Best hockey player from each state

North Carolina – Ben Smith

Because North Carolina has only produced two NHL players, there’s not much of a choice. The best hockey player from the state is either Jared Boll or Ben Smith. Neither of the two will be mistaken as a star, but both have been solid role players. However, Smith has more impressive numbers once you consider Boll has played in over 500 games while he has played in a mere 216 (as of Nov. 28 2016).

He has a Stanley Cup on his resume, serving as a fourth liner during the Chicago Blackhawks Stanley Cup run in the 2013 playoffs. Smith put up six points in 19 playoff games during that postseason despite being utilized in a primarily defensive role. In 216 games, he only has four penalty minutes, which shows an elite level of discipline.

Since being traded from Chicago, he has bounced around from the San Jose Sharks to the Toronto Maple Leafs to the Colorado Avalanche to back to Toronto. Smith is a bit better than a journeyman, though. He appears to be a very capable third or fourth line forward. His possession stats have always been ugly, but he’s also good at not allowing goals. At the end of the day, that’s what coaches care about.

Meanwhile, Boll is generally known for being an enforcer. He averages over two penalty minutes per game. It’s funny to think how different Boll and Smith are from each other, yet they are the only NHL players from North Carolina.