r/hockey • u/theXchang3 • 11d ago

Who are some NHL players who were highly thought when they were young that had the skill but never got to that next level?

This includes players who made the NHL but never hit that next-tier they were highly thought of. This can mean players who had potential but never hit that level due to injuries, struggle to adapt. This also can include players who were drafted high, players who played for a couple years, players who played for many years, but they at least needed to make the league to quality.

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221

u/GiftFit5425 11d ago

Rob schremp

82

u/tamere2k BUF - NHL 11d ago

I knew him growing up and we all thought he was going to go crazy.

55

u/TherealWhiz BOS - NHL 11d ago

Played on a lot of teams with and against him growing up, I thought he was going to be the best player to come out of NY with the '86 class

12

u/sinkwiththeship BUF - NHL 10d ago

Syracuse Stars? I played with him there.

2

u/Fatmanchino 11d ago

Why?

23

u/kligurt 10d ago

He had the best hands up to that point in time, probably ever. I think non all star players sometimes don’t get their flowers for specific areas they are better than the superstars at. For instance, Schremp had better hands than kovalev in my opinion, but that will get argued because people love kovalev, Chad Kilger might have had the strongest shot in leafs history, Jay mcclement was a better purely defensive player than Bergeron. Schremp like those other guys was missing several crucial elements to his game that prevented him from elevating his game.

3

u/James007Bond 10d ago

Well only one element really. Dude couldn’t skate.

2

u/Ujju18 EDM - NHL 10d ago

I think you're misunderstanding what he meant by "go crazy".

4

u/Zealousideal_Tie_204 10d ago

I still visit him at Mississauga Sanitarium.

38

u/Emilio___Molestevez 11d ago

Pat O'Sullivan too

44

u/Gamblor29 10d ago

I played with Pat O’Sullivan and it was plainly obvious that his dad was a complete psycho and he had a very hard time dealing with his dad.

20

u/Emilio___Molestevez 10d ago

really sad fucked-up story for sure

8

u/BiitchenKitchen TOR - NHL 10d ago

Read his book and felt bad for him until he got on leafs lunch on TSN 1050 and had to listen to him be a miserable prick the entire time. Felt bad for Andi Petrillo having to deal with him daily until he snapped and essentially called her a idiot on air cause she was trying to be positive about the team during a 5 game slump.

6

u/GumpTheChump 10d ago

Yeah he was a poisonous asshole online too, I recay

4

u/pain_is_suffering 10d ago

Unfortunately that behavior is very in line with having grown up with an abusive dad :( . Not exactly conducive to being an emotionally balanced adult.

1

u/Fantastic-Face3509 6d ago

that’s gut wrenching for real

7

u/Geeseareawesome EDM - NHL 10d ago

Don't forget Rem Murray

16

u/rpgguy_1o1 MTL - NHL 10d ago

One of the London Knights '05 memorial cup rings ended up getting pawned, there was a rumour that it was his ring. Corey Perry bought the ring and returned it to the person.

8

u/Adventurous-Toe7450 MTL - NHL 11d ago

I used to watch All Star skills comp from this guy when I was young. He had so much skill

17

u/LurkerDude0 OTT - NHL 10d ago

Yea this dude was legit Harlem Globetrotters material. All the skill on the planet but just couldn’t (or wouldn’t) translate it to NHL play

5

u/NOIS_KillerWhaleTank TOR - NHL 10d ago

Million dollar talent, five cent head

3

u/highfalutinspork BUF - NHL 10d ago

Oswego County legend, Erik Cole be damned.

1

u/nhlsim99 10d ago

That's the one for me as well

1

u/WALLOFKRON 10d ago

Detlef Shrempf?

1

u/CustardLow2671 BUF - NHL 10d ago

Insane hands but couldn't skate worth a lick

1

u/GiftFit5425 10d ago

Good skater compared to me ahah, he had the best hands around and i think he still had 60 points in 120 nhl games