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Best Athletes

The <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/black-nhl-players/ranker-hockey" target="_blank">best NHL players</a> of all time are undoubtably the most talented and most decorated hockey players ever to take the ice in the National Hockey League. These NHL greats hold countless spots in the NHL record books, a fan favorites and if they haven't already been inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame, they surely will be when they are eligible. Plain and simple, these are hockey gods.Easily earning the title as &quot;The Great One,&quot; Wayne Gretzky is arguably among the very elite hockey players ever. Holding NHL records for everything from lifetime goals to the most goals in a season to the most career assists, points and even short-handed goals, there was little Gretzky didn't dominate during his 20 seasons in the National Hockey League.While Gretzky is &quot;The Great One,&quot; he's far from the only great one. Mr. Hockey himself, Gordie Howe, is right up there with Gretzky with an impressive hockey career that lasted until he was 52 years of age. Along with other NHL legends like Mario Lemieux, Bobby Orr, Mark Messier and Maurice Richard, these hockey greats dominated the league during their time.Many will follow in the footsteps, or skate strides, of these all-time best NHL players but few will ever reach the level of greatness that these talented men have. Who is your all-time favorite NHL star? How would you rank these top NHL players of all time? Tell us by voting for your favorites below, adding any that are missed or even re-ranking this list of the best NHL players of all time below. Looking for more detailed rankings by position? Check out the <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/best-nhl-defensemen-of-all-time/sportsyeah" target="_blank">best NHL defensemen of all time</a> and the <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/top-hockey-goaltenders-of-all-time/angie-marie" target="_blank">best hockey goaltenders of all time</a> rankings too!

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Chris Chelios

Christos Kostas "Chris" Chelios (born January 25, 1962) is an American former professional ice hockey defenseman. He was one of the longest tenured players in the National Hockey League, and is a three-time Stanley Cup champion - one with the Montreal Canadiens and two with the Detroit Red Wings.
Chelios played for the Montreal Canadiens, Chicago Blackhawks, Detroit Red Wings, and the Atlanta Thrashers. When he was called up from the AHL's Chicago Wolves to play for the Thrashers during the 2009–10 NHL season, Chelios was the oldest active player in the NHL and the second oldest of all time, had played the most games of any active player in the NHL, was the last player from the 1981 NHL Entry Draft still active (or any draft from 1986 and earlier), and had the most career penalty minutes of any active player. Chelios currently holds the record for most games played in the NHL by a defenseman, is fifth overall with 1,651 games played, and is tied with Gordie Howe for most NHL seasons played with 26.  On May 1, 2009, he appeared in the playoffs for an NHL record 24th time, having missed the playoffs only once (1997–98). Chelios is also the record-holder for most career postseason losses, with 117 (also the most in any professional sport in North America). However, he only lost one Game 7 in his entire career, a 3-2 OT loss in the 1985 Adams Division Finals against the Nordiques. In 2017 Chelios was named one of the '100 Greatest NHL Players' in history.Chelios is of Greek heritage. His cousin, Nikos Tselios, also played professional hockey and is a former first round draft pick of the Carolina Hurricanes. Chelios was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame on November 8, 2013.

Sergei Fedorov

Sergei Viktorovich Fyodorov (Серге́й Викторович Фёдоров; born December 13, 1969) is a Russian former professional ice hockey player and the current general manager of CSKA Moscow of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). During his playing career, Fedorov was primarily a centre, but occasionally played as a winger or defenceman.
Fedorov gained fame in the National Hockey League (NHL) for his unique style of play with the Detroit Red Wings, with whom he won the Stanley Cup three times, as well as the Hart Memorial Trophy as the NHL's most valuable player in 1994. After a highly publicized departure from the Red Wings in the summer of 2003, Fedorov played stints with the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, Columbus Blue Jackets and Washington Capitals before retiring from the NHL in 2009. He played in over 1,200 NHL games and scored 483 goals in the NHL. He is a three-time Olympian, the first European-trained player to win the Hart Trophy and is considered to be one of the best playoff performers in NHL history. In 2017, Fedorov was named one of the "100 Greatest NHL Players" in history.Fedorov was considered one of the best players in the world in the 1990s leading into the early 2000s. He last played for Metallurg Magnitogorsk of the KHL, where he was made captain in early September 2011. He was also an ambassador for Russia at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi. Fedorov was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame on November 9, 2015, and to the International Ice Hockey Federation Hall of Fame in 2016.

