By Jacob Messing

Last week, FloHockey took a look at the top five Big Ten alumni in the NHL, but given the Minnesota’s plethora of professional talent we decided to follow up with the best Golden Gophers in hockey today.

There were a lot of players in consideration, and there would be even more if we had decided to do an all-time list, which would have included a handful of players from the Miracle On Ice team from the 1980 Olympics in Lake Placid. Instead, we decided to aim for active players. Phil Kessel kicks us off.

1. Phil Kessel | Pittsburgh Penguins

RW | 2005-06

NHL Stats: 860 GP, 308 G, 374 A, 682 Pts., minus-59

Kessel came in at No. 2 on last week’s Big Ten look, so it’s only fitting he leads off his own alma mater. With 12 goals and 33 points through 28 games, the Wisconsin native is on pace for 35 goals and 96 points.

The 30-year-old is a five-time 30-goal scorer and two-time 80-point player, meaning that while his 96-point pace is more than likely to decline, he’s no stranger to elite production. It also helps having Evgeni Malkin as a full-time center, but it’s also worth mentioning Kessel’s 30-goal and 80-point days all came before his time in Pittsburgh.

2. Blake Wheeler | Winnipeg Jets

RW | 2005-08

NHL Stats: 724 GP, 206 G, 343 A, 549 Pts., plus-93

Wheeler is also on pace for top-tier production, soaring towards 21 goals and 106 points. He’s finished with at least 26 goals in each of his past four seasons and 70 points in each of his past two. He currently sits fourth in league scoring and leads the NHL with 28 assists.

It seems the Minnesota native is entering his prime a bit later than usual; at 31, he’s pairing with Mark Scheifele and the two have created one of the best duos in the league. Wheeler may even be the hottest player in the game with two goals and 10 points through four games last week, debuting as FloHockey’s Star of the Week.

The NHL agreed, too, as they named Wheeler their First Star of the Week.

Blake Wheeler (@NHLJets), Carey Price (@CanadiensMTL) and Radek Faksa (@DallasStars) named Three Stars of the Week. https://t.co/IDoBnWwtEF

— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) December 4, 2017

3. Thomas Vanek | Vancouver Canucks

LW | 2002-04

NHL Stats: 912 GP, 339 G, 375 A, 714 Pts., plus-13

Vanek has gotten a bad rap in his career, criticized as a one-way player with a lack of heart. But in his prime, he was a four-time 30-goal scorer and six-time 60-point player. In 2006-07, he scored 43 goals and 84 points and his plus-47 led the NHL.

The 33-year-old Austrian has bounced around in recent years with stints with the Sabres, Islanders, Canadiens, Wild, Red Wings, Panthers, and Canucks over the past five seasons. Aside from misusage in Minnesota, he’s been an effective producer with 46 goals and 124 points in 160 games not played in Buffalo or Minnesota.

4. Nick Leddy | New York Islanders

D | 2009-10

NHL Stats: 523 GP, 52 G, 185 A, 237 Pts., plus-18

With six goals and 21 points in 25 games, Leddy is finally earning the recognition he’s deserved.

The 26-year-old should be considered a legitimate Norris Trophy candidate so far, and it’s not because he’s on pace for 19 goals and 68 points. The Islanders’ top line has helped support his numbers, but Leddy has flown under the radar throughout his career and is likely to best his 46-point career year of last season.

5. Erik Johnson | Colorado Avalanche

D | 2006-07

NHL Stats: 600 GP, 63 G, 183 A, 246 Pts., minus-44

Johnson will never live up to the pressure of being a No. 1 pick — St. Louis took him there in 2006 — but he has been a steady defenseman throughout his 10-year career. The 29-year-old has been in the unfortunate position of being on bottom-feeding teams in the better half of his career.

While he’s neither an offensive stalwart nor a strong plus-minus holder, Johnson has been a contributing top-pair guy in both St. Louis and Colorado. He has 600 games to his name and plays a physical, shot-blocking defensive style that fans love, and he lays it all on the line for the Avalanche every game.

Have a question or a comment for Jacob Messing? You can find him on Twitter @JMessing23.