Mike Knuble is the type of hockey player that can get lost in the shuffle. He will never stand out and say, “Look at me”, he doesn’t crave the spotlight, but he is the consummate teammate and for the Philadelphia Flyers he has been there for them through thick and thin.

Last season after he had that horrific collision with Rangers forward Brendan Shanahan he could have packed it in for the season. The team was going through their worst season in almost a decade and there wasn’t much to play for - - well tell that to Knuble.

He was hell bent on making it back and he did. He looked like a truck hit him and yet he got out there on the ice and contributed.

“He’s a warrior and he got back even after that injury,” his agent Kurt Overhardt stated.

Knuble was the Red Wings 76th overall pick back in 1991. At that time Detroit didn’t know what they had and they eventually traded him to the Rangers for a second round pick. This forward was a star player in college (where he was an All-Star and an All-American) for the University of Michigan, and then he had a couple of solid seasons for the Adirondack Red Wings yet his NHL career was yet to get on track.

In his first season with the Rangers back in 1998 he started to show his offensive prowess by scoring 15 goals and the Blueshirts fan base took notice of this rugged player. However, like with many young players when his second year wasn’t going the way that the Rangers had envisioned, whatever that was, they traded him to the Bruins for Rob DiMaio, who only played exactly 12 games for New York. As a Bruin Knuble wasn’t getting as much ice time as expected with his coach Robby Ftorek. He was now 27 and looking to make his mark in the league and his hardheaded coach was making him a healthy scratch, but he wasn’t the only one.

“He wasn’t utilized properly by Boston,” Overhardt remembered. “A couple of coaches scratched him.”

It wasn’t until Mike O’Connell came in and took over as head coach in 2002-03, that’s when Knuble’s career took off. The coach figured out that he was such a good worker, and an offensive talent, then why not put him on the same line as Joe Thornton and Glen Murray.

“He has always been able to adapt,” said Overhardt. “He’s a smart player. He is one of the smartest power forwards in the league today. It takes a great player to be consistent.”

For a short time some thought his 30-goal, 59-point season was a product of that line but as it turns out those are the kinds of numbers a team can expect out of him and the Flyers have been reaping the benefits since he has had 20 or more goals the past three seasons and he is on pace for his third 30-goal season. He works hard, he never takes a shift off and now he has become a power-play specialist.

“Mike is a bit of a Rodney Dangerfield of the NHL,” Overhardt added. “He is one of the most underrated forwards in the NHL.”

The soon to be 36-year-old is in tremendous shape and with the addition of Daniel Briere, Kimmo Timonen and the emergence of Mike Richards on the power play Knuble can now get in front of the net and use his 6-3, 216-pound frame by screening opposing goalies and showing off his ability to deflect in the puck.

“When you get the skill guys out there I just try to get my stick on things and rebounds,” Knuble said modestly. “It’s funny when you are in front you think about the one’s that got away and you don’t think about the one’s that you’ve got…It takes a little time to develop chemistry like that with the guys knowing the players on the power play and what their options are and if they can’t get it through there is another option to kind of find a stick and see a play progressing before it happens is what guys typically like to do…We clicked right from the start so hopefully we will only get better and even be a bigger part of our success down the line.”

The Flyers have made an amazing turnaround this season and a lot of the credit is given to the new acquisitions and the stellar play of Richards and somehow Knuble’s play has been almost lost in the shuffle. So far this season he is ranked third in power-play goals behind Alexander Ovechkin and Alex Kovalev, now that’s pretty elite company and that’s a BIG reason the Flyers power play is among the best in the league.

“I think Danny has been a big part of it. He really settles the puck down, obviously having Kimmo back there has really helped the back end and the year that Mike’s having has been a big part too,” Knuble said. “It’s such a huge part of the game and that’s how I am able to get the goals. As it turns out it’s a big difference in our record.”

Recently the Flyers forward got his first career hat trick after 700 games in the NHL. It was a natural hat trick and once again the pro was understated in the post-game, press conference.

“Yeah I know. I’ve even had two in 27-seconds in a game in Florida once and I thought that was going to be the night. But it wasn’t. It’s just a good moment, including another 140 games in the minors, so not even anywhere on the pro level. To come against Anaheim is even kind of crazier. It’s a great feeling.”

Fans notice his goals and his hits, but sometimes not the other stuff in-between. The next time you watch a Flyers game take a look at all the little things this guy can do out on the ice. Remember that he was a key ingredient in the Peter Forsberg-Simon Gagne line and if the Flyers get “Foppa” back that line could be reunited once again.