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Newfoundland has had its share of hockey ‘stars’.

Darren Langdon from Deer Lake has just concluded a National Hockey League career that sees him with the most NHL games played by a Newfoundlander. He is surely also the most unlikely candidate ever to make the NHL.

John Slaney of St. John’s just finished his 16th professional season, with more than 200 NHL games in his skates.

Riverhead Harbour Grace native Daniel Cleary has finally found his NHL home, seemingly settling in with the Red Wings in Detroit.

Even on the local scene, we’ve seen players who dominated the hockey scene.

Andy Sullivan’s emergence from Calvert is perhaps the best example of a hometown hockey hero coming out of obscurity in a small outport.

But a ton of former senior hockey players can be found in nooks and crannies all across the province.

Despite that — and in spite of Conception Bay North’s hockey dominance this winter, with that region’s teams winning the Herder, the provincial and city junior titles and the female crown — the ‘hockey capital’ of Newfoundland and Labrador right now has to be Bonavista.

Mention Bonavista and people immediately blurt out the name of Michael Ryder, and rightly so. The homegrown product is presently carving a niche for himself as a goal-scoring winger for the Montreal Canadiens.

Still, what the hard-shooting right-winger has done is undoubtedly put Bonavista on the map. The town’s homepage even has a link that will provide you with his current scoring stats.

But Michael Ryder is hardly the only hockey star from Bonavista. His younger brother Daniel is making his name in the Ontario Hockey League. The 19-year-old centre has led his Peterborough Petes into the OHL final, with three game-winning goals — two of those in overtime in the semifinal. In fact, the local media constantly refer to him now as ‘playoff hero Daniel Ryder’.

His 11 goals and 13 assists in the playoffs are a team high. Some say Daniel — a Calgary Flames third round pick — is already better than his older brother.

But they’re not the only hockey exports Bonavista residents are crowing about.

Peterborough ousted the Barrie Colts in the OHL semis, which sent Matthew Bragg to the sidelines. The native of nearby Newman’s Cove played his minor hockey with the younger Ryder in the Bonavista association.

When the CBN Cee Bee Stars won the Herder last month, it was due in no small part to goalie Freddy Diamond, who happens to hail from … Bonavista.

Even the St. John’s junior league has its share of players from the area. Two more players from Newman’s Cove won awards this season. Mitchell Bragg was the top scorer and MVP, while Chad Fisher was named top defenceman.

Whether it’s the water, the fresh air, or the availability of ice time at Cabot Stadium, John Cabot’s landing there will soon take a back seat to the hockey exploits of the town’s homegrown stars.

And with the uncertainty in the local economy these days, at least that gives the locals something to smile about.

Don Power is the Sports Editor of the St. John’s Express