from Pat Pickens of Sportsnet,

NHL defencemen and goaltenders will sleep a little easier Tuesday night, as one of the league’s quintessential crease-crashers, Tomas Holmstrom, will officially announce his retirement Tuesday afternoon, prior to theDetroit Red Wings’ home opener.

The 15-year Red Wings forward registered 530 points, many of which came at the front of the net.

But was Holmstrom the best to ever park at the front of the net? Here are the top five NHL crease-crashers.

5. Zach Parise

The 5’11”, 195-pound winger's determination is unquestionable. Parise is one of the NHL's most tenacious workers, and his hard work has paid off, as the Minneapolis native has scored 195 goals in 504 NHL games. Parise scored eight goals in the New Jersey Devils' Stanley Cup final run last spring -- many of which came off rebounds below the goal line.

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