There’s no right way to end a professional hockey career.

This is true even for those whose path ultimately leads to the Hockey Hall of Fame, after achieving the highest levels of success.

Two of this year’s inductees were presented with the rare, perhaps romanticized opportunity to leave the game as a Stanley Cup champion after their respective teams prevailed in a winner-take-all Game 7.

But as one made an immediate decision to hang up the skates, the timing wasn't quite right for the other.

Sendoff was Bruin

Since 2001, three players who appeared in over 1,000 regular-season games opted to step away from the NHL upon winning a Game 7 in the Cup Final (according to Katie Strang, then of ESPN): Ray Bourque with the Colorado Avalanche (2001), Ken Daneyko with the New Jersey Devils (2003), and Mark Recchi with the Boston Bruins (2011).

It’s the latter who’s one of four former NHL forwards being honored as a 2017 inductee into the Hockey Hall of Fame, and who confirmed his retirement in an interview with NBC's Pierre McGuire during the on-ice aftermath of an emotional victory over the Canucks in Vancouver.

Recchi knew the time was right, and would have made the same call had the Bruins lost.

"I pretty much had my mind set," Recchi told theScore. "I called (former Bruin) Shawn Thornton the night before and told him it was going to be my last game the next day, so I pretty much had my mind made up.

"It was a long run, I played 110 games I think that year - something like that. I was 43. It would have taken a lot to get to where I needed to be in September. I think mentally I was at a point where I wouldn't have been able to do it."

The Cup win was the third of Recchi's career, having previously won with Pittsburgh (1991) and Carolina (2006).

Victory lap delayed

(Photo courtesy: Getty Images)

Another 2017 inductee had a chance to go out on the same note and add his name to the list above, but ultimately decided to keep playing.

Dave Andreychuk didn’t have to wait as long as Bourque for his first taste from the Cup, but came pretty close. The former Tampa Bay captain reached 1,597 regular-season games before finally winning with the Lightning in 2004 - while the legendary defenseman appeared in 1,612 before getting his.

At age 40, no one would have questioned Andreychuk for calling it quits in that moment, but instead, he chose to give it another go with the Lightning, even after - or perhaps especially because - the season following the Cup win was wiped away due to a lockout.

"(It was) unfortunate for us in '05, really," he said. "We were hurt the most of any team (by the lockout), or any city. We didn't get our victory lap. We were all signed and ready to come back to battle, to get to another Stanley Cup. We didn't go to the White House. There's a lot of things that hurt us. The momentum that we created in Tampa, with all the young kids - they had never seen a two-month playoff drive before. That all kind of went away in '05."

His return lasted 42 games, during which he added six goals to the 634 previously amassed. It ended after being placed on waivers by then general manager Jay Feaster, who according to the CBC, said, "After giving ourselves half a season to evaluate and analyze, it became clear to us that David's game was not suited to the new NHL."

Andreychuk does not regret giving it another go. The regret, he says, would have come in not trying.

"Coming back in '06, there were rule changes. Basically for me, there was a conversation with both Jay Feaster and (head coach) John Tortorella, about 'we'll revisit this in a few months and see how things are going,'" he said.

"I'm glad I came back, because I now know that I was ready to retire, and I was told by my dad to do it - 'Make sure you're sure, and you're not going to sit around Christmas time and say I wish I would have tried.' I know I tried, and I was satisfied."

Recchi and Andreychuk will be officially inducted into the Hall of Fame in a ceremony on Nov. 13 in Toronto, along with fellow players Teemu Selanne, Paul Kariya, Danielle Goyette, and builders Clare Drake and Jeremy Jacobs.

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The New Jersey Devils are the latest team to prove that you can shut down Edmonton Oilers stars Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl all night long and still get burned in the end.

That’s how special the reigning Hart Trophy winner and his talented linemate are - as they showed in the five-second span that ended Thursday’s game.

With 21.3 seconds remaining in overtime, McDavid curled back to his blue line and took a pass from Kris Russell. As the defenseman went back to the bench for a change, McDavid streaked up the right side of the rink, using one big stride to blow the doors off Devils forward Brian Gibbons. After getting past Gibbons’ waving attempt at a check, McDavid skated in on Cory Schneider, and was all alone by the time he reached the faceoff dot.

With a chance to put a move on and try to score the game-winning goal, McDavid instead slammed on the brakes at the edge of the circle. Devils defenseman John Moore, racing back desperately to break up the play, totally lost contact with the trailing Draisaitl, so McDavid stickhandled once and tapped the puck across the slot. Draisaitl popped a one-timer past Schneider, and that was that - 3-2 Oilers:

(Video courtesy: @EdmontonOilers Twitter)

The connection between McDavid and Draisaitl only grows the more they play together, the more that one knows what to expect from the other. That is the jump between having two players whose skills match up well and having two players who can regularly impact games.

"We’re two players that have played together for a long time," McDavid said. "We’re both smart players, and expect each other to kind of look for the extra pass. I definitely think he was expecting it, just like I was expecting it the other night. I did (think to shoot), but then I saw him coming, and I thought, 'Why not?'"

That’s a question McDavid would ask in his mind in the fraction of a second before sending his pass to the perfect spot for his linemate to bury the winner. In order to be ready to convert it, Draisaitl has to know what might be going through McDavid’s mind as he streaks up the ice - and thanks to their experience together, he does.

"He’s so good at finding people, and you just have to bear down and be ready for the puck," Draisaitl said. "Maybe back in Germany (some players would attempt McDavid-like passes), but not at his speed and not at this level, certainly. He’s, I think, the best player at doing that, at the speed he does it at. He’s a special guy."