Connor Mcdavid

Connor McDavid

Connor McDavid (born January 13, 1997) is a Canadian professional ice hockey center and captain for the Edmonton Oilers of the National Hockey League (NHL). Considered to be the best player in the world by many colleagues and members of the news media, he was called the "most highly evolved hockey player of all-time" by The Sports Network in December 2017. Having been selected first overall by the Oilers in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft, McDavid has won the Art Ross Trophy twice as the leading scorer in the league, the Hart Memorial Trophy, given to the player judged most valuable to his team, in 2017, and the Ted Lindsay Award twice as the best player voted by other NHL players.

Marcel Dionne

Marcel Elphège "Little Beaver" Dionne (born August 3, 1951) is a Canadian retired professional ice hockey centre who played 18 seasons in the National Hockey League for the Detroit Red Wings, Los Angeles Kings and New York Rangers. Marcel Dionne was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1992. In 2017 Dionne was named one of the '100 Greatest NHL Players' in history.

Luc Robitaille

Luc Jean-Marie Robitaille (born February 17, 1966) is a Canadian professional ice hockey executive and former player. He currently serves as president of the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League (NHL).
During his 19-season NHL career, Robitaille won the Stanley Cup in 2001–02 with the Detroit Red Wings, and played for the Pittsburgh Penguins and New York Rangers, but is most known for his 14 seasons (over three different stints) with the Los Angeles Kings. He served as the Kings' team captain during the 1992–93 season (while Wayne Gretzky was injured) and for the final two games of the 2005–06 season. Robitaille retired after the 2005–06 season as the highest-scoring left winger in NHL history and the holder of several Kings franchise records, along with numerous Kings playoff records. In 2017, Robitaille was named one of the "100 Greatest NHL Players" in history.

Phil Esposito

Philip Anthony Esposito  ( ESP-ə-ZEE-toh, Italian: [eˈspɔːzito]; born February 20, 1942) is a Canadian broadcaster, and former professional ice hockey executive, coach and player.  A member of the Hockey Hall of Fame, he played 18 seasons in the National Hockey League for the Chicago Black Hawks, Boston Bruins and New York Rangers. He is considered one of the greatest players of all time, and is the older brother of fellow Hall-of-Famer Tony Esposito, a goaltender.
After retiring as a player, Esposito served as head coach and general manager of the New York Rangers before co-founding the Tampa Bay Lightning. He was the principal studio analyst for the NHL on Fox 1995–1998. He now serves as Tampa Bay's radio colour commentator. 
In 2017, Esposito was named one of the '100 Greatest NHL Players' in history.

Brian Leetch

Brian Joseph Leetch (born March 3, 1968) is an American former professional ice hockey defenseman who played 18 National Hockey League (NHL) seasons with the New York Rangers, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Boston Bruins. He is generally considered one of the top defensemen in NHL history, being particularly noted for his skating, offense, and playmaking abilities. He and fellow Rangers teammate Mike Richter were inducted into the United States Hockey Hall of Fame in 2008. Leetch was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto the following year (his first year of eligibility). In 2017 Leetch was named one of the '100 Greatest NHL Players' in history.Leetch accumulated many individual honors during his 18-year career. He was a two-time Norris Trophy winner as the NHL's best defenseman (1992, 1997) and was the first American-born winner of the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP for his performance during the Rangers' run to the 1994 Stanley Cup championship. Leetch is one of only five NHL defensemen to score 100 points in a season with his 102-point campaign in 1991–92. He won the Calder Trophy as the NHL Rookie of the Year in 1989 and his 23 goals that season remain an NHL record for rookie defensemen. Leetch's number 2 was retired by the Rangers on January 24, 2008. During the ceremony, longtime teammate Mark Messier referred to Leetch as the single "Greatest Ranger of All Time."

