Many players have graced the hockey court in National Hockey League since its inception in 1917. Many players have come and gone in the league while some are dominating the league presently, they are craving to cement their legacy as one of the players that shape the game beyond the present standard.
Although the new Hockey League season is yet to take shape, the fans are all salivating and expecting their darling teams to pick up from where they left all in the last campaign and hopefully do better than what they achieved in the last Hockey League season.
However, with Tampa Bay running riot and Colorado Avalanche getting gears ready for the season, it is hard to imagine any other champion beyond these two great teams despite the resurgence of Brad Marchand of Boston Bruins to build his legendary status among the greatest players is enough to make his team a contender even though NHL betting tip ranking the Boston Bruins as the fifth team with the probable chance of winning the Stanley cup in 2024 at +1400 odds.
Moreover, the National Hockey League wouldn’t have been a huge success in today’s cadre without the influence of the players in the past – the player that grinds to make the sport a global base while putting a smile on the fans face in the not so distant memory or the ancient player. The sport has grown on account of many great players, but below are the top ten greatest players that smile on the National Hockey League fans.
10. Bobby Marvin Hull
Retired with610 goals, 560 assists, and 1,170 points in 1063 regular season of National Hockey League contests at an extraordinary average of 1.101 points per game to his name is enough for the Golden Jet to cement his legacies in the game.
The hall of famer, Bobby Hall, spent the majority of his career with Chicago Blackhawk while he poses enough threat to any opposition in the game like a ticking time bomb as he was majorly recognized for his explosive flying down the left wing at the rate of 30 miles per hour while he could also shoot with a force of 120 mph.
In fact, Bobby Hull will always be remembered as the player that was 12-time all-star attendance and as the player who led the NHL goal-scoring feat on three occasions with two Hart Trophies and a Lady Byng – but his dazzling, tenacity, technicalities, and simplicity with an eye for the goal set Bobby Marvin Hull ahead of my great player in the National Hockey League.
9. Martin Pierre Brodeur
Playing 22 high-tempo seasons in the National Hockey League from 1991 to 2015 while leading the league in several categories is simply not outstanding among the rest. Martin Brodeur ended his career with 691 wins, 140 more than Roy, who is second on the NHL’s all-time list.
In his case, the games he fashioned in marvelous outstanding capabilities include the overall games played at 1266 – as he managed 691 wins while recording the most playoff shutouts at 24 games and 125 shutouts at regular seasons.
Although his superiority is well versed as he showed a great margin for the second place in these categories while playing 237 games and 140 more victories more than Patrick Roy, he also had more shutouts at 23 than Terry Sawchuk. Coincidentally, he wasn’t a bad puck handler while he continually scores some playoff goal with series of assists to his name either in the regular season or playoff.
Martin Brodeur holds series of records to his name – while presenting in the rookie of the year in 1994, featuring in nine all-star games, the first all-star team on three occasions, the second all-star team on four occasions, while winning the Stanley Cup three times, Vezina cup on four occasions with William M. Jennings Trophy five-time is enough for the Canadian-American to cement his legacy among the greatest NHL player of all time.
8. Mark John Douglas Messier
An impressive 694 goals and 1193 assists in as much as 1756 games are beyond impressive, even outstanding is an understatement. The former Edmonton Oiler, New York Ranger, and Vancouver Canuck player wowed the National Hockey League for 25 years of excellent hockey.
The Canadian international is only behind the great Wayne Gretzky on the Hockey League’s all-time scoring list, despite his impressive assists record – while the duo formed a deadly partnership that ruled the ice ring for a longer period of time.
To add to an impressive personal record of goals and assists in the game, the Canadian-American hockey player added five Stanley Cups to his name while representing the Edmonton Oilers and one more with New York Rangers. He further boosts his record and stats with an impressive 15 NHL all-time games while making the NHL all-time team of the year on just four occasions, NHL second All-time team once, Hart Memorial Trophy and Lester B, Pearson Award on two occasions, coupled with Conn. Smythe Trophy just once.
Mark Messier is not just an achiever among the great players that have earned their mark on the ice ring byt a legend among the greatest player ever to grace the game.
7. Joseph Jean Arthur Béliveau
Featured in the league from 1950 till 1971 and inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1972, “Le Gros Bill” – Jean Béliveau is widely regarded as one of the Greatest NHL players of all time. It is quite difficult to envisage a better all-around player than him.
The Canadian international is the first player to win Conn Smythe Trophy – as his 21 active years saw him played 1125 games with 507 goals, 712 assists, and 1129 points to his name. He further added many points to his game in the playoff, with 176 points in 162 playoff contests.
The Montreal Canadian legend won 10 Stanley Cups while earning himself 10 NHL all-star, couple with a pair of Hart Trophies to accompany his Smythe and Art Ross awards. Jean Béliveau was an outstanding player and an artist of the game.
