Tobias Harris: Rickard Rakell (Anaheim Ducks)
This is about as spot on as it gets. Rickard Rakell is easily the most underrated player in the NHL.
He led the Ducks in points this season at 69 and is the first player not named Ryan Getzlaf, Corey Perry, or Teemu Selanne to lead the team in point since the 2003-2004 season. Without Rakell, the Ducks likely wouldn’t have made the playoffs, where they squeaked in as a wild card and were eliminated in four games against the San Jose Sharks. Nonetheless, Rakell had a stellar season and no one is talking about it, much like LA Clippers franchise centerpiece, Tobias Harris.
Harris puts up all-star numbers, but likely won’t sniff an All-Star game, especially in the West. His 32 games as a Clipper last season were the best games of Harris’s career, putting up 19.3 points and 6.0 rebounds per game. Maybe, as time goes on, both Harris and Rakell might get their much deserved fame and notoriety.
It may be more likely for Rakell, as the Duck’s core of the past few years is getting old. Rakell, Cam Fowler, and John Gibson might lead the team to another Stanley Cup in the future. Both are located in the LA area, both are great shooters, and both are unsung heroes that go under appreciated by many fans.