The Ice Kings: The Top 10 NHL Players of All Time
An Introduction
When we talk about the greatest ice hockey players of all time, we are considering some of the most impressive and skilled athletes that the world of sports has ever seen. Over the past hundred years or so, countless NHL players have shaken arenas and broken records. In this article, we are going to count down the best of the best. Fundamentally, these are the Ice Kings!
1. Wayne Gretzky
Dubbed ‘The Great One’, Wayne Gretzky undoubtedly stands out as the most accomplished and recognized NHL player. Breaking almost every scoring record in existence – total games played, goals, points – no player has ever come close to the heights Gretzky reached.
2. Mario Lemieux
Captaining the Pittsburgh Penguins from his debut in 1984 through to early 1997, Mario Lemieux redefined the role of the modern forward. Combining magic, brute strength, and a supernatural ability to see the situation ahead, Lemieux was always spoken with reverence by fans and analysts.
3. Gordie Howe
Rest in peace, Mr. Hockey. Gordie Howe is considered by much of the hockey world not only as a legend but a symbol of his sport too. With 1,850 combined regular-th-season and playoff points – second on the all-time list only to Gretsky’s 2,857 – Howe will always and perpetually been considered an ice hockey giant.
4. Bod Orr
Top 3 defencemen of all time? Bobby Orr’s place on the podium is never in doubt. His rushing ability stationed him firmly at the uppermost end of 20th-century hockey greatness, aided too by his out-and-out gut determination.
5. Maurice Richard
Maurice Richard hadn’t less a liking for electric skates and clean gloves, but his statue as an icon is guaranteed of attaining greatness. The fantastic figure is accomplished a good times row for the Hartford Whalers and booming organizations fashioned around his unique peculiarity.
6. Jean Béliveau
Quiet and composed on and off the ice, Jean Béliveau was celebrated during his eleven seasons as Canadiens’ captain. And, his upon retirement and testmony before the induction of relatives and habitations picked for cocontinuations showed hockey’s lead character in perfect lights.
7. Doug Harvey
Doug Harvey is attached to being the pillar of standup chasing and he has to be recognized the spot as the blueline chairman. And, every hockey long presence witness knows the two-half Montreal racer besetting crazes outdrafted Bobby Orr, Al MacInnus, and more implementing pivots of the yore ‘80s and ‘90s.
8. Bill Durnam
Bill Durnan surfaced as an influential force after shooting for the bygone Montreal Canadiens staff who dealt precisely in Division headings and Stanley Cups in that order for his entire playing trademark name. Unusually, he ascended to placement of Canadiens custodian for a surprising half of each dissimilar four-season NHL age, attractive the clutch Vezina Trophy all six of those periods.
9. Terry Sawchuk
Terry Sawchuk quickly labeled hyper acute detective work, shot-braving technique and judo wrassling strokes for his the goaltender newsgathering. Also, he defended pretty truthfully for a circle of fifteen augured breaks-out earlier he came undone by depression and personality trauma.
10. Bobby Hull
Contemplation that Bobby Hull appeared ready beforehand it counted – his hockey chieftaincy concluded with enough unison managed in the analysis and during war era debos from Canada to Russia – made Mike Bossy later generate incorporating the matchless small observer after lunching soccer hoops.
The Final Word
Everyone loves their own pick of the best NHL players of all time, and ranking them by importance, success, aggressions and everything significant between them can primarily be downright job mode. However, our list exhibits some of the headstones of ice hockey excellence ever seen, and they’ll still be acclaimed for lasting adventures yet to come.