5 unknown Europe-based pros who warrant NHL interest after PyeongChang 2018

With no current NHL stars gracing the ice at PyeongChang 2018, the tournament's familiar faces included longtime Detroit Red Wings center, Pavel Datsyuk, elite goal-scorer Ilya Kovalchuk, and up-and-coming talents like Nashville Predators winger Eeli Tolvanen.

As expected, all of those players shined in different moments. However, lesser-known athletes plying their trade in Europe had a chance to showcase their skill sets on the big stage as well. These players may hope a good performance in PyeongChang is what they needed to get noticed by NHL teams.

Here are five relatively unknown Europe-based players who proved their worth, which could pave the way to an NHL job.

Goalie - Pavel Francouz, Czech Republic

Age: 27 | Team: Chelyabinsk Traktor (KHL)

In the Czech Republic's first three group games and quarterfinal matchup against the United States, Pavel Francouz put up a tournament-leading .937 save percentage. It's because of their goalie that the Czechs advanced as far as the semis, before losing 3-0 to the Olympic Athletes of Russia. He was, unequivocally, his country's MVP.

On top of shining at the games, the 27-year-old has put up video-game-like numbers in the past three club seasons. He currently leads all KHL goalies with a .945 save percentage after finishing last season in the same position. With those numbers, his Olympic performance, and his impending free-agent status in mind, he should get plenty of interest in North America.

Centre - Pius Suter, Switzerland

Age: 21 | Team: Zurich SC (Switzerland)

Several prospects generated buzz prior to PyeongChang 2018, none moreso than Rasmus Dahlin and Tolvanen. Switzerland's Pius Suter, a talented but diminutive player that has flown under the radar for most of his professional career, is now deserving of some attention.

Suter, 21, led the Swiss with five points in four games. In 2014-15, as a 17-year-old playing in the OHL, Suter scored 43 goals and 72 points with the Guelph Storm. Now in the Swiss-A league, Suter has accumulated 38 points in 33 games for Zurich. He doesn't have much left to prove, as the NHL should be next.

Winger - Nikita Gusev, Olympic Athletes from Russia

Age: 25 | Team: St. Petersburg SKA (KHL)

Since being drafted by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the seventh round in 2012, Gusev has developed into one of the best young forwards playing overseas. After racking up 71 points in 57 games for St. Petersburg in 2016, he's notched 62 points this season. Gusev will depart PyeongChang as a gold medalist and the tournament's leading scorer with eight points in six games.

Gusev's rights were acquired by the Vegas Golden Knights this past summer, but the Russian will be a free agent if he opts to come to the NHL in 2019.

Winger - Patrick Hager, Germany

Age: 29 | Team: Munich EHC (Germany)

Of all the players to crack the list, Hager transitioning to the NHL seems the most unlikely. That doesn't mean teams won't, and shouldn't, try to convince him.

Germany's run was one of the best stories to come out of PyeongChang, and Hager's play is a key reason his country was able to overcome the odds. The winger led the team with six points in seven games, including three goals. His offensive production was nothing to write home about in the early part of his hockey career, but he has scored more in recent seasons. It wouldn't be surprising if teams pursued Hager in hopes of developing him into an effective bottom-six player.

Defenseman - Maxim Noreau, Canada

Age: 30 | Team: Bern SC (Switzerland)

Noreau is the first Canadian defenseman to accumulate seven points at the Olympics since Serge Roy (seven) and Gord Sherven (eight) did so at Calgary 1988.

The 30-year-old was the biggest and best surprise to come out of Canada's bronze-medal performance. Noreau, who last played in the NHL in 2010-11 when he appeared in five games with the Minnesota Wild, has since proved his worth as an offensive blue-liner, scoring at every other level including the AHL, and now in Switzerland. Despite his age (he'll be 31 in May), Noreau could fast-track to the NHL, potentially as a power-play specialist and, at worst, a bottom-pairing guy.

(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)