Chicago Blackhawks: 3 most underrated players from the dynasty

Right next to Niklas Hjalmarsson on most nights was Johnny Oduya. Not only did he have one of the most fun names to say in hockey, but he was also a great player. Oduya started his career with the New Jersey Devils before they traded to the Atlanta Thrashers. When the Atlanta Thrashers moved to become the Winnipeg Jets, they traded him to the Chicago Blackhawks. He then went on to be a big part of two Stanley Cup Championship squads.

Oduya and Hjalmarsson were countrymen and they made a great pair on the ice. They formed one of the best shutdown pairs in the league. If Keith and Seabrook had their hands full, Oduya and  Hjalmarsson were the perfect pair to complement them. As a top-four unit, they were hard to beat. Having Oduya as the number four guy was a big key in their success. A lot of people think of star players when they think of this dynasty but Oduya played a major role.

Oduya has since retired and the Blackhawks surely miss him. He was one of the perfect guys to have on a pair with one of the better defensive-minded defenseman of the era in Hjalmarsson. He was also able to join in with the rush a little bit more. He wasn’t nearly as good with the Hawks offensively as he was with New Jersey but he was a better all-around player for the Hawks. He was perfect for what they needed and deserves a lot of credit for it.