Loui Eriksson (Photo: Bridget Samuel/Flickr)

Loui Eriksson brings a solid two-way game of hockey where he can be depended on in his own defensive zone, and a deadly shot which has helped him average 27 goals over the past three seasons, and a career high 36 goals in the 2008-2009 season. What credentials does that give Loui though? Certainly he deserves more than the one all-star appearance he had in 2011, well one reason for Loui being as under the radar as he has been is because the Dallas Stars have not made the playoffs for the past four seasons. A second reason is that the 2011-2012 season was the first season where Loui Eriksson was on the top scoring line not centered by Brad Richards and many NHL experts felt that helped with his stats, but even without Richards Loui Eriksson still managed 71 points (26g, 45a) which is around the same amount Loui averages with Brad Richards at center the three previous seasons. So that means one of a couple things either:

1. Mike Ribeiro is a super center, that a team would be crazy to trade
2. Or Loui Eriksson is simply not given the credit he deserves by NHL media

Notice how NHL media is not giving the credit Loui Eriksson deserves, I say that because in a poll recently ran by Sports Illustrated 179 NHL players were asked to name the most underrated players in the NHL and the top two spots went to Dallas Stars forwards. Voted most underrated was Loui Eriksson and right behind him in second was Jamie Benn. Loui has received lots of love from his local media recently Sportsday DFW is having their annual top athlete of DFW tournament and in a very convincing margin Loui Eriksson defeated Dallas Cowboys linebacker DeMarcus Ware in a vote with 71% of the fan vote. (side note: yesterday Jamie Benn defeated Nastia Liukin in the vote) A lot of eyes are on Loui Eriksson this season as he, Jamie Benn, and newly signed forward Jaromir Jagr will man the first line for Dallas this season and many are expecting big things from this trio especially if Jagr is able to do with Eriksson and Benn what he did with Claude Giroux and Scott Hartnell last season, but that analysis is for another post.

PS: Loui Eriksson goes against Texas Ranger second baseman Ian Kinsler July 12-13, go to this link here on those dates to vote Loui.