The biggest piece of criteria I feel needs to be established is position, mainly with the forwards, who can sometimes play either on the wing or at center. When it comes to determining position, I am simply going to use the position listed on the player’s Hockey Reference page. For example, Keith Tkachuk could play center and wing, but his Hockey Reference page lists him as a left winger. If Big Walt were to make this list (and he definitely is not), I would consider him only as a left winger.
Speaking of left wing, let’s start there.
Left Wing: Vitali Prokhorov
After injuries limited Vitali Prokhorov to just 26 games in 1992-93, he broke out the following season with 15 goals in 55 games. He then led the Blues in scoring during the 1994-95 preseason. The Russian forward was seemingly on his way to another strong season. What could go wrong?
Two words. Mike Keenan. He became the Blues’ head coach starting in 1994. Despite leading the team in scoring in the preseason, Prokhorov was a healthy scratch in eight of the team’s first ten games. Furthermore, he was sent to the minor leagues. Prokhorov only played in two NHL games that season and never played in one again after that.
Why It Is Interesting
Not only is Prokhorov a one-hit wonder, but he is a classic case of “what if?” Instead of seeing what his career could have been, he is instead another chapter in the bizarre coaching career of Keenan.
Center: Eric Boguniecki
Eric Boguniecki was drafted in 1993 and showed scoring potential in the minor leagues. After 13 games and a single goal between 1999 and 2002, the New Haven native got a full-time role during the 2002-03 season. Playing in 80 games, he scored 22 goals and recorded 49 points.
Boguniecki was never the same player after that season. He only played in another 85 NHL games, recording just 26 points. He did showcase his offensive skills in the minor leagues, but never replicated his 2002-03 season. Boguniecki ended up with just 34 goals in his NHL career. 22 of them came in his one-hit season.
Why It Is Interesting
Boguniecki’s one-hit season was followed by a shoulder injury limiting him to 27 games in 2003-04. Furthermore, the entire 2004-05 season was lost to the lockout. Could the time away from hockey contribute to why a player with offensive potential suddenly stopped scoring?
Right Wing: Jim Campbell
Jim Campbell signed with the Blues before the 1996-97 season with just 16 games and two goals on his resume. The Massachusetts native proceeded to have a breakout season, scoring 23 goals in 68 games, finishing third in Calder Trophy voting. Furthermore, he followed that up with 22 goals the next season and recorded 10 points in 10 playoff games.
After that, Campbell only scored 14 goals the rest of his career. He played for four other teams, but could never find his one-hit magic.
Why It Is Interesting
Campbell is a one-hit wonder who shares a similar story with Prokhorov: the Keenan factor. Unlike Prokhorov, however, Campbell saw increased playing time under Keenan. The head coach used Campbell to replace Brett Hull on the power-play unit whenever the two butted heads. When Keenan left, so did his bizarre strategy with Campbell and Hull. Campbell did have his second strong season after Keenan left, so while his story may not have been all about how Keenan used him, it is an interesting story all the same.