During the last 25 years, the NHL has solely continued to get extra expert and extra entertaining. Immediately, we’ll rejoice the celebs who’ve led that cost with CBS Sports activities’ NHL Quarter-Century group.
Reducing this group down to simply 20 gamers complete was a problem. So many gamers have made a big impact on the sport of hockey on this younger millennium, however the gamers on this group have change into icons. For starters, the 2 gamers who most outline the final 25 years of the NHL are Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin.
Crosby and Ovechkin entered the NHL on the similar time, they usually’ve served because the faces of the NHL ever since. That duo, as soon as on the middle of a heated rivalry between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Washington Capitals, have climbed the report books and crammed trophy instances a pair occasions over.
A participant who has extra lately joined the ranks of superstardom is Connor McDavid, who has gained nearly all the pieces there may be to win, aside from a Stanley Cup. McDavid has solely been within the league for a decade, however he is already topped 1,000 factors and will not cease anytime quickly.
There are additionally some gamers who actually excelled within the early portion of this period. The nice Nicklas Lidstrom, arguably the perfect defenseman in hockey historical past, rattled off one Norris Trophy after one other whereas main the Detroit Purple Wings to a number of Stanley Cups. Likewise, Martin Brodeur was the standard-bearer at his place, and no goaltender in NHL historical past has anyplace close to his 691 wins.
On the entire, this quarter-century group is suffering from Stanley Cups, awards, targets, assists and wins. Listed here are the 20 gamers who’ve made the most important affect on the NHL during the last 25 years.
Forwards
Sidney Crosby
Awards: Hart Trophy (2007, 2010); Maurice Richard Trophy (2010, 2017); Conn Smythe Trophy (2016, 2017); Artwork Ross Trophy (2007, 2014)
Stanley Cups: 2009, 2016, 2017
Alex Ovechkin
Awards: Hart Trophy (2008, 2009, 2013); Conn Smythe Trophy (2018); Maurice Richard Trophy (2008-10, 2013-16, 2018-20); Calder Trophy (2006); Artwork Ross Trophy (2008)
Stanley Cups: 2018
Steven Stamkos
Awards: Maurice Richard Trophy (2010, 2012)
Stanley Cups: 2020, 2021
Connor McDavid
Awards: Hart Trophy (2017, 2021, 2023); Maurice Richard Trophy (2023), Conn Smythe Trophy (2024), Artwork Ross Trophy (2017-18, 2021-23)
Stanley Cups: None
Joe Thornton
Awards: Hart Trophy (2006); Artwork Ross Trophy (2006)
Stanley Cups: None
Patrick Kane
Awards: Hart Trophy (2016); Conn Smythe Trophy (2013); Calder Trophy (2008); Artwork Ross Trophy (2016)
Stanley Cups: 2010, 2013, 2015
Anze Kopitar
Awards: Selke Trophy (2016, 2018)
Stanley Cups: 2012, 2014
Evgeni Malkin
Awards: Hart Trophy (2012); Conn Smythe Trophy (2009); Calder Trophy (2007); Artwork Ross Trophy (2009, 2012)
Stanley Cups: 2009, 2016, 2017
Joe Pavelski
Awards: None
Stanley Cups: None
Jarome Iginla
Awards: Maurice Richard Trophy (2002, 2004); Artwork Ross Trophy (2002)
Stanley Cups: None
Pavel Datsyuk
Awards: Selke Trophy (2008, 2009, 2010)
Stanley Cups: 2002, 2008
Henrik Sedin
Awards: Hart Trophy (2010), Artwork Ross Trophy (2010)
Stanley Cups: None
Reducing this checklist right down to 12 was a tough job, however these are the dozen forwards we consider have outlined the final 25 years of NHL hockey. After all, that begins with Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin, who got here into the league across the similar time and have been two of the video games greatest stars ever since. These two have mixed for 1,488 targets and 1,756 assists, and Ovechkin is inside attain of Wayne Gretzky’s all-time targets report.
