The NHL players on this list would be remembered by almost nobody, if not for one very special Stanley Cup season.
They are the most unlikely of Stanley Cup heroes: the guys who came out of nowhere to dominate the Stanley Cup Playoffs for one brief moment.
John Druce, Washington Capitals, 1990
A minor-league forward with fewer than 100 games played in the NHL, Druce briefly brokethrough when the Washngton Capitals needed him most.
In 15 playoff games, he recorded 14 goals and 3 assists, leading a success-starved franchise to victory over the heavily-favored New York Rangers and New Jersey Devils before the Caps ran out of steam in the semifinals.
Most memorable for Capitals fans was his scorching scoring pace against the Rangers: nine goals in five games.
Through the rest of his NHL career, Druce scored six points in 37 playoff games.
Frank "Ulcers" McCool, Toronto Maple Leafs, 1945
With many players overseas fighting the war, a window opened for McCool in 1944-45. The rookie goaltender turned in a fine season, then led Toronto to the Stanley Cup, upsetting the heavily-favored Montreal Canadiens and Detroit Red Wings. McCool opened the Stanley Cup Final with three straight shutouts against Detroit.
McCool sat out part of the following season because of a contract dispute, and never regained his previous form. He was released at the end of the season and never played another NHL game.
Chris Kontos, Los Angeles Kings, 1989
A true journeyman who had made several stops in the the NHL, the minor leagues, and Europe, Kontos joined the L.A. Kings just in time to rack up nine goals in 11 playoff games.
1989 marked Wayne Gretzky's debut season in L.A., so the spotlight was shining bright when Kontos went on his streak, guaranteeing maximum media exposure.
The following year, he scored one goal in five playoff games, and never again played in the Stanley Cup tournament.
Steve Penney, Montreal Canadiens, 1984
With career experience of just four NHL games, Penney was called the minors for the Stanley Cup Playoffs, and responded with a stellar showing. He won nine games and posted three shutouts as Montreal made it to the semifinals before losing to the Islanders.
Penney took over as the Canadiens starting goaltender the following season. But he lost the job within a couple of years and was retired by 1988.
"Sudden Death" Mel Hill, Boston Bruins, 1939
Hill earned his nickname by scoring three overtime goals in one series, as Boston defeated the New York Rangers. Two of those games went to triple overtime, including game seven. He also chipped in several points as the Bruins beat Toronto in the Stanley Cup Final.
Though he remained an NHL player until 1946, Hill never came close to matching his '39 heroics for the Bruins.
Steve Payne, Minnesota North Stars, 1981
Payne established himself with a 42-goal season in 1979-80. But the following year he went on one of the all-time great playoff runs, with 17 goals and 12 assists in 19 games as the North Stars made an unexpected charge to the Stanley Cup Final.
Though he never again approached those heights, Payne remained a consistent 25-30 goal scorer in the NHL until injuries derailed his career in the last eighties.