6. Sidney Crosby
Making the headlines from his first 13 league season in NHL is just meant for anyone in the game. The Canadian international was a king on ice ring, although he might not have his early magic while he currently represents his team, Pittsburg Penguins, his center role-playing became more clearer and effortlessly with the artistic sense of the game.
Moreover, with over 700 regular-season games in his name, the 34-years-old has scored more than 900 points already with over 350 goals and over 600 assists, and over 1.520 points per game are enough for him to cement his game among the very best that played the Hockey. In fact, Crosby was a first overall draft pick who eventually became the youngest player to ever the Hockey League, scoring in his second season with an outrageous 120 points to his name.
More so, Sydney Crosby won the Stanley Cup while winning Hart and Pearson Trophies in the same campaign as a teenager. Though the five-time all-star provided many bases to claim his argument as one of the great, his result and reliability ensure that his presence among the greatest ever to ever grace the National Hockey League is unquestionable despite being in his active playing days.
5. Gordie Howe
Having the nickname as Mr. Hockey is not just about his character, but of the strong ability, he possesses. He could do it all, from scoring the goals to set up his teammates, body check, and fight.
He was an era-defining player that light up the ice ring, an enigma, the poster boy, and undoubtedly one of the greatest players ever in the rich history of the National Hockey League that has produced so many greats players. He was, in fact, considered to be the toughest player ever.
Howe, a Hockey Hall of Famer, set the tone of assurance to all his fans with every single touch of his puck, and while he is among the very few players to enjoy a very long span of a career as he played the game till he was 51 years of age.
The Former Detroit winger rank just numbers among the all-time scoring player in the NHL with 1850 points, 801 Goals, and 1049 assists in his 1767 games – though he would have had a much higher stat if he had taken off to WHA for six years. But, the enigmatic winger won four Stanley cup as well as many laurels and individual awards to claim his legacy as one of the best ever in the game and not just in the NHL – with 21 times all-star, while averaging 1.047 points per game is more than enough to cement his place.
4. Bobby Orr
A personality could have been the greatest ever, only to be marred by a series of injuries and fatalities. Orr was one of the fastest skaters in NHL history but only had to play for mere 12 seasons – though that 12 years stood in the heart of many to cherish for life as it was somewhat an aura of pure magic.
But his career could not produce many numbers – the defenseman could only manage a total of 915 points, 270 goals, and 657 assist in his NHL career.
A Hall of Fame, with 9-times all-star appearance couple with so many individual awards during his career with the Boston Bruins and Chicago Blackhawk. He won the best defenseman and also led the NHL scoring chart on two occasions. But his Stanley cup achievement and rookie of the year award is enough to establish his position as one of the greatest to ever ply their trade in NHL.
3. Maurice Richard
In the 1944-1945 campaign, the Canadian international was the first to establish a benchmark of 50 goals while he was playing for Montreal Canadian. But his impressive record would have no meaning if it wasn’t completed as he managed to reach such a goal tally in 50 games.
In his NHL career, Maurice Richard played 978 games with a contribution of 544 goals, 421 assists, and 965 points at an average of 0.987 points per game for the Habs is quite impressive. However, the Hall of Famer, which now has an award named after him for the highest goals scorer in the league, speaks volumes of his contribution to the development of the NHL.
Although he has 14 all-star appearances to his name, his quality was more demanding when as he added 126 points to his tally in 133 playoff games to help the Montreal Canadian to eight impressive Stanley cup
2. Mario Lemieux
No one could argue his ability on ice ring, a born star is he. It is such a pity that he couldn’t have achieved more than he could do due to injuries and illnesses, but his numbers and capabilities were never in doubt.
On numerous occasions, appearing on all-star cadre while winning many individuals laurels, coupled with Stanley cup and pairs of Pittsburg Penguins awards, the Canadian international gave Wayne Gretzky a run for his money title of the greatest player until retiring in 2006.
The Pittsburg Penguins legend led the scoring chart o six occasions and took home the rookie of the year award. In fact, he managed to rack up some numbers in 915 games with an average point of 1.883 points per game with 1723 points which are only seconded to great Gretzky. He also managed to find the back of the net on 690 occasions with 1033 assists. Lemieux was out of action for three years only to come back and win Masterton Trophy before calling it a day in 2006.
1. Wayne Gretzky
Defying the odds to even played in the NHL talk less of making as a great player – the criticism was that the Canadian was too small to make it in NHL, he, however, became the all-time top scorer and top assist player in the rich history of NHL, couple with the fact that he remains the only player to tally up to 200 points in one season.
Undoubtedly the greatest ever player in the NHL, with the record of MVP on nine occasions, while he also won Hart Trophies on nine occasions, ten Art Ross Trophies, Five Lester B, Pearson Award, and two Conn Smythe Trophies to his name. The brilliant player practically owns all attacking records in the league – an all-time leader in goal with 894, all-time assists with 1963, and all-time points tally with 2857 with an average of 1.921 points per game.
Wayne Gretzky won four Stanley Cups coupled with Edmonton and the Hall of Fame to his impressive career. No player other than The Great Gretzky could take the top spot on this list.