Hockey vs Lacrosse- The Best NHLers to Play Lax

Anyone who was lucky enough to watch Michael Jordan play basketball knows why he's considered the greatest basketball player of all time. However, if those same people never saw him play basketball, but only watched him play baseball, well, they wouldn't think of him as much of an athlete. Many athletes over the years have attempted to play multiple sports. Some, like Jordan, failed miserably while others, most famously Deion Sanders, succeeded.

The relationship between lacrosse and hockey is one where players can cross over fairly easily. As was discussed on this week's episode of Remember the Raiders, hockey players looking to stay sharp and in shape during the off season have taken to lacrosse. The two sports use a lot of similar plays and skills and use similar muscles so it's only natural athletes can switch over, continue playing all year and not face burn out.

This week, Joe Nieuwendyk was inducted into the hockey hall of fame. His NHL career defined who he was, no doubt, but his lacrosse background helped make him the athlete he was. He even admitted earlier this week "I probably liked lacrosse better than hockey." Growing up in Whitby Nieuwendyk played minor lacrosse for the Warriors and won back-to-back Minto cups in 1984/85. He scored over 200 career regular season goals, and 117 in the playoffs and is widely considered one of the best players from that decade (1980s).

Joe played with a teammate who was also an NHL star who was once drafted to the NLL. Who was it? And who are other lacrosse players with successful NHL careers? The rest of this Joe Nieuwendyk inspired post, after the jump.

Another member of that 1985 Minto Cup team who went on to play in the NHL was Gary Roberts. Known more for protecting the other star players on the ice, like Nieuwendyk, Roberts played hard his whole NHL career and came away with 3 All-Star game appearances and 1 Stanley Cup win. In over 1200 NHL games Roberts totaled over 900 points and over 2500 penalty minutes. Yeah, sounds like a lacrosse player. The Calgary Roughnecks shocked the lacrosse world in 2004 when they selected Gary Roberts with the 65th, and final, pick in the entry draft that year. The team admitted, it would be great PR and he was in shape, plus it would help him stay active during the NHL lockout. The story goes Gary Roberts was at an autograph signing for the Flames and was asked about being selected. He promptly responded, "not a chance."

Arguably the busiest man in sports today, Brendan Shanahan also had a successful lacrosse career before hitting the ice in the NHL. Lacrosse fans will know Brian Shanahan as the colour commentator for TSN, NBC and Sportsnet broadcasts, as well as his weekly power rankings on ILIndoor.com (formerly NLLInsider). Yes, the two are brothers. Both played in Mimico at different times, and Brendan also suited up for a Mississauga midget team, where he was teammate to the Bandits John Tavares. Similar to Roberts, Shanahan averaged just under 1 point per game in his career, but almost 1.75 penalty minutes per game. Shanny dressed for 8 NHL All-Star games and has 3 Stanley Cups to his credit. He retired in 2009 and promptly joined the league's head office. He will be eligible for the NHL Hall of Fame in 2012 and it's only a matter of time before his phone rings. During the lockout, Brendan tried out for the Toronto Rock, who he had a share of ownership at the time. Nothing came of it, but it could've been great to see Gary Roberts and Brendan Shanahan battling it out in the corner. Of a lacrosse arena.

The most recent NHL'er to bring the Stanley Cup to Toronto also got his start in lacrosse. David Bolland, like the Shanahans, grew up in Mimico and when his Chicago Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup, he posed with it outside the Mimico Arena where he played junior hockey and lacrosse. As recent as 2001/2002 Bolland suited up for the Junior B Mountaineers where he had 33 goals and 48 assists for 81 points in 40 games (an average of just over 2ppg). Bolland has become a mainstay on the Blackhawks blueline and it's been said he's fiercer on the lacrosse field than the ice. Did you hear that? It was the sound of NLL forwards breathing a sigh of relief he chose a career in hockey. Like the Shanahans, Dave's brother Brandon also plays lacrosse (in goal) for Mimico. Hear that? It was the same forwards soiling themselves.

Finally, we reach way back into the archives for a player who literally was the Deion Sanders of his time. Lionel Conacher was named Canada's athlete of the half century for 1900 - 1950, and for good reason. Conacher excelled in no less than five sports in Toronto (lacrosse, hockey, football, wrestling, and rugby) (and those are the ones that are documented ...). He won the Grey Cup with the Toronto Argonauts in 1921, the International League baseball title with the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1926, 2 Stanley Cups (1934: Blackhawks, 1935: Montreal Maroons), and other lacrosse, boxing and wrestling championships. He was named to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1994 to go with his nominations in the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame and Canadian Football Hall of Fame. The Canadian Press's Athlete of the Year award is named after Conacher. And, yes, he started with lacrosse.

This is just a short list of hockey players who also played lacrosse. Other notables include, Wayne Gretzky, Steven Stamkos, John Tavares (New York Islanders, nephew of the Bandits star), Paul Kariya, Kyle Turris, Gordie Howe, Bobby Orr, Joe Sakic, Doug Gilmour, Paul Coffey, Adam Oates, Johnathan Toews and Cody Hodgson. No fewer than 6 more Hall of Famers and at least 3 certain future members. The others are current stars. If you want to succeed in hockey, play lacrosse.