ESPN’s Top 25 NHLers of the 21st Century

[Saga of the Elk]

Would have been an ok list without trying to include goalies. Quick gets a bump from winning Cups of course and being from Connecticut.

As for Lidstrom... yeah most hockey people understand that he's a much "better" player than Malkin or Ovechkin. Guys play different positions. Goal-scoring in the 21st well sure Ovie is number one with a bullet.

 

[Luigi Lemieux]

Malkin should be #4 at worst. Perpetually underrated

 

[Saga of the Elk]

I still think even if you don’t include his peak seasons at the tail end of the 90s he’s one of the top 3-4 dmen in the 21st century, so I agree I’d put him in there.

Being the dominant force on the Oilers 2006 team and the Ducks 2007 alone makes the case why he's better than, say, Kane or Stamkos on this list.

 

[jigglysquishy]

Kane over Lidstrom is a wild choice.

 

[hamzarocks]

1. Mcdavid
2. Crosby
3. OV
4. Lidstrom
5. Malkin
6. Kucherov
7. Mackinnon
8. Brodeur
9. Lunqvuist
10. Draisaitl
11. Chara
12. Kane
13. Matthews
14. Joe Thornton


15 - 25 has a lot more names and tough to decide

 

[Satan]

No Jonathan Toews? I want what their smocking

 

[hamzarocks]

Malkin should be #4 at worst. Perpetually underrated

At best 5th hes got no case for the 97, 87, 8 and lidstrom is the 4th or 5th best D ever which is higher than what Malkin accomplished

Kucherov and Mackinnon are also 1 season away from passung Malkin as well

Another ross/hart/lindsay type year for either and they should move ahead of Malkin who had to many down years and injury filled years

 

[Satan]

1. Mcdavid
2. Crosby
3. OV
4. Lidstrom
5. Malkin
6. Kucherov
7. Mackinnon
8. Brodeur
9. Lunqvuist
10. Draisaitl
11. Chara
12. Kane
13. Matthews
14. Joe Thornton


15 - 25 has a lot more names and tough to decide

What did Patrick Kane ever do to you

 

[Puckstuff]

1) Sidney Crosby
2) Connor McDavid
3) Alex Ovechkin
4) Nicklas Lidstrom
5) Patrick Kane
6) Martin Brodeur
7) Evgeni Malkin
8) Nathan MacKinnon
9) Pavel Datsyuk
10) Patrice Bergeron
11) Zdeno Chara
12) Nikita Kucherov
13) Steven Stamkos
14) Anze Kopitar
15) Jonathan Toews
16) Auston Matthews
17) Leon Draisaitl
18) Victor Hedman
19) Duncan Keith
20) Joe Thornton
21) Erik Karlsson
22) Henrik Lundqvist
23) Andrei Vasilevskiy
24) Jerome Iginla
25) Marc-Andre Fleury

 

[hamzarocks]

What did Patrick Kane ever do to you

I wanted to put him 8th ir 9th but then those two goalies are legends and Brodeur is 3rd best goalie ever so he comes ahead of Kane

King henrick when healthy was a top 3 goalie for a decade, again a goalie like that deserves a spot in the top 10

Really Kane should be ahead of Chara and Draisaitl for sure

I think 8th to 10th where he should be and I rated him a bit to low.

For anyone who has Kane > Kucherov or Mack that is a bad take

Kucherov is the Mcdavid to Kanes Crosby so to speak. Just a lot better player in reg and playoffs. Hes not far away from Malkin and Lidstrom tier

Mackinnon has been a top 3 player now from 2018. Hes also ahead of Kane and doesnt look likely to fall of next 2-3 tears

 

[bambamcam4ever]

At best 5th hes got no case for the 97, 87, 8 and lidstrom is the 4th or 5th best D ever which is higher than what Malkin accomplished

Kucherov and Mackinnon are also 1 season away from passung Malkin as well

Another ross/hart/lindsay type year for either and they should move ahead of Malkin who had to many down years and injury filled years

Lidstrom and Malkin played at the same time and Malkin was better.