Chris Pronger

Christopher Robert Pronger ( or ; born October 10, 1974) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman who is currently the senior advisor of hockey operations for the Florida Panthers of the National Hockey League (NHL). He had not played since November 2011 due to post-concussion syndrome related to three separate hits suffered during his career; he also suffers from vision impairment due to being hit in the eye(s) by the blade of another player's stick. In October 2014, Pronger signed a contract with the NHL to assist its Player Safety Division, and he assists the NHL's Player Safety Division involving St. Louis Blues.
Originally selected second overall by the Hartford Whalers in the 1993 NHL Entry Draft, Pronger has played for Hartford, the St. Louis Blues, Edmonton Oilers and Anaheim Ducks before being traded to the Philadelphia Flyers before the 2009–10 season. He was captain of the Blues, Ducks and Flyers. He has appeared in the Stanley Cup finals with three different teams (Edmonton, Anaheim and Philadelphia), winning the Cup with the Ducks in 2007. Pronger won the Hart Memorial Trophy as the NHL's most valuable player for the 1999–2000 season, becoming the first defenceman to win the award since Bobby Orr in 1971–72. A mainstay on Team Canada, Pronger won Olympic gold medals at the 2002 and 2010 Winter Olympics and is a member of the Triple Gold Club. In 2017, he was named one of the "100 Greatest NHL Players" in history.Despite his skill as a player, Pronger was considered one of the NHL's "dirtier" players and was suspended eight times during his NHL career.

Jarome Iginla

Jarome Arthur-Leigh Adekunle Tig Junior Elvis Iginla (; born July 1, 1977) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey forward. He played over 1500 games in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Calgary Flames, Pittsburgh Penguins, Boston Bruins, Colorado Avalanche and Los Angeles Kings.
As a junior, Iginla was a member of two Memorial Cup winning teams with the Kamloops Blazers and was named the Western Hockey League (WHL) Player of the Year in 1996. He was selected 11th overall by the Dallas Stars in the 1995 NHL Entry Draft, but was traded to Calgary prior to making his NHL debut. He led the NHL in goals and points in 2001–02, and won the Lester B. Pearson Award as its most valuable player as voted by the players. In 2003–04, Iginla led the league in goals for the second time and captained the Flames to the Stanley Cup Finals, leading the playoffs in goals.
A six-time NHL All-Star, Iginla is the Flames' all-time leader in goals, points, and games played, and is second in assists to Al MacInnis. Iginla scored 50 goals in a season on two occasions and is one of seven players in NHL history to score 30 goals in 11 consecutive seasons. He is one of 20 players in NHL history to score over 600 goals and is one of 34 players to record 1,300 points in his career. He is a past winner of the Mark Messier Leadership Award and has been recognized by both the Flames and the league for his community work; while a member of the Flames, Iginla donated $2,000 to the children's charity Kidsport for every goal he scored. His number 12 was retired by the Flames during a pre-game ceremony on March 2, 2019.
Internationally, Iginla has represented Canada on numerous occasions. He was a member of championship teams at the 1996 World Junior and 1997 World Championships as well as the 2004 World Cup of Hockey. He is a three-time Olympian and two-time gold medal winner, including at the 2002 Winter Olympics where he helped lead Canada to its first Olympic hockey championship in 50 years.

