NHL Announces Top 100 Players

By Emily Redenbach
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Updated: February 1, 2017

50 years of Kings hockey, 100 years of NHL hockey. A group of 58 panelists, consisting of owners, executives, general managers, coaches, players and broadcasters, was selected to compile their list of the 100 greatest players ever to take to the ice. The Blue Ribbon panel, which included the likes of Gary Bettman, Helene Elliott, Jim Fox, Kelly Hrudey, Pierre McGuire, Bob Miller, and Kevin Weekes (full list is enclosed at the bottom of this page, if you’d like to complain about who made it and who didn’t), was given a biography of 265 players who met any of the following criteria: Retired Players – i) member of the Hockey Hall of Fame in the Players Category, ii) players who scored 500 regular-season goals or Hart Memorial Trophy winner’s who scored 350 regular-season goals or, iii) goaltender’s who won 400 regular-season games; Active Players – i) 400 regular-season goals, ii) 600 regular-season assists, iii) 900 regular-season points, iv) individual award winners in more than one season, v) named to four or more postseason All-Star Teams, vi) goaltender’s with 400 regular-season wins, or vii) Vezina Trophy winner’s with 300 regular-season wins. With that in mind, the list was compiled that included 39 centers, 21 defensemen, 15 goaltenders, 15 right wings and 10 left wings. The group has combined for 106,632 regular-season games, 34,821 regular-season goals, 56,394 regular-season assists, 91,215 regular-season points and 5,445 regular-season goaltender wins. They also have won a combined 307 Stanley Cups, 68 Hart Memorial Trophies, 58 Art Ross Trophies, 49 Vezina Trophies, 46 James Norris Memorial Trophies, 38 Lady Byng Memorial Trophies, 38 Ted Lindsay Awards, 36 Conn Smythe Trophies, 25 Calder Memorial Trophies, 15 William M. Jennings Trophies and 13 Frank J. Selke Trophies. 33 were announced prior to the All-Star Weekend, and only 6 are actively playing for the NHL today.

In a ceremony held at the Microsoft Theatre and hosted by Jon Hamm, every player on the list who is still with us was honored on stage for his achievement. Done in decades and by position, each player had a small highlight reel with their accomplishments. “If you were there”, said Bettman, “If you watched it on television, was nothing short of spectacular. It was truly a historic event, not just for the 100 players and their families, but sitting there as a fan watching it, this is the type of event that is truly unique, truly special. It’s a once in a lifetime, and I’ve got to tell you, it was an honor to be there. It was nothing short of emotional, compelling, exciting, and once again, it made me grateful to be associated with this great game.” Nine former Kings made the list – Larry Robinson, Marcel Dionne, Jari Kurri, Wayne Gretzky (obviously), Paul Coffey, Grant Fuhr, Billy Smith, Luc Robitaille, and Red Kelly. No current Kings did. I’m going to stay well away from commenting on the selections (though best believe I have some!), except to say that it was an honor to be able to interact with so many greats of the game.

SID ABEL (C, 1938-39/1953-54)*

SYL APPS (C, 1936-37/1947-48)*

ANDY BATHGATE (RW, 1952-53/1970-71)*

JEAN BELIVEAU (C, 1950-51/1970-71)*

MAX BENTLEY (C, 1940-41/1953-54)*

TOE BLAKE (LW, 1934-35/1947-48)*

MIKE BOSSY (RW, 1977-78/1986-87)

RAY BOURQUE (D, 1979-80/2000-01)

JOHNNY BOWER (G, 1953-54/1969-70)*

TURK BRODA (G, 1936-37/1951-52)*

MARTIN BRODEUR (G, 1991-92/2014-15)

JOHNNY BUCYK (LW, 1955-56/1977-78)*

PAVEL BURE (RW, 1991-92/2002-03)

CHRIS CHELIOS (D, 1983-84/2009-10)

KING CLANCY (D, 1921-22/1936-37)*

BOBBY CLARKE (C, 1969-70/1983-84)

PAUL COFFEY (D, 1980-81/2000-01)

CHARLIE CONACHER (RW, 1929-30/1940-41)*

YVAN COURNOYER (RW, 1963-64/1978-79)

SIDNEY CROSBY (C, 2005-06/Present)

PAVEL DATSYUK (C, 2001-02/2015-16)

ALEX DELVECCHIO (C, 1950-51/1973-74)*

MARCEL DIONNE (C, 1971-72/1988-89)

KEN DRYDEN (G, 1970-71/1978-79)

BILL DURNAN (G, 1943-44/1949-50)*

PHIL ESPOSITO (C, 1963-64/1980-81)

TONY ESPOSITO (G, 1968-69/1983-84)

SERGEI FEDOROV (C, 1990-91/2008-09)

PETER FORSBERG (C, 1994-95/2010-11)

RON FRANCIS (C, 1981-82/2003-04)

GRANT FUHR (G, 1981-82/1999-00)

BOB GAINEY (LW, 1973-74/1988-89)

MIKE GARTNER (RW, 1979-80/1997-98)

BERNIE GEOFFRION (RW, 1950-51/1967-68)*

WAYNE GRETZKY (C, 1979-80/1998-99)

