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 /

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Vermont – John Leclair

Players from Vermont have played in a total of 974 NHL games. 967 of them are due to former Montreal Canadiens, Philadelphia Flyers, and Pittsburgh Penguins forward John Leclair. Another veteran of USA’s 1996 World Cup championship team, he also won the Stanley Cup while with the Canadiens.

Born in St. Albans, Leclair got his hockey career started at Bellows Free Academy, where he scored 85 goals with 153 points in two years. Drafted in the second round by Montreal, he went to the University of Vermont where he had 116 points (52 goals) in 92 games. Leclair made his NHL debut during the 1990-91 season with 10 appearances. During the Canadiens’ 1992-93 Stanley Cup run, he put up 10 points in 20 postseason games.

After five years with Montreal, he spent the next 10 seasons with the Flyers. Over 10 years, Leclair played in 649 games. He had 333 goals and 310 assists for 643 points with the Flyers. His best years were with them. Leclair finished his career by playing for the Penguins his last two seasons, putting up 58 points in 94 games.

He represented the United States at two Olympics. Leclair was a part of the 2002 Olympics team that won the silver medal as well as the 1998 team. He also played for America in two World Junior Championships.

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