Unless your team just lost the Stanley Cup, or you loathe the team who won it, you can usually find someone to be happy for after the big prize is awarded.  Often, it’s a grizzled veteran who’s been plying his trade in the NHL for years, and has poured all his blood, sweat and tears into his game, but whose fingers were still devoid of Cup rings.  Think of guys like Dave Andreychuk, Ray Bourque and Rod Brind’Amour.  Well, whatever team wins Lord Stanley’s Mug this year, there’s a good chance they’ll have one of those heart-and-soul types in the lineup.  Here are a few to look for:

Tim Thomas - Boston Bruins

Tim Thomas has played more games in North American minor leagues and European pro leagues than in the NHL.  That’s telling.  A reaction goaltender who was never expected to be much more than a backup, last season he broke through with a career year, and earned himself a number of NHL awards including the Vezina and a first team all-star berth.  Thomas made it the hard way, never cementing his spot as a bona fide starting goalie until Manny Fernandez struggled in 2007-08.  This probably won’t be Boston’s year, but if anyone’s earned the right to play for the Cup, Timmy Thomas has.

Craig Rivet - Buffalo Sabres

The 35-year-old Rivet is with his third NHL team, and while he’s been a part of clubs that were supposedly built to win in the past, he’s never lifted the Cup.  A solid stay-at-home, second-pairing defenceman, Rivet is a leader and a real team guy who will drop the gloves for his teammates at a moment’s notice.  Aside from the occasional big hit, he’s not flashy, but he gets the job done.  And when your teammates are calling you “Old Man River”, you know your career’s end is drawing nigh; time for a trip to the Finals.

Darcy Tucker - Colorado Avalanche

If Darcy Tucker isn’t on your team, chances are that you absolutely hate him.  But you can’t deny that he plays with a ton of heart.  Not exactly tipping the scales with 178 pounds on his 5’10” frame, he nonetheless does his damnedest to wreak all kinds of havoc whenever his skates touch the ice, though that havoc sometimes gets him into trouble with Colin Campbell.  Now 35, Tucker is with his fourth NHL team; he left Toronto in disgrace, bought out by the organization and forced to leave a city that he loved, and that loved him right back.  He no longer puts up the numbers that he did when he was patrolling Mats Sundin’s wing, but the spirit, it seems, is still willing.

Daniel Alfredsson - Ottawa Senators

Ottawa’s longtime captain and fan favourite got close to the Cup a few years ago, but the Senators fell short against the newly-unDisneyfied Anaheim Ducks (he probably shouldn’t have touched the Wales Trophy).  Though it was not the only mistake Ottawa committed, much was made of Alfredsson’s centre-ice slapshot at the second period buzzer in Game 4, which hit opposing captain Scott Niedermayer.  Alfredsson was accused of hitting Niedermayer on purpose, but claimed that the puck had slid down the blade of his stick when he was shooting.  Nevertheless, that series was the closest Alfredsson has come to winning it all, and he’d surely like another chance at it.  He’s 37 years old now, and has spent the entirety of his career with Ottawa; no doubt he’d like to finish things off in Canada’s capital with a Cup.

Evgeni Nabokov - San Jose Sharks

How many times have the San Jose Sharks entered the postseason as one of the favourites to win the Stanley Cup?  Way too many for not having won yet, that’s for sure.  Every time, though, it seems like Evgeni Nabokov has been there.  The 34-year-old goalie has just finished posting his best regular-season save percentage ever; now let’s see if he can bring that into the playoffs.  He’ll need some of the guys up front to get the job done - Joe Thornton has never shown himself to be a big game player yet, but the Sharks need him to lead the way - and the steadying presences of Rob Blake and Dan Boyle will have to help out in the Sharks’ own end.  Yes, much will rest on Nabby’s shoulders, but he needs his team in front of him to be the juggernaut it’s perennially expected to be.  Is this the year the Sharks finally devour their opponents?

Shane Doan - Phoenix Coyotes

Shane Doan has played more games for Canada at the World Championships than NHL playoff games.  If that doesn’t tell you how the Coyotes have fared since 1996, I don’t know what does.  It’s been eight years since Shane Doan has played a postseason match, but he’s leading a team who suddenly seems to have forgotten that no one cares whether they win or lose.  It’s a bit of a shame for someone who plays with so much heart and determination to have spent most of his career in the Arizona desert, where the only ice is in the drinks.  Even though Doan scored only 18 goals this season, however, he’s leading a team that finally seems like it could be going somewhere.  If ever he had a chance to bust the Phoenix Coyotes out of perpetual mediocrity and into the public eye, this is it.

Steve Sullivan - Nashville Predators

Last year, Steve Sullivan won the Bill Masterton award for perseverance and dedication to hockey.  This year, he’s likely thinking of something a little bit bigger.  The speedy-but-diminutive forward (5’8”) has always been a valuable point producer throughout his career, as well as a leader on every team he’s played for.  A 9th-round draft pick, he’s continued to prove doubters wrong, and has shown himself to be another of those players whose small stature belies his enormous heart.  If you can’t bring yourself to cheer for Steve Sullivan, there might be something wrong with you (or you’re this guy).

Ryan Smyth - Los Angeles Kings

There’s no way you can have a list like this and leave Captain Canada off of it.  With 60 games played in the World Championships, Ryan Smyth has been on the outside of the playoffs looking in far too many times, but has still managed to make his mark whenever his team does land a ticket to the dance.  And he helped take the Edmonton Oilers oh-so-close in 2006 before losing to Carolina in Game 7 - a heartbreaker if ever there was one.  He was dealt to the Islanders a season later to try and help them in their playoff appearance, and good on him for giving it his all despite his devastation at leaving his beloved Oilers.  Now, after two seasons with the Avalanche, he’s helped bring the Los Angeles Kings back to the playoffs.  With a quick young team that includes the likes of Drew Doughty and Anze Kopitar, the Kings are built to make some noise, and Ryan Smyth could be the one to lead them to the promised land.

Now, let’s say all these guys were on a team together.  Who would coach them?  Oh, I don’t know, how about…

Lindy Ruff - Buffalo Sabres

He’s coached a total of 954 NHL games (regular season and playoffs), and got within a game of the Stanley Cup in 1999, when Buffalo was robbed in Game 6 by Brett Hull’s foot-in-the-crease OT winner.  Since then, he’s stuck with Buffalo through thick, thin, and a constantly-revolving door of players, as the team can’t make ends meet well enough to cope with high salary demands.  With Ryan Miller playing at his best, though, the always-quick and always-determined Sabres could finally put together another big run.