NHL Stars and Their Lesser-Known Brothers

There have been many famous brother acts in the NHL, most notably the Staals, Sutters and Richards, but some siblings have spent their careers in the shadows of their family's biggest name. Here are 18 notable examples.

Author:
SI Staff
Publish date:
Dec 22, 2015

NHL Stars and Their Lesser-Known Brothers

Jamie and Jordie Benn

Jamie (right), the NHL's 2014-15 scoring champion, was a fifth round pick by the Stars in 2007. At 26, he's now a two-time All-Star and one of the team's feared offensive weapons. Older brother Jordie was signed by Dallas as undrafted free agent in Oct. 2010 and worked his way out of the AHL to become a valuable depth defenseman with the Stars.

Wayne and Brent Gretzky

The NHL’s all-time highest scoring brother duo torched the record book with combined career totals of 894 goals, 2,861 points, 10 scoring titles, nine Hart trophies, and four Stanley Cups. Of course, big brother Wayne did the bulk of the work. Brent, also a center, contributed a goal and three assists in 13 games for Tampa Bay from 1993 to ’95 during a brief interruption of his 15 years in the minors and overseas.

Mario and Alain Lemieux

The Hall of Famer and his older brother were briefly teammates during the 1986-87 season when Mario was sidelined by a virus and Alain was called up from the AHL to replace him. The Penguins' equipment manager offered Alain jersey No. 33, a play on Mario’s 66 and their respective sizes: Alain was 6’, 185; Mario 6’ 4’, 210. Alain’s lone game with the Pens concluded his NHL career, which lasted parts of six seasons as a fourth liner with St. Louis, Quebec and Pittsburgh.

Gordie and Vic Howe

The legendary Mr. Hockey’s storied pro career spanned 2,186 games, 975 goals, 2,358 points, six Art Ross and six Hart trophies, four Stanley Cups, two Avco World Cups, two leagues (NHL, WHA) and 32 years. Younger brother Vic’s consisted of parts of three seasons (33 games, 1950-55) as a winger for the Rangers.

Marcel and Gilbert Dionne

Steve Babineau/NHLI/Getty Images; Mitchell Layton/Getty Images

Marcel’s 18-year career with the Red Wings, Kings and Rangers made him a Hall of Famer and the NHL’s fifth most prolific goal scorer (731) of all time. Gilbert, 19 years younger, was drafted by Montreal in the fourth round in 1990. He arrived in the league the year after Marcel retired and lasted six seasons, twice scoring 20 or more goals. He was also included in the 1995 trade that sent John LeClair to the Flyers. But he did one thing Marcel didn’t: win the Stanley Cup.

Ken and Dave Dryden

Bruce Bennett Studios/Getty Images; Denis Brodeur/NHLI via Getty Images

Ken’s achievements—five Vezinas, a Conn Smythe, the Calder, six Stanley Cups—during an NHL career that lasted only eight years are the stuff of legend and the Hall of Fame. Older brother Dave’s pro career began as an emergency goalie with the Rangers in 1962. He later became Hall of Famer Glenn Hall’s backup with Chicago. As a Sabre, he faced Ken in a 1971 game (Montreal won, 5-2) and later played in the 1974 NHL All-Star Game before jumping to Edmonton of the WHA.

Sergei and Fedor Fedorov

Art Foxall/Getty Images; Shelly Castellano/Icon SMI

Sergei defected from the Soviet Union in 1990 and went on to a Hall of Fame career with Detroit, Anaheim, Columbus and Washington. A superb two-way forward with dazzling offensive skills, his 483 career NHL goals were the most by a Russian player until Alex Ovechkin topped him in 2015. Fedor, 12 years younger, was a center who had cups of coffee (18 games) with the Canucks and Rangers between 2002 and 2006, posting one assist.

Marian and Marcel Hossa

Marian (right), a first round pick by Ottawa in 1997, is earning Hall of Fame consideration with a career that now includes more than 490 goals and 1,000 points, five All-Star Games and three Cups with Chicago. Younger brother and fellow winger Marcel played in 237 NHL games with the Canadiens, Rangers and Coyotes (2001-08) before returning to their native Slovakia. As recently as 2009-10, he had a 35-goal season in the KHL, a pro career high.

Paul and Steve Kariya

A speedy, diminutive (5’ 10”, 185) winger, Paul was a first round pick (No. 4) by the Ducks in '93. He took more than his share of lumps during 15 seasons in the NHL (concussions forced him to retire in 2010) but he heroically produced seven All-Star nods, two Lady Byng trophies, 402 goals and 989 points. Younger brother Steve, even smaller (5’ 8”, 170), starred at Maine but went undrafted. He was signed by the Canucks in 1999 and spent parts of three seasons in the NHL before departing for Sweden and Finland.

