It may be a fantasy, but imagine a world where a former NHL player makes a surprise return to a team's lineup for one night. Steel chairs not included.

Whether you're a fan of it or not, pro wrestling is an outrageous corner of the sports and entertainment world. It has everything from matches inside steel cages to an "undead" wrestler going over 20 years without a loss at WWE's biggest event, WrestleMania.

Another occasion that happens in wrestling is shocking returns. A retired wrestler or someone who hasn't appeared in months could return unannounced. Hollywood star and WWE legend Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson became the latest example to do exactly that this past Friday night on WWE Friday Night SmackDown.

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=peuSz-fEvHU[/embed]

What if this was possible in hockey? What if you could surprise an opposing team by bringing out a former player in their prime for a big moment? We'll look at a few names who would be quite fun to return to the ice in a surprise situation:

A Goalie to Pull Off a Big Shootout Save: Henrik Lundqvist

Lundqvist's domain is currently analyzing NHL games at the desks of MSG and TNT, but no one else has made more shootout saves than the Rangers' all-time leader in wins. In his career, 'King Henrik' made 293 saves in the skater-versus-shooter situation and is second all-time in shootout wins.

How funny would it be to see a game at Madison Square Garden go to the shootout, and Lundqvist races down from the MSG set to switch from a suit to the pads and give his team one last victory? 

A Player to End a Lengthy Shootout: Marek Malik

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=10eo5cQVKME[/embed]

Maybe the Rangers need to make it double trouble with Lundqvist in net and a surprise shootout scorer at the other end.

On Nov. 26, 2005, a New York Rangers defensive defenseman entered hockey lore in 2005-06. 

Malik pulled off a between-the-legs shot to beat Washington Capitals goalie Olaf Kolzig and end the game in the 15th round of the shootout. It was the longest shootout in NHL history until Dec. 16, 2014, when the Panthers and Capitals went 20 rounds. 

Imagine if you could end a lengthy shootout with a surprise return of Malik. He would have to celebrate the exact same way if he scored once again for the Rangers, with a tribute to Lady Liberty. 

A Sniper to Score a Speedy Goal: Alexander Mogilny

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gRuBn2h626Y[/embed]

Picture this: your favorite team has struggled with starts in games, and they need a boost. All of a sudden, Alexander Mogilny heads to center ice to get things going. 

Mogilny is the last player to tie the NHL record for the fastest goal to begin a game, scoring for the Buffalo Sabres just five seconds into a December 1991 game against Toronto. That would be quite the momentum-setter. 

A Special Teams Guru to Score a Much-Needed Power-Play Goal: Tim Kerr

There's nothing like a man advantage to fire up a home crowd. But what if, before the puck is dropped, the player with the most power-play goals in a single season rappeled from the roof before facing off in the offensive zone? 

Tim Kerr's 34 power-play goals in 1985-86 for the Philadelphia Flyers have stood the test of time, but Leon Draisaitl came close with 32 during the 2022-23 campaign. If we're using wrestling logic for this, an advanced age won't matter if the 63-year-old can still get to the front of the net. 

A Game 7 Expert: Justin Williams

Need to clinch a series? Who else would a team call but the man known as 'Mr. Game 7?' 

Williams is the all-time leader in points during Game 7s with 15, and he's tied with Glenn Anderson for the most goals in the last possible game of the series, with seven. 

If the Seattle Kraken could have surprised the Dallas Stars this past post-season with coach Dave Hakstol announcing Williams would be in the lineup for Game 7 of the second round, Seattle's impressive second season may have been extended another round.