Most Valuable NHL Role Players: Chad LaRose, Carolina Hurricanes
SI knows what's up: Signed by Carolina as an undrafted free agent in 2005, the speedy and obtrusive winger worked his way up from the fourth line to the second last season, scoring 19 goals plus four more in the playoffs. He's at his best in big games, a quality that earned him a new two-year contract in July along with public praise from GM Jim Rutherford as "a key guy for our franchise." Interestingly enough, the very next guy on the list is our boy Andrew Ladd. I was at the draft that year, and I guess I'm a little sad he never turned out to be the star the RBC thought we were trading up to get that day.