Alex Ovechkin targets tracker: Capitals star 16 away from passing Wayne Gretzky for all-time NHL report
Chris Bengel
Steven Stamkos, Anze Kopitar and Patrick Kane are additionally nonetheless going robust, though a few them have moved on to completely different groups after wonderful runs with their authentic franchises. That trio has a mixed seven Stanley Cup rings, however they’ve made a reputation for themselves in numerous methods. Stamkos and Kane have made a behavior of lighting the lamp with regularity, and Kopitar has gained the Selke Trophy twice as an elite two-way middle.
Malkin is one other lively participant, and he could be barely underrated resulting from enjoying his whole profession on the identical group as Crosby. It is easy to neglect that Malkin has had a prolific profession in his personal proper with a Hart Trophy, a Conn Smythe Trophy and a Calder Trophy to go together with 1,330 profession factors.
Like Kopitar, Pavel Datsyuk made his dwelling as a high-caliber participant in all three zones. Not solely was Datsyuk an unimaginable defensive ahead, however he was additionally one of the crucial expert and inventive gamers of his period.
Lengthy-time San Jose Sharks teammates Joe Pavelski and Joe Thornton make the reduce, and each displayed unimaginable longevity, combining for 42 seasons and three,046 profession video games. Few gamers have ever been in a position to distribute the puck in addition to Thornton, and he knew use his size across the web. Pavelski, extra of an undersized participant, began out as a seventh-round draft choose and went on to change into an amazing all-around participant with a knack for ending close to the crease.
Jarome Iginla and Henrik Sedin might get missed due to their resumes, by way of awards and Stanley Cups, aren’t so long as some others. That mentioned, each have been superstars over lengthy intervals of time. Iginla was a dynamic playmaker, simply as able to scoring as he was discovering a teammate with an ideal setup move. Sedin, however, was one of many best passers of the period. His 830 assists are fourth all-time since Jan. 1, 2000.
McDavid is well the youngest participant on this checklist at 28, however he has greater than earned his spot. McDavid is the perfect participant on this planet, and he has been for a number of years now. He already has a full trophy case, and now all he wants is a Stanley Cup. That could be on the way in which sooner reasonably than later.
Defensemen
Nicklas Lidstrom
Awards: Norris Trophy (2001, 2002, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2011), Conn Smythe Trophy (2002)
Stanley Cups: 1997, 1998, 2002, 2008
Awards: Norris Trophy (2018), Conn Smythe Trophy (2020)
Stanley Cups: 2020, 2021
Duncan Keith
Awards: Norris Trophy (2010, 2014)
Stanley Cups: 2010, 2013, 2015
Zdeno Chára
Awards: Norris Trophy (2009)
Stanley Cups: 2011
Awards: Norris Trophy (2012, 2015, 2023)
Stanley Cups: None
Awards: Norris Trophy (2016)
Stanley Cups: 2012, 2014
Very similar to the forwards, arising with six defensemen for this Quarter-Century group wasn’t precisely an enviable project. In any case, a number of the most legendary blue-liners the game has ever seen have graced the NHL over the previous 25 years.
When speaking in regards to the high defensemen of the final quarter century, the dialog has to start with legendary Detroit Purple Wings blue-liner Nicklas Lidström. Lidström goes down as one of the crucial elite defenseman to ever lace up a pair of skates as he tallied 1,142 profession factors (264 targets, 878 assists). He gained the Norris Trophy because the NHL’s high defenseman on seven events, which was the second-most in NHL historical past behind solely Boston Bruins legend Bobby Orr. Whereas Lidström was a rugged shutdown defender that was not often caught out of place, the Purple Wings blue-liner supplied sensational offensive help.
Reverse of Lidström is likely one of the high defensemen nonetheless enjoying within the league within the type of Tampa Bay Lightning blue-liner Victor Hedman. Hedman has been the definition of consistency all through his 16-year profession, and helped lead the Lightning to a pair of Stanley Cups in 2020 and 2021. The veteran defenseman is probably not the deadly scoring risk that he as soon as was, however continues to be able to recording 50-60-point seasons at this level in his profession.
The following pairing provides two completely different defensemen by way of their enjoying fashion. Former Chicago Blackhawks star Duncan Keith was the true definition of a two-way participant all through his time with the franchise. Keith captured the Norris Trophy twice throughout that point, and was an integral a part of the Blackhawks Stanley Cup groups of the 2010s.
