Datsyuk not being on the list is a joke.
- skindzier

When you consider we are talking about 2-way players here he might even be top 5.

Although it pains me to recognize a Bruin Id be hard pressed not to have Patrice Bergeron in the top ten current

- eichiefs9

Haha, indeed

Do you guys think the Hawks should try and take a crack at someone like Ville Leino as another depth center option if we could get him at a 1 year, two way deal at $1 mil?

Toews
Crosby
Weber
Stamkos
Malkin
Doughty
Kopitar
Getzlaf
Giroux
Keith

Not enough love for the defense
- GoLeafsGo67

Why not Top 10F & Top 10D

Towes
Crosby
Malkin
Stamkos
Kopitar
Ovechkin
Tavares
Getzlaf
Giroux
Datsyuk

Doughty
Karlsson
Weber
Keith
Chara
Pietrangelo
Suter
Ekman-Larsson
Subban
McDonagh

Good list and hard to argue the all timers except....

Mike Bossy should be on there somewhere in my opinion.

He retired at age 30 due to injury but still scored 573 goals. The best pure goal scorer I ever saw and likely ever will see.

And I didn't even like the Islanders
- Rang

You know, he's like #1 in my honorable mentions. This is a great point. When I looked at that list, I wondered how I had no 70's islanders in there, but . . .

Lol. Trots is likely my 13th. Robinson my 7th D. I love Trottier, btw.
- Kentxo

When i played, late 70s, early 80s, Trottier was my idol

Ovechkin at 4 on the current list:

I know that +/- is a very flawed measure, but - on Hockey-reference.com, there is a calculation of how many opposition goals (not on the PP) were scored while the player was on the ice. It's incomplete because it doesn't show the calculation for last year, but -

In 9 seasons (including an estimate for last year, when he was a -35), the Caps allowed about 580 goals when Ovechkin wasn't on the ice - an average of about 65 per year.

Toews, as a comparison, was on the ice for 312 non-PP goals in 7 years, an average of about 45 per year.

Seems to me that means something, and that (if you're looking at players play on both sides of the puck) Ovechkin should be at least somewhat downgraded.

Do you guys think the Hawks should try and take a crack at someone like Ville Leino as another depth center option if we could get him at a 1 year, two way deal at $1 mil?
- FourFeathers773

No.

Ovechkin at 4 on the current list:

I know that +/- is a very flawed measure, but - on Hockey-reference.com, there is a calculation of how many opposition goals (not on the PP) were scored while the player was on the ice. It's incomplete because it doesn't show the calculation for last year, but -

In 9 seasons (including an estimate for last year, when he was a -35), the Caps allowed about 580 goals when Ovechkin wasn't on the ice - an average of about 65 per year.

Toews, as a comparison, was on the ice for 312 non-PP goals in 7 years, an average of about 45 per year.

Seems to me that means something, and that (if you're looking at players play on both sides of the puck) Ovechkin should be at least somewhat downgraded.
- StLBravesFan

Fair argument

Most consecutive 50+ goal seasons: 9
Most 50+ goal seasons (not necessarily consecutive): 9 (tied with Wayne Gretzky)
Most 60+ goal seasons (not necessarily consecutive): 5 (tied with Wayne Gretzky)

no love for Mike Bossy on this list?

John Jaeckel: Top 10 Players, Now And All-Time
- John Jaeckel

You have Sedin over Datsyuk and Keith over Weber? Ugghhhh.....

1. Datsyuk
2. Crosby
3. Toews
5. Malkin
6. Stamkos
7. Weber
8. Giroux
9. Karlsson
10. Tavares


edit: For the record, you could re-arrange the top 3 in any way and it makes no difference, IMO.

When you consider we are talking about 2-way players here he might even be top 5.
- Yeah Boyes

I love the guy's game. If you are going to make the 2-way argument and say he's top 5, then maybe you fro have to include Hossa top 10. Just saying.

I left Dats off, as i did Chara because I think they are both slowing down.

You know, he's like #1 in my honorable mentions. This is a great point. When I looked at that list, I wondered how I had no 70's islanders in there, but . . .
- John Jaeckel

It's so hard to compare different eras and tough to get to only 10 guys. The speed of the game has definitely increased and so have the size , strength and conditioning of the players.

Guys like Orr and Gretzky would be great today but not so sure about Beliveau and Eddie Shore or even The Rocket.

As a former goalie coach now age 60 I can tell you this for sure: The best goalies of the 60s and 70s wouldn't make the AHL today, the technique and training of goalies has come that far. That includes legends like Hall, Sawchuk, Bower etc.

You have Sedin over Datsyuk and Keith over Weber? Ugghhhh.....

1. Datsyuk
2. Crosby
3. Toews
5. Malkin
6. Stamkos
7. Weber
8. Giroux
9. Karlsson
10. Tavares
- mochoson

I hear you on the Sedin/Datsyuk argument (again, age/injuries). Going to respectfully disagree on Keith/Weber. Weber was a minus player the last two seasons.

Also the argument that Keith is "carried" by Seabrook is not borne out by what happens when they're separated. Keith more than holds his own.

Keith has flaws, but his strengths are exceptional and he is almost a one-of-a-kind player.

