Darius Kasparaitis

Kasparaitis is one of two Lithuanians who made it to the NHL. He was 20 when he came to the NHL and immediately established himself as one of the most punishing body-checkers in professional hockey. He was extremely unpopular with opponents, who could be seen emerging from encounters in the corners with Kasparaitis in a state of sheer rage. During his career, the hard-hitting Kasparaitis has suffered at least as much pain as he has inflicted on others. A strong skater who mostly concentrated on the defensive side of the game, Kasparaitis had an infectious enthusiasm for the game. He left the NHL in 2007 and played two more seasons for SKA St. Petersburg in the KHL before retiring as a professional player. But after four years without official hockey games he came back. In 2013 he made his formal transfer back to Lithuania and joined the Hockey Punks Vilnius. He has played four consecutive seasons in the top Lithuanian league. In his playing days he was known as a big spender, blowing his high paychecks on clothes and cars and nights out. But he has settled down and started his own real estate development company.

In 1992 during the split up he stayed with the Russian system, won Olympic gold with the "Unified Team", he represented Russia in the World Championship as he did in 1996, at three more Olympic Winter Games (1998, 2002, 2006) and the 2004 World Cup of Hockey.