Joe Sakic

Joseph Steven “Joe” Sakic (; born July 7, 1969) is a Canadian professional ice hockey executive and former player. He played his entire 21-year National Hockey League (NHL) career with the Quebec Nordiques/Colorado Avalanche franchise. Named captain of the team in 1992 (after serving as a co-captain in 1990–91), Sakic is regarded as one of the most capable team leaders in league history and was able to consistently motivate his team to play at a winning level. Sakic led the Avalanche to Stanley Cup titles in 1996 and 2001, being named the most valuable player of the 1996 playoffs, and honored as the MVP of the NHL in 2001 by the hockey writers and his fellow players. He is one of six players to participate in both of the team's Stanley Cup victories. Sakic was also named to play in 13 NHL All-Star Games and selected to the NHL First All-Star Team at centre three times.
Over the course of his career, Sakic was one of the most productive forwards in the game, having twice scored 50 goals and earning at least 100 points in six different seasons. His wrist shot, considered one of the best in the NHL, was the source of much of his production as goalies around the league feared his rapid snap-shot release. At the conclusion of the 2008–09 NHL season, he was the eighth all-time points leader in the NHL, as well as 14th in all-time goals and 11th in all-time assists. During the 2002 Winter Olympics, Sakic helped lead Team Canada to its first ice hockey gold medal in 50 years, and was voted as the tournament's most valuable player. He represented the team in six other international competitions, including the 1998 and 2006 Winter Olympics.
Sakic retired from the NHL on July 9, 2009, and had his jersey number retired prior to the Avalanche's 2009–10 season opener on October 1, 2009, at Pepsi Center. On November 12, 2012, Sakic was inducted in the Hockey Hall of Fame, along with Adam Oates, Pavel Bure and Mats Sundin. On April 11, 2013, Sakic and 11 others were inducted into the Canada Sports Hall of Fame. He served as executive advisor and alternate governor for the Avalanche, effective at the end of the 2010–11 season, and promoted to Executive Vice President of hockey operations on May 10, 2013. In 2017, Sakic was named one of the '100 Greatest NHL Players' in history.

Martin St. Louis

Martin St. Louis (French pronunciation: ​[maʁtɛ̃ sɛ̃ lwi]; born June 18, 1975) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. An undrafted player, St. Louis played over 1,000 games and scored 1,000 points in an NHL career that began with the Calgary Flames in 1998 and ended with the New York Rangers in 2015. St. Louis is best remembered for having played with the Tampa Bay Lightning from 2000 until being traded to the Rangers in 2014. He also briefly played with HC Lausanne of the Swiss National League A. He was a member of the Tampa Bay Lightning Stanley Cup championship team in 2004. St. Louis was elected into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2018; his first year of eligibility.
St. Louis was a standout player in college for the Vermont Catamounts, earning East Coast Athletic Conference (ECAC) and National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) all-star honours for three consecutive seasons between 1995 and 1997. He was the ECAC player of the year in 1995. As a professional, St. Louis has been named to an NHL All-Star Team on five occasions and played in six All-Star Games. He was voted the recipient of the Lester B. Pearson Award and Hart Memorial Trophy as the NHL's most valuable player as chosen by the players and league respectively in 2003–04, also winning his first Art Ross Trophy as the NHL's leading scorer with 94 points. St. Louis has on three occasions won the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy as the NHL's most gentlemanly player. In 2013, at age 37, he won his second Art Ross Trophy, becoming the oldest player to ever lead the NHL in scoring. He has also led the NHL in assists in two different seasons (2003–04 and 2012–13).
Internationally, St. Louis has played for Canada on several occasions. He was a member of the team that won the 2004 World Cup of Hockey and is a two-time silver medalist at the World Championships; he was named a tournament all-star after leading the 2009 event in scoring with 15 points. A two-time Olympian, St. Louis was a member of Canada's gold medal-winning team at the 2014 Winter Games.

Evgeni Malkin

Evgeni Vladimirovich Malkin (Russian: Евге́ний Влади́мирович Ма́лкин, IPA: [jɪvˈɡʲenʲɪj ˈmaɫkʲɪn]; born 31 July 1986), nicknamed "Geno", is a Russian professional ice hockey centre and alternate captain for the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League (NHL).
Malkin began his career with his hometown club Metallurg Magnitogorsk, playing for their junior and senior teams. He was then selected second overall in the 2004 NHL Draft by the Pittsburgh Penguins, though an international transfer dispute delayed the start of his NHL career until 2006. After his first season with the Penguins Malkin was awarded the Calder Memorial Trophy as the NHL's best rookie. In his second season, he helped lead Pittsburgh to the 2008 Stanley Cup Final and was a runner-up for the Hart Memorial Trophy, awarded to the NHL's most valuable player during the regular season. The following season saw Malkin win the Art Ross Trophy, awarded to the top-scorer in the NHL and again place second for the Hart Trophy. He and the Penguins again reached the Stanley Cup Final, winning the Stanley Cup championship this time around. Malkin was awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy as most valuable player of the playoffs. In 2012, Malkin was awarded the Hart Trophy and Ted Lindsay Award, awarded to the best player as voted on by the players, after winning the Art Ross Trophy for the second time; his 12-point lead was the largest margin of victory since 1999.
Internationally, Malkin has competed for Russia in two IIHF World U18 Championships and three IIHF World U20 Championships, capturing one gold, two silvers and one bronze medal, as a junior. In 2006, in addition to a silver medal, he was also named tournament MVP. As a senior, he has played in four IIHF World Championships, winning the gold medal and being named the tournament MVP for the 2012 event. In addition he has won the bronze medals in two other World Championships and has played for team Russia during three Winter Olympic Games, in Turin, Vancouver and Sochi.