Henrik and Joel Lundqvist

King Henrik reigns on Broadway as one of the NHL’s finest goalies, a three-time All-Star and the 2012 Vezina winner. Twin brother Joel, a center, was a 2000 third round pick by Dallas, who passed on Henrik that year until the Rangers plucked him in the seventh round. Joel lasted three seasons with the Stars (200-09) scoring seven goals and 26 points with a -17 rating in 134 games before returning to their native Sweden to continue playing.

Ryan and Drew Miller

The Miller boys played their college hockey at Michigan State, with Ryan being taken by the Sabres in the fifth round of the '99 NHL draft. He won the Vezina Trophy with Buffalo in 2010 and is a two-time Olympian with Team USA. Drew, his younger brother, was drafted by the Ducks in the sixth round in '03. He’s now a hardworking, defensive winger with the Red Wings. Three of their older cousins—Kip, Kelly and Kevin—also played in the NHL.

Mark and Paul Messier

Hall of Famer Mark was a legendary leader, 15-time All-Star, and winner of six Cups (Oilers, Rangers) and two Hart trophies. He ranks second on the NHL’s all-time points list (1,887). Older brother Paul, a center who starred at the University of Denver, was a third round pick by the local Rockies in '78. Not as big or physical as Mark, he made it into nine NHL games that season, scoring no points and ending up -6. He spent the rest of his career in the AHL, CHL and Europe, where he finally blossomed into a scorer.

Chris and Sean Pronger

Bruce Bennett Studios, Brian Bahr/Getty Images

Bruising backliner Chris was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2015, after a stellar 18-year NHL career that included winning the 2000 Hart and Norris trophies. A first round pick (No. 2) by the Whalers in '93, Chris hoisted the Cup with the Ducks in 2007. Older brother Sean, a forward, played for 16 pro teams (seven of them in the NHL) in five leagues and three countries between 1988-2005, chronicling his career in the 2012 book “Journeyman.”

Patrick and Stephane Roy

Known in Montreal as St. Patrick, the Hall of Fame goalie held the NHL’s career victories record until Martin Brodeur broke it in 2009. Along the way, the 11-time All-Star won three Vezina, three Conn Smythe trophies and four Cups between 1984-2003. Younger brother Stephane, a forward, was a third-round pick by the North Stars in ‘85 who had a blink-and-you’ll-miss-him NHL career: 12 games in 1987-88. He scored one goal and played in various minor leagues until 2001.

Billy and Gord Smith

In the 1970s, while Battlin’ Billy was developing into the gritty “money goaltender” who would backstop the Islanders to four straight Stanley Cups (1980-83) and earn enshrinement in the Hall of Fame, older brother Gord was manning the blue line for some woeful Capitals and Jets squads. He spent six seasons in the NHL, scoring nine goals and ending up with a rather unsightly career mark of -137.

Scott and Mike Stevens

A first round pick (No. 5) by the Capitals in 1982, Scott was a notoriously punishing defenseman and respected leader who spent 22 years in the NHL, racking up Hall of Fame credentials that included 13 All-Star Game invites, three Stanley Cups (with the Devils) and the 2000 Conn Smythe. Younger brother Mike, a winger, was taken by the Canucks in the third round (1984) and later appeared in 23 NHL games with four teams before spending the rest of his career, which ended in 2004, in the minors and Europe.

Bryan and Rocky Trottier

A superb two-way forward, Bryan was a pillar of the dynastic Islanders of the early ‘80s. Along with four Cups, he won the Calder, Ross, Hart, Conn Smythe and King Clancy trophies during his 18-season, Hall of Fame NHL career. Younger brother Rocky, a winger, was the first-round pick in the family (No. 8 in 1982; Bryan went in the second round of ‘74). Expected to become the face of the Devils franchise, Rocky's NHL career lasted 38 games between ’83 and ’85. He spent the rest of his career in the AHL and Europe.

Pierre and Sylvain Turgeon

A first round pick by the Sabres in '87 and expected to become Buffalo’s next Gil Perreault, Pierre went on to score 515 goals and 1,327 points during his 19-season NHL career. A gifted playmaker, he had a career year with the Islanders in 1992-93 when he scored 58 goals and 132 points while helping them reach the Eastern finals. Sylvain, a winger, was often overshadowed his younger brother, but from 1983-95 he quietly put together a career that included an All-Star nod plus two 40-goal and two 30-goal seasons with four NHL teams.