Who is the greatest hockey player from Pittsburgh?
Jessica Wood Pittsburgh isn’t Montreal or Toronto when it comes to producing NHL talent.
It’s not New Mexico, either.
The NHL is now littered with Western Pennsylvania products, some of whom have become impactful NHL players. There once was a time when anyone making it to the NHL from Pittsburgh — even a defenseman who made the NHL for a cup of coffee — was a big deal. The 2011 NHL Draft changed everything, and not just because Brandon Saad, Vince Trocheck, John Gibson and J.T. Miller were drafted, but because they all became NHL standouts.
Advertisement
Many local players have reached the NHL, but six clearly have separated themselves in the battle of Best Player from Pittsburgh.
Let’s break down the numbers, along with some analysis from R.J. Umberger.
R.J. Umberger
Career stats: 779 games, 180 goals, 212 assists, 392 points, 0.50 PPG
The lowdown: The Plum product enjoyed a very good NHL career, joining Ryan Malone as the true godfathers of Western Pennsylvania hockey players. Umberger was a good power forward who scored 20 or more goals in four straight seasons for the Columbus Blue Jackets. He also bettered the 20-goal mark with the Flyers.
He was a good, steady power forward for a seven-year stretch. It also should be noted that he scored 14 career Stanley Cup playoff goals in only 30 games. His career was cut a bit short by injuries, but there’s no question that he was a good, reliable top-six winger for the better part of a decade.
Umberger’s take: “I take a lot of pride in what I did because there was a barrier before Ryan Malone and I made it to the NHL. We grew up watching Mario Lemieux and Jaromir Jagr. To make it to the same league they were in, as a Pittsburgh kid, it was a really big deal and it always will be to me.”
Ryan Malone
Career stats: 647 games, 179 goals, 191 assists, 370 points, 0.57 PPG
The lowdown: He fittingly started his career with the Penguins and is the first Pittsburgh born and trained player to reach the NHL. He did so with some flair. Malone scored 22 goals in his rookie season for the horrendous 2003-04 Penguins, which was no small feat for a kid. Malone had a similar career to Umberger in that he was an effective power forward for a considerable stretch of time, emerging as Evgeni Malkin’s preferred left wing during the Penguins’ 2008 Stanley Cup final run.
He was a skilled player and even notched five shorthanded goals in one season. As the first born and raised Pittsburgher to represent our city in the NHL, he did well.
Advertisement
Umberger’s take: “He was a heck of a good player. Big, skilled. We were the two that made it up first and that will always be a cool thing. Ryan’s a good guy and had a really good NHL career.”
J.T. Miller
Career stats: 504 games, 122 goals, 187 assists, 309 points, 0.61 PPG
The lowdown: I feel like he’s the most under-the-radar local product. Of the Big Four drafted in 2011, Miller probably received the least amount of hype. This is interesting because he was the first of the four drafted and went to a big market team (the Rangers).
Miller is playing the best hockey of his career, and make no mistake, it’s been a really good career. He’s having one of the great seasons ever authored by a local product, currently putting up 27 goals and 72 points in 69 games during his first season in Vancouver. Miller has managed three 20-goal seasons and appears to be getting better. He’s only 27.
Umberger’s take: “All of the kids who were drafted that year are really, really good players. And J.T. is definitely one of them. Just a really good player.”
John Gibson
Career stats: 287 games, 139-103-33, 2.53 GAA, .918 save percentage
The lowdown: Gibson has emerged as one of hockey’s best goalies. You could make an argument that he’s the most physically gifted goaltender in the game, a rare combination of size and athleticism. His numbers have been hurt by the Ducks’ struggles during the past two seasons, but there’s little doubt that Gibson is a star.
Gibson has also been an international star, leading Team USA to a number of international championships. If NHL players were still participating in the Olympics, he’d be the Team USA starter.
Umberger’s take: “I don’t see Gibby play as often as some of the other guys just because his entire NHL career has been out west in Anaheim and I don’t see those games as often. But I think we all know how good he is. The numbers speak for themselves.”
Advertisement
Brandon Saad
Career stats: 588 games, 169 goals, 178 assists, 347 points, 0.59 PPG
The lowdown: Saad owns two things that no one else on this list can claim: Two Stanley Cup rings. And he came by them honestly. Saad emerged as something of a star during his first stint with the Blackhawks, scoring eight goals in the 2015 postseason during the Hawks’ final Cup run.
While Saad was certainly surrounded by talented teammates from the beginning, he was always considered to be the most talented member of the Big Four. And he is. He’s already produced five 20-goals seasons and scored 31 for the Blue Jackets during the 2015-16 season. A power forward who is a wonderful skater, Saad is among the NHL’s better left wings. The Penguins were interested in him in 2015, but after trade talks stalled, they acquired Phil Kessel instead.
Saad’s career appears to have plateaued in recent years but he still has produced 21 goals in 58 games for the Blackhawks this season. He’s a really good player and his postseason track record is a good one.
Umberger’s take: “I live in Columbus so I got to see him play a lot when he was here. He’s a great hockey player, really fast, can do it all.”
Career stats: 427 games, 112 goals, 172 assists, 284 points, 0.67 PPG
The lowdown: What a player Trocheck has become. While Saad had the advantage of being drafted by a good organization with considerable NHL talent, Trocheck, frankly, did not. The Panthers left him in the AHL for far too long, as he clearly was ready to play in the NHL about a year before he was given the opportunity.
Trocheck has the best points per game figure of any player from Pittsburgh. He’s played in multiple NHL All-Star games and enjoyed an exceptional three-season run from 2015-18. During those three seasons with Florida, Trocheck produced 79 goals, 103 assists and 182 points in 240 games. He’s recently been slowed by multiple lower-body injuries but remains a force when healthy and figures to put up significant numbers with the talented Hurricanes.
Advertisement
Umberger’s take: “These guys can all skate so well, these younger guys. Trocheck is definitely one of those guys. He can really move and he’s turned into a great two-way player.”
Final analysis
So, who is the best player from Pittsburgh? Really, it’s to be determined. I think the numbers and eye test indicate that Saad, Gibson, Trocheck and Miller have surpassed Malone and Umberger.
Picking between the four is difficult. For one, Gibson is a goaltender, so comparing him to the others is difficult, though I’d suggest he is the most dominant hockey player to come from Western Pennsylvania.
Among the skaters?
My current list looks like this:
1. Trocheck
2. Saad
3. Miller
4. Malone
5. Umberger
So here’s the deal. I think Saad has clearly had the most accomplished career of these players. He’s the most polished of this group, the surest bet to score 20 or more goals every season and, I’m willing to bet that he’d be the winner if I conducted a poll. I love Saad on a personal and professional level. He’s terrific. However, I feel like Trocheck, from 2015-2018, played at a higher level than any local product has. And he was doing it for an eternally mediocre organization and without being surrounded by considerable high-end talent. He plays with a fire that I love.
Of any player from Pittsburgh, Trocheck possesses the highest point per game total. This is pretty impressive, and I believe his numbers will take off in Raleigh if he can stay healthy.
Let’s not forget Miller in this equation, either. What a season he is having.
Gibson, of course, could very well be considered the best at his particular job. In fact, I’d say he is. But when determining the “best player,” it’s always hard to figure out where goaltenders should rank.
The beauty of this is that the Pittsburgh Four are all either 26 or 27. Their careers are theoretically and hopefully not even halfway over.
Advertisement
Let the debate rage on. And feel some pride when considering your options.
(Photo of Vincent Trocheck: Isaiah J. Downing / USA Today)