Patrick Kane

Patrick Timothy Kane II (born November 19, 1988) is an American professional ice hockey right winger for the Chicago Blackhawks of the National Hockey League (NHL). The Blackhawks selected him with the first overall pick in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft. Kane also represented the United States at the 2010 and 2014 Winter Olympics.
Kane has won three Stanley Cups as a member of the Blackhawks, in 2010, 2013 and 2015, winning the Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player of the playoffs in 2013. Kane won the Hart Memorial Trophy as Most Valuable Player and Art Ross Trophy as scoring champion in the 2015–16 NHL season. Kane, who led the NHL with 106 points (46 goals, 60 assists), is the first American-born player to win the Art Ross Trophy as the NHL's scoring leader. He was also the first American-born player to win the Hart Trophy. In 2017, he was named one of the 100 Greatest NHL Players.

Bobby Clarke

Robert Earle Clarke (born August 13, 1949), also known as Bob Clarke (since retirement as a player) and Bobby Clarke (while active as a player), is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre who played his entire 15-year National Hockey League (NHL) career with the Philadelphia Flyers and is currently an executive with the team. Clarke is widely acknowledged as being one of the greatest hockey players and captains of all time. He was captain of the Flyers from 1973 to 1979, winning the Stanley Cup with them in both 1974 and 1975. He was again captain of the Flyers from 1982 to 1984 before retiring. A three-time Hart Trophy winner and 1987 Hockey Hall of Fame inductee, Clarke was rated number 24 on The Hockey News' list of The Top 100 NHL Players of All-Time in 1998. In 2017 Clarke was named one of the '100 Greatest NHL Players' in history.Clarke had three 100-point seasons, twice leading the league in assists, and played in eight NHL All-Star Games. He also won the Frank J. Selke Trophy in 1983, as the league's best defensive forward.
Upon retiring at the end of the 1983–84 season with 358 goals and 852 assists for a total of 1,210 points in 1,144 career games, he immediately became general manager of the Flyers. He spent 19 of the following 23 seasons as a general manager of the Flyers, also briefly serving as general manager of the Minnesota North Stars and Florida Panthers, and reached the Stanley Cup Finals three times with the Flyers and once with Minnesota. His time as an NHL general manager had its share of controversy, perhaps none greater than the rift between him and star player Eric Lindros during the late 1990s and early 2000s. He resigned from the general manager position less than a month into the 2006–07 season and is currently the Flyers' senior vice president.The image of Clarke, with a toothless grin, embracing the Stanley Cup and winking following the Flyers' victory in the 1975 Stanley Cup Finals is considered one of the most iconic and famous photos in the history of the sport of hockey.

