Chris Kunitz was a dominant forward for the Ferris State Bulldogs from 1999 to 2003. In his senior and final season in 2002-2003, he had a spectacular year with 35 goals and 44 assists for a total of 79 points, leading the entire nation in scoring. His standout performance earned him a spot as a Top 10 finalist for the Hobey Baker Award. That same year, he was named the CCHA Player of the Year and a First-Team All-American, helping Ferris State win its first CCHA regular season championship.

Following his impressive college career, Kunitz went on to have a long and decorated career in the NHL, despite going undrafted. He played for 15 seasons with the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, Pittsburgh Penguins, Tampa Bay Lightning, and Chicago Blackhawks. He won four Stanley Cups, including one with the Ducks in 2007 and three with the Penguins (2009, 2016, 2017). Kunitz was known as a gritty and hardworking player, and his most memorable moment came in 2017 when he scored the double-overtime game-winning goal in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Final to send the Penguins to the Stanley Cup.