First off any current list that starts with Toews ahead of Crosby is invalid. Toews is great player and leader but let's stop kidding around. Crosby is best player in the world right now period. As for all time to have Howe ahead of Lemieux is absurd and just plain wrong. Gordie Howe played 1767 games in the NHL recording 1850 points and 801 goals. That's a 1.05 PPG avg and a GPG avg of .45 while Lemieux with all of his health issues and time missed in his prime played 915 games and recorded 1723 points for a whopping 1.88 PPG avg and 690 goals for a GPG avg of .75.

It's so hard to compare different eras and tough to get to only 10 guys. The speed of the game has definitely increased and so have the size , strength and conditioning of the players.

Guys like Orr and Gretzky would be great today but not so sure about Beliveau and Eddie Shore or even The Rocket.

As a former goalie coach now age 60 I can tell you this for sure: The best goalies of the 60s and 70s wouldn't make the AHL today, the technique and training of goalies has come that far. That includes legends like Hall, Sawchuk, Bower etc.
- Rang

Like I say on the blog, a healthy Orr is the best player in the game today, by far.

Why not Top 10F & Top 10D

Towes
Crosby
Malkin
Stamkos
Kopitar
Ovechkin
Tavares
Getzlaf
Giroux
Datsyuk

Doughty
Karlsson
Weber
Keith
Chara
Pietrangelo
Suter
Ekman-Larsson
Subban
McDonagh
- PaskySens

There hasn't really been any goalie talk either

Lundqvist
Rask
Quick
Rinne (healthy)
Price
Bishop
Varlamov
miller
Bobrovsky
Bernier

First off any current list that starts with Toews ahead of Crosby is invalid. Toews is great player and leader but let's stop kidding around. Crosby is best player in the world right now period. As for all time to have Howe ahead of Lemieux is absurd and just plain wrong. Gordie Howe played 1767 games in the NHL recording 1850 points and 801 goals. That's a 1.05 PPG avg and a GPG avg of .45 while Lemieux with all of his health issues and time missed in his prime played 915 games and recorded 1723 points for a whopping 1.88 PPG avg and 690 goals for a GPG avg of .75.
- RobFlyers#1

Leadership qualities. Especially re: Toews/Crosby. Go back and watch the last two Olympics and come back and we'll discuss more. Invalid? Hardly. Subject to debate? Sure.

I will concede the point on Howe and Lemieux.

It might just be me, but i honestly dont see the big deal about Claude Giroux. I've just never been very impressed with him.
- BlazinMike

Really? I'm obviously biased, but it doesn't take a rocket-scientist to figure out G is probably the best offensive center in the league not named Malkin, Crosby, or Stamkos (until Tavares puts up 90+ points and, he's behind G).

The fact he wasn't on Canada was insane, but he's a remarkable talent offensively and can play a 200-foot game at the tier below Jonathan Toews. He's also led the league in total scoring since the 2010 season and he was the NHL's highest scoring player from December until the end of the season this year. Just watching him with the puck and his vision is truly special.

He is a special player, and there are only a handful of them in the league.

Really? I'm obviously biased, but it doesn't take a rocket-scientist to figure out G is probably the best offensive center in the league not named Malkin, Crosby, or Stamkos (until Tavares puts up 90+ points and, he's behind G).

The fact he wasn't on Canada was insane, but he's a remarkable talent offensively and can play a 200-foot game at the tier below Jonathan Toews. He's also led the league in total scoring since the 2010 season and he was the NHL's highest scoring player from December until the end of the season this year. Just watching him with the puck and his vision is truly special.

He is a special player, and there are only a handful of them in the league.
- Flyers_V88

Agreed. Guy could play for my team any day.

Anze Kopitar at #3

No.
- EKolb13

Ha

Fair enough

thats all i need

I hear you on the Sedin/Datsyuk argument (again, age/injuries). Going to respectfully disagree on Keith/Weber. Weber was a minus player the last two seasons.

Also the argument that Keith is "carried" by Seabrook is not borne out by what happens when they're separated. Keith more than holds his own.

Keith has flaws, but his strengths are exceptional and he is almost a one-of-a-kind player.
- John Jaeckel

We have different views on Weber then. I think he is unequivocally the best dman in the world and it's not even an argument. Him being a minus player, to me anyway, speaks more to the lack of talent surrounding him. He's played Norris caliber hockey the past two seasons from the games I've had the pleasure of watching.

That being said, I definitely agree with you on Keith. He is certainly a top 15 player and probably a top 10 guy on my list that you could interchange with Karlsson. But Weber is still #1 in the world for me.

Datsyuk is going to be hard to knock down for me unless he has another injury riddled season like this one. I've had him ahead of Crosby/Toews for years now.

Really? I'm obviously biased, but it doesn't take a rocket-scientist to figure out G is probably the best offensive center in the league not named Malkin, Crosby, or Stamkos (until Tavares puts up 90+ points and, he's behind G).

The fact he wasn't on Canada was insane, but he's a remarkable talent offensively and can play a 200-foot game at the tier below Jonathan Toews. He's also led the league in total scoring since the 2010 season and he was the NHL's highest scoring player from December until the end of the season this year. Just watching him with the puck and his vision is truly special.

He is a special player, and there are only a handful of them in the league.
- Flyers_V88

We are a bubble team at absolute best without him in the line-up. He's what makes the wheels go.