Pavel Datsyuk

Pavel Valerievich Datsyuk (Па́вел Вале́рьевич Дацю́к, IPA: [ˈpavʲɪɫ dɐˈtsuk]; born 20 July 1978) is a Russian professional ice hockey player for Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). Datsyuk was nicknamed "The Magic Man" honoring his incredible stickhandling and creativity. From 2001 to 2016, he played for the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League (NHL). In 2017, Datsyuk was named one of the "100 Greatest NHL Players" in history, and was the only active player outside of the NHL at the time of announcement.Datsyuk won the Stanley Cup in 2002 and 2008 with the Red Wings, and the Gagarin Cup in 2017 with SKA Saint Petersburg. He was part of the Russia men's national ice hockey team at the Olympic Games in 2002, 2006, 2010 and was team captain in 2014 and 2018. With his gold medal win at the 2018 Olympics, Datsyuk joined the Triple Gold Club.Datsyuk won the Frank J. Selke Trophy as the NHL's top defensive forward in the 2007–08, 2008–09 and 2009–10 NHL season. He also won four consecutive Lady Byng Memorial Trophies, from 2006 to 2009, awarded for performance and sportsmanship. He was nominated for the Hart Memorial Trophy as the NHL's most valuable player following the 2008–09 season. Datsyuk is well known for his elite defensive play and game-changing offensive skills.

Frank Mahovlich

Francis William "Frank" "The Big M" Mahovlich, CM  (born January 10, 1938) is a former Liberal Senator in the Canadian Senate, and a retired NHL ice hockey player. He played on six Stanley Cup-winning teams and is an inductee of the Hockey Hall of Fame. In 2017 Mahovlich was named one of the '100 Greatest NHL Players' in history. Mahovlich was inducted into the Ontario Sports Hall of Fame in 1999. His brother Peter also played in the NHL.

Ron Francis

Ronald Michael Francis Jr. (born March 1, 1963) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre. He is the general manager of the upcoming Seattle NHL team that plans to play its first season in 2021. Drafted fourth overall in the 1981 NHL Entry Draft, Francis played 23 seasons in the NHL for the Hartford Whalers, Pittsburgh Penguins, Carolina Hurricanes and Toronto Maple Leafs. Upon retiring from professional ice hockey in 2004, Francis stood second all-time in career assists (1,249), behind only Wayne Gretzky; fifth in career points (1,798); third in games played (1,731); and 27th in career goals (549).
In 2014, Francis was named as the general manager for the Hurricanes, replacing Jim Rutherford, who had been with the franchise ever since the team's move to Raleigh, North Carolina. Two years before, Francis had become a minority owner of the team as part of the five-man investor group, Playmakers Management. In March 2018, he was promoted to the president of hockey operations role. His Hurricanes contract was terminated on April 30, 2018. On July 18, 2019, he was hired as the first general manager of the Seattle NHL expansion team.In 2017, Francis was named one of the hundred greatest NHL players in history.

Tim Horton

Miles Gilbert "Tim" Horton (January 12, 1930 – February 21, 1974) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player. He was a defenceman for 24 seasons in the National Hockey League. He died following a single-vehicle crash in 1974, at the age of 44. He played for the Toronto Maple Leafs, New York Rangers, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Buffalo Sabres. In 2017 Horton was named one of the 100 Greatest NHL Players in history. Also a successful businessman, Horton was the co-founder of the Tim Hortons fast-food restaurant chain.

Joe Thornton

Joseph Eric Thornton (born July 2, 1979) is a Canadian-American professional ice hockey centre who is a free agent. He was selected first overall by the Boston Bruins in the 1997 NHL Entry Draft and went on to play seven seasons with the club, three as its captain. During the 2005–06 season, he was traded to the Sharks. Splitting the campaign between the two teams, he received the Art Ross and Hart Memorial Trophies as the league's leading point-scorer and most valuable player, respectively.Thornton's on-ice vision, strength on the puck, deft passing ability and power forward style of play have led to him becoming one of the league's premier top line centres. Listed at 6-foot-4 and 220 pounds, he received the nickname Jumbo Joe. This nickname also originates from Jumbo the elephant who was killed in 1885 in St. Thomas, Ontario, where Thornton was born and raised.