GLENN HALL (G, 1952-53/1970-71)*

DOUG HARVEY (D, 1947-48/1968-69)*

DOMINIK HASEK (G, 1990-91/2007-08)

TIM HORTON (D, 1949-50/1973-74)*

GORDIE HOWE (RW, 1946-47/1979-80)*

BOBBY HULL (LW, 1957-58/1979-80)

BRETT HULL (RW, 1986-87/2005-06)

JAROMIR JAGR (RW, 1990-91/Present)

PATRICK KANE (RW, 2007-08/Present)

DUNCAN KEITH (D, 2005-06/Present)

RED KELLY (D, 1947-48/1966-67)*

TED KENNEDY (C, 1942-43/1956-57)*

DAVE KEON (C, 1960-61/1981-82)*

JARI KURRI (RW, 1980-81/1997-98)

ELMER LACH (C, 1940-41/1953-54)*

GUY LAFLEUR (RW, 1971-72/1990-91)

PAT LAFONTAINE (C, 1983-84/1997-98)

BRIAN LEETCH (D, 1987-88/2005-06)

JACQUES LEMAIRE (C, 1967-68/1978-79)

MARIO LEMIEUX (C, 1984-85/2005-06)

NICKLAS LIDSTROM (D, 1991-92/2011-12)

ERIC LINDROS (C, 1992-93/2006-07)

TED LINDSAY (LW, 1944-45/1964-65)*

AL MACINNIS (D, 1981-82/2003-04)

FRANK MAHOVLICH (LW, 1956-57/1973-74)*

MARK MESSIER (C, 1979-80/2003-04)

STAN MIKITA (C, 1958-59/1979-80)

MIKE MODANO (C, 1988-89/2010-11)

DICKIE MOORE (LW, 1951-52/1967-68)*

HOWIE MORENZ (C, 1923-24/1936-37)*

SCOTT NIEDERMAYER (D, 1991-92/2009-10)

JOE NIEUWENDYK (C, 1986-87/2006-07)

ADAM OATES (C, 1985-86/2003-04)

BOBBY ORR (D, 1966-67/1978-79)

ALEX OVECHKIN (LW, 2005-06/Present)

BERNIE PARENT (G, 1965-66/1978-79)

BRAD PARK (D, 1968-69/1984-85)

GILBERT PERREAULT (C, 1970-71/1986-87)

JACQUES PLANTE (G, 1952-53/1972-73)*

DENIS POTVIN (D, 1973-74/1987-88)

CHRIS PRONGER (D, 1993-94/2011-12)

JEAN RATELLE (C, 1960-61/1980-81)

HENRI RICHARD (C, 1955-56/1974-75)*

MAURICE RICHARD (RW, 1942-43/1959-60)*

LARRY ROBINSON (D, 1972-73/1991-92)

LUC ROBITAILLE (LW, 1986-87/2005-06)

PATRICK ROY (G, 1984-85/2002-03)

JOE SAKIC (C, 1988-89/2008-09)

BORJE SALMING (D, 1973-74/1989-90)

DENIS SAVARD (C, 1980-81/1996-97)

SERGE SAVARD (D, 1966-67/1982-83)

TERRY SAWCHUK (G, 1949-50/1969-70)*

MILT SCHMIDT (C, 1936-37/1954-55)*

TEEMU SELANNE (RW, 1992-93/2013-14)

BRENDAN SHANAHAN (LW, 1987-88/2008-09)

EDDIE SHORE (D, 1926-27/1939-40)*

DARRYL SITTLER (C, 1970-71/1984-85)

BILLY SMITH (G, 1971-72/1988-89)

PETER STASTNY (C, 1980-81/1994-95)

SCOTT STEVENS (D, 1982-83/2003-04)

MATS SUNDIN (C, 1990-91/2008-09)

JONATHAN TOEWS (C, 2007-08/Present)

BRYAN TROTTIER (C, 1975-76/1993-94)

GEORGES VEZINA (G, 1917-18/1925-26)*

STEVE YZERMAN (C, 1983-84/2005-06)

Voters: Kevin Allen, Dave Andrews, Michel Bergeron, Gary Bettman, Scotty Bowman, Dave Branch, Scott Burnside, Colin Campbell, Cassie Campbell-Pascall, Guy Carbonneau, Bill Daly, Ken Daneyko, Jim Devellano, Eric Duhatschek, Murray Edwards, Helene Elliott, Mike Emrick, Rene Fasel, Ray Ferraro, Stan Fischler, Jim Fox, Emile Francis, Jim Gregory, Ken Holland, Kelly Hrudey, Jim Hughson, Jeremy Jacobs, Keith Jones, Chuck Kaiton, Igor Kuperman, Patrick Lalime, Lou Lamoriello, Craig Laughlin, Brian McFarlane, Pierre McGuire, Peter McNab, Mike Tilbury, Bob Miller, Harry Neale, Vaclav Nedomansky, Gunnar Nordstrom, Dave Ogrean, Brian O’Neill, Frank Orr, Craig Patrick, David Poile, Bertrand Raymond, Daryl Reaugh, Tom Reid, Tom Renney, Jim Rutherford, Mathieu Schneider, John Shannon, Christine Simpson, Harry Sinden, Bill Torrey, Bob Verdi, Kevin Weekes

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