In the meantime, the opposite piece of this pairing is a rugged, bodily defenseman in Zdeno Chara. Chara might not have been what you’d name an offensive savant, however he greater than held his personal with 680 factors (209 targets, 471 assists) in a whopping 24 NHL campaigns. If his group wanted to close down the opposition on the person benefit or late within the recreation, Chara was greater than able to offering that bodily presence.
With regards to the ultimate defensive pairing, that is the place issues acquired very dicey. There’s gamers, corresponding to Shea Weber, Scott Niedermeyer and even Cale Makar within the current day which have a declare to make this specific squad. Nevertheless, Erik Karlsson of the Pittsburgh Penguins and Drew Doughty of the Los Angeles Kings have been performed at an elite stage for such an extended time frame.
When it comes to offensive-minded defensemen, it would not get a lot better than what Karlsson brings to the desk. The veteran blue-liner has turned in 9 double-digit targets seasons, together with scoring at the very least 20 targets in three of these campaigns. Whereas he is usually a legal responsibility at occasions on the defensive finish nowadays, Karlsson’s offensive acumen alone cements his spot on this group.
Lastly, Doughty continues to be getting the job achieved at 35 years previous within the current day. The Kings defenseman had a serious hand in each of the franchise’s Stanley Cups within the 2010s. Doughty has racked up 670 factors (156 targets, 514 assists), whereas remaining an excellent puck mover on the blue line over time. Doughty, who is probably going a future Corridor of Famer, continues to be enjoying at a excessive stage, and will probably be suiting up for Canada within the upcoming 4 Nations Face-Off.
Goaltenders
Martin Brodeur
Awards: Calder Trophy (1994), Vezina Trophy (2003, 2004, 2007, 2008), Jennings Trophy (1997, 1998, 2003, 2004, 2010)
Stanley Cups: 1995, 2000, 2003
Awards: Vezina Trophy (2021), Jennings Trophy (2021)
Stanley Cups: 2009, 2016, 2017
Over the previous quarter century, the NHL has seen a number of high-profile goaltenders dominate the panorama. Whereas this wasn’t essentially a simple choice to choose the highest two netminders, legendary New Jersey Devils goaltender Martin Brodeur needed to be a shoe-in for the highest spot.
Throughout his Corridor of Fame profession, Brodeur report essentially the most wins (691) by an NHL goaltender, whereas additionally registering a profession 2.24 goals-against-average. As well as, Brodeur’s goals-against-average is the Tenth-lowest amongst eligible goaltenders (at the very least 100 profession video games) over the course of his profession.
When it comes to NHL goaltenders, Brodeur was one of many higher puck-handlers on the place over time. Brodeur racked up 45 assists throughout his 22-year profession, which is the third-most in league historical past behind solely Tom Barrasso (48) and Grant Fuhr (47).
Brodeur was arguably the face of the league when it got here to NHL goalies within the Nineties and 2000s.
In the meantime, the second goaltender spot was somewhat bit tougher to determine. There have been loads of contenders vying for the opposite goaltender spot behind Brodeur. Henrik Lundqvist, Roberto Luongo and even Connor Hellebuyck had a declare to the spot contemplating the spectacular careers they put collectively.
In the end, the longevity of Marc-Andre Fleury gained out in terms of this Quarter-Century squad.
Very similar to Brodeur, Fleury performed over 20 years at a excessive stage, and continues to be doing so within the current day. Whereas he might not be an elite netminder, Fleury continues to be a productive choice for the Minnesota Wild.
Fleury is second on the NHL’s all-time wins checklist (572) behind Brodeur, and even turned in some terrific levels within the later levels of his skilled profession. In the course of the 2020-21 season, Fleury gained the Vezina Trophy because the league’s high goaltender, however ended up being traded by the Vegas Golden Knights regardless of that accomplishment. He grew to become the primary goaltender since Dominik Hasek to be traded because the reigning Vezina Trophy winner.
Fleury additionally had an excessive amount of success with the Pittsburgh Penguins early in his profession. In reality, the veteran goaltender gained three Stanley Cups with the franchise. Apart from Brodeur, it is onerous to discover a extra reliable goalie than Fleury during the last 25 years.