Scott Niedermayer

Scott Niedermayer (born August 31, 1973) is a Canadian former ice hockey defenceman and current special assignment coach of the Anaheim Ducks. He played 18 seasons and over 1,000 games in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the New Jersey Devils and Anaheim Ducks. Niedermayer is a four-time Stanley Cup champion and played in five NHL All-Star Games. He won the James Norris Memorial Trophy in 2003–04 as the NHL's top defenceman and the Conn Smythe Trophy in 2007 as the most valuable player of the playoffs. In 2017, Niedermayer was named one of the 100 Greatest NHL Players in history.As a junior, Niedermayer was a member of a Kamloops Blazers team that won two Western Hockey League championships and was voted the most valuable player of the 1992 Memorial Cup, leading the Blazers to the Canadian Hockey League championship. The third overall selection at the 1991 NHL Entry Draft by New Jersey, Niedermayer played the majority of his professional career with the Devils before moving to Anaheim in 2005.
Internationally, Niedermayer played with Team Canada on several occasions. He is a member of the Triple Gold Club, having won the Stanley Cup as well as a World Championship (2004) and Olympic gold medals (2002, 2010). Niedermayer also played for the Memorial Cup champions, and championship teams at the 1991 World Junior Championships and the 2004 World Cup of Hockey, making him and Corey Perry the only players in history to have ever won each of the six major North American and international competitions available to players.
Regarded as one of the greatest defencemen in NHL history, Niedermayer has earned numerous accolades throughout his career. He was inducted into Canada's Sports Hall of Fame in 2012 and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in November 2013. The New Jersey Devils, Anaheim Ducks, and Kamloops Blazers have all retired his uniform number.

Henri Richard

Joseph Henri Richard (born February 29, 1936) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player who played centre with the Montreal Canadiens in the National Hockey League (NHL) from 1955 to 1975. He is the brother of Canadiens legend and fellow Hockey Hall of Famer Maurice Richard. Fifteen years younger and three inches shorter, he was given the nickname "The Pocket Rocket". In 2017 Richard was named one of the '100 Greatest NHL Players' in history.

Ray Bourque

Raymond Jean Bourque (born December 28, 1960) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player.
He currently holds records for most career goals, assists, and points by a defenceman in the National Hockey League (NHL). He won the James Norris Memorial Trophy as the NHL's best defensemen five times, while finishing second for that trophy a further six times. He also twice finished second in the voting for the Hart Memorial Trophy, a rarity for a defenceman. He was named to the end-of-season All-Star teams 19 times, 13 on the first-team and six on the second-team.
Bourque was also an Olympian with Canada and became nearly synonymous with the Boston Bruins franchise, for which he played 21 seasons and became Boston's longest-serving captain. Bourque finished his career with the Colorado Avalanche, with whom he won his only Stanley Cup in his final NHL game. In 2017, he was named one of the 100 Greatest NHL Players.

Al MacInnis

Allan MacInnis (born July 11, 1963) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman who played 23 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Calgary Flames and St. Louis Blues. A first round selection of the Flames in the 1981 NHL Entry Draft, he went on to become a 12-time All-Star. He was named the Conn Smythe Trophy winner as the most valuable player of the playoffs in 1989 after leading the Flames to the Stanley Cup championship. He was voted the winner of the James Norris Memorial Trophy in 1999 as the top defenceman in the league while a member of the Blues. In 2017 MacInnis was named one of the '100 Greatest NHL Players' in history.MacInnis was most famous for having the hardest shot in the league. He tied Bobby Orr's Ontario Hockey League (OHL) record for goals by a defenceman, and won two OHL championships and a Memorial Cup with the Kitchener Rangers as a junior. He famously split goaltender Mike Liut's mask with a shot, and became only the fourth defenceman in NHL history to score 100 points in a season. Internationally, he was an all-star on defence as Canada won the 1991 Canada Cup and twice participated in the Winter Olympics. He was a member of the 2002 team that won Canada's first gold medal in 50 years.
An eye injury suffered early in the 2003–04 NHL season forced MacInnis into retirement. He finished his career third all-time among defencemen in goals, assists and points and was named to seven post-season all-star teams. He was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2007, and his jersey number 2 was retired by the Blues and is honoured by the Flames. MacInnis remains a member of the Blues organization, currently serving as the team's Vice-President of Hockey Operations.

