I was always impressed with Kristian Huselius' high skill level. He proved to be an offensive catalyst at the NHL level, especially on the power play where he benefited from the extra room.
Huselius wasn't known for his size. He lacked strength and aggressiveness to truly emerge as a top NHL star. He also wasn't a notable skater, lacking explosiveness and agility.
But when he had the puck he mesmerized audiences and defenses alike with magical poise and playmaking ability. He was an exciting player, especially in Calgary where he teamed with Daymond Langkow and Jarome Iginla.
Huselius was probably best remembered with the Flames where he scored a career best 77 points in the 2006-07 season. He also played with Florida and Columbus.
A degenerative hip injury forced Huselius off of the ice. He and Columbus were at odds over his recovery from the injury.
"I had not one single practice with the team before my comeback," Huselius said. "I got one pre-game skate. Then I dressed for an NHL game and played 21 minutes. I thought they acted wrongly with me. I hadn't built up enough muscle strength and wasn't ready to play."
He retired with 662 NHL games played, 190 goals and 451 points.
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