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The Best and Worst of the NHL

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The list of famous short hockey players features quite a few talented current&nbsp;players in the league today. There are way more hockey stars at 5&#39;10&quot;&nbsp;or under than the average fan might think, and most teams have at least one player who would be considered short in most sports.

The hockey players listed below have proved to be among the best in their field, despite being among the smallest&nbsp;to get a roster spot in the NHL. Some of these players&nbsp;are All-Star-caliber superstars, while others are lower-tier talents providing minutes off the bench. What you will not find below is a goalie, a position which requires signficiant size. The shortest goalie in the NHL right now is Casey DeSmith of the Penguins, who is still 6 feet tall.

So, check out this list of the shortest hockey players in the game right now, and&nbsp;vote up players who have refused to let their size or stature hold them back from making a career in hockey&#39;s top levels. Who is the best short NHL player today?

The Shortest Players In The NHL Today

Hockey Player

The 69 Shortest NHL Players Right Now, Ranked

Ranker Hockey

The tallest hockey players in the game today are not necessarily the best in the NHL, but their size provides a distinct advantage over their peers in a sport that is often quite physical. There are only 34 current players in the NHL over 6-foot-4, and all of them tower over their opponents, including <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/greatest-vancouver-canucks-of-all-time/ranker-hockey?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">Vancouver Canucks defenseman</a> Tyler Myers, who at 6&#39;8&quot; is the tallest player in hockey right now.&nbsp;

But Myers is not the only giant among men. There are also Mikko Koskinen and Ben Bishop, the biggest goalies in the NHL at 6 feet, 7 inches, tall. Players on this list are All-Stars and champions, and each of them has used his size to make the game just a little bit easier for himself and his team.

So, check out this list of the tallest hockey players in the game right now, and&nbsp;vote up players who have used their size and&nbsp;stature best while making a career in hockey&#39;s top levels. Who is the best tall&nbsp;NHL player today?

Every Player Over 6-Foot-4 In The NHL Today, Ranked

The 34 Tallest NHL Players Right Now, Ranked

The best hockey mascots have a way of getting a team and its fans to rally around them. Some of them are funny, and some are fierce, but they all do their best to embody the spirit of the franchises they represent. There is only one NHL team without a mascot (the New York Rangers), but the other 30 teams are all represented here.

Hockey has a long history of fun and wild mascots, including the Detroit&nbsp;Red Wings&#39; Al the Octopus&nbsp;and the Dallas Stars&#39; Victor E. Green, but perhaps the most exciting and entertaining mascot in the league is also the newest: Gritty. <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-philadelphia-flyers-of-all-time/ranker-hockey?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">The Philadelphia Flyers</a> introduced Gritty for the 2018-2019 season, and the character instantly became a Twitter favorite, whether as a source of fun, derision, or curiosity.

So vote up the mascots who are best at grabbing your attention and getting you to root for the teams they cheer for. Help pick the best mascots in the NHL in 2020, and check back to see how other hockey fans voted.

The Furriest, Funniest, Most Fabulous Hockey Mascots, Ranked

Hockey Team

All 30 NHL Mascots, Ranked By Hockey Fans

Coaches

Who are the best coaches in NHL right now? The best current NHL coaches are the talented men leading one of the 32 teams in the National Hockey&nbsp;League this&nbsp;season. Like other professional coaches, NHL managers come and go with a firing after a poor season many times guaranteed, but the truly great coaches stick around in search of greatness. These current NHL head coaches are definitely the best at getting wins in the league right now but many will also be remembered among <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-hockey-coaches-of-all-time/ranker-hockey">the best NHL coaches of all time</a>. Who is the best current NHL coach? Which current hockey coaches do you love?So whether you're a fan of the coaches who have been around for a while, like&nbsp;Jon Cooper of the Tampa Bay Lightning or someone fairly new, like Jay Woodcroft&nbsp;of the Edmonton Oilers, or just the coach of your local team, let us know which NHL coaches you love.&nbsp;These rankings won't include any <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/nhl-coaches-fired-2022/pedro-cerrano">NHL coaches fired</a> during the season, but their replacements will be on here, ready to move up the list of winningest coaches.Vote for <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="http://www.ranker.com/list/the-ultimate-favorites-list/stevo200?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">your favorite</a>&nbsp;NHL coaches below, and help decide who is the best NHL coach right now!