(Photo courtesy: Getty Images)

The McDavid and Draisaitl Show dazzled fans and opposing teams alike last season, when McDavid won the scoring title with 100 points and Draisaitl added 85. Now in their second season as one of the NHL's most dangerous tandems, even teammates are astonished at their on-ice artistry.

"Not many guys (can make that play)," Oilers winger Milan Lucic said. "I think of the five minutes (of 3-on-3 overtime), the two of them might have played three and a half of it, so you knew eventually the two of them were going to create something like that. You see it in practice. You see it in games. And they did it once again here."

There has to be good on-ice chemistry with teammates for McDavid to be as good as he can be, because McDavid makes plays that few, if any, players in the league even think to make. The goal in New Jersey was one such moment: how many NHL players go for the goal in that situation? Because McDavid knows Draisaitl will be there to get the pass, can handle it, and can score, he’s willing to make a pass that few would attempt.

"They’ve been together now for almost three years in a 3-on-3 situation, and that’s a very potent pair on the ice at that time because they see the ice so well," Oilers head coach Todd McLellan said.

"They complement each other’s skill set with size and passing and speed and vision. The night before was even more of a spectacular play on the overtime goal (against the Islanders on Tuesday). The camaraderie between the two is evident 3-on-3, but it also exists 5-on-5."

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Nicklas Backstrom is the center of attention in Washington these days, but for reasons wholly unfamiliar.

The Capitals center finds himself in the midst of a seven-game point drought, the longest such streak up to this point in his career.

Since Backstrom entered the NHL in 2007, only five players have recorded more than his 740 points: teammate Alex Ovechkin (855), Sidney Crosby (818), Patrick Kane (766), Evgeni Malkin (765), and Joe Thornton (740).

Backstrom is averaging 0.99 points per game through the beginning of his 11th season, so to go seven appearances without so much as a secondary assist is quite something.

Still, Capitals head coach Barry Trotz, who's seen his team post a record of 4-3-0 without any tangible offensive contributions from his top center, remains firmly in Backstrom's corner.

"(Backstrom) has done a really good job," Trotz said, per Tom Gulitti of NHL.com. "I know there's a lot been said about not scoring or whatever. To me, it's about winning, and he's had all of the tough matchups. He's still creating good offense, but he hasn't got the numbers.

"I don't think I have to tell you what I think of Nicklas Backstrom. He's one of the best two-way centermen in the National Hockey League and he should be a Selke (Trophy) candidate every year."

Backstrom will look to get back on the score sheet Friday against Pittsburgh.

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Jesse Puljujarvi will get another chance to prove he is NHL material as the Edmonton Oilers have recalled the forward from the AHL's Bakersfield Condors, the club announced Friday.

The promotion comes courtesy of a lower-body injury to forward Anton Slepyshev that has landed the 23-year-old on the injured reserve.

If Puljujarvi does indeed draw into the Oilers' lineup in their next game - Saturday against the New York Rangers - it will be his first appearance with the club since he suited up against the Boston Bruins on Jan. 5.

The 19-year-old has gotten off to a rough start since being drafted fourth overall in 2016, having managed just one goal and eight points in 28 NHL games. Puljujarvi earned the call-up after posting five points in 10 contests while averaging over three shots per game with the Condors this season.

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The scenery may change, but Jaromir Jagr just keeps on scoring, as the ageless wonder notched his first goal as a member of the Calgary Flames on Thursday.

Jagr's first goal of the season was the 766th of his illustrious career.

In addition to the tally, the 45-year-old also has an assist to his credit on the night, earning his first multi-point game with Calgary.

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Jason Zucker is as hot as they come right now.

The Minnesota Wild forward played a big hand in helping his team snap a three-game losing streak Thursday, scoring all three of the club's goals in their shutout victory over the Montreal Canadiens.

This came one night after Zucker tallied two goals in a losing effort against the Toronto Maple Leafs.

The recent hot streak has given the 25-year-old a team-leading eight goals and 13 points in 15 games.

On a team with Eric Staal, Mikael Granlund, and Mikko Koivu, Zucker is not who you'd expect to be leading the team in scoring.

Given the man-games lost to key forwards Zach Parise, Charlie Coyle, and Nino Niederreiter this season, Zucker's production is a major reason why the stumbling Wild are still two points out of a playoff spot.

Zucker had a breakout season a year ago, tallying 22 goals, 47 points, and an NHL-best plus-34 rating, but he appears to have taken his game to another level in 2017-18 - right when Minnesota needs it most.

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Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl have some serious chemistry.

The Edmonton Oilers stars connected for another terrific game-winner Thursday night.

McDavid burst into the New Jersey Devils' defensive zone, blew by Brian Gibbons, drew the attention of John Moore, and fed the wide-open Draisaitl, who one-timed home the decisive marker in the waning moments of overtime.

It was the pair's second overtime connection in as many games. McDavid took Draisaitl's no-look pass and buried the winner to beat the New York Islanders Tuesday night.

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Emotions ran high for New Jersey Devils forward Brian Boyle after scoring his first goal since being diagnosed with myeloid leukemia back in September.

In an interview during the first intermission, Boyle admitted that he cried shortly after scoring against the Edmonton Oilers on Thursday.

Boyle was clearly choked up during the interview as well.

A cancer diagnosis can cause so much uncertainty to run through a person's mind; for Boyle to fight back and score Thursday was truly a special moment.

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