Legendary Hockey Players of All Time

The NHL has been operating for almost a century, and tens of thousands of athletes have adorned the rosters of a plethora of current and former teams. Legendary clubs could all have their own lists of the greatest players. You know them, you love them, you root for them on NationalCasino Canada. Here are the best of the best. 

Alexander Ovechkin

If you don’t agree that Gretzky is the best player ever, that’s because you think Ovechkin is. Ovechkin, the captain of the Washington Capitals, has been in the NHL for over two decades.

He’s an eight-time First-Team All-Star, has been in 11 NHL All-Star games, earned the Stanley Cup in 2018, and has appeared on the cover of three NHL video games. Many feel he could have won more Stanley Cups, but he’s a lock for the Hall of Fame and might end up as the all-time greatest goal scorer in the NHL.

Bobby Orr

Bobby Orr’s career was not as long as some of the other players mentioned. He began his professional career in 1966 and stopped in 1978 due to injuries. 

He is the first defenseman in NHL history to score 30 and then 40 goals. He was the first in NHL history to have 100 assists in a single season. In addition, he is the only player to win the Norris, Hart, Art Ross, and Conn Smythe Trophy in the same season. His legacy is tremendous for a player who only played 657 games.

Wayne Gretzky

Wayne Gretzky is widely recognized as the greatest athlete of all time, and his moniker “The Great One” further adds to that reputation. He played with the Edmonton Oilers, the Los Angeles Kings, the New York Rangers, and the St. Louis Blues throughout the course of his 21-year NHL career.

In his professional career, he played approximately 1,500 games, in which he collected 1,963 assists, 894 goals, and 2,857 points. Gretzky captained the Oilers to four of their five Stanley Cup victories during his tenure as captain.

Bobby Hull 

Bobby Hull began his NHL career in 1957 and retired after 23 seasons. His NHL career included stops with the Chicago Blackhawks, Winnipeg Jets, and Hartford Whalers.

He has won the Art Ross Trophy three times and has been named to the All-Star Team ten times. He was also honored in the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Sidney Crosby 

Sid “The Kid” Crosby is one of the unique players who has already been dubbed a legend and is still active today. He began his NHL career with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2005 and has been there ever since.

His list of accomplishments is nearly too extensive to include. The nine-time Penguins MVP is also an eight-time All-Star. In fact, Crosby became the Stanley Cup champion three times. He’s 34 years old and doesn’t have many more seasons ahead of him, but he’s left an indelible impression.

Mark Messier

In the NHL, Mark Messier had a lengthy career. He was drafted by the Edmonton Oilers in 1979 and then played for the Rangers and the Vancouver Canucks before retiring in 2004. He was honored in the NHL Hall of Fame three years later.

Messier was a 15-time NHL All-Star, a six-time Stanley Cup champion, and a two-time Hart Memorial Trophy winner. With the Rangers’ Cup victory, he became the first player to lead two separate teams to a title.