The National Hockey League, NHL, is an organisation of professional ice hockey teams in the North American region. It was formed in 1917, and at the time, it involved only four Canadian teams. As time went by, it incorporated more teams and now has over thirty teams that play for the Stanley Cup. These teams play in two conferences and four divisions. Over time, the NHL became the strongest hockey league, and the Stanley Cup became the most prestigious trophy to be fought for in hockey. The headquarters of the league are now in New York City. Consequently, it has had thousands of players and has grown a massive fan base over the years.
The Best Players in the NHL in Recent Years
A few decades ago, only 2% of NHL players came from the USA, but now, more than 30% of players come from the states. As the teams are getting ready for this season, we decided to make a list of the best NHL players of all time, without following any particular order or arrangement.
Patrick Kane
Patrick Kane is among the most famous NHL players of all time. We first saw him in the first overall entry draft when he won the Calder Trophy for Rookie of the year. In 2016 he was awarded the Hart trophy for Most Valuable Player, and he also won 3 Stanley Cups, as well as the MVP in 2013. All these accomplishments have come from his well-developed skill set. He is a fast decision-maker and can create offence anytime his hands touch the puck. We cannot forget his perfect shots. Remarkably, the 2019-2020 season was a great one for Kane as it saw him pass the 1000-point mark. Even more, it is expected that he will finish as the top American scorer by the end of his career.
Auston Matthews
Auston grew up in Scottsdale, Arizona and never fails to mention his home town. In his hockey career, he has surpassed all the expectations he set for his life. He first came into the light as the first overall in 2016 and has never disappointed his fans. In an unbelievable turn of events, Matthews scored four goals in his first game with the Toronto Maple Leafs. The goal-scorer has earned several Rocket Richard trophies as a top goal scorer, and he only keeps getting better.
Jack Eichel
Taken second overall in his draft year, Jack Eichel also ranks as the best Sabres player and will soon join the top ten players in the NHL. While it is tough being compared to the bigwig Connor McDavid, he has not disappointed us. He is an ultra-competitive player and loves to prove his dominance in every game that he plays. He became a major part of The Sabres in his teens, and given that he is still very young, Jack has a promising future.
Connor McDavid
Currently playing for Edmonton Oilers, Connor completed in the second position in the NHL league and had an impressive 97 points in the last season. He got the Ted Lindsay Award two times and has consistently moved on to his fourth straight one hundred points just before they paused the previous season. His significant abilities include speed, hands, and mind coordination.
Victor Hedman
Hedman scored fifty-five points in sixty-six games in the last season. He is also listed among the top three NHL defenseman, alongside John Carlson and Roman Josi. He was voted winner of the Conn Smythe Trophy as the MVP of the 2020 Stanley Cup in his other accomplishments. The player’s primary abilities include his skating ability, mobility, positioning, and speed. In all the teams he has played for, he consistently ranked top as the best defenseman in the NHL. From the 2016-2017 season to date, Hedman has scored 244 points in the 292 games that have been played. Overall, he is indeed an incredible hockey player.
Alex Ovechkin
On February 22, 2021, Ovechkin scored his 700th goal in the NHL games. In the last season, he scored forty-eight goals and had a tie with David Pastrnack. He won the Rocket Richard Trophy for the ninth time and has been noted to be the most active NHL players.
Artemi Panarin
Artemi played his first season with the Rangers and tied at number three in the NHL with 95 points. Being among the first forwards with a rating of over 36, Artemi led the NHL with 71 even-strength points. He currently plays for New York Rangers and has scored at least one point in 54 of the 69 games he played. In total, he has scored 415 points in the 391 games that have been played in the last five seasons. Artemi has never scored less than 27 goals in a season. His awards include the Hart Trophy and the Ted Lindsay Award for being the most outstanding player.
Other Excellent NHL Players
- Sidney Crosby
- Shea Theodore
- Mitch Marner
- Maurice Richard
Conclusion
The rankings for this list followed the players’ prowess, past results, and offseason additions. The NHL has built impressive careers for players and choosing the top and best players from the lot is difficult. Our list is a comprehensive compilation featuring players from all the outstanding teams without following any order. We hope to see even more passionate, and talented players in the coming years.