Lidstrom also played 9 seasons in the 90s

 

[Nogatco Rd]

ESPN's Top 25 NHLers of the 21st Century:

1) Sidney Crosby
2) Alex Ovechkin
3) Connor McDavid
4) Patrick Kane
5) Nicklas Lidstrom
6) Nathan MacKinnon
7) Martin Brodeur
8) Henrik Lundqvist
9) Evgeni Malkin
10) Patrice Bergeron
11) Zdeno Chara
12) Steven Stamkos
13) Leon Draisaitl
14) Joe Thornton
15) Auston Matthews
16) Erik Karlsson
17) Nikita Kucherov
18) Marc-Andre Fleury
19) Andrei Vasilevskiy
20) Jerome Iginla
21) Anze Kopitar
22) Pavel Datsyuk
23) Duncan Keith
24) Victor Hedman
25) Jonathan Quick

Source: ESPN

Not bad considering the source.

I’d have Lidstrom ahead of Kane, Kucherov ahead of Matthews. MAF inclusion is questionable let alone at 18. Probably swap out Karlsson for Tom Wilson, otherwise looks good.

 

[Rodgerwilco]

Kane and MacK much too high. Quick should not be on this list.

Amazing avatar and username dude. I'm just finishing Toast of London, I think I have about 3 episodes left. Have you seen my Matt Berry Appreciation Thread?

 

[DitchMarner]

No Jonathan Toews? I want what their smocking

Smocking > chocking.

 

[NJ DevLolz]

Brodeur four Vezinas, two cups, two Olympic golds, four finals appearances and not being a bit higher is strange. Should be higher than Kane and Mackinnon

 

[AvroArrow]

ESPN's Top 25 NHLers of the 21st Century:

1) Sidney Crosby
2) Alex Ovechkin
3) Connor McDavid
4) Patrick Kane
5) Nicklas Lidstrom
6) Nathan MacKinnon
7) Martin Brodeur
8) Henrik Lundqvist
9) Evgeni Malkin
10) Patrice Bergeron
11) Zdeno Chara
12) Steven Stamkos
13) Leon Draisaitl
14) Joe Thornton
15) Auston Matthews
16) Erik Karlsson
17) Nikita Kucherov
18) Marc-Andre Fleury
19) Andrei Vasilevskiy
20) Jerome Iginla
21) Anze Kopitar
22) Pavel Datsyuk
23) Duncan Keith
24) Victor Hedman
25) Jonathan Quick

Source: ESPN

Datsyuk and Hedman should be much higher. No way in hell Karlsson should be ranked above Hedman.

If Kane is 4, Malkin at worst should be 5.

Datsyuk was a better version of Bergeron, defensively equal while Datsyuk was in the conversation for best playmaker in the league as well

IMO The top 10

1) Crosby
2) Ovechkin
3) McDavid
4) Kane (interchangeable with Malkin)
5) Malkin
6) Lidstrom
7) Mackinnon
8) Brodeur
9) Kucherov
10) Datsyuk

 

[frontsfan67]

Bergeron is at 10 for a reason. He is without a doubt a top 3 defensive forward of all time while still having good offensive skills and great leadership. Got some hardware to prove it all too.

May be a bit high but no list is perfect.

Kucherov is also too low. Should probably be a 2x hart winner, 2 time cup winner, he has 2 art rosses and a lindsay. Also most assists by a winger in nhl history in a single season and most points by a Russian in 1 season too.

 

[Habsfann]

Should Price be there?

 

[Regal]

It’s always so hard to judge these things when the cutoff comes in the middle of a player’s career. Like part of what makes Brodeur and Lidstrom so great was their consistency and longevity and you’re cutting out a large part of that here. I almost feel like it should be just players who started in the 21st century.

 

[CascadiaPuck]

MAF in top 25 is bananas, especially given some of the other goalie omissions. Yikes.

 

[MasterofGrond]

Insane to have Bergeron at 10

 

[Sypher04]

No shade to Kane. He most certainly belongs on the list overall, but 4th? Absolutely not.

 

[Sentinel]

I'm glad to see Pavel on the list, but I feel like he should be a spot or two higher.

Way higher. Datsyuk below Matthews and MAF is crazy.

 

[Sentinel]

Bergeron is at 10 for a reason. He is without a doubt a top 3 defensive forward of all time while still having good offensive skills and great leadership. Got some hardware to prove it all too.

May be a bit high but no list is perfect.

Kucherov is also too low. Should probably be a 2x hart winner, 2 time cup winner, he has 2 art rosses and a lindsay. Also most assists by a winger in nhl history in a single season and most points by a Russian in 1 season too.

How is he better/higher than Dats?

 

[McPoyle]

Amazing avatar and username dude. I'm just finishing Toast of London, I think I have about 3 episodes left. Have you seen my Matt Berry Appreciation Thread?

I don't frequent the non hockey portion of this site. Good to see another Berry enjoyer here.