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April 13, 2016

Cam Janssen

It does not take a lot of imagination to figure out what kind of a player Cam Janssen was. One look at his resume shows 336 career NHL games with just six goals, fourteen points and 774 penalty minutes.

In fact he only took 105 shots on net.

"When we create chances off the forecheck and the cycle, I'm usually in front of the net," Janssen explained. "If they kept stats on being hit with shots, I'd be in the top five."

Toughness kept him in the NHL, but his lack of production always kept him worry about his spot on the roster. But finding ways to contribute offensively in his limited role was very tough.

"It's tough to make those types of things happen when you're only on the ice for two-and-a-half or three minutes a game," said Janssen, who actually average less than five minutes per game in his career.

"When they send me on the ice, I'm not out there to go score. I'm supposed to bring energy, get a couple of hits and get off the ice. In the one-goal games, I'm not going to get out there and get those chances to score."

Janssen got into no fewer than 115 fights in his NHL career, though his most famous may have been a beat-down by the much bigger Wade Belak as retaliation for Janssen's late hit on Toronto's Tomas Kaberle.

"A guy like Cam takes care of all the stuff that nobody wants to," said appreciative teammate Jamie Langenbrunner.

And by playing that role Janssen was able to play parts of five seasons with the New Jersey Devils and another four with his hometown St. Louis Blues.

Janssen would actually extend his career by playing in Great Britain, serving as the new "Sheriff of Nottingham."

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