The Best Current NHL Coaches

Person In Sports

Every Current NHL Head Coach, Ranked Best To Worst

Current Sports

Risking it all each time they take their position, the best NHL goalies are some tough dudes. Hockey is a scary sport as it is, but being in front of the net with pucks flying at you over 100 mph is a completely different story. Nevertheless, the top goalies in the NHL right now get in there every game, using their sticks, gloves, and bodies to block anything they can. Sure, they&#39;ve got more protection than anyone on the ice, but that doesn&#39;t make the position much less terrifying. Of all the <a href="https://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/best-current-nhl-players" target="_blank">top hockey players</a> taking one (or 20) for their team each game, who do you think are&nbsp;the best NHL goalies playing today?

Whether you&#39;re talking veteran goaltenders like Marc-Andre Fleury and&nbsp;Jonathan Quick or young star&nbsp;Connor Hellebuyck, some of these ultimate defensemen&nbsp;will go down as the <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/top-hockey-goaltenders-of-all-time/angie-marie" target="_blank">greatest NHL goalies of all time</a>. For now, however, they&#39;re battling it out to be&nbsp;the&nbsp;top NHL goalies currently playing. Of course, there are plenty of current NHL goalies giving them a serious run for their money, including Pekka Rinne, Braden Holtby, and Tuukka Rask, among others. Leading the league in saves and putting it all on the line every time they step on the ice, these are the best goalies in hockey right now.&nbsp;

Who&#39;s your top choice for the best NHL goalie currently playing? Check out the list of top goalies below and vote up your favorites. You can also vote others down to get your guy to the top.&nbsp;

Who's the Best Goalie in the NHL Right Now?

Athlete

The 25+ Best Goalies Currently in the NHL, Ranked by Fans

The Greatest American Hockey Players of All Time

The Greatest Edmonton Oilers of All Time

The Greatest Los Angeles Kings of All Time

The Best Toronto Maple Leafs of All Time

This list of Swedish NHL players includes Hall of Fame names (and soon to be HoFers) like Mats Sundin, Daniel Alfredsson, Nicklas Lidstrom, Peter Forsberg, and Fredrik Olausson as well as some of the game's biggest NHL stars like Henrik Sedin, Daniel Sedin, Henrik Zetterberg, Johan Hederberg, Henrik Lundqvist, and Johan Franzen.&nbsp;The Swedish Hockey League (SHL) is an excellent breeding ground for future NHL stars. Forsberg spent 13 years in the NHL, winning two Stanley Cup titles as center for the Colorado Avalanche. Forsberg is one of nine elite Sweden-born stars with a membership to the Triple Gold Club, an honor reserved for hockey players who have won gold medals in the Olympics and the World Championships, as well as the Stanley Cup.Other Swedish&nbsp;players&nbsp;in&nbsp;the&nbsp;NHL include retried right wing Daniel Alfredsson, D-man Fredrik Olausson, and twin brothers Henrik Sedin and Daniel Sedin.Who are the best Swedish NHL players of all-time? Vote on this list of famous Swedish ice hockey players&nbsp;below, giving the individuals you think are the best Swedish hockey players your support. If you see anyone missing from the list, feel free to add them so that other hockey fans and Ranker maniacs can vote for who you've added!

Börje Salming

The Best Swedish NHL Players

Best Swedish Hockey Players in the NHL, Ranked by Ice Hockey Fans

This list of Latvian NHL players contains a number of Latvian hockey players that only die hard fans of the sport will recognize. Sure there are superstars like Sandis Ozolinsh and Arturs Irbe on this list of top Latvian NHL players, but there are also Latvian hockey players like Zemgus Girgensons and Teodors Blugers as well.&nbsp;Who is the greatest Latvian NHL player of all time? Who are the best hockey players from Latvia? Vote on the list of Latvian NHL players below and if you see a player missing from the list, add them so that other hockey fans and Rankers can vote for who you've added!

Juris Štāls

The Best Latvian NHL Players

Best Latvian NHL Players | Top Hockey Player from Latvia List 

This list of German NHL players includes familiar German hockey players like Marco Sturm, Jochen Hecht, Christian Ehrhoff, and Uwe Krupp as well as former hockey players from Germany like Willie Huber, Michel Larocque, and David Wolf. The best German hockey players have played on a number of NHL teams like the Washington Capitals, Vancouver Canucks, Philadelphia Flyers, San Jose Sharks, and Anaheim Ducks.Vote for who you think the top German NHL players are on the list of German <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/notable-ice-hockey_s)/reference?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">ice hockey players</a> below and if you see a player missing, add them so that other hockey fans and Rankers can vote on your additions!

