About This Quiz
A great hockey game is always fun to witness. But what about those rare moments when players make the deciding shot as the buzzer is about to sound? Thrilling, right? You already know that we HowStuffWorks writers can be inspired by just about anything, so in the spirit of that, we want to test just how much of a hockey fan you are by seeing if you can identify the player by his buzzer beater.
Now, there are many things that could clue you into who the player is; all you need to do is to take in the tiniest of details. For instance, the color of his uniform will tell you his team and the number on the shirt (if shown) will tell you his name. His posture while hitting the puck can say a lot, as does the player's stature, helmet and even hockey stick. We're also adding in hints that'll help you guess the player's name if you get stuck.
Now you may be wondering why we're being so helpful. It's because this quiz won't be easy and because this should only be attempted by those who are true fans of the sport. So if you're one of these people and you know your hockey greats, come identify them by their buzzer beaters.
Wayne Gretzky, nicknamed "The Great One," is a Canadian former ice hockey center who is widely regarded by many as "the greatest hockey player ever."
Jaromír Jágr is a Czech professional hockey player who currently holds the record for the second most points scored in NHL history.
Mark Messier, who is considered to be one of the greatest NHL players of all time, is a six-time Stanley Cup champion and a 15-time NHL all-star.
Advertisement
Gordie Howe was a Canadian professional hockey player who, as of 2017, was listed as one of "100 Greatest Hockey Players".
In 2004, Ron Francis ended his professional hockey career with a number of records including the second all-time in career assists.
Marcel Dionne, who retired after playing 18 seasons, was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1992.
Advertisement
Steve Yzerman is one of the "100 Greatest NHL Players" and is currently ranked as the seventh all-time leading scorer in NHL history.
Mario Lemieux is a former player and current owner of the Pittsburgh Penguins who played from 1984 to 1997 and from 2000 to 2006.
Joe Sakic, who played for 21 years, was a player for the Quebec Nordiques and the Colorado Avalanche.
Advertisement
Phil Esposito, the older brother of Tony Esposito, is a former player and head coach for the New York Rangers.
Former ice hockey player Mark Recchi is a three-time Stanley Cup winner which he won with the Pittsburgh Penguins, Carolina Hurricanes and the Boston Bruins.
Paul Coffey, who played for nine teams throughout his career, is a retired ice hockey defenseman who is known for his speed and prowess.
Advertisement
Slovak-born Canadian Stan Mikita is a former ice hockey player who is considered to be one of the best centers of the 1960s.
Teemu Selänne, also known as "The Finnish Flash," is a retired Finnish ice hockey winger who played for 21 seasons from 1989 to 2014.
Joe Thornton, nicknamed "Jumbo Joe," is a professional ice hockey player who currently serves as an alternate captain for the San Jose Sharks.
Advertisement
Bryan Trottier, a retired ice hockey center, is a four-time Stanley Cup winner who played for the New York Islanders and the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Adam Oates is a former ice hockey player who spent his 19-year career with seven teams including the Detroit Red Wings and the Boston Bruins.
Former ice hockey player Doug Gilmour is a two-time All-Star and a member of the 1987 Canada Cup championship team.
Advertisement
Ray Bourque is former ice hockey defenceman who currently holds the record for the most points, assists and career goals earned by a defenseman.
Dale Hawerchuk, who played for 16 seasons, is the current head coach for the Barrie Colts of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL).
Jari Kurri is a former Finnish ice hockey right winger and the current manager of the Finnish team, Jokerit.
Advertisement
Luc Robitaille is a retired ice hockey left winger who played for the New York Rangers and the Pittsburgh Penguins during his 19-season NHL career.
Former ice hockey right winger Brett Hull ended his 19-year career in 2005 with a total of 741 goals, ranking him at number four in NHL history.
Mike Modano is a former hockey player who currently holds the highest all-time goal-scoring and points leader among Americans.
Advertisement
Johnny Bucyk is a retired Ukrainian-Canadian ice hockey left winger whose NHL career spanned for 23 seasons from 1955 to 1978.
Retired left winger Brendan Shanahan is the only ice hockey player to score over 600 goals and 2,000 penalty minutes.
Guy Lefleur, nicknamed "The Flower" and "Le Démon Blond," is a former ice hockey right winger whose NHL career spanned for 17 seasons.
Advertisement
Mats Sundin is a retired Swedish ice hockey player who spent much of his 20-year NHL career with the Quebec Nordiques.
Former ice hockey player Dave Andreychuk is one of the highest scoring left wingers in NHL history.
Retired hockey player Denis Savard is a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame as well as one of the "100 Greatest NHL Players" in history.
Advertisement
Mike Gartner is a former ice hockey right winger who played for six NHL teams throughout his 19-season career.
Gilbert Perreault is a former hockey player who is considered to be one of the best centers due to his ability to stickhandle in close quarters.
Alex Delvecchio is a retired center/left winger who spent his entire 24-season NHL career with the Detroit Red Wings.
Advertisement
Jarome Iginla, a six-time NHL All-Star, is one of seven players to attain 30 goals in 11 consecutive seasons and one of 20 to score over 600 goals.
Al MacInnis is a retired defenseman who was forced to end his 23-season career in 2003 due to an eye injury.
Jean Ratelle, a Hockey Hall of Famer, spent his 21-season career playing for the New York Rangers and the Boston Bruins.
Advertisement
Peter Šťastný, nicknamed "Peter the Great" and "Stosh," is a former ice hockey center who is the second highest scorer of the 1980s.
Phil Housley is a former ice hockey defenseman who currently serves as the head coach for the NHL Buffalo Sabres.
Norm Ullman is a retired ice hockey forward who spent his 22-season career playing for the Detroit Red Wings, the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Edmonton Oilers.
Advertisement