Paul Kariya

Paul Tetsuhiko Kariya (born October 16, 1974) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey winger who played 15 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL). Known as a skilled and fast-skating offensive player, he played in the NHL for the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, Colorado Avalanche, Nashville Predators and St. Louis Blues.
After a two-year career with the Penticton Panthers, in which he was named Canadian Junior A Player of the Year in 1992, Kariya joined the college ranks with the University of Maine's Black Bears men's ice hockey team. In his freshman year, he received the Hobey Baker Award while leading his team to the 1993 NCAA title. Selected fourth overall in the 1993 NHL Entry Draft by the Mighty Ducks, he joined the team in 1994–95 and was named to the NHL All-Rookie Team. During his nine-year tenure with Anaheim, Kariya formed an effective duo with fellow winger Teemu Selänne that helped him to three NHL First All-Star Team distinctions, while also finishing as the first runner-up for the Hart Memorial Trophy in 1997. Not an aggressive player, he won back-to-back Lady Byng Trophies in 1996 and 1997 as the League's most gentlemanly player. Serving as a captain for seven seasons, he led the Mighty Ducks to the 2003 Stanley Cup Finals, where they lost to the New Jersey Devils in seven games. After a single-season stint with the Avalanche for the purpose of reuniting with Selänne, who had previously been traded away from Anaheim, Kariya signed with the Predators in August 2005. He played two seasons in Nashville, setting team records for assists and points scored in a single-season in 2005–06. Kariya then finished his career playing three seasons with the Blues.
Internationally, Kariya represented Canada on numerous stages and at different levels. He won gold at the 1993 World Junior Championships, his second appearance at the tournament. He made his first appearance at the Winter Olympics in 1994 as an amateur, winning silver. Eight years later, he helped Canada win gold at the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. In between Olympic appearances, he won gold and silver at the 1994 and 1996 World Championships, respectively.
Throughout his NHL career, Kariya struggled with concussions, which eventually forced his retirement in June 2011 after sitting out the 2010–11 season because of post-concussion syndrome. Psychiatrist Daniel Amen provided diagnosis and therapy for Kariya, advising him to retire as a professional, which he did.In June 2017, Kariya was voted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. His number was retired by the Ducks on October 21, 2018.

Grant Fuhr

Grant Scott Fuhr (born September 28, 1962) is a Canadian former ice hockey goaltender in the National Hockey League and former goaltending coach for the Arizona Coyotes. In 2003, he was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. He is best remembered for a decade of stellar play for the Edmonton Oilers in the 1980s. He won a total of five Stanley Cups and was a six time All-Star. In 2017 Fuhr was named one of the '100 Greatest NHL Players' in history. He set a number of firsts for black hockey players in the NHL, including being the first to win the Stanley Cup and being the first inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.

The best NHL players of all time are undoubtably the most talented and most decorated hockey players ever to take the ice in the National Hockey League. These ... (Page 2)

The Greatest Athletes Ever

The greatest&nbsp;athletes of all time: a list of the most dominant, iconic, famous&nbsp;players in the history of&nbsp;sports. This list gathers sports stars from across every professional league, as well as amateur athletes who may have never competed professionally, in one overall list. Though it may be challenging to compare performance in a variety of different competitive arenas requiring different skill sets, this list nevertheless attempts to distinguish the top, highest-performing and most successful athletes ever to play. The sports stars that rise to the top can be considered to be the best athletes of all time.

Aspects to consider in picking a best athlete of all time would include, obviously, that player&#39;s raw talent and born ability. Some individuals seem to prodigally gifted in their sport of choice, and it&#39;s hard to discount the importance of this kind of natural talent. However, it&#39;s also important to evaluate hard work, discipline and a commitment to the game. Some athletes may not have the natural, genetic ability to dunk a basketball or hit a home run, but nonetheless have trained to the point of reaching these goals all the same. (They may not be the greatest athlete of all time at all sports, but they have mastered their activity.)

Finally, it can be a challenge to compare an athlete who competed in a solo competition with a member of a well known sports organization or club. How do you look at the achievements of, say, a boxer like Muhammad Ali alongside an athlete like Michael Jordan, who had to not only perform to his own best abilities but work as a cohesive unit along with other members of his team? These are the questions that must be answered when compiling a list of the world&#39;s greatest all-time athletes.

For more sports news and athlete trade rumors, vote on this list of <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/sports-news-blogs/blog-loblaw">sports news sites</a>.