Christian Ehrhoff

The Best German NHL Players

Best German NHL Players | Top Hockey Player from Germany List

This list of Finnish NHL players includes some of the greatest NHL players ever. Finnish hockey players like Teemu Selanne, Jari Kurri, Saku Koivu, Tomas Sandstrom, and Teppo Numminen are just some of the great hockey players from Finland who have left their mark in the NHL. This list of top Finnish NHL players also includes current and rising stars like Mikko Koivu, Niklas Backstrom, Antti Niemi, Kimmo Timonen,&nbsp;Ollie Jokinen,&nbsp;and Tuomo Ruutu.Selanne leads Finnish NHL players with 684 goals and 1,457 points while Kurri is tops in assists with 797 (playing with Wayne Gretzky helps) and Miikka Kiprusoff has the most wins by a Finnish NHL goalie with 319 although Kari Lehtonen is closing in on him.Who are the <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/best-current-nhl-players?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">best hockey players</a> from Finland? Vote on the list of top Finnish NHL players below and if you see a player missing, add them to the list so that other hockey fans and Rankers can vote on your additions!

Antti Niemi

The Best Finnish NHL Players

Best Finnish NHL Players | Top Hockey Player from Finland List

Who are the best Jewish NHL players? This list of top Jewish NHL players includes some of the NHL's best <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/famous-jews-in-ice-hockey/famous-jews?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">Jewish hockey players</a> from the past and present. Jewish hockey players like Bernie Wolfe, Larry Zeidel, and Bob Nystrom are on this list along with Jewish NHL stars like Michael Cammalleri, Mathieu Schneider, Jeff Halpern, and Mike Brown.Jewish hockey players have gained prominence in the NHL in recent years. So, who are the top Jewish NHL players of all-time? Vote on the list below of the top Jewish hockey players listed and if you see anyone missing feel free to add them so that other hockey fans and Rankers can vote on your additions.

Larry Zeidel

Jewish NHL Players

Best Jewish NHL Players of All Time | Jewish Hockey Players

At first glance, you might not think there are many Black professional hockey players, but as this list of Black NHL players shows, there have been plenty of <a href="/crowdranked-list/15-great-nhl-players" target="_blank">talented hockey players</a> who have laced up the skates and hit the ice. Famous hockey players include Anson Carter, Wayne Simmonds, P.K. Subban, Donald Brashear, and the ageless wonder Jarome Iginla. If you're looking for best Black goalies of all time, you will find them below, as well, including players like Grant Fuhr, Kevn Weekes, and Ray Emery.Below, you'll find an extensive&nbsp;list of some of the greatest Black NHL players, including African <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/the-greatest-american-hockey-players-of-all-time/ranker-hockey?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">American hockey players</a>, to ever play the game below. Now it's your turn to vote on who you think are the best Black hockey players, whether they are current <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/shortest-current-nhl-players/ranker-hockey?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">players in the NHL</a> or former stars. If we've missed anyone, feel free to add them to the list so that other hockey fans can vote on your additions!

Chris Stewart

The Greatest Black NHL Players of All Time

Best Black Hockey Players | Top African American Hockey Player List

Our list of Russian NHL players contains some of the league's greatest hockey players ever. Some of the legendary Russian-born hockey players in this list include names like Alexei Kovalev, the Bure Brothers - Pavel Bure and Valeri Bure, and Sergei Zubov. Of course, the Detroit Red Wings famous Russian Five - Sergei Federov, Igor Larionov, Viacheslav Festiov, Vyacheslav Kozlov, and Vladimir Konstantinov - is included.We've also included some of the NHL's best players born in Russia who are currently active in the league, including Ilya Kovalchuk, Sergei Gonchar, Pavel Datsyuk, Ilya Bryzgalov, and the ageless wonder, Alexander Ovechkin.&nbsp;Vote below for your favorite Russian NHL players and if we missed someone, feel free to add them to the list so that other hockey fans can vote on them!

Alexei Kovalev

The Greatest Russian Players in NHL History

Best Russian NHL Players | Top NHL Player from Russia List

American Athletes

This list of <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/greatest-americans-ever/jacariah?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">the greatest American</a> hockey players includes some of the NHL's best players, including Mike Modano, Jeremy Roenick, Jonathan Quick, and Ed Olczyk. Many of these great US-born hockey players have also played for the U.S. Olympic hockey team. Some of them are goal-scoring legends, while others are some of the NHL's greatest goalies and defensemen. Many of these American-born hockey players are on a list of Stanley Cup champions and have seen extensive NHL Playoffs experience.Vote for your favorite American hockey players below, downvote the hockey players you don't think are that great - and if we missed anyone from the list, feel free to add them so that other hockey fans can vote. You cna also re-rank this list to include your own list of favorite hockey players as well.

Brian Leetch

Best American NHL Players List | Top Hockey Player from the US

Rankings, picks, and predictions for how the season will play out.

The 2016-17 NHL Season

The best current NHL players are not just the league-leading skaters and goaltenders in the league right now but also some of the best hockey players in the world. These players are consistently leading their teams in statistical categories and in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.As the NHL's golden child and <a href="/list/fan-favorite-nhl-players/powerofthepuck" target="_blank">fan favorite NHL player</a>, Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins is seen by many as the best current NHL player. The young star quickly made his mark in the league by leading the Penguins to the Stanley Cup Championship in 2009 at the age of 21, the youngest captain to ever do so. He had a little help though with Evgeni Malkin, who also makes this list, serving as the Conn Smythe Trophy winner as the MVP of the playoffs.But there are many more great current NHL players in the league besides those playing in Pittsburgh. Steven Stamkos, Alexander Giroux, Alexander Ovechkin, Pavel Datsyuk, Zdeno Chara and Jonathan Toews are all among the elite forwards and defensemen in the NHL right now. In net,&nbsp;Jonathan Quick and Jimmy Howard are seen as the top NHL goaltenders right now.Who do you think are the top NHL players in the league right now? The better question might be will these current hockey players be remembered among the <a href="/crowdranked-list/15-great-nhl-players" target="_blank">best NHL players of all time</a>? Have your say and vote for <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/the-ultimate-favorites-list/stevo200?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">your favorites</a>&nbsp;for the 2018-2019 season, add those not listed or re-rank this list of the best current NHL players!

Vladimir Tarasenko

The Best Current NHL Players

The 50+ Best Current NHL Players List, Ranked By Hockey Fans

The best hockey coaches of all time are the men who've led their NHL, Olympic or college hockey teams and done it the best. While many aspire to be a great professional hockey coach, only a select few will be remembered for being the elite. Much to the envy of the <a href="/list/worst-nhl-coaches-of-all-time/the-round-mound" target="_blank">worst NHL coaches of all time</a>, these are the best men ever to coach the sport of hockey.Few experts or fans will disagree that the best hockey coach of all time is Scotty Bowman. With the most games coached, most games won, most Stanley Cup Playoff victories and the most Stanley Cup Championships during his 30 years coaching in the NHL, Scotty Bowman's numbers are simply leaps and bounds above any other competitor.That's not to say that there are not dozens of other great hockey coaches. Others in the NHL who stand out include the likes of Toe Blake, Al Arbour, Dick Irvin, Glen Sather and Jack Adams, for whom the NHL Coach of the Year Award is named. In college hockey, Red Berenson, who has coached the Michigan Wolverines since 1984, is easily among the elite in the NCAA ranks as is Herb Brooks who made miracles happen with the US Men's Olympic Hockey Team in 1980. Quite simply, these are the best men to ever stand behind the benches at hockey games and if they are not already, they are all <a href="/list/people-who-should-be-in-the-hockey-hall-of-fame/pedro-cerrano" target="_blank">deserving of being in the Hockey Hall of Fame</a>. Which of these individuals stand out as the best hockey coaches in history to you? Vote for your favorite hockey coaches below!

Lindy Ruff

The Best Hockey Coaches of All Time

The best NHL defensemen of all time include Norris Trophy winners, Stanley Cup winners and some of the most talented players to ever put on a pair of skates. These professional hockey defensemen aren't just the best to ever man the blue line in the National Hockey League but also some of the <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/top-10-hockey-players-of-all-time/beausteele2000" target="_blank">best hockey players to ever play the game</a>. With the retirement of Detroit Red Wings captain Nick Lidstrom in May 2012, the argument over which defensive player is the best ever with two names dominating the discussion. Younger fans will swear that Lidstrom, who won the Norris Trophy as the top defenseman in the NHL seven times, is the best NHL defenseman ever. As perhaps the <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/famous-hockey-players-from-sweden/reference" target="_blank">most successful hockey player from Sweden</a>, he played 20 years in the NHL, won four championships, became the first European-born player to captain a Stanley Cup-champion team and won the gold medal at the 2006 Winter Olympics, all while acting like a true professional and highly respected gentleman while doing so. Others will argue that the best NHL defenseman of all time is hands down Bobby Orr. The long-time member of the Boston Bruins won the Norris Trophy eight times plus won the league's MVP award, the Hart Trophy, three times during his 12 seasons in the NHL. The Hockey Hall of Fame member not only still holds several league records but also changed how the game was played with his innovative style. Lidstrom and Orr were one-of-a-kind players who will always be remembered as the top blue-liners to ever take the ice but they are far from the only highly talented defensemen in NHL history. The likes of Doug Harvey, Paul Coffee, Raymond Bourque, Eddie Shore and even Chris Chelios all had amazing careers as NHL defensemen and deserve lots of credit for that. But which NHL defenseman is the absolute best of all time? Vote for Team Lidstrom or Team Orr, or another player you think is deserving of the title below!

Nicklas Lidström

The Best Defensemen in NHL History

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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