Patrick King

Sid the Kid with the Rimouski Oceanic.

A look at some of the best all-time performances at the MasterCard Memorial Cup.

There's no grander stage for a prospect to leave an impression than at the MasterCard Memorial Cup tournament.

Several of hockey's biggest names chased junior hockey glory before becoming known to the masses in the National Hockey League. Top prospects Sidney Crosby, Dale Hawerchuk and Taylor Hall all used the MasterCard Memorial Cup as a showcase of their talents before going first overall in the NHL draft.

But while many top prospects used the tournament as a springboard to an NHL career, some lesser known junior stars were also taking their place in the history books.

Here is a look at the Top 5 players in MasterCard Memorial Cup history:

No. 5: Guy Rouleau, Hull Olympiques (1986)

National Hockey League fans may not recognize the name, but the diminutive centre from Montreal, Que. enjoyed a few record-setting moments in the 1986 tournament. Prior to the MasterCard Memorial Cup, Rouleau and linemate Luc Robitaille tied for the QMJHL's scoring race during the regular season with 191 points each. Rouleau earned the crown by virtue of his 92 goals, 24 more than Robitaille's 68.

Although Robitaille went on to having the more successful pro career, Rouleau's name stands above his teammates' in the record books. Rouleau tied the record for points in a game with three goals and three assists in Hull's 7-5 win over Portland in the opening game of the tournament in 1986.

Rouleau would tie the single-game record once again with two goals and four assists in Hull's 9-3 semifinal win over Portland. While Rouleau would then tie the record for most tournament points with 16, it didn't come with a championship ring. The Olympiques, who were forced to play the final 12 hours after the semifinal due to television scheduling, lost 6-2 to the Guelph Platers in the final.

Although Rouleau never played an NHL game, he continued his scoring exploits while playing in Germany. His place in junior hockey history remains, as no player has since tied or beaten his mark for points in a tournament.

No. 4: Sidney Crosby, Rimouski Océanic (2005)

Crosby's 11 points may not rank among the most all-time, but his performance in the MasterCard Memorial Cup was a glimpse into the immense potential of the young star. Crosby was just 17-years old when the tournament began as he was still months away from his 18th birthday.

The sophomore forward and eventual first-overall pick by the Pittsburgh Penguins that summer was a force on the ice. Crosby was electric and had many highlight reel moments throughout the tournament. He scored six goals and added five assists for a tournament-leading 11 points in five games.

Although he was the leading scorer and named to the first all-star team, the gifted forward from Cole Harbour, N.S. would not cap his performance with the championship. The only game Crosby did not score a goal was the final against the powerhouse London Knights, who beat the Océanic 4-0.

Crosby has since won a Stanley Cup and an Olympic gold-medal. He scored the overtime winner in Canada's triumph over the United States in the 2010 Olympics.

No. 3: Brian Bellows, Kitchener Rangers (1982)

The 1982 MasterCard Memorial Cup may have begun on the wrong foot for Bellows' Rangers, but it didn't take long for the future Hall of Famer to leave an impression. Playing alongside record-setting Jeff Larmer and Grant Martin, Bellows was a scoring force throughout the tournament.

It was his second crack at the elusive MasterCard Memorial Cup after losing in the final to the Cornwall Royals in 1981. After dropping the first game to the Sherbrooke Castors, Bellows took it upon himself to bring his team back in the tournament. The sharp-shooting Bellows scored the first goal of a 9-2 rout over Portland just 11 seconds into the game, a tournament record for the quickest goal to start a game.

He scored another two goals in Kitchener's next game, a 4-0 win over Sherbrooke, but he saved his best performance for last. In the championship final, Bellows paced the Rangers to their first MasterCard Memorial Cup title with three goals and two assists en route to a 7-4 victory.

In spite of his performance, Bellows was not named the tournament's MVP since that was decided based on round robin play. He was, however, named the tournament's Most Sportsmanlike Player. It was Bellows' final junior game as he was drafted second overall by the Minnesota North Stars that summer.

No. 2: Dale Hawerchuk, Cornwall Royals (1981)

There was very little doubt Hawerchuk was on the verge of superstardom while playing his final junior games. One year after helping the Cornwall Royals win their second MasterCard Memorial Cup, Hawerchuk was looking for yet another ring.

The product of Toronto, Ont., was a pivotal piece to the Royals' attack and considered their best player on a team that also included Doug Gilmour, Scott Arniel and Marc Crawford. Hawerchuk scored once and picked up two assists in the Royals' opening 6-3 win over the Kitchener Rangers.

With his team needing a win to guarantee a finals berth in their last round robin game against the Victoria Cougars, Hawerchuk lit the lamp four times -- including two shorthanded goals.

Hawerchuk was named tournament MVP after his eight goals and five assists in five games while leading the Royals to their second-straight title. He went on to capture the Calder Trophy as the NHL's rookie of the year the next season while with the Winnipeg Jets. Hawerchuk was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2001 and is now the head coach of the OHL's Barrie Colts.

No. 1: Taylor Hall, Windsor Spitfires (2009 and 2010)

The former Windsor Spitfires forward used the MasterCard Memorial Cup to cement his status as a big-game player. His clutch reputation preceded his tournament play after scoring the overtime-winner to capture the OHL championship in 2009. A year earlier, he also scored the gold-medal winning goal in the Under-17 tournament with Team Ontario.

Everyone knew Hall's name by the time his Spitfires arrived in Rimouski, Que. for the 2009 MasterCard Memorial Cup. Although he scored just twice in his first tournament, Hall's first goal came at a crucial time. With the Spitfires needing a win over Kelowna in their final round robin game, Hall tied the game at one. He then scored the first goal of the semifinal against Drummondville. Hall had eight points in his first tournament, earning MVP honours.

A year later, Hall was looking to cement his status as the top prospect eligible for the NHL draft. Moments after taking a devastating hit from Brandon's Travis Hamonic, Hall scored a highlight reel goal by pulling the puck between his feet and tucking it below the goaltender.

Hall scored five times and picked up four assists in his second tournament, once again earning MVP honours. He was the first back-to-back recipient of the award. He had 17 points through two MasterCard Memorial Cups. Hall was then selected first overall by the Edmonton Oilers in last summer's draft.

Honourable mentions

Some other players who received consideration for the list:

Robert Savard, Cornwall Royals (1980 and 1981) and Kitchener Rangers (1982)

Savard is the only player to have won three straight MasterCard Memorial Cup championships. The defenceman scored just one goal in 1980, but it was the overtime winner for Cornwall over Peterborough.

Jeff Larmer, Kitchener Rangers (1981 and 1982)

Larmer made up for the Rangers' championship final loss to Cornwall in 1981. Although his linemate, Brian Bellows, scored many big goals, Larmer led the tournament in scoring and remains tied with Rouleau for most points in a tournament with 16 in 1982. He also set a tournament record with four assists in one period.

Dan Hodgson, Prince Albert Raiders (1985)

The 1985 Raiders may be known more for their punishing defensive duo of Dave Manson and Ken Baumgartner, but Hodgson set a record that still stands. His 13 assists are most ever in a single tournament.

Luc Robitaille, Hull Olympiques (1986)

Although his teammate Rouleau produced more points in the tournament, Robitaille finally scored more goals than Rouleau. Robitaille scored eight times, which is a tie for the single-tournament record.

Pat Falloon, Spokane Chiefs (1991)

The 1991 tournament MVP, Falloon scored eight times, including once in Spokane's 5-1 final win over Drummondville. His eight tournament goals are tied amongst the most all-time with Hawerchuk (1981) and Robitaille (1986).