Best NHL Players of All Time
The undisputed best player ever is Wayne Gretzky. The Canadian scored a total of 984 goals and 2,857 points in his career. That was enough for the four-time winner of the Stanley Cup and the nine-time award for best player of the regular season. Gretzky was given a special honor when he was inducted into the Hall of Fame right after retirement.
Usually, there is a waiting period of three years. Another honor made him all the clubs of the NHL. The jersey number of Gretzky, the 99, is no longer awarded throughout the league. The only thing that was denied him is the inclusion in the Triple Gold Club. There are players who have won a World Cup, Olympic Gold and the Stanley Cup.
Second best scorer (in terms of points per game) behind Wayne Gretzky is the Canadian Mario Lemieux. With an average of 1,883 points per game, he is just behind his compatriot. Despite two victories in the Stanley Cup trophy and an Olympic gold, Lemieux was not enough for the Triple Gold Club.
Bobby Orr was dangerous both in front of his own goal and in front of the opponent’s goal. He managed the feat to be awarded several times as the best scorer and best defender of the league. He also won the Stanley Cup twice. Unfortunately, Orr had to end his career early because of knee problems.
Probably the toughest shot on the ice had Bobby Hull, who was active from 1957 to 1980. On the ice, he was known for his hard shots as well as his hard shot, because he avoided any brawl. It also earned him the characteristic grin with the missing front teeth. Off the field Hull was also active and developed together with his teammate Mikita together the first curved hockey stick.
Anyone who thinks of the best ice hockey players today can not ignore a name: Sidney Crosby. Crosby has been playing for the Pittsburgh Penguins since 2005. They are among the favorites to win the Stanley Cup this year. In his impressive career, he has won many titles, including three Stanley Cup, two Olympic gold and once the world title.
Also still active and also one of the best in his field is Alexander Ovechkin. The Russian has been playing for Washington Capital since 2006 and is the most successful Russian scorer in the NHL. Unfortunately, he still has one flaw: he lacks the Stanley Cup in his trophy collection.
Patrick Biel has worked for the Chicago Blackhawks since 2007. The winger has been able to win the Stanley Cup three times. Unfortunately, he also keeps making headlines next to the place when he comes into conflict with the law.
The opposite of Biel is Nicklas Lindström. The Swede played for the Detroit Red Wings until 2012 and has always had a calm and serious demeanor. In his 21 years in Detroit he won the Stanley Cup four times. There are also Olympic gold, to which he contributed the winner in the final, and a world title.
Also quiet and almost unspectacular Martin Brodeur appeared in the ice arenas of the world. The Canadian was one of the best goalkeepers in the sport. He never played in his career extraordinary, but always reliable at the highest level. That brought him three times winning the Stanley Cup and twice gold at the Olympics. It does not always have to be an extravagance.
Another outstanding goalkeeper was the Czech Dominik Hasek. He is a folk hero in his homeland since he led the national team to Olympic Gold in 1998. In the NHL he was twice the coveted trophy Stanley Cup hold up.
Brett Hull was one of the top scorers the NHL has ever seen. In 1991 he scored sensational 86 times in the jersey of the St. Louis Blues. No wonder he has been the top scorer of the regular season three times.