Shane Frederick - Hockey Legends in the Making

When the Philadelphia Flyers picked Claude Giroux during the first round of the 2006draft, general manager Bobby Clarke briefly forgot Girouxs name. The crowd in theVancouver, British Columbia, arena laughed at Clarkes mistake. No one can forgetGirouxs name now.

Giroux made his Flyers debut two years later and continued to get better. Duringthe 2010 Stanley Cup playoffs, Giroux scored 21 points in 23 games before the Flyersfell to the Blackhawks in the Finals. Two years later Giroux had another amazingplayoff performance. In a single game, he scored six points (three goals, three assists)in a victory over the Penguins. In 2013 he was named the Flyers captain.

Did You Know?

Giroux has a ritual of eating a grilled-cheese sandwich before everygame.

The 2011 All-Star break was coming up, and Erik Karlsson had arranged to get awayfor the weekend. But then he got some news that forced him to change his plans. Atjust 20 years old, Karlsson had been selected to play in the midseason classic .

The native of Landsbro, Sweden, was picked by the Ottawa Senators in the first roundof the 2008 draft. He quickly proved to be one of the leagues best offensive defensemen.In 201112 he led all blueliners with 78 points (19 goals, 59 assists). He earnedthe Norris Trophy as the NHLs best defenseman. Only Bruins great Bobby Orr was youngerwhen he won the award.

Did You Know?

Karlsson was the second Swedish player to win the Norris Trophy. Thefirstwasthe Red Wings Nicklas Lidstrom, who won it seven times.

MIDSEASON CLASSIC another name for the All-Star Game

BLUELINER a nickname for a defenseman; defensemen often play near the rinks bluelines

To say that Evgeni Malkin burst on the scene might be an understatement. The tall20-year-old rookie from Russia scored a goal in each of his first six games for thePittsburgh Penguins. It was a feat that hadnt been accomplished since 1917nearly90 years earlier.

Malkin, who began playing professional hockey in his hometown when he was 17 yearsold, didnt stop there. In 2009 he led the NHL in scoring with 113 points (35 goals,78 assists). That season the Penguins won the Stanley Cup. Malkin became the firstRussian to win the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP . He won the Hart Trophy as leagueMVP in 2012.

Did You Know?

Malkins father, Vladimir, also played professional hockey for MetallurgMagnitogorskinRussia.

ROOKIE a first-year player

MVP an honor given to the best player each season; MVP stands for most valuable player

The Goal might be the defining moment of Alex Ovechkins high-scoring young career.The Washington Capitals winger burst into the offensive zone and tried to skate aroundone last Phoenix Coyotes player. But the defenseman stood him up with a body checkand knocked him down. As he fell to the ice, Ovechkin reached back for the puck.With his back to the goal, he backhanded the puck into the net for an amazing goal.

A year earlier, in 200506, Ovechkin won the Calder Trophy as the NHLs rookie ofthe year. In 200708 he scored 65 goals and won the Hart Trophy as league MVP. Ovechkinhas led the NHL in goals three times.

Did You Know?

Alex Ovechkins mother, Tatyana, was an Olympic basketball player.She wongoldmedals with the Soviet Union in 1976 and 1980.

BACKHAND to shoot or pass the puck using the back side of the sticks blade

Zach Parise practically grew up in a hockey rink. His dad, J.P. Parise, played nineseasons for the Minnesota North Stars and was later an assistant coach with the team.Zach often watched practices run by his dad and learned to skate in the arena wherethe North Stars played.

Parise was drafted in the first round by the New Jersey Devils in 2003. He playedseven seasons there following an All-American season at the University of North Dakota.He became known as one of the leagues hardest workers and went to the All-Star Gamein 2009. In 2012 he led the Devils to the Stanley Cup Finals. The following yearParise decided to return to the place where he started skating and joined the MinnesotaWild.

Did You Know?

Parise wears number 11 for the Wild, the same number his father worefor theNorthStars.