey skills, he was often overlooked by scouts because of his smaller size. He began playing for the farm club of Dynamo Yekaterinburg in the mid-1990s, though he seemed headed for an undistinguished career until noted Olympic trainer Vladimir Krikunov began coaching the team.

Patrick Kane

Patrick Timothy Kane II (born November 19, 1988), is an American professional ice hockey right winger for the Chicago Blackhawks of the National Hockey League (NHL). The Blackhawks selected him with the first overall pick in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft.

Kane won his first Stanley Cup in 2010. He won his second Stanley Cup in 2013 and won the Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player of the playoffs. Kane won his third Stanley cup in 2015 as the Blackhawks defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning. Kane also represented the United States at the 2010 and 2014 Winter Olympics.

Playing career

Minor and junior

When Kane was fourteen, he played junior hockey for the USA Bobcats, scoring many goals and earning the title of MVP. Kane relocated to Michigan where he lived with former NHL player Pat Verbeek, having been convinced to play for the Honeybaked AAA hockey club in Detroit. The club is a part of the Midwest Elite Hockey League. Kane's career with Honeybaked lasted for 3 years.

The London Knights drafted Kane in the 5th round (88 overall) in the 2004 Ontario Hockey League Midget Draft, but he chose not to play for the Knights until the 2006–07 season. Instead, Kane played for the United States U-18 National Team Development Program (NTDP), where he led the team in scoring with 102 points during the 2005–06 season. Playing on a line with Sergei Kostitsyn and Sam Gagner the following season with London, he amassed 145 points for the OHL scoring title and combined with Gagner and Kostitsyn for 394 points.

Alexander Ovechkin

Alexander Mikhailovich "Alex" Ovechkin (Russian: Александр Михайлович Овечкин; IPA: [ɐlʲɪˈksandr ɐˈvʲetɕkʲɪn]; born September 17, 1985) is a Russian professional ice hockey winger and captain of the Washington Capitals of the National Hockey League (NHL). Prior to playing in the NHL, Ovechkin played for HC Dynamo Moscow of the Russian Superleague for four seasons from 2001 until 2005, and he played for Dynamo again (this time in the Kontinental Hockey League) during the 2012–13 NHL lockout. Ovechkin was the first overall selection in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft, drafted from Dynamo after three seasons with the club. Since the 2004–05 NHL season was lost because of a lockout, Ovechkin remained with Dynamo for one more season before transferring to the NHL for the 2005–06 season, in which he won the Calder Memorial Trophy as rookie of the year, scoring 52 goals and 54 assists to lead all rookies with 106 points.

New York

New York is a state in the Northeastern United States and is the United States' 27th-most extensive, fourth-most populous, and seventh-most densely populated state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south and Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Vermont to the east. The state has a maritime border in the Atlantic Ocean with Rhode Island, east of Long Island, as well as an international border with the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the north and Ontario to the west and north. The state of New York, with an estimated 19.8 million residents in 2015, is often referred to as New York State to distinguish it from New York City, the state's most populous city and its economic hub.

With an estimated population of nearly 8.5 million in 2014, New York City is the most populous city in the United States and the premier gateway for legal immigration to the United States. The New York City Metropolitan Area is one of the most populous urban agglomerations in the world. New York City is a global city, exerting a significant impact upon commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and entertainment, its fast pace defining the term New York minute. The home of the United Nations Headquarters, New York City is an important center for international diplomacy and has been described as the cultural and financial capital of the world, as well as the world's most economically powerful city. New York City makes up over 40% of the population of New York State. Two-thirds of the state's population lives in the New York City Metropolitan Area, and nearly 40% live on Long Island. Both the state and New York City were named for the 17th century Duke of York, future King James II of England. The next four most populous cities in the state are Buffalo, Rochester, Yonkers, and Syracuse, while the state capital is Albany.

Evgeni Malkin

Evgeni (Yevgeni) Vladimirovich Malkin (Russian: Евге́ний Влади́мирович Ма́лкин; IPA: [jɪvˈɡʲenʲɪj ˈmɑlkʲɪn]; born 31 July 1986) is a Russian professional ice hockey center and alternate captain for the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League (NHL). He is known for his remarkable skill set and ability to execute plays, earning him the reputation as one of the best players in the NHL. He currently wears number 71 on his jersey.

Malkin began his career with his hometown club Metallurg Magnitogorsk, playing for their junior and senior teams. He was then selected second overall in the 2004 NHL Draft by the Pittsburgh Penguins, though an international transfer dispute delayed the start of his NHL career until 2006. After his first season with the Penguins Malkin was awarded the Calder Memorial Trophy as the NHL's best rookie. In his second season he helped lead Pittsburgh to the 2008 Stanley Cup Finals and was a runner-up for the Hart Memorial Trophy, which is given to the league's most valuable player. The following season saw Malkin win the Art Ross Trophy, awarded to the top-scorer in the NHL and again place second for the Hart Trophy. He and the Penguins again reached the Stanley Cup Final, winning the Stanley Cup championship this time around; Malkin was awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy as most valuable player of the playoffs. In 2012 Malkin was awarded the Hart Trophy and Ted Lindsay Award, awarded to the best player as voted on by the players, after winning the Art Ross Trophy for the second time; his 12-point lead was the largest margin of victory since 1999.