Best hockey player from each state

Jan 26, 2014; New York City, NY, USA; NHL former player Jeremy Roenick skates with youngsters on a miniature rink before the Stadium Series hockey game between the New Jersey Devils and the New York Rangers at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ed Mulholland-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 26, 2014; New York City, NY, USA; NHL former player Jeremy Roenick skates with youngsters on a miniature rink before the Stadium Series hockey game between the New Jersey Devils and the New York Rangers at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ed Mulholland-USA TODAY Sports /
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Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports
Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports /

Indiana – Jack Johnson

Indiana has produced nine NHL players. Only four of them stuck around in the league and one of them is Donald Brashear (known more for getting injured than anything else). While John-Michael Liles has quietly had a good career, the best hockey player from Indiana is Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Jack Johnson.

Liles was a fifth round pick while Johnson got selected with the third overall pick of the 2005 NHL Draft. He put Indiana on the map as a factory for hockey players. Johnson got traded to the Los Angeles Kings before the 2006 season. There, he spent six seasons, amassing 124 points over 343 games. Johnson got sent (sort of) home when the Columbus Blue Jackets acquired him for Jeff Carter.

He has been on several United States World Championship teams and played in the 2010 Winter Olympics. Johnson had one assist in six games in those Olympics. With the Blue Jackets, he ranks third in career points with 122 points in 303 games. Johnson has a chance of topping Fedor Tyutin, who has 185 in 553 games. However, his contract is up after the 2017-18 season, so he’ll have to push hard to get 63 points by then.

Other famous Indiana players include Ken Klee and current Kings defenseman